Ten things I bet you don't know

As if jealous of the attention I gave to the profusion of fresh, green life in the oak tree outside our front door in last week’s blog, the Clivia plants in our courtyard have now stolen the show with their vibrant burnt orange flowers. Our gardening crew (aka Paul and Jean) have also spent a fair amount of time in the courtyard garden to ensure that as spring melts into summer we will continue to be delighted by new plants and flowers. The menagerie of plants have now been joined by two new Jasmine creeper plants, a bougainvillea and a lemon tree (which besides looking really funky, will also ensure we have no shortage of lemons for next summer’s G and Ts!) 

But its not simply the plants and greenery that makes the Oude Leeskamer Guest House so special. I have employed my research skills to come up with a list of ten things I believe few of you would know.  If any of you (honestly) knew all of this let me know and I will put your name in lights on next week’s blog

10 things about the Oude Leeskamer you probably didn’t know

1. The Oude Leeskamer has played a crucial role in the development of education in Stellenbosch, as the decision to found a Gymnasium “to provide a sound education in all subjects considered proper to a civilized education, preparation for the examination of admission to the Theological Seminary, and for the government examination for the Second Class Certificate in letters and sciences” was taken in the building on the 28th January 1864. Both the Paul Roos Gymnasium and the University of Stellenbosch eventually developed from the Gymnasium founded within its walls.
2.  The Oude Leeskamer building was part of the set of King Solomons Mines (starring the late Patrick Swayze), parts of which were filmed here in Stellenbosch in 2004.
3.  All the hot water at the Oude Leeskamer is produced by solar panels.
4.  The Oude Leeskamer was one of the first buildings to be renovated in Stellenbosch. George Osler - one of Stellenbosch’s best known architects (and a member of the well-known South African rugby family), bought the building in 1961 and when he chose to restore the building he started a trend in Stellenbosch that led to the town centre being restored.
5.  The restoration and transformation of the Oude Leeskamer from an architect’s studios to a guest house took exactly 10 months.
6.  The Oude Leeskamer, in its capacity as the headquarters of the Union Debating Society, played host to D.F. Malan’s first public address. According to press cuttings, the speech was delivered so shakily that the critics made mincemeat of him, but Malan persevered, - becoming not only secretary but also, for two years, chairman of the Debating Society. More famously, he went on to become South Africa’s Prime Minister.
7.  The Oude Leeskamer Guest House is currently Stellenbosch’s newest guest house.
8.  All of the yellowwood beams in the living room of the Oude Leeskamer are original (although one of them had to be rescued by means of inserting a steel rod through the middle).
9.  The Oude Leeskamer Guest House plays host to a variety of wildlife. After a three-year absence we were very excited to witness the return of a pair of Woodpeckers in the oak tree in front of the guest house in Dorp street. On most clear evenings you may also hear and see the resident African Eagle Owl - she can generally be found in one of the two oak trees or the tall palm tree visible from the courtyard. Additionally, the courtyard fountain is home to 5 goldfish named Jaffer, Sharkie, Oros, Dustjacket and Nemo.
10.  All of the coffee served at the Oude Leeskamer is a blend sourced from the Beaver Creek and Izolwana farms in KwaZulu-Natal, two of the very few coffee producing farms in South Africa.  Called Transkei Gold (not to be confused with one of South Africa’s most well-known marijuana varieties!), the coffee is really special as the Transkei Coffee Company and Beaver Creek farm have joined forces to create a unique community development project - a Coffee Co-operative. Twenty-five hectares of land surrounding the Port St. Johns area is being prepared for planting, and the sale of this coffee is the key source of funding for this project. 

Next week I shall be testing you further with a set of 10 things I bet you didn't know about Stellenbosch...