“This is the kind of town I live in,” says Sheryn Nader, plonking a stack of books on the table. We’re at The Genesis Restaurant for dinner and pink G&Ts. “I just grabbed a few to show you how much has been written about this place. I have more than 200 books that reference Barberton.”
Raindrops start falling on the restaurant’s tin roof. It’s music to our ears since the town is facing a drought.
We page through the books: Dynamite and Daisies by Piet Meiring, Lost Trails in the Makhonjwa Mountains by Bernard John Lovell de Souza, No Time To Die by Grace H Hall, Pioneers of the Lowveld and Cockney Liz: Legendary Barmaid of Barberton by Hans Bornman.
Sheryn is an occupational therapist, originally from Pretoria. “I had better job offers there than here, but when I saw the mountains, I knew that this was home.”
In true Barbertonian fashion, Sheryn is also writing a book. “There are lots of people like me,” she says. “We’re a little bit obsessed with Barberton – its history and the stories.”
Sheryn has lived in town for 22 years – a drop in the ocean compared to her husband Mark’s family, who have been here since the 1890s. Her book will focus on lesser-known histories, from the town’s gold rush origins more than a century ago until modern times. Her research has led her to some interesting tales, like the network of tunnels under the town… “Nobody knows why they were built,” she says. “I have a map and I know where they start. We suspect they might be bunkers and possibly Anglo-Boer War related.”
この記事は go! - South Africa の June 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は go! - South Africa の June 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Rolling out the big guns
If you're still scanning the horizon for a Chinese automotive invasion you're looking the wrong way. It's already happening, and the new GWM Tank is the off-road spearhead into the highly lucrative and hotly contested lifestyle market.
TAKE A HIKE
The beautiful agony of Tienuurkop
Time out in Dullies
A long weekend in Dullstroom is just long enough to make you realise you need to spend several more weekends here! There's food, drink, art and action in abundance. Here's your guide.
Gallivanting in the Galápagos!
The Galápagos Islands are on many a traveller's wish list. They were on Hanlie and Vivian Gericke's too, even though the price of visiting made their eyes water. Was it worth it? Read on...
BURCHELL AND THE COUNTRY OF THE BUSHMEN
How many times have you driven through a landscape and wished you could have seen it centuries ago? In 1811, the English artist and explorer, William John Burchell, travelled through South Africa. Join us as we follow in his footsteps.
Long live the Hibiscus Coast
The KZN South Coast is a national treasure. It's still the place to go if you want a classic seaside holiday complete with warm waves, cold beer, soft serve and good vibes. Here's your guide.
The island at the end of the earth
Imagine adlace-with the cleanest air arid:the clearest seawater, where_no human.oranimabwants to:harm you: A placewhere the climates balmy. year-round:-with a sekrhistory ahd wwild scenery. A place like this:exist8” and it’s called St Helena.
A day on the road
You never know what the road will bring. Toast Coetzer heads south on the N1 and discovers South Africa.
The wilder shore
The final leg of a 30-day trek across East Africa sees lan Tyrer and the Africa - Wild & Untamed crew explore both shores of Lake Malawi. Get ready for an overloaded ferry, a croc attack and being surrounded by elephants...
A river runs through it
Sabie is onthe Drakensberg escaromentialongMpumalanga’s famous Panorama Route. Want a weekend away surrounded by forests and waterfalls? Here's wnat you need to know.