MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS: Graham H. Boonzaaier

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Sunday, January 7, 2018

Part XIII - Medallion Mushrooms, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Monday, November 25, 1985.

Eight nights in South Africa already and this morning we got picked up by Tim Crawley, one of the 3 original founders of Medallion Mushrooms.
In Part VII, I also mentioned his name as he did pick us up at the Cape Town airport.

This is me showing off some breakfast mushrooms from Medallion.

Photo from August 16, 1986 when Tim Crawley got to visit us at our former home in Dublin, Georgia.
All the way from South Africa they'd come to team up with Donald (Buster) Needham, who went with us to the South African Mushroom Conference.
SMALL WORLD

Medallion Mushrooms from Stellenbosch, SA
Pieter loved this sticker and had it in his Day to Day Planner, hence the hand writing showing through from the back.

In Mushroom Business I found this unique photo about Medallion.
Founded by Graham Boonzaaier, Charles Benade and Tim Crawly, mushroom growing started here in 1981.
Those were the people we all met!

We owe them a lot for making our stay in South Africa so very special!
Mr. Graham H. Boonzaaier and his wife Patricia took me that morning for a brief shopping trip in Stellenbosch.
That yielded a 3-cups French Melior cafétière; a Zulu knobkerrie and a tiny Zulu spoon; a wooden Dachshund for in my type tray; a leather P keyring for my Dad and that's it. Will show them in another post later...
We had lunch at the farm and I worked with Morina, the harvest supervisor on harvesting.

Outside, the making of mushroom compost, the substrate on which mushrooms grow.

Medallion packaging area for breakfast mushrooms.
It was time to say goodbye again!
Charles Benade went with us towards the airport of Cape Town for our flight to Durban.

By late afternoon, clouds already started covering Hottentots Holland Mountains...

A bit to the right, showing False Bayview at the foot of the Hottentots Holland Mountain.

We first went to Charles Benade's home, which was situated high enough for having a beautiful Bayview. His wife had done a marvelous job on interior decorating!!!
In the super fast Ford Sierra V-8 (see mention of it in my newspaper article) we went to the airport.

One last view of Helderberg from our plane... goodbye beautiful area with warm people!
Our flight to Durban took 1 hour + 50 minutes.

Thanks for your visit and stay tuned for Part XIV

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Part XII - Cape Malay Wedding in The Company's Garden, Cape Town, S.A.

That Sunday, November 24 of 1985 was quite an adventurous day.

It was already late afternoon when Mr. Graham H. Boonzaaier took us both to the beautiful Company's Garden in Cape Town.

A huge public garden and often you can see a wedding group; we got lucky too.

This was in The Rose Garden, a beautiful sight!
Cape Malay men wear Kufis.

The first Dutch rose was picked in 1659...

Such an elegant wedding

The men of those Cape Malay all wear a Kufi.

Here you see the Jan Smuts statue, in front of the Iziko SA National Gallery

Iziko SA National Gallery

To the left, the same Jan Smuts statue can be seen and in the back the cream spires of the Great Synagogue

A perfect setting against the Table Mountain

Great Synagogue and Holocaust Centre

Jan Smuts Statue with the Great Synagogue spires in the back against the Table Mountain

Interesting to read: A Short History of the Company's Garden, Cape Town (click the hyperlink).

It was here at The Company's Garden that I found these foot steps:
MARCH TO FREEDOM - STAMP OUT APARTHEID
As seen in my newspaper publication (link below this post).

Mr. Graham Boonzaaier went to his Blaauwklippen Homestead with us, for trading his Rolls Royce for a Jeep.

He than took us up on an excavated mountain for seeing the sunset over the bay.

Not a spectacular photo. At that time we didn't have the luxury yet of checking your photos...

To the left you see the bay!

Mr. Graham H. Boonzaaier was quite a character and he made us laugh a lot.
Seldom did we see such an energetic and enthusiastic person for touring us around.
His knowledge of the area and of history, love for his beautiful country was unsurpassed!

It got rather windy up at this height but it was oh so interesting!

And so ended this very interesting and enjoyable day with a kind host.
He took us home with him for a Bread Meal with Patricia and by 22:00 back to our Lanzerac Hotel.
WHAT A DAY!
Mr. Graham H. Boonzaaier resides in heaven; but no doubt my series will make him smile!

Thanks for your visit and stay tuned for Part XIII

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Part XI - Rhodes Memorial on Devil's Peak in Cape Town, S.A.

WISHING ALL READERS A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

On that memorable sightseeing tour with Graham H. Boonzaaier, Sunday, November 24 of 1985, we also went to Rhodes Memorial on Devil's Peak, Western Cape for a stunning panoramic view!

Beautiful statue of Cecil John Rhodes on his horse.
Built after a Greek temple.

We did see Groote Schuur where the world's 1st heart transplant got done in 1967 (see mention in previous post below) and from there to Rhodes Memorial.
For link to this map: Rhodes Memorial click it.

Beautiful view from Rhodes Memorial. Pieter is seated on the stone edging and Mr. Graham H. Boonzaaier to the right with his wife Patricia.

Great views from up high on Devil's Peak with the ocean to the left, above those trees but photo is too hazy...

View from Rhodes Memorial over Cape Town area.

Cape Town post card

CAPE TOWN

(from left to right): Rhodes Memorial near Groote Schuur - Official residence of the State President - The University of Cape Town - Groot Constantia, former home of Governor Simon van der Stel. Centre: Mostert's Mill on De Waal Drive

Thank you for your visit and stay tuned for Part XII

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Part X - Cape Town, South Africa

In my previous post, see links below at the bottom, I did mention that we both got picked up by our extraordinary host and tour guide, Mr. Graham H. Boonzaaier.
Sunday, November 24 of 1985...

