Ghostly Trees

Looks cold and windy, but it’s neither. Yes, a bit misty but not cold. These trees are the victims of fire, which explains their bare appearance (in the middle of the South African summer when they should be in full leaf) and bent posture.

The Wood

Is the idiom “You can’t see the wood for the trees”, or “You can’t see the trees for the wood”? If I remember correctly I think it’s the former.

Hotel Update

Putting down roots, originally uploaded by finepixtrix.

Not sure where this root comes from.

Hotel Update

Hotel Update, originally uploaded by finepixtrix.
Paid another visit to this derelict hotel and was surprised to find it in an even worse state of dereliction than before. According to the new owners of The Tickled Trout in Waterval Onder, someone stripped out everything that was usable and sold the stuff on auction.

Calm

Heading off for a few days holiday in the desert tomorrow, so I thought I’d post something suitably refreshing before I go. I guess I’ll only be seeing rocks and sand for awhile. Hopefully I’ll return with a couple of postable results. Apart from my trusty Fuji Finepix s5600 I’ll be taking along a Nikon [...]

Jetty

Jetty, originally uploaded by finepixtrix.
I took this shot in an old resort in the small Mpumalanga town of Graskop, where we enjoyed some pleasant days a few months ago. Woke up early one morning to see that the mist had rolled in, which is exactly the kind of weather I love (we don’t get a [...]

Where Pterodactyls Dare

Where Pterodactyls Dare, originally uploaded by finepixtrix.
This is Pinnacle Rock in the Blyde River Canyon, Mpumalanga, South Africa. I love the primordial feeling you get when standing in front of this massive outcrop, located along Mpumalanga’s  Panorama Route.  The feeling is heightened when the weather is misty, as it was  for this shot. We [...]

Derelict Hotel

Derelict Hotel, originally uploaded by finepixtrix.

Made this shot at the same abandoned and derelict hotel in Watervalonder as the shots a few posts down called Once There Was Joy Here and Kitchen Confidential.  This is was inn the “gardens” looking towards the buildings and the “stoep”, or terrace.
 

Once There Was Joy Here

Once There Was Joy Here, originally uploaded by finepixtrix.
Was this a dance floor? A reception area? A restaurant? Whatever. Once people eat, danced, signed-in here. Smiling, laughing, joking, enjoying their holidays and carefree times. Illicit trysts with lovers, business meetings, honeymooners…what tales would these walls tell? Who knows…they are silent now.
Click on the [...]

Kitchen Confidential

Kitchen Confidential, originally uploaded by finepixtrix.
Dereliction always amazes me. Someone probably went to a bank, arranged finance, built an hotel (of which this kitchen was a part), equipped it, had menus designed, advertised the place, employed staff, received guests. What happened to cause this business to end up in this state? Did they [...]