Glossary

Balie- (Pronounced barley!) Afrikaans translation: a tub, barrel, or vat. {Note: “Balies” were used in Cape Dutch kitchens and in wine-making.} Baai - translation “Bay”.

Braai short for braaivleis - Afrikaans - translation Barbeque. The difference between braai and  BBQ is fire. A braai just isn't considered a braai if cooked on a gas grill. The fire also remains lit for the duration of the braai even after the food's been cooked. 

A 17th C bastion fort, the Castle of Good Hope, known as “the Castle” or “Cape Town Castle”, was originally on the coast of Table Bay, but following land reclamation is now inland. In 1936 it was declared a historical monument. Restored in the 1980s it is considered the best preserved eg of a Dutch East India Co. fort.

Norris  and  family  had  sevaral  voyages  on  SS Ceramic, a British ocean liner built in Belfast for White Star Line launched on 11 December 1912 - and  in the early hours of 7 December 1942, in cold weather and rough seas in mid-Atlantic, was  finally  lost  after  being several torpedoes from  German  U-Boat  U-515

Dagga (Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa) Traditional  mortar, used for laying bricks and/or plastering walls/floors,  chiefly  mud or ant-hill soil (sometimes mixed with cow-dung and/or blood; now just a mixture of soil, sand, and lime. (Since the 1960s, the term has been used in areas of Southern Africa as slang for cannabis!)

DISSELBOOM (NOUN) (PLURAL DISSELBOOMS) -One of the poles supporting a wagon.  Origin: From Afrikaans disselboom, from Dutch disselboom, a compound of dissel (“support pole”) and boom (“tree; beam”).

A major tropical grass, that can be grown under a wide range of conditions. It is a tufted perennial that can grow up to 4m high, with pale green leaves with a strong midrib tapering to a point, up to 4cm wide. The large flower tufts range in colour from yellow to purple, and can be up to 30cm long.

“GEE STUKKIE BROOD” - Afrikaans - translation “Give (us) a bit of bread”

Also known as a “gin” (cotton gin) – meaning "cotton engine"— invented in 1793 it is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibres from their seeds, enabling much greater productivity than manual cotton separation.

A play on “The Tiller Girls” one of the most popular dance troupes of the 1890s,  Performing at 100s of theatres throughout Europe and the USA, the Tiller Girls had their heyday in the 1950s; and the 1960s Tiller Girls formally announced their retirement and final show in April 2011, a cabaret show in aid of Charity.

Lancashire hotpot is a stew originating from Lancashire in the North West of England. It consists of lamb or mutton and onion, topped with sliced potatoes and baked in a heavy pot on a low heat.

The usual Afrikaans saying is ’n boer maak ’n plan, which translates as “a farmer makes a plan” - "Necessity is the mother of invention"would be the closest English proverb

Noun - plural: mealies

A maize plant, or the corn cob of a maize plant,  and/or maize kernels (sweetcorn) Mealie-meal - ground maize.  

Although an internet search uncovered this undated photograph of “the Monastery”, no additional information can be found.

Noun. naartjie (plural naartjies) (South Africa) Citrus reticulata, (mandarin, satsuma, tangerine); a soft, loose-skinned tangerine.

A rotunda is a round building or room, especially one with a round bowl-shaped roof.  The picture shows the ballroom - formerly a skating rink at the Rotunda Hotel, Camps Bay - now the “Bay Hotel”.

A small veranda (raised area), or set of steps outside a house , or a small porch or patio, where people can sit. From the Afrikaans: stoep meaning step

A small silver threepenny piece, withdrawn from circulation in 1961.    It  was  replaced  by a  2½  cents  piece,  but  this circulating denomination was short-lived, and was discontinued after 1964 in favour of a new 2  cents coin.   The  “sixpence“  (6d)  was replaced by a 5 cent piece.

The West Coast is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the Swartland region on the east - stretching for over 400 km (north to south) its well known for its scenic beauty and fertile fishing grounds.

Officially the Garden Route starts in Mossel Bay (west) and ends at Storms River (east) {Knysna in the middle}.