Day 1 of month 5

I’ve been a bit slack posting, but the past month (month four of our African adventure) has been jam-packed. We did, however, take time out to appreciate a few sunsets (and sunrises).

Since moving to South Africa, we promised ourselves new experiences and maximised opportunities. In this vein, we’ve joined an opera appreciation group called – rather aptly – “Salieri”. Anyone who knows me well knows that I’m really not a fan of opera (understatement) and neither is Urbain, but when in Africa … We gather on the first Sunday of each month to share a meal, great conversation and (eventually) to watch an opera under the guidance of an afficionado called Rooi (Red) Frik. Frik is a fabulous, very funny, story-teller who brings each piece to life. The June offering was Verdi’s “Giovanna d’Arco” (Joan of Arc).

We also visited the Origin’s Centre at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits).

The Origins Centre’s interactive exhibits guide visitors through a remarkable journey that starts with the emergence of humankind in Africa. From there, it traces the evolution of technology, art, culture, and symbolism. The experience then delves into the rich traditions of southern African rock art, brought to life through modern installations by prominent South African artists that celebrate these ancient creators and their masterpieces.

We went to see a collaborative Aboriginal/Indigenous South African art exhibition called “Cosmic Echoes” …

**“The Sky Meets the Land”, Godfrena Gilla**

And ended up spending hours enjoying the permanent exhibits!

**Glass Bead Journeys”, Marti Jansen van Rensburg**

It was also great to wander about the Wits campus and see how well maintained it is.

I spent a few days in Windhoek, Namibia, attending the Commonwealth Business Summit. This was the inaugural Business Summit, run alongside the Senior Trade Minister’s Meeting, which was held for the first time ever outside London. As is always the case with events like this, there were great sessions and some that amounted to lip flapping, but overall it was positive. And it was great to see Namibia – a country with just 3 million people, but so much potential – firmly in the spotlight.

The Summit also presented a great opportunity to visit, Windhoek, a city I had previously visited in 1989, before independence!

**A somewhat younger me in Windhoek in 1989!**

I caught up with a former colleague and old friend, Niels Strazdins, drank a glass or two of rose, and managed to see something of the beautiful city of Windhoek.

**Christuskirche (Christ Church), the second oldest German building in Windhoek**

The main activity over the month of June has been the renovation of our cottage. Our tenants moved out at the end of May and we were quite horrified to see the condition of the cottage (which we had seen only briefly when we first viewed the house, in June 2024).

Urbain dug out his old Project Argon mining overall and, with much help from our staff member, Goodwell Nyerenda, got stuck in.