Venterstad, not to be confused with Ventersdorp of ET fame, is a small little town below the Gariep dam. We travelled through Venterstad on a very hot Sunday morning. The only open shop that we could find that was the pub in the local hotel. We wanted to buy ice for our cool box but they don't sell ice so we had to settle for a couple of cold cool drink cans to keep our food for the 'braai' (barbecue) that evening cold . . .
I took a slow drive through the town and marvelled once again at the very typical Karoo houses. They are mostly built right up to pavement. The low walled 'stoep' faces the street and the houses are very plain and relatively small compared to today's standards. The windows are small to keep the heat out in summer and the warmth in, in winter, which can be very very cold. The town looks like it has seen better days but it is still clean. The houses are in a poor state with cracked wall and rusted roofs...the present owners or inhabitants, I think, just don't have the financial means for the necessary upkeep of these old Karoo gems. The strange thing is that I much prefer to photograph the 'patina' of these old houses than a house that has just been freshly painted and spruced up.....
click on image to enlarge...
The local NG Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church) is in a very good conditioned and this I have found in all the little 'dorpies' (villages) that I travelled through. The church is quite modest which indicates that the town was never very prosperous and quite modern in design, very unlike the grand 'klip kerke' (stone churches) of most other towns...
regards, Ivan...
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