, then Freedom Park and the Wall of Remembrance, next skyline of Pretoria and the Union Building.
After Vic Falls, we headed back to SA and Sun City for swimming and relaxation. Think strawberry daiquiris served poolside, palm trees, and catching some rays. Also, Sun City has Valley of the Waves, with a wave pool and water slides which was fun for an afternoon. Very Disney meets Vegas.
After relaxing for a couple days, we headed back to Pretoria and explored my backyard, so to speak. We took a tour of Freedom Park, a park and memorial set aside for all South Africans of all cultures to honor their heroes. Freedom Park is not yet complete, but serene and beautiful. Set on a hill top, across from the Voortrekker monument, Freedom Park has a memorial building and Walls of Remembrance with names of fallen heroes and room for future leaders and heroes. The trees, water fountains and waterfalls, stones, and environment all lead to a feeling of well being and peace (it may seem corny, but true). The tour led us to a sacred circle, we took off our shoes and entered the place. Around the circle are 11 large stones, one from the international community, one from the SA community at large, and one from each of SAs 9 provinces. In the middle of the circle, steam and mist rises to symbolize cleansing and remembrance. Many of those in the tour sprinkled snuff onto the circle in traditional remembrance of their ancestors, then we held hands had a moment of silence. As we left, we washed our hands another tradition after departing a sacred space. I would love to come back when the park is complete. They plan to have audio and video of those who contributed to the struggle for freedom, as well as a museum and a lake.
After this it was off to Pretoria’s Union Building with beautiful grounds and gardens and people selling bead necklaces, wood work, and more. We ended the day with a meal at a restaurant (in a mall, very typical here) which was quite good and overlooked the city’s twinkling lights.
The last morning, we were off to De Wildt Cheetah Reserve. Cheetahs as well as other animals are bred and studied here. During the 3 hour tour there was a lot to learn – cheetahs are not nocturnal like leopards, they have round pupils (a tell-tale sign of diurnal creatures), have very thin skulls, use their tales for balance and turning ability, and scavenge as well as hunt. Wild dogs are also being bred and studied; they are very keen to let people know that wild dogs are not the “bad guys” they may be portrayed as in movies. Both animals are very necessary to cull out the old and sick prey. The day ended with petting an ambassador cheetah while it purred – very cool.
After relaxing for a couple days, we headed back to Pretoria and explored my backyard, so to speak. We took a tour of Freedom Park, a park and memorial set aside for all South Africans of all cultures to honor their heroes. Freedom Park is not yet complete, but serene and beautiful. Set on a hill top, across from the Voortrekker monument, Freedom Park has a memorial building and Walls of Remembrance with names of fallen heroes and room for future leaders and heroes. The trees, water fountains and waterfalls, stones, and environment all lead to a feeling of well being and peace (it may seem corny, but true). The tour led us to a sacred circle, we took off our shoes and entered the place. Around the circle are 11 large stones, one from the international community, one from the SA community at large, and one from each of SAs 9 provinces. In the middle of the circle, steam and mist rises to symbolize cleansing and remembrance. Many of those in the tour sprinkled snuff onto the circle in traditional remembrance of their ancestors, then we held hands had a moment of silence. As we left, we washed our hands another tradition after departing a sacred space. I would love to come back when the park is complete. They plan to have audio and video of those who contributed to the struggle for freedom, as well as a museum and a lake.
After this it was off to Pretoria’s Union Building with beautiful grounds and gardens and people selling bead necklaces, wood work, and more. We ended the day with a meal at a restaurant (in a mall, very typical here) which was quite good and overlooked the city’s twinkling lights.
The last morning, we were off to De Wildt Cheetah Reserve. Cheetahs as well as other animals are bred and studied here. During the 3 hour tour there was a lot to learn – cheetahs are not nocturnal like leopards, they have round pupils (a tell-tale sign of diurnal creatures), have very thin skulls, use their tales for balance and turning ability, and scavenge as well as hunt. Wild dogs are also being bred and studied; they are very keen to let people know that wild dogs are not the “bad guys” they may be portrayed as in movies. Both animals are very necessary to cull out the old and sick prey. The day ended with petting an ambassador cheetah while it purred – very cool.
Can't believe it is back to school - term 4, am I ready?
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