CEO’S Spring Message: Heritage & Tourism Month
On 22/23 September, the Southern Hemisphere officially heralds Spring. In geographical terms, Spring is the time of equinox which means the day and night is of the same length! In the Cape, it is the season of magic and wonder!
Well, as South Africans, we make the most of the most beautiful season of the year. September is Tourism and Heritage Month, and South Africans also celebrate a host of other nature- and societal days during this time of rejuvenation, revival, growth, and hope.
The theme for this year’s World Tourism Day is “Tourism and jobs – a better future for all” whilst heritage month’s is: “Celebrating South Africa’s literary classics in the year of indigenous languages”. What better place to celebrate both months at South Africa’s oldest surviving building – the 352-year old Castle of Good Hope. Access to the Castle if free on the 24th of September 2019. Come with your family, friends and picnic baskets – and remember the flat shoes!
The Gardens to the left of the main entrance of the Castle.
Ode To The Most Beautiful Season
There is something so sublime about an African Spring that it is simply not possible to capture it graphically. But let me give it a try to describe what we experience at the Castle these days:
Spring seems to put a spring in every creature’s step; the Castle of Good Hope and surrounding a case in point. In the Castle moat, which is fed from the Camissa River in Table Mountain, the flock of black cormorants give the fish a hard time. Their feeding frenzy seems like a strategy to make up for the long, hard winter behind them. The wily old Night Heron with his long neck is trying hard to out-fish them but fails to match their angling skills. The coots glide over the fallen leaves from the papyrus plants on the dam; scooping up the abundant insects and other tiny morsels and preparing for the new chicklets’ arrival.
The happy chirps of the mating weavers, sparrows and starling are only drowned out by the shrill screams of the assertive hadedas and peckish gulls. The awakening of every bloom and leaf the perfect canvas for these unfolding theatrics.
But it is the majestic Egyptian goose that rules the Castle. We are eagerly anticipating their colonisation of our lawns with their large batches of tweeting goslings! And not even the lone Castle barn-owl or stray cat would dare to come close to their brood.
Bees in the Aloe flowers,
Restitution Garden,
top of Leerdam. |
|
Night Heron relaxing on one
of the steel cages protecting
young fish in the Moat. |
Season Highlights: Major Events
Now back to Heritage and Tourism Months. Besides the complimentary tours, firing of a real cannon, four museums, exhibitions, expect a bevy of events, festivities, gathering and celebrations for the rest of Spring. For our tourists, we have just re-instituted the Ghost Tours, sleep-outs and much more.
These are some of the cultural, lifestyle and heritage events we are proudly hosting over the next couple of weeks:
- Integrated Conservation Management Plan Stakeholder Meeting, 1 October 2019
- Justice for Imam Haron outdoor exhibition, October/November 2019
- Big League 3rd Anniversary Concert, 5 October 2019
- Ceramics SA Exhibition, 7 – 10 October 2019
- Open Design Africa, 18 – 22 October 2019
- Unathi Msengana’s Picnic Concert, 19 October 2019
- Kings of the Castle Boxing Tournament, 26 October 2019
- Secret Sunset Event, 31 October 2019
- Doek on Fleek Outdoor Picnic, 2 November 2019
- Infecting the City, 23-24 November 2019
- Harley Davidson Lifestyle Centre, 30 November to 1 December 2019
Disclaimer: Information is correct as on 23 September 2019. Patrons are kindly requested to verify events details and changes on our website or from the organisers.
Best Regards
