Saturday, December 31, 2011

DRC Riviersonderend


This is the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC or NGK) Riviersonderend ("River Without End"). It is built in the neo-Gothic style. The foundation stone was laid in 1937. For a small-town Church, it would seem to have an unusual emphasis on its spiritual and congregational life, with attendant de-emphasis of its building and history.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Shakespearean Remnant

My friend speaks a very distinctive English. A special characteristic of her speech is her abundant use of the word "do", the so-called unstressed "do". She will say, for example, "I do go," rather than "I go." Her seminary criticised her for this. However, according to linguist Rajend Mesthrie in his book EISH but is it English? this survives in South Africa from missionaries of the early 1800's -- possibly from earlier English (the KJV holding many examples of the unstressed "do").

Saturday, December 24, 2011

NGK Oudtshoorn


This is the NGK Moedergemeente (DRC Mother Church) in Oudtshoorn, about 350km / 220mi east of Cape Town. The Church has an interesting history, as the cornerstone was laid in 1861, yet the work was only finished more than 18 years later. A drought brought financial troubles, then a huge mistake was made with the roof -- apparently because the plans were misread. The design of the Church is neo-Gothic. As I took this photo, a vagabond passed me in the street and said: "It's a castle!" You may click on the image to enlarge to 100k.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Hedgerow


One finds some creative hedgerows in South Africa -- planted to suit the local soil and climate. Some farmers get it right -- others struggle to find a hedgerow that works. I snapped this one near Montagu. I don't know what the plant is called, but it is a common one. For an aloe hedgerow, see Hedgerow.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Kruisfontein Congregational Church

.This is Kruisfontein United Congregational Church in Humansdorp (west of Port Elizabeth) – a historic Congregational Church built in 1839. While the two facades face the camera here, in actual fact they stand at 90ยบ to one another – this is a panoramic shot. You may click on the image to enlarge to 260k.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Remote Church


This Church is an extraordinary sight. Not seldom, the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC or NGK) built Churches in communities where the Church was obviously too large for the community. However, in time, the communities grew. Here is an exception. They built this imposing Church in De Hoop (Hope), in 1909. Today it stands in the midst of empty streets, west of Outdshoorn. Satellite photos reveal desolation. OBSERVATION: The locals have unofficially renamed the location Hoopvol (Hopeful).