Traveller SPRING 2022

42
“I’m not going to come out in a grand dress, bow, and
play. The audience should sit right in front of me, and
I’m going to talk because every piece and composer
has a story. And the people in Philippolis love telling
stories.”
‘UBER’ THROUGH THE DUSTY ROADS
I’m waiting at the Karoo Artist’s Café for my “Uber” –
Tanya Kriel and a horse named Charmaine. At R100 per
person, they’ll take you on a horse-and-buggy tour of
the town. My mom, two dogs and I get on and venture
down Tobie Muller Street.
The street is named after the second reverend of the
DRC. He carried out the first Afrikaans marriage
ceremony in South Africa in Philippolis and is one of
the first to translate the Bible from Dutch to Afrikaans.
We drive past the old Anglican church. The
cornerstone was laid on 4 June 1864 but Brinley and
Erina Pritchard live here today. “The church attendance
dropped and emptied out as the English population
declined. I believe the last day the bell rang was in 1948.
It’s been our home for the last 27 years,” explains Erina,
or Ma Pritchard, as she’s known.
Charmaine clip-clops past the Emily Hobhouse
Memorial Garden in Voortrekker Street, and she turns
off into Colin Fraser Street, where the famous South
African philosopher and writer Sir Laurens van der Post
spent his childhood.
Prof. Doreen Atkinson and Mark Ingle now use
Huis van der Post as their office. They’re researchers
and write about politics, developmental studies,
tourism, and history. In 1994, they decided at the last
minute to go somewhere quiet, namely Philippolis, to
celebrate Christmas.
“One morning, Doreen was walking through town
when she saw a ‘FOR SALE’ sign in the window. She
came back to the hotel and said: ‘I’ve got just the house
for you!’” says Mark. While they were visiting the house,
Mark noticed an old family photo in the hallway. “Is this
your family?” he asked the owner, “No, it’s the van der
Posts.” The two history buffs decided there and then to
buy the house in which Sir Laurens was born in 1906.
The Victorian-style house was built in 1872 and the
gable was erected in 1908.
Next to the church in Voortrekker Street you’ll find
the Laurens van der Post Memorial Garden, which
includes a labyrinth, the Ouma Anna Restaurant, and
the Artist Retreat Guesthouse and a museum room with
Laurens’ possessions. The memorial garden, established
in 2002, was built keeping in mind the philosopher’s
belief that life should be a journey.
Sir Laurens was a philosopher, so you would do well to
follow his advice and focus on more than just your
destination. With Ouma Anna’s hearty Karoo food and
a good night’s rest in the Artist Retreat, even the
weariest of travellers will feel ready for the long road
ahead.
Baberton
Mountain Lodge
ABOVE AND RIGHT:
Juliette Whelpton at
her Karoo Artist’s
Café. FAR RIGHT:
Philippolis Pitstop
Restaurant. BELOW:
Tanya Kriel’s horseand-buggy
cart at
the Dutch Reformed
Church.
AA Traveller | SPRING 2021 2022