Glorious Nature

A month ago, the Jacaranda trees in Johannesburg were in full bloom. Although Pretoria is known as the "Jacaranda City", I believe there are as many (if not more!!??) Jacaranda trees in and around Joburg. I took this photo (above) during the last tour from the window of my room in the Southern Sun Graystone hotel (Sandton).


This photo (right) of Protea (this particular species is known as Pincushion) stems from the garden at the Franschhoek Monument - so does the King Protea (in full bloom and a bud) below.

















Since the gardens around many monuments in the Western Cape Province are well-kept and boast with all kinds of flowering plants, it's a photographers "paradise". I took the photo (above, right) of a Giant or Natal Strelitzia (= Wild Banana) at the Afrikaans Language Monument in Paarl and the Strelitzia = Crane or Bird of Paradise flower (right) also in the garden at the monument in Franschhoek.


Although I've posted photos of roses before, I'm rather proud of this photo (left). I found these near-perfect roses in the garden next to the Museum in Franschhoek.

And now to photos of sunsets, which I promised 2 postings ago, and which we were privileged to experience during the last tour:

During a boat cruise on the Zambezi River on our first day at the Victoria Falls (Zambian side), we were treated to this sunset in all its glory, tinging the sky in many hues.





Two days later, whilst staying at the Chobe River Lodge in Kasane, Botswana, purple and pink seemed to be the predominant colours during the sunset that night.

Everybody on the boat during a cruise on the Chobe River the next afternoon was excited about this sunset (right), especially because our "captain" complied with my request to "place" us in such a position that the elephants virtually encompassed the setting sun.

Eventually, the setting sun started to look like a psychedelic ball! We were all overawed by this special and glorious manifestation of nature.