Moose Goes To Swakopmund!

[genetic]

I'm off to Windhoek then drive to Walvis Bay in 2 weeks for work. Will only be there for 3 days, but will be my first time in Namibia. Really looking forward to it.

 

[Mortymoose]

I'm off to Windhoek then drive to Walvis Bay in 2 weeks for work. Will only be there for 3 days, but will be my first time in Namibia. Really looking forward to it.

Careful on the tar roads up here, the people drive like complete pricks and even though our roads are good our accident rate is pretty high for such a small population!

You will enjoy the scenery and the people across the entire demographic are generally very friendly folk!

Safe Trip!

 

[Mortymoose]

Before I get back to the Canyon, here are a few landscape snaps I took on my drive through the Namib Naukluft Park!













When travelling Namibia it is very difficult to catch the moment on film, the sheer vastness of the beauty escapes the lense and the sound, yes there is a sound, the heat..... the feeling of being so alone! Just stunning!

 

[GreGorGy]

@GreGorGy , Boet! It was good whilst it lasted! I still have the wine!

Damn Bud. That thing lasted just over 5 years by my calculations. Not bad at all.

 

[Rocket-Boy]

Careful on the tar roads up here, the people drive like complete pricks and even though our roads are good our accident rate is pretty high for such a small population!

You will enjoy the scenery and the people across the entire demographic are generally very friendly folk!

Safe Trip!

I think its because everyone drives 160kmh+ on the longer stretches. Most of the guys I spoke to who live there say its often as fast as their cars will go!
Apparently lots of wild pigs on the roads too, although I didnt see any in the triangle between Windhoek, Rundu and Ongwediva.

 

[Mortymoose]

We continued down the dry riverbed of the Kahn River, we could see that the recent rains had caused this usually barren canyon to flourish, albeit for a brief period...

The rock geology here is just fascinating beyond belief with my imagination conjuring images of prehistoric mystical beasts....

 

[Stokstert]

Thanks to Mooze who brings back some fond memories of my youth while growing up in Nam. We often visited the Khan mining area when we were in Swakop for vacations. I can remember that in some of those buildings were generators and pumps. All the tools were still there and no-one stole them.
My memory fades a bit as I can't say if those machines were still used or have just been abandoned.
That was at least between 55 and 65 years ago.

I was lucky to having had a dad that was fond of travelling a lot, showing us all areas of the country.

 

[Mortymoose]

We drove for almost two hours, first down the Kahn and then into the dry Swakop river, avoiding a donkey and the heat..... We eventually reached Goanikontes, The oasis.....



in the middle of the Canyon. We had been here 72 hours ago on the Sabbath, when the rest of the country seemed a million miles away as the beer flowed and the band played old favourites.....

In the middle of this Moon Valley, to find such a place .... just fantastic, petting zoo for kids, stunning nosh, chalets and camp spots...










I shall be back......

 

[Mortymoose]

"Let's Go Dinosaur hunting!!!!", he roared........ My mate wanted to go show us the national plant of Namibia.....The Welwitchia ....... and he knew just where to find these ancient plants.....

The Welwitschia Mirabilis is a plant which is endemic to the Namib desert in Namibia and Southern Angola. Named after Friedrich Welwitsch who "discovered" the plant in 1859, some of the specimen are estimated to be between 1000 and 1500 years old.

On the way out we stopped to See Martin Luther, last time I had seen this steam train, it was rusting away in the desert some two decades ago, so I for one was relieved to see it was not restored and entombed....

Martin Luther is an 8 NHP Compound J & H McLaren steam-driven traction engine Works No 527 built in November 1895 in Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK and abandoned in the desert of Skeleton Coast outside of the town of Swakopmund in Namibia, ca. 4 km from the town centre.

The "Road Locomotive" was brought to German South-West Africa by First Lieutenant Edmund Troost of the Schutztruppe for use for freight service between Swakopmund and the interior of the country, for which ox wagons had been used. The route had insufficient grazing for the oxen because of droughts and seasonal conditions, and a great many oxen died along the way.[1]

In order to remedy this situation, Troost purchased the traction engine through the J & H McLaren Engineers (Leeds) agents in Germany, Fr. Dehne in Halberstadt, and had it shipped from Hamburg to Swakopmund. However, at its destination it was found that the offloading facilities could not cope with the locomotive's weight of 280 cwt (ca. 14 metric tonnes), and the ship continued to Walvis Bay, where the locomotive could be offloaded.[1]

