This weekend we went to Oldenburg Game Park in South Africa! This was such a great day trip because it is only 40 minutes away from our house. Oldenburg is a really nice lodge and game park situated in the mountains of South Africa. The weather was gorgeous today; spring has sprung, and the sun is warm and shining.We started off by having a nice big lunch outside on the porch of the lodge. We had roast chicken, lamb, roast potatoes, veggies, and pumpkin fritters. For dessert we had a delicious apricot sponge cake with custard. (If you don't know by now, I have to mention food in my posts!)
There were four really nice dogs at the lodge, so after lunch I had fun running around getting my fill of dog love. (I miss my Brenna Boo!) The manager of the lodge has a huge beautiful macaw bird from South America. I played "ball" with him and even got to hold him. Oh by the way, his name? Costalot!
After lunch we went to check out some caveman paintings on the property. My Mom has been dying to see cave paintings (there are a lot here in Southern Africa). We started on a path up the mountain to the paintings, and thank goodness we didn't have to go to the top, because we were breathless soon into the jaunt! Then we went through an entrance into the cave dwelling that led us to the paintings. These cave paintings were made by the San bushmen of Southern Africa, over 800 years ago! The shaman go into a trance like state when they make these paintings. The ceiling of the cave was completely black from the smoke of the bushmen. It was so cool, and hard to imagine that we were standing right where the bushman were standing over 800 years ago.
The cattle were drawn above the people to rain milk and blood over them. See the smoke too?
This painting has a deer head, man body, and an erect ::eh hem::
Next we went on a game drive/walk around the park. First animals we saw- giraffes! They are so huge and pretty in person. Animals really do look better out in the wild as opposed to viewing them behind steel bars. The interesting thing when viewing the giraffes was how intently they stared back at us. They were just as curious about us as we were about them.
We also saw wildebeest, Eland antelope, impala, springbok, ostriches, and zebra. We spent a lot of time walking around the park to get the best views of the animals.
Wild animal spotted!
We had a lovely and excited Sunday. Back to the grind on Monday!
Spotting a giraffe in the distance
At a watering hole
5 comments:
That's so cool! I love the shot of the two giraffs with their necks facing opposite directions! That's one to blow up, frame, and keep forever!
Thanks Katie! I love my new camera, and have been getting in to photography. I will def. be blowing up some of the giraffe photos and finding some cool frames!
Hi Colleen, I really enjoyed your account of your trip to the Game Park. And the wonderful food too. I notice in some of Nancy's writings that pumpkin is used quite a bit in ways other than in pie!Naming the animals brought to
mind the Clearfield Taxidermy (Pop-Pop's Co) and his lifeswork. Big Game hunters on Safari in Africa would send the salted hides here to be mounted.A plastic form of the body was made and the skins mounted on that. So I knew the
names of quite a few African animals. I don't know if Safari big game hunts are still held or not. Now hunters hunt in Canada and Western U.S. We have a few
Taxidermists around but they mostly mount deer, bear, small game and birds like wild turkeys and Ringneck pheasants. I really loved hearing about your lovely day trip. My kind oftrip!!!!!! The cave paintings must be impressive to see. Love Grandma
that´s so cool that you saw all those animals!!! I can´t imagine seeing all that in the wild, in one day!
I'd come visit in a heartbeat if I had the money! It looks so beautiful. You're getting some amazing photos, I am loving your blog!
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