Namakwaland is indeed a very special place. The well-known Canadian photographer Freeman Patterson published a book on it many years ago with the title “Garden of the Gods”. He just happened to spend a night in the Kammieskroon hotel many, many years ago. The owner of the hotel, Colla Swart showed some slides of the flowers to the guests after dinner. Freeman gave her one of his books to read after the show - her photography was not so great. She told us the story that she sat in her bed with a torch to read the book as Kammieskronn did not have electricity after ten o’clock – it took most of the night. Towards morning she suddenly realized that the author of the book was her guest. The nest morning, she confronted him at breakfast, and a life-long friendship ensued. She told him she would show him where the most beautiful flowers were if he taught her photography. Every year thereafter she would telex him in Canada when the flowers started and he would come to South Africa - Namakwaland to photograph the flowers. I was privileged to attend two of his workshops in Namakwaland about twenty years apart - the last one his last one as well. It was a special experience both times – Colla Swart was also in attendance. She has retired from the hotel and lives in a retirement home. Freeman Patterson’s book is a classic – and many of his subsequent books contain images of Namakwaland. A very special place indeed.
Martin
