Historical Tulbagh

 Cape Dutch style buildings are unique to South Africa.

This is the promised continuation from where I'd left off in my second last post.

Church Street inTulbagh, contains 32 historical buildings, most of which had to be rebuilt after a devastating earthquake wracked the town in 1969.

As mentioned in my earlier post, we'd ambled down Church Street after having enjoyed our hearty lunchtime meal at Paddagang Restaurant, to view (and, naturally, photograph!) some of the 32 historic buildings that had to be restored after a devastating earthquake in 1969 had damaged most of them. Without further ado, allow me to present the following selection from our thoroughly enjoyable sighting...

 

The houses were all built facing on to the street, but had generously proportioned gardens at the back.

I cannot resist mossy cobbled pathways!

White-washed walls, ornate gables and thatched roofs are distinctive features of the Cape Dutch style of architecture that originated in South Africa from the early 1700's onwards with the arrival of Dutch settlers to the colony.

This is a modern construction built to partly replicate the architectural style of the 1800's.

This pretty Church, situated on a private wine estate, is used for weddings.

A house situated at the pinnacle of Bainskloof (Mountain) Pass. We stopped to take a photograph of the quirky fence constructed out of rusty old spadeheads!

Bainskloof Pass is one of several beautiful passes in the Western Cape of South Africa. I am always rivetted by the scale of the magnificent rock formations towering above. We used a zoom lens to capture these scenes.

 On the day we crossed Bainskloof Pass, countless streams flowed strongly and waterfalls cascaded in gay abandon...

To one who has been long in city pent,
'Tis very sweet to look into the fair
And open face of heaven, - to breathe a prayer
Full in the smile of the blue firmament.
~John Keats, Sonnet XIV