Sunday 13 August 2023
Our plan for the day was to take it easy and see a little bit of local culture and history. The Great Trek Memorial was the first stop and just on the edge of town. However, we drove past it the first time but manage to see it once we turned around. Unfortunately, was just set back from the road and nowhere we could stop to see it. So we only could have a look at the pointy monument and we drove slowly past. Looking it up in Wikipedia tonight, it is memorial to the migration of the Dutch-speaking settlers (Boers) who travelled to the interior of South Africa as they wanted to get away from the British rule in the Cape Colony. They were known as the voortrekkers. The fourth trek was of voortreekers (around 700 people) left from Graff-Reinet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Trek).
The next monument was the Huguenot Memorial, which was another pointy memorial. It was a list of names of Huguenot descendants who, by way of donations, made possible the erection of the memorial. Huguenots were a religious group of the French Protestants, thank you Wikipedia again.
The last monument was the Monument to the 4 South African Colonies. From what Wikipedia tells me is that prior to the Boer War (which bought about the Union of South Africa) there were the four separate British colonies. So, I guess this is recognition former British rule?
It was an interesting collection of memorials. We dropped in on the museum in a grand old parsonage of the Dutch reform church, built in 1812, it had lots of pictures of very stern looking gentlemen and sterner rather looking ladies. Giggles were not part of the Dutch reform church. Rather a grand old space. We saw picture of Mr Graff and Ms Reinet, after who the town was names.
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Next was a visit to an old Dutch reform Church, now housing a private art collection of Hester Rupert, which was much more interesting than the very staid building. Lots of 70’s stuff, quite good.
Back home for lunch and G&T’s. Lamb roast for dinner.