Writing It Randomly

When we were growing up, we loved listening to these Golden Oldies tape compilations my father had. One of the songs that we listened to over and over, was Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep (some of the others were Petula Clark's  Downtown,  Sandie Shaw's  Puppet on a String  and Bonnie Tyler's Lost in France ). However, reading the lyrics today, I don't quite understand why Middle of the Road's song was so "chirpy"...

South African Lighthouse No. 18 Photo by Rene Theron Seal Point Lighthouse might be the tallest masonry lighthouse in South Africa, but Slangkop ("Snake Head") Lighthouse, a 33 meter cast-iron giant in Kommetjie , is even taller. The lighthouse falls within the Marine Protected Area of the Table Bay National Park, but you can visit it on weekdays between 10:00 am and 15:00 pm (refer to Transnet's website  for more information). Photo by Ben Broughton It was commissioned on 4 March 1919 for the same reason all lighthouses are built - to warn seafarers that they're nearing a coastline. The lighthouse was also automated in 1979, as they did with all South African lighthouses, but it is one of a few lighthouses worldwide to still have it's own lighthouse keeper, called a lighthouse officer . Another gorgeous photo by Ben Broughton

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When I was first introduced to Guano Apes' sound, I completely fell in love with Sandra  Nasić's voice. She didn't sound as one dimensional as the rest of the women making name in the '90s, and so became my first female role model. I was a teen and convinced that she was concrete proof that you did not need to be a guy to be grungy, aggro or bad ass. You did not have to be into florals and frilly things ALL the time, and that being a woman did not mean that you could not do the things viewed as more masculine. I loved their first three albums. For most of us in South Africa, internet was something your parents had at the office, so without online shopping and app stores, the only way I could get my hands on them, was to trawl music stores until I owned them all (I scored one of them off an ex as well). I can't say that I'm crazy for their new sound, but fortunately old tracks like Lords of the Boards will remain favourites. What's weird about t...

South African Lighthouse No. 17 Image Credit: Cape St Francis News The Tall One At almost 28 metres, the St Francis lighthouse is the tallest masonry lighthouse in South Africa (ie it has obviously been struck by lightning more than once). Its construction also proved to be extremely difficult - the rough terrain hampered logistics, the original builder passed away before the structure could be completed, and his successor managed to complete the lighthouse in just two years, but seem to have used brackish water, which caused plaster rot on some of the interior walls. Fortunately, despite all the setbacks, the basic structure remained intact and Seal Point Lighthouse has been guiding ships to shore since 4 July 1878.

South African Lighthouse No. 16 On 16 September 1861, Roman Rock Lighthouse became the first (and only) South African lighthouse to be built on a single rock, warning ships coming into Simon's Town bay. Image found via Mariner Guesthouse Extensive deliberations were held to decide on the most ideal location. After they finally decided on Roman Rock, it took them another four years to complete this tricky job, because the rock is only visible during low tide, which meant that the construction site was invisible for three weeks out of every month. In an effort to avoid further delays, the cast iron tower was actually built in England and then sent down here. Also notable is the fact that the lighthouse has its own adjoining helipad. From the shore, when a supply helicopter is on the helipad, the helicopter and the lighthouse appear to be about the same size (the lighthouse is actually 14 m tall).

I had a fantastic weekend! We checked out the Mexican Tequila & Food Festival in Centurion on Saturday, and spoiled the Mums with a lunch outing to Cullinan on Sunday afternoon. The plan was to post a bit more on these outings, but even the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. My longer than usual blog pause is the result of me feeling a bit under the weather whilst trudging through a chaotic time at work (audit week). Hopefully everything will be back to normal soon.

When souls meet, bodies allow for more. Bodies we meet can hug and comfort, shield and protect, touch and entice. They stimulate our senses. With them, we can move and connect with each other. Some may disguise the twisted souls inside, inflict pain and torture, strike and tear down, charm and manipulate. There are many wonderful things about the human body. The best thing, by far, is that we can take control and choose how to use them, what to feed them, how to care for them. We can choose to accept and love them, make them our own. Pic Source:  QuotesGram

South African Lighthouse No. 15 Pic Source: RobbenIsland.org In 1656, a few years after Jan van Riebeeck arrived in the Cape, they started to use the highest point on Robben Island as the foundation of South Africa's first makeshift lighthouse. More specifically, large bonfires were lit atop Fire Hill (now Minto Hill) each night. Needless to say, an open fire might be great for roasting marshmallows, but maybe it's not the best tool for this task. The permanent tower structure eventually replaced them on 1 January 1865 - and they switched over to electricity in 1938, but what is more noteworthy, is the history  of the island itself. The way those in power thought of this once idyllic piece of nature as the ideal location for a penile colony, or to exile the unwanted members of society, is just so morbid. Don't you think?