Eshowe

After having dumped my groceries at the campsite I walk back into the heat of the sun. Yesterday I walked around the neigbourhood here or a bit but now I walk further into the Dlinza forest. It was here where the mighty Shaka Zulu hid his wives during the Zulu wars. It is a very beautiful area with tall large green giant trees, the foliage of which gives a wonderful coolness - it runs up faintly and then down again.

A number of large houses along the road and then down the hill again. Yet I am somewhat relieved when I see the sign of the fort because this is South Africa and you always have to watch you’re steps here. Left and there is the fence. First the parking lot where a dark girl sits on a chair to keep an eye of the parking lot. I arrive at a souvenir shop where I ask the woman if I can buy tickets separately - there are several museums on the grounds.

Unfortunately they want me to buy a combi ticket instead. I ask if there is also a place where I can get something to drink and that turns out to be in the traditional building of Adam's Outpost. Inside is a wonderful place - a wooden roof, traditionally decorated with wooden tables and chairs and beautiful old black and white photographs on the wall. In the corner is an old almost Vctorian English couple completely dressed up. I look at the map and the prices are not too bad - I look at the food too, because now I'll be walking back to the center. I decide to order breakfast - eggs, toast with bacon and a glass of ice-cold lemonade because I I’m very thirsty.

When I have all that I decide to go to the church first. It is a wooden chapel and appears to have been set up by a Norwegian missionary who was also a doctor. There are some information boards on the wall and it is reasonably decorated. On a stone wall outside I read what is on a memorial plaque; Here too there appears to have been a concentration camp with Farmers during the Boer Wars and here too people have died.

Now I walk to the white clay Nongqayi fort with its three towers. In the courtyard there is now grass but was first the parade ground. Built by the English in 1883, it was used by the Nongqayi which was an escort from the police in the service of the English. Where once the stables were, walls are now placed and there is a small exhibition of agricultural attributes used by the Zulus and Britons. Then the information about Shaka's war begins with other tribes, those with the Boer, the Zulu wars, those with the British and the time after. Very interesting and there is some info that I did not know about. On the other side of the fort I walk outside where an old ship gun is rotting away and a plaque that once belonged to another (British) fort, which is now completely gone. Back in the courtyard I walk in on the other side which is also installed as a museum. There are a small model, papier-mâché dolls and a real beehive to be seen. Next to the fort stands (hopefully) an original Boer ox-wagon that almost falls apart. 

The modern building is, as expected, the Vulkani museum which is a collection of traditionally made Zulu stuff. Finally there would be a butterflies dome somewhere. A boy walks along and takes me the back of the complex where the dome is.

He explains some things that are much more interesting than I expected. He starts with the small seeds on the different trees, shows me different butterflies, cocoons and caterpillars that still have to be butterflies. There are also two snakes living in this warm tent that reminds me of another butterfly garden I have ever been. We walk around for 15 to 20 minutes if he leaves me alone to take some pictures. Then it's time to go back. It is unfortunate that due to circumstances I haven’t been able to take much of the whole (Shaka) Zulu events that took place in this region.