Just on 2.5 hours from Cape Town along the East coast, lies a quaint fishing village that I feel love for. Arniston comprises of the Hotel, some guest houses and residential homes, the Kassisesbaai historical fishing settlement, one tiny convenience store, white beaches and turquoise oceans. As my previous posts confirm, my numerous visits here have been filled with relaxed happiness, this weekend was no different.
That said the weather was cold and rainy and we did more relaxing and eating than outdoor activities, which usually include a visit to the Waenhuiskrans Cave, sand boarding and swimming in the Ocean, which is quite a bit warmer than in Cape Town.
Many long walks were managed though, and this time I had my dogs with me, who had their first lease-free run on the beach. What a treat to see them enjoying the freedom.
We took a rental home from Arniston Letting for the weekend - they manage numerous rental properties in the area. The very well equipped Sea Cottage isset one street back from the ocean, offers 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms and suits a large family or group of friends perfectly. Its also very affordable and in my opinion the best way to travel for a group of 9!
The view from the upstairs area.
The Harbour and beautiful Kassiesbaai traditional fishing village area.
Tuscan and Dakota Storm taking to the beach like beach babies.
Boy love - my Dad and my son Eden.
Time here truly does bring home how much I’d love to live near the Ocean, to hear the crashing of the waves, walk the beach and swim to the beacon. There is something very humbling about the constant reminder of the force of nature, and I long for it.
One of the many things I find myself crying into the wind is ‘Free The Animals’. Not only from zoos and circuses, but from the restraints and boundaries placed on them by man and our urban sprawl. This series of photographs by Daniel Zakharov hangs heavy with me. The debate may have raised valid points, but none that justified the cramped confounds in which most of them are forced to live.
“While zoos are a great place to see a large number of animals all in one place, there’s a dark side to these family attractions that doesn’t often get discussed. On Debate.org, the question, “Should we keep animals in zoos?” splits poll takers down the middle with 42% saying yes, saying its especially beneficial for endangered species, and 58% saying no, that animals need to be free and in the wild. What’s your opinion?
After seeing this series, called Modern Wilderness, by photographer Daniel Zakharov, one’s heart can’t help but feel incredibly heavy about these animals’ doomed destinies. Zakharov did not create the series to criticize zoos but instead to focus on “the strange and bizarre daily life of animals.”
He goes on, “Nowadays animals are born in captivity, between concrete, tiling, cement-slab buildings and artificial landscapes instead of the endless stretch of nature. In the meantime, the zoo has become home for the animals and they have lost the memory of their ancestral breeding grounds. However, by looking them in the eyes, one gets the feeling of recognizing their desire for true destiny.”
