Wilderness is a tiny town located between the Indian Ocean and Tuow River Estuary which is the western end of a chain of lakes that stretches for 25 miles. South Africans flock to the town during vacation periods and there are plenty of retirement homes and condos. The name, according to local legend, comes from a clever young bridegroom who was told that he had to take his bride into the wilderness for one year so he promptly named his farm on the Indian Ocean Wilderness and moved her there.
Today Wilderness is a tiny town with a little shopping center, a gas station, a couple of restaurants, a pharmacy and a few hotels. Our hotel was a very old one that has recently been renovated. Since I enjoy historical hotels, it was wonderful for me. All throughout the long hallways of the building were photos of the area from many years ago.
We were at the hotel for two nights, the Thursday and Friday before Easter Sunday, and there were a lot of families vacationing there. The planned activities reminded me of an old time Catskills hotel. One night, as we were eating a light dinner in the lobby bar, we witnessed a children's talent show. If the youngsters we saw are any indication, Charlize Theron might be the only talented South African at the present.
Pulling into town we saw a group of people playing the lawn game that one sees all over France and other European countries.
Our hotel ws very long. When we walked down to our room, it seemed as if we were walking forever and constantly turning corners and going up stairs. Along the way we came across historic items that were on display.
Our room was small, but we had a balcony that looked out onto a courtyard surrounded by other rooms. It was very calm and peaceful. It was at this hotel that we experienced a storm during the night.
The public areas of the hotel included a life sized chess set and a pretty little pool. The walkways were covered by the branches of the trees.
One of the evenings that we were there we walked into town. It was along a road only about the distance of a city block to the center of the downtown area. There were just a few buildngs, but the clouds in the sky that foretold of the coming storm were dramatically beautiful.
Some of the people in our group rushed down to the beach so that they could say they had been swimming in the Indian Ocean.
From the second floor balcony off the lobby bar one could see both the ocean and the river in front of the hotel. It was a beautiful view, and I didn't get tired of looking at it.
The first morning we were there, we left the hotel very early and stopped at a lookout point nearby. There were several interesting people at that lookout. First, there was a group of school girls who were bicycling across the country and I assumed they were selling some things to pay their way.
There was also a man, a black man, who arrived dressed in a suit with his dog. While I watched, he removed his clothes until he got down to a pair of bicycle shorts. Then he started putting on the paraphenalia of his tribe. When he finished, he looked quite fierce and posed for photos for a few coins. The picture Laura took of me with him is my favorite photo from the entire trip.
Bowling on the Lawn
Arriving at the Hotel
A View of the Indian Ocean
The Main Staircase
Going to the Swimming Pool
Chess Set
Flower Arrangements in the Hotel
With Some Historic Items
These Containers Were a Decoration
In Our Room and the View from It
Looking Out from the Balcony of the Hotel
Next to the Hotel
Views in Front of the Hotel
On Our Way Downtown
Downtown Buildings
Shopping in the Center
Vacationing Kid Who Wanted Me to Take His Picture
Returning to the Hotel
View from the Hotel Lobby's Balcony
From the Lookout
The Warrior
Bicycling Girls