First we visited his BLAAUWKLIPPEN Homestead and picked up his wife Patricia.

Off we went in his Rolls Royce, exploring the CAPE!

Pieter and I in front of Mr. Graham H. Boonzaaier's Rolls Royce in front of Harbour Cafe (to the right) at Mouille Point, Cape Town.
Harbour Cafe (click the above link) was the 1st Cape Town Harbour restaurant.

Here we go for lunch together.

Still remember that we ate the best crayfish (rock lobster or spiny lobster) ever!

Harbour Cafe in the sixties - Cape Town photos (link).

Harbour Cafe - Cape Town photos (link).

Now we are going from MOUILLE POINT at the top left, to 181 Longmarket Street (hospital) where the red dot is.

Husband Pieter always would climb up somewhere for getting a spectacular photo.
Just behind the ending of the brown rocks, you can see Christiaan Barnard Memorial which was in 1985 still called City Park Hospital, as seen when enlarged.

Pieter did walk all the way back for getting a fabulous view of Table Mountain with its clouds, like a 'Tablecloth' often draping around.
The City Park Hospital is right above the 3rd lantern, starting out from the right.

This was later called Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital
The entire world knew about this South African heart surgeon's 1st heart transplant in 1967!
Performed at the Groote Schuur Hospital where we have been but no photo...

Top left, near brown rocks is where Pieter took the above photos and the red dot shows where the former hospital was. We were riding on Strand St.

Strand St. ends into Newmarket St. and we're going to the red dot where Castle of Good Hope is located.

Castle of Good Hope bastion Leerdam (on wall to the right of center palm tree) with Devils Peak in the background.

Castle of Good Hope and Devils Peak to the left with part of Table Mountain on the right.

From a picture post card with a perfect Table Mountain view on a clear day - no tablecloth (clouds).

Driving now through Tygerberg Nature Reserve

Through Tyberberg Nature Reserve to Bloubergstrand for a stunning Table View...

Also Robben Island was visible from there.

Table Mountain with Lions Head as seen from Bloubergstrand.

Thank you for your visit and stay tuned for Part XI

Friday, December 22, 2017

Part IX - BLAAUWKLIPPEN Homestead in Stellenbosch, South Africa

Wishing all my readers a Merry Christmas!

On Sunday, November 24 of 1985, we were picked up at 10:00 from our Lanzerac Hotel in Stellenbosch. It was Mr. Graham H. Boonzaaier with his Rolls Royce. First he took us to his historic BLAAUWKLIPPEN HOMESTEAD 1789.

Now it is the world famous wine estate BLAAUWKLIPPEN ←just click this hyperlink.

Here, husband Pieter is leaning over the half Dutch door of BLAAUWKLIPPEN

This photo I took of Pieter, standing in front of Mr. Graham H. Boonzaaier's Rolls Royce.

To the left is Mr. Boonzaaier's wife Patricia and their little daughter Libby and Mr. Graham H. Boonzaaier is in the center.

He toured us around Cape Town that day, will show that next!

We owe this gentleman a lot of gratitude as he gave us one of the most memorable tours of our lives!

He was a thinker and a visionary who did work very hard to restore this fine homestead to its 18th century looks.

Here is an extensive Pdf about the history from the beginning. BLAAUWKLIPPEN ←just click it.

DE BLAAUWE KLIPPEN is Afrikaans, derived from Dutch.

Sadly, Mr. Graham H. Boonzaaier has passed away...

Don't know where Patricia or any of his children are. Maybe some of my readers do know?!

BLAAUWKLIPPEN's elaborate gables c. 1890

On Page 27 of this Pdf there are early 1978 photos being shown, courtesy Mr. Graham H. Boonzaaier.

Mr. Graham H. Boonzaaier shown next to the omnibus, with which visitors are taken on an enchanting ride of the farm.

It also reads: A special word of thanks to Mr. Graham Boonzaaier, who though not well, walked the farm once with me and supplied valuable information on how the buildings were developed during his tenure (1972-1999).

Page 75 shows a photograph of c. 1915 with the huge oak trees in front of the farmstead.

Page 84 mentions FIG 43 During Boonzaaier's ownership, the amount of land put under a variety of wine cultivars, expanded greatly (Boonzaaier c. 1982).

Page 85 mentions in the lower section: With great enthusiasm and a passion for quality and antiques, investor, thinker and visionary Boonzaaier set out to transform DBK (De Blaauwe Klippen) to recapture its proud traditions and heritage. Within a decade he upgraded DBK to one of the premier destinations for tourists to the Western Cape and Stellenbosch. Attractions included the winemaking process and cellar tours, the cheese factory, a museum of Cape country treasures, a deli restaurant, and an old carriage collection par excellence.

Page 87 mentions in the bottom section: By the late 1990s Boonzaaier's health was a major reason for selling the estate to Blaauwklippen Estates.

Page 88 shows the Blaauwklippen Homestead 1789

On page 90 at the top it reads: In June 1979 the lower part of the façade wall above the stoop was stripped (courtesy Graham Boonzaaier).

The other part shows the sash-windows (Room C) from the above drawing with rooms being alphabetized.

Page 91 shows the façade.

Page 92 with some more info about the previous façade.

Hope you enjoyed this piece of history in Stellenbosch.

Stay tuned for more about Cape Town in Part X

MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS

Pages

About Me

Sunday, January 7, 2018

Part XIII - Medallion Mushrooms, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Part XII - Cape Malay Wedding in The Company's Garden, Cape Town, S.A.

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Part XI - Rhodes Memorial on Devil's Peak in Cape Town, S.A.

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Part X - Cape Town, South Africa

Friday, December 22, 2017

Part IX - BLAAUWKLIPPEN Homestead in Stellenbosch, South Africa

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