Article: Charlene Rolls from FAIRLADY

Prince Albert
What this Klein Karoo town lacks in size it makes up for in charm. The people are friendly, the food is great and the personal welcomes are fantastic. Make sure you take a walk through the town to appreciate the Victorian architecture, grab a Karoo lamb chop, and check out these places:

Place:
True Karoo Gallery Shop, 67 Church Street, Prince Albert.
Call Trudy on (023) 541-1813
Trading hours:
09h00-13h00 and 14h00-17h00.

True Karoo is hidden in a little nook just off the main street. Take the trouble to find it or you'll miss the chance to see a variety of handcrafted jewellery, objets d'art and other bits and pieces. Everything you'll find here has been made in Prince Albert – the quirky designs speak volumes about the character of the town. Here, you'll find snakes made of tree roots, suncatchers made of glass and semi-precious stones, brightly painted chairs, and cabinets filled with pieces that reflect the variety of elements that make this town so special.

Place:
Prince of Africa Mohair Shop, Church Street, Prince Albert.
Call (023) 541-1454
Trading hours:
09h00-17h00 Monday to Saturday; 10h00-17h00 Sunday

The first things you notice when you enter this shop is the warm glow of mohair wool and the vibrant colours. The range of Cape Mohair products will get any shopper excited. The luxurious feel of the pieces will have you touching everything, and the shawls are perfect as gifts or a little spoil-yourself-today piece – a shawl will set you back R285. In addition to the shawls, beanies, bedding, scarves and socks, the shop also sells knitting wool; a ball of mohair costs R19. All the wool comes from farmers in the Prince Albert area.

Place:
The Lazy Lizard, 9 Church Street, Prince Albert. Call Caryn or Juan on (023) 541-1379
Trading hours:
07h00-18h00 every day.

Here, you'll find anything from beer pots to jars of home-made jams. A great selection of salad dressings is also on offer; forget boring old vinaigrette, and go for blueberry, lime, pineapple or strawberry dressing to make salad, fish or meat dishes extra special. Crocodile paté sold in a neat little tin makes an interesting gift. You'll also be able to order a Karoo platter with delectable treats such as cold meats, cheeses, olives and fruit; and you can wash it all down with a sweet lemonade. Don't forget to pick up a jar of the famous Karoo olives on your way out.

Do this, do that
Drop in at Gay's Guernsey Dairy in Upper Church Street – she makes a selection of cheeses, yoghurts and creams, and supplies milk to the whole town.
Call (023) 541-1274.

Visit www.patourism.co.za or e-mail princealberttourism@intekom.co.za for more info.

De Rust & Oudtshoorn
This part of the country can be hot and dusty, but it has many attractions that make it worth stopping here for a day or two, or three... such as the cheetah and crocodile farms. The small town of De Rust and the ostrich capital itself offer some great places to shop and highly rated restaurants. Here are a few must-visits:

Place:
Tolbos Trading, 39 Schoeman Street, De Rust.
Call Ilse on 083-310-7204
Trading hours:
08h00-17h00every day.

Don't drive through town without dropping in at Tolbos Trading. Ilse Pringle takes ordinary glass sheets and turns them into magical objects. She makes most of the works sold at the store in her workshop next door (ask nicely and she'll show you around). Look out for glass lamps (especially the one with the copper lizard in the glass), ornaments, vases and bowls. Even if you're not planning to buy anything, pop in to see the interesting skulls, shells and animal sculptures in the garden... but Ilse's works are worth much more than she charges for them.

Place:
Klein Karoo Ostrich Boutique, Koöperasie Street, Oudtshoorn.
Call (044) 203-5270
Trading hours:
08h00-17h00 Monday to Friday.

It used to be a showroom, but the demand for products has been so great that they're selling them here now. There are lots of pretty things to choose from – handbags, feather boas (yes, please!), dolls, belts and sandals – and the prices are much lower than those of the places they supply to. Take home an ostrich-egg lamp or a ostrich-plumed witch doll for your favourite niece. Otherwise, buy yourself some pretty ostrich-leather sandals to match the feather boa...

Place:
Jemima's Restaurant, 94 Baron van Reede Street, Oudtshoorn.
Call Pierre or Debbie on (044) 272-0808 or e-mail jemima@telkomsa.net.
Trading hours:
12h00-14h00 and 19h00-21h00 Tuesday to Saturday.

No one should pass up the opportunity to sample an ostrich fillet at Jemima's. Even if you're vegetarian, the menu reads like a dream – a pumpkin, capsicum with feta cheesecake, drizzled with sage butter and served with black oven-baked mushrooms stuffed with spinach, will have even meat lovers asking for more. All the herbs and veggies served are grown on the property. The atmosphere at Jemima's is great but the service is even better.

Take note: You have to book in advance or you may not get in.

Do this, do that
The restaurant Kalinka's, also in Baron van Reede Street, comes highly recommended by the locals. Visit www.derust.org.za, e-mail derusttoer@xsinet.co.za or call (044) 241-2109 for more info on De Rust.

Visit www.oudtshoorn.co.za, e-mail otb@mweb.co.za or call (044) 279-2532 for more info on Oudtshoorn.

Photograph: Daniel Boshoff