Wednesday, April 8, 2009

The Bushveld!

Warmbaths (Bela Bela) is situated in the African bushveld. This area is well known as a holiday and health destintation. There are hot mineral springs which bubble out of the earth at a temperature of about 53 degrees C. This water is rich in sodium chloride, calcium carbonate and other mineral salts which have healing properties.

We stayed at a resort called “Favourite Resorts”. It was really nice and comfortable. Our log cabin was situated right on the banks of a lake which boasted an electronic water-ski contraption. We watched the children water-ski all afternoon, without the loud screaming of power-boats. Dead quiet, but exactly the same effect!
A view of the cottages - called Log Cabins, but they weren't really!
We were visited by an Egyptian goose, who was MORE than happy with crumbles of whole-wheat bread and wasn’t put off at all by the tabby cat who kept creeping up to have a look and a smell!
Aren't I a handsome fella?
These wholewheat bread crumbs are the bomb diggedy!
Our little cabin was surrounded by “Fever Trees” with their distinct green bark. The name comes from its tendency to grow in swampy areas. People suspected having caught the malarial fever from these trees when in fact the fever was spread by the mosquitos living in the swamp.
Have you ever read Rudyard Kipling’s “The Elephants Child”? He repeatedly refers to the “great, grey, green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever trees!”

Do yourselves a favour and read some of Rudyard Kiplings stories - he wrote "The Jungle Book" amongst others.  His "Just So Stories for Little Children" are so entertaining - got to pull out that old, well-read, worn out copy of mine and read it again ... Just for fun!

5 comments:

Firefly the Travel Guy said...

There are so many excellent resorts in the Bushveld. Just a pity that we are so far away to get to enjoy it. Not that we don't have great camping resorts on the coast.

Country Mouse, City Mouse said...

I loved reading the story of the bushveld. I am going to have a look at it further.

Rhonda said...

I could use a trip to the Warmbaths or any resort!!

Pam said...

Great pictures. Especially the first one. Such a blue sky!

Colleen @AMadisonMom said...

Sounds like a lovely vacation.