Kleine Karoo and Stellenbosch, too

Dropped off at Die Top of the Swartberg pass, I was left to make my way back on bicycle for 54 harrowing kilometers through the Kleine Karoo. I passed farms and ostrich ranches (and camel rides?). At times pursued by ravenous herds of man-eating ostriches. Luckily, I arrived unscathed in the town of Oudtshoorn. Then we’re magically transported to Stellenbosch. Uni town and wine center. Strolled through the Village Museum for a gander at Dutch colonial life in the 17th and 18th centuries. Then I hired a dodgy bike to pedal the vineyards, but ventured only as far as I was willing to walk back – a real el crappo bike. The musical accompaniment is Get Some by Lykke Li and Concerto 2 – F Major of the Brandenburg Concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach, conducted by Helmuth Rilling.

originally published elsewhere on 16 January 2012.

Scandinavia 1979

Back in 1979, I travelled from Oslo to the west of Norway to work on a farm in a village called Grimo, tacked to the side of a steep fjord. There I picked apples, pearls, plums and strawberries in the chilly rain. The discomfort was offset by inhaling the wonderful scenery that never grew mundane. When that ended, I hopped a train to Stockholm, Sweden. I stayed in a hostel that was once a sailing ship, the af Chapman (cool). In Denmark, I took only one photo, which was a funny billboard advert. As it’s The End appropriate, I’ve included it. The razor sharp imagery was taken with a pocket instamatic camera. And the musical accompaniment is Äppelknyckarjazz by Movits!.

Originally published elsewhere on 11 September 2011.