Kaapsehoop… a Village Deep in my Heart.

In 2001 our house suffered a disastrous flood that took everything from us… It happen just prior to Christmas and Linda decided that we needed to get away, just the two of us… the only place she could find that had an opening was in Kaapsehoop. We stayed in the rooms above a pancake /coffee shop the owner of which was going away for the weekend, and just handed us the key and said “What’s mine is yours.. enjoy yourselves… Oh and by the way I’ve booked you in for the Christmas party across the road.” Well to be honest we were not in the party mood, and pancakes and coffee sounded just right. A long discussion led to an evening Christmas Dinner decision, and at 7pm we stuck our heads into the establishment across the road.

We were taken in by the locals as though we had lived there all our lives… did they know about the flood and our loss.?? No, they are just like that. Wonderful people, we had a great night with excellent food and dancing, followed by visits to nearly every house in a group till almost sun up. To bed we went, with the noises of the wild horses drinking from the many fountains surrounding the coffee shop. The next day we sojourned to the veranda and every passing soul stopped to chat. The local dog “Blue” adopted us for the rest of the weekend and went where ever we did…

This began a love for Kaapsehoop that still remains with me to this very day, and whenever I get the chance, I return.

The pan cake den welcoming sign… but please take note they don’t open on Tuesday…???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the small merchandisers.. you can find allsorts here…

Another form of accommodation… the Royal Family, when they visited South Africa used this coach… not where it’s standing now… but on a slightly longer railway line…..

Some of the other houses and accommodation…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The roads are a little up and down… and this one leads to the ………. Corner Cottage…….

And there’s a church… where you can get married…. look carefully at one of these photos… my reflection is in the window.. (very Pro looking.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And sadly Blue died in 2008… but was given an honourable burial and place of position in the middle of the village he loved…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a finale respect to good old “Blue” who helped us through what would have been a hard Christmas…