Sir Lowry's Pass view point

After nearly a day on the road between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town (roughly about 800km and normally an 8 hour drive if you only stop once or twice briefly) one starts to be in a hurry by the time you get to the top of Sir Lowry's Pass just west of Somerset West.  The end destination is within reach after all.  I like to pull over on top of the pass at the view point for a couple of minutes first before heading down into the rush which is the Cape roads - I'm from Port Elizabeth after all.  The view from up there is probably one of the most beautiful sights around with the Strand and Somerset West in the foreground, False Bay on the left and Table Mountain in the distance.

Wilderness Beach from Dolphin Point

The Garden Route has some stunning scenic view points.  Storms River Bridge, Bloukrans Bridge, Natures Valley, Plettenberg Bay looking to Beacon Isle and Robberg, Kranshoek and the Knysna Heads just to name a few.  Heck, the Garden Route is one continuous scenic view.  Right up there with the best amongst them is the view from Dolphin Point looking east along Wilderness beach.  How can one not stand in awe at a sight like this?

 

Dolphin Point also used to be a great spot to watch the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe cross the Kaaimans River when it still ran but the fact that it isn't anymore is no excuse not to stop and marvel at this sight.

Random elephant "did you knows"

I haven't done a "Random ..." post in ages, so for today I'm doing three

Random elephant did you knows. 

 

An elephant's trunk, which is a fusion of their nose and upper lip, contains over 100,000 different muscles.  African Elephants also have two finger like features on the end of their trunk that they can use to grab small items with.  Indian Elephants on the other hand only has one of those "fingers".  An elephant can lift up to 350kg with their trunks. 

Elephants have circular feet with soft tissues or "cushion pads" beneath the manus and pes.  This helps to distribute the weight of the animal.  They appear to have an extra "toe" similar in placement to a giant panda's extra "thumb", that also helps with weight distribution.  Five toenails can be found on both the front and hind feet.

Elephants have their mammary glands situated between their front legs similar to humans and primates and strangely enough, they do look like breasts.

 

The pictures were all taken in the Addo Elephant National Park

The Overberg town of Riviersonderend

Most people driving along the N2 between Cape Town and Mossel Bay only slow down while driving through the Overberg town of Riviersonderend because the speed limit drops to 60 km/hour.  Riviersonderend, 140 km east of Cape Town, isn't much more than a farm village with 5 245 (according to the 2011 census) inhabitants.  I'm one of those who are guilty of not giving the town any more time than a quick stop for a snack on my way through, but on my last trip to Cape Town I decided to take a couple of minutes out my day and look around.  I drove up to a view point behind the town and took in my surroundings, realizing how beautiful the area really is.

                   

So where does the name Riviersonderend ("river without end") come from?  There are two theories.
                   

In 1673 Willem ten Rhyne who was visiting the Cape and came through the area referred to the river, with it's source in the mountains, as the "sine fine flumen" ("river without end").

In 1707 Jan Hatogh, a horticulturist employed by the Dutch East India Company and a seasoned traveller, referred to the river as the "Kanna-kan-kann".  It is possible that this word came from the Hessequa (a local Khoi tribe of herdsmen) word "Kamma-kan Kamma" which, roughly translated, means "water, endless water".                  

                   

It doesn't really matter which of these two stories are true, what is certain is that the name refers to the perennial Sonderend River at the foot of the Sonderend mountains.  The town was had it's origines in 1923 when Miss Edith McIntyre sold the farm Tierhoek for 6000 pounds to the church council of the local Dutch reformed Church when the congregation was established.

Pie and strawberry milk at Ou Meul

Some people travel with purpose along the N2 between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth while others take it nice and easy while on holiday.  Doesn't matter which one of the two you are one, you always find somewhere to stop, stretch your legs and get something to fill that hollow spot with.  I always like to try out new places and saw a Geocacher recommend a spot in Riviersonderend in the Overberg in a cache description.

His description included the words "some of the best pies this country has to offer" so returning from Cape Town I found my tummy rumbling as I entered the town of Riversonderend.  It was nearly 4pm and I hadn't had lunch yet after all.  I looked for the Ou Meul bakery and farm stall and pulled over. 

On walking in the pies caught my eye immediately and after long discussions between my tummy and my brain I went for a ham and cheese pie and strawberry milk. Strawberry milk? Yes strawberry milk cause that is what you have with a pie.  Even though it was starting to get late and I had a long way to go, I decided to sit down and savour the pie rather than gulp it down on the run while messing crumbs in my car.  Believe me, the next time I drive through Riviersonderend I will be stopping for an Ou Meul pie again. 

27 miles to Cradock

Back in the old days distance stones were used to indicate to travellers how far they had to go to the next town.  These days there aren't a lot of them around and often they are found on old and back roads.  But trust Geocaching to take me to one of them on the N10 on a trip to Cradock.  This stone indicates 27 miles to Cradock and 80 miles to Grahamstown.   

Sunny day by the Pier

Today is National Human Rights Day in South Africa and the start of silly season as far as public holidays go over the next two months.  Lots of long weekends to come which means lots of opportunities for break aways and #shotleft weekend. From the looks of it we are in for a beautiful weekend this weekend and here's hoping that all the others would be the same.  Stunning autumn weather is just as good as summer so the PE beachfront is a popular spot today.  Unfortunately I'm in bed with bronchitis so the pic of Shark Rock Pier at Hobie Beach was taken a week or so ago.