Aug, 09
Visit to Namaqua National Park.
Yesterday after a freezing start to the morning it turned into a hot windless day and ideal to go and look at the Namaqualand flowers. Many of the locals say that because of the early start the best of the flowers for this year are just about over and people that have booked to come up in September are going to be disappointed. To be honest apart from a few displays that I have seen I don’t think this year was a particularly good flower year.
Namaqua National Park or should I say the section I was going to called Skilpad is 21km west of Kamieskroon and is accessible via a not too bad gravel road.
About 4km from Skilpad I happened upon 3 ladies who had set up a business at the side the road so stopped to have a chat.
- Pannekoek Paleis – Pancake Palace.
- Ouma Ragel – chief cook and what a gal.
Ragel, Olene and Anna.
What stunning ladies! They have been doing this for 15 years and started off in a tent, then to a caravan, and now this little stone room. While I was there quite a few people stopped for pancakes and when I passed by on my way back to Kamiekroon it was still busy. They also insisted I had to try one and it was delicious.
Welcome to Namaqua National Park.
The Park is situated in the heart of the Succulent Karoo and the biome is divided into 134 vegetation types and about 40% of the plant species are endemic and occur nowhere else on earth. It is no wonder that the Succulent Karoo was declared one of only 25 biodiversity hotspots on the planet of which it is the only purely arid one.
I took quite a few photographs and because I am no expert on flowers will let the pictures do the talking.
Field of Namaqualand daisies - the contrasts of colour are beautiful.
Love it!!
Did some close ups of various plants and have no idea of names so just enjoy.
The Skilpad Padstal Restaurant.
It was while having a cup of tea and a sandwich that I met well known videographer Mike Downie who is working on a secret project in the Namaqualand area. In fact it was so secret that if he told me what it was he would have had to kill me.
Mike Downie.
I can remember when I worked as a photographer at the Cape Times and Argus that they would send out some sucker and a model to go and take pictures of the Namaqualand flowers. I think my model below is much better.
My model was a bit shy and would not give me his/her name.
I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying this trip of yours! I can almost taste that pannekoek!
Hi Hanlie so glad to hear you are enjoying my trip and attempts at blogging. Makes all the effort worth while.
I am loving the trip too – please can I have a pannekoek too
Luv the pannekoek Paleis and well done on your absolutely stunning close ups. Keep going, I almost feel I am with you!
Luv
Michael
@totallycooked the pannekoeks were great. Is it not fantastic the ideas that some people have? Who would have thought in the middle of nowhere.
@Michael I too am rather pleased with the macro shots.
Those fields of flowers look incredible. I do a lot of work on a website, which has Namaqua tours and it’s just amazing to see what beauty nature holds.
hi grandpa..
WOW MAN…started looking at your blog and found myself caught in it for over an hour now.
This trip is just looking SO amazing. I cant tell you how envious i am of you for just getting away. seriously, this is almost exactly the type of thing i want to do with my life. Please dont stop posting ANYTHING!!!!
jeesh this is just way cool. ten points!!
@Chris M I was very pleased with the macro flower shots as well.Posted some more up on Flickr.
@Justin glad you enjoyed the blog. Takes quite a bit of work but I have really enjoyed most of my trip so far. Have to back in Cape Town in September for some work and then hopefully off again.
Pannekoek Paleis!! That’s divine
Photos are, as usual, awesome!