The locomotive then remained in Walvis Bay for the next four months, as Troost had other obligations in Cape Town. When Troost was able to attend to the matter again, the engine driver hired to drive it had already left for Europe again. The engine was then driven by an American and a Boer to Swakopmund over the next three months, with the engine sinking in sand almost every 50 metres. Enormous quantities of water were also required for the operation of the locomotive.[1][2]

In Swakopmund, only inadequate service was available, and very few spare parts. However, the engine transported a few loads to Nonidas (ca. 11 km) and to Heigamchab.[1]

At the beginning of 1897, due to incorrect handling, the engine ground to a halt about 4 km outside of Swakopmund, and was abandoned there. A local resident Max Rhode is said to have said in a gathering in the Bismarck Hotel the following words: “Did you know that the steam ox is called ‘Martin Luther’ now because it can also say — ‘Here I stand, I can do no other’ ”. Thus the engine gained its present name, although recent scholars have doubts as to whether Luther ever did utter these words.[1]

The engine has been restored twice, first in 1973, and more recently between 2000 and 2004. After the second restoration job, a protective house was built for the engine, as it was by then apparent that the frequent mists of Swakopmund would quickly damage the engine again.[2]

But onto the Welwitchia's..... stunning warm cloud covered afternoon over the Namib, not a soul in sight.,..



I for one was surprised to see how big these plants grow....

 

[Mortymoose]

As mentioned earlier, the German Colonial Architecture is still a major attraction in this unique desert town. A lot of the modern buildings have been constructed with a slight Germanic influence....


The National Aquarium was interesting, but really small in comparison with counterparts in the Republic down South, but for a small town in the desert, a pleasant surprise...








I once drank in the bar here, that must have been thirty years ago. I recall the old HANSA brewery was just down the road and every day around lunchtime, a worker from the brewery could be seen rolling a draught barrel to the hotel.....

 

[ngoni615]

It's Roadtrip time!

I need this! Not been a good place the past year or so. The building I rent has a sinkhole under it! The local council let me know that they have been undercharging me by about 40 grand a month on my bakery! ( For the past 14 months) . My FirstBornMoose is squatting on my couch armed with an honours degree in Forensic Accounting.....

This :limited" drinking thing does not help the situation either....

LastBornMoose who has been stuck here in this little Groundhog day for the past 18 months due to C19 has gone on holiday with his best mate this morning.

So The English HO summonsed me a few days ago, " You are going away on Friday!", she said without looking up from her paper strewn desk!

"I am?", I nervously questioned, fearing what mission she had planned for me this time... fearing the ritual of crossing the border post seeing as my Butchery Manager got stuck there for three hours a mere forty eight hours ago and landed up dumping/discarding meat products due to official harrasment....

"You are going to Swakopmund for ten days! You will be taking THAT daughter of yours with you to see if you can speak some sense into her about getting on with her life" , "You will also be acting as a backup for LastBornMoose in case anything should go South with him!", she added in a manner that I could feel concluded the discussion. I gave a short bow and backed out of her office.

"Swakopmund, Namibia's playground! Little Germany in the Dunes, Town of Draught on Tap and Bratwurst!" , I thought unto myself..... with no borders to cross....

A roadtrip through the desert.........

So in a mere two hours I shall be departing to a place I last visited two decades ago..... Tonight I shall be staying at a wee castle on the edge of the Namib Desert, nursing a cold one or two around a fire..... These next ten days or gonna be soul repairing, much needed.....

View attachment 1057047

I will post a few snaps on this thread as I go along!

I was last at this castle about 28 years ago before the tourists found it....

View attachment 1057059

If all goes to plan, I shall head on to Swakopmund via Soussesvlei and Sesriem Canyon before joining my son and mates for Sundowners at a restaurant with a view...
View attachment 1057061

Hopefully I shall be restored to 1989 on my return!

View attachment 1057063

Right! Tis; Friday, You lot get back to work!

Oh my god man... That is fantastic. I have my 2500km drive to Namz planned out and just waiting for the time now.... I am so excited and can hardly wait for the day. I will also go to the police and find out which documents i will need to have if i am driving to Namibia with a SA registered car.

 

[ngoni615]

This just warmed my heart and i am definitely going there man. Thanks for sharing. I need to make sure my phone is fully charged all times considering i will be driving. I have to record and take pictures as much as possible. I will try and see if i can have a dash came installed too before i leave. Those pictures man..... the beer by the seaside damn.

 

[ngoni615]

I'm off to Windhoek then drive to Walvis Bay in 2 weeks for work. Will only be there for 3 days, but will be my first time in Namibia. Really looking forward to it.

