Monday, May 25, 2009

Oh, Darling!

We took a drive up the West Coast during our Cape Town trip, thinking we'd done the other side, the winelands and southern Cape coast so often, we should have a change. Eurgh... I'm sorry, west-coasters, in comparison it was just so flat and boring... the only sights to see the rather subduing ones of the Koeberg nuclear power-station and a non-operational wind farm. We got to Langebaan, which last time we saw it, was a remote little fisherman's village. Its now choked with oversized cluster houses, B&B's a mall and a casino nearby. Sigh.But... a light!... a jewel... we decided to detour to the little dorp of Darling for lunch. We knew one of the icons of South African theatre, Pieter-Dirk Uys had settled there and transformed the disused train-station into 'Evita se Perron' (Evita's platform). His alter-ego is Evita Bezuidenhout, who has long harangued SA politicians with her satiric tongue and mimicking mockery. He has a huge collection of apartheid era artefacts and documents on display, as well as personal letters of appreciation from the Mandelas, Archbishop Tutu and other struggle-heroes, all presented in between flamboyantly kitsch falderols and decorations. If you ever go to see the famous spring Wildflowers of Namaqualand, try and get to Darling and Die Perron as well! She has shows on most weekend evenings too.
Again, the only time we sat still enough for sketching, was over a meal, so with my mouth full of bobotie I scribbled down the only other diners there on a Tuesday, and a fabulous chandelier, memorising the subtle colours to add later on.

A photo of a crazy bird with her face on Evita's body... and a corner of 'Boerassic Park' with some funny sculptures in it and some not so funny old signs.



More eating and drinking sketches! - At the Cape Town Waterfront and in a shopping mall. I'm sorry that we were in such a beautiful place and my sketches are all so not beautiful, there just wasn't time! I took lots of photos and I think I'll be trying to turn some of them into watercolour paintings.
Tomorrow - or the next day (or the next!?) the last day of our little holiday - lunch in Kalk Bay, then I'll be well and truly back in Jozies again.

6 comments:

José Carrilho (Go Detail) said...

Hi,

The one on the right is very good, showing confidence in terms of draughtsmanship, so I think.

Best regards,

José

Vivienne said...

Simply Fabulous, darling! I especially love the darling in the frame.. what diet did she go on do you think?
What a joyous holiday. I am sad to hear that about Langebaan ... scene of second year UCT zoology frolics for years, without any neighbours to disturb, and only the smell of the disused whaling station nearby to bother us.

Pat said...

Great drawings and paintings of your trip. Thanks for taking me along, I feel like I have been on vacation.

Gillian said...

Come on now! These ARE beautiful, Sussie!! Moenie vis vir kompies nie!! Ek agree met die groot suster. Jy's die meeste duurbaar skat op die bladsy. :) My Afriks is goed, nê?

Cathy said...

If we ever manage to go to see those famous flowers, I'll make sure to follow your advice and visit this place you mention! Sounds great!

RH Carpenter said...

I'm enjoying your sketching and understand when there isn't time to do a completely work when you're busy eating, touring, driving, walking, looking :)