A Walk Around Continued again

6/11/2013

I  mentioned the church buildings earlier.  Here is the old church building circa 1939 to 1975.  There is some talk about turning it into a museum in recognition of the fact that Kalkfeld was the site of the first Congregational church in Namibia.  The very first building (moved to become part of the school across the highway) was used as a school M-F and church on Sunday until this building was built.

 The second church building is on the right.  It was built because the congregation was too large for the old building.

 Walking down the road toward the highway and the school you cross railroad tracks which are for cargo trains.  Though this is about a 15 minute walk from the house, you hear one rumble by all the way at the house about once a day.

I don't know why but I decided to take pictures along the way, but not all the pictures of everything along the way.  On the left side of the road is the municipal building and the bed and breakfast and the road to the school.  Perhaps I have already posted those pictures from my earlier trip in April but it seems incomplete.  Now that I have been here a while I see things with new eyes and I see things I think I missed before...  But here is a goat on the road.  Goats, and dogs and donkeys and horses and cows around Kalkfeld.  On the road on the way between Otjiwarango and Kalkfeld are warthogs, guinea fowl and kudu and oryx and gemsbock and dik diks.  Some of them I will have pictures of but most we pass too quickly so enjoy the goat.

Quite a few old and abandoned buildings from when Kalkfeld was a town and not a settlement.  Homes, shops, a bank, gas station and a church now used for a preschool.

Here is the abandoned gas station with the donkeys who now pull carts or just hang out along the road.

The next couple of pictures are the new construction in Kalkfeld along the highway at the center of the settlement- the visitor's center and some retail space and some public restrooms.  Construction started in September 2012 and you can see slow progress every week.

 A sign for a private safari lodge but Mount Etjo is the sight of a famous battle between the Herero and German battalion.  I believe the Herero were terribly overpowered.

A rare sight for me to be where the train is and watch it go by.

Kalkfeld settlement is almost centrally located!  70 kilometers (approximately 50 miles) to Otjiwarango (a town of 20,000) and 70 kilometers to Omaruru (a somewhat smaller town).

I walked down the main street in but did not take any pictures (see my previous trip in April) until I saw these children on their way home from school in their uniforms.  They like to see their pictures on my camera even if they don't get a paper one to keep.

Some goats crossing the main street in Kalkveld.

The main street in Kalkfeld with a couple homes and closed shops on the left.  Also down the road are the sewing project (in the old bank building), post office and police station.  I caught the street at "rush hour."

And these are the "folks" rushing at rush hour.  A farmer and his herd and helper- a pretty large herd with lots of calves.  I complimented him on the fine herd and he was very happy/proud.  He lives down the street on the right side in a traditional style home.  I included pictures on my trip before...

The road from the main street back to the church grounds- "Queldom B"  There is one house on the right where staff member from the school lives with her parents and some calm dogs and some very healthy looking chickens and roosters.  There is a larger house/complex on the left which you cannot see with many pieces of equipment.  Haven't met them yet- the kids are afraid of the dog and since they are my tour guides I only go where they lead!

It is a fifteen minute walk from the main street to the church grounds- almost there!

Back to the church grounds and almost home.  Here is the gate.  The church buildings are off to the left and the old parsonage/manse is the light pink building ahead.  The house of my neighbors across the street is on the left and if you could see through it you would see my house.

And this was the treat I had to reward me for my walk-about.  I bought it at the Roadhouse, the convenience store/bar near the construction for the visitor's center (pictures included before).  This is a real find with chocolate AND ice cream and a rare treat- otherwise I will have to walk twice as far each day!