Pleaase share pictures of windhoek and all that you see. I will be driving to Namz myself in a bit and i am looking forward to seeing places there.

 

[Mortymoose]

There is a road tax for SA cars entering Nam, think it is about 300 bucks, you are also meant to have a ZA sticker on the back of your car, although our officials seem to be over this gimmick. When passing through customs entering Nam, look out for the RA road authority office and report there. When leaving the NAM border you will be given a strip of stamped paper that shows you were at all three offices at the border, Do not throw this paper away, keep it in your car as I have heard tales of some road blocks outside Windhoek askimg for proof of this particular piece of paper.

I am excited for you to be visiting, in general oir officials and people are cery friendly, treat with respect and you shall get the same in return.

If you drive on our dirt roads, always turn your lights on, do not speed on dirt roads, they are in good nick but deceptive and sliding is common....

Enjoy Your Stay!

 

[Mortymoose]

Where is a pic of that cement braai? I want to see a 28 year old braai.

Here we go, One cement braai built 28 years ago, I see all over these canyon people have built little braai spots over the years! My mate explained that this one in particular was built by him and five mates twenty eight years ago when they came camping here, his name is still engraved on the side of the braai. Must say I found it quite odd that a person can get so excited over a braai!

 

[Mortymoose]

One of the finer things about Swakopmund was the nosh! The multitude of fine eateries to wine and dine at, especially for such a small place in the middle of the world's oldest deserts!

My mate had a arrived in town two days before me and was becoming frustrated as I did the tourist tracks around the Soussesvlei area, "Moose!! where are you now boet? What time will you be in town! Remember it's curfew at 22H00! Where will we meet you?" , the messages kept streaming through......

I was in no rush to get to civilization, I was having a blast, driving through the Namib Naukluft park watching wild animals was the perfect remedy for my recent stress.....

It was late afternoon when we hit Walvis Bay, the thick mist bank giving us an indicator of the Namib Coastal weather up ahead....

"Moose!!! are you here yet? ", the messages continued.....

We booked into our accommodation and then went to find my party!



Now, those that know me will know that I am a prolific beer drinker of note and have tried desperately to cut back and have been doing pretty well until I hit this place.... Typical 1Lt Hansa Draughts on tap, dit was nag!!! Moose had found heaven....




For some strange reason, one of those empty beer mugs is now in my kitchen!!!

Over the next week, every lunchtime and dinner time was a different venue, The beer and cocktails flowed, The Sushi melting in one's mouth and the party went stumbling on. My food and drinks bill for that week was well over twenty grand, how I am still married is besides me....

We went to a restaurant called Tiger Reef, built on the sand's of the beach! A stunning location! In the course of the evening I felt someone slap me on the back, A pious voice said, "Morty! I am the man that buried your father!" I turned and almost choked on my beer as I recognised the face behind me, "Preacher! I shouted" for here indeed was the man that buried my father.



He went on to explain to my party how no other preacher wanted to bury my old man as we had unusual ways of pouring whisky over coffins....... I wondered who had sent this man of the cloth to me....

The problem with Tiger reef is the toilet, downstairs, due to being on the beach the entire floor is sloped and one needs to support yourself against the wall whilst having a piss or risk peeing on the big Dutchman's foot next to you....

The evening's at The Reef beautiful, the location perfect, one of many awesome places I was about to discover up here...

 

[genetic]

I was incredibly lucky to visit Swakopmund and Walvis Bay a week ago for a few days to shoot a commercial.

What a stunning place!!! I've been to many countries - but nothing has the beauty this place has. The people, the scenery, the isolation... everything.

@Mortymoose I am in love!!!!!

Namibia is one of the most beautiful countries I've ever had the pleasure to visit.

Will go back in a heart beat - more so than revisiting New York, London or Amsterdam.

 

[Stokstert]

One of the best known Pubs in Swakop?

 

[Mortymoose]

One of the best known Pubs in Swakop?

View attachment 1075385

We stumbled in here just before curfew one misty night, two woman that looked like ladies of the night hanging on an old German man, three younger chaps propping up the other end of the bar and a defiant barman who refused serve us even after I offered him a 100 Dollar tip..... so sadly I never got to have a pint there...

 

[Stokstert]

We stumbled in here just before curfew one misty night, two woman that looked like ladies of the night hanging on an old German man, three younger chaps propping up the other end of the bar and a defiant barman who refused serve us even after I offered him a 100 Dollar tip..... so sadly I never got to have a pint there...

Then it must have degraded for the worst over the past few years. So not the most well-known any more or well-known for the wrong reasons. I am really sorry for your bad experience.