Lately, I’ve been visiting Oudtshoorn a lot; at least once a month. Each time I go there, I notice more aspects which strengthen my impression of this Klein Karoo Town as beautiful, peaceful and interesting. During my last visit, on 20 December, this impression reached its zenith, and I decided to explore it more actively.
‘This is a beautiful town. I should learn more about it,’ I said to myself as I turned into Langenhoven Road. No sooner had I refledcted on this thought than I came across an elderly gentleman, Mr Johannes Riettels, sitting on a stool under a big tree. About two dozen watermelons were displayed on the pavement and on the back of his bakkie. There were also some tempting-looking sweet melons in a crate next to him.
We soon started a brief but lively conversation. I told him what my intentions were, and he told me that Smitswinkel Farm Village was the best place to start. ‘They’ve got everything,’ he said: ‘Old things and new things. The history there isvery good. You’ll learn a lot from them. It’s just over there.’
Mr Johannes Riettels with his watermelons.
It was indeed just down the road, and I alighted there within minutes. I was astonished by what I saw. Yes, the place had everything, and it was much fancier and bigger than I had anticipated.
I spoke to Miss Michele Wiid, the amicable manager of this huge establishment. I asked her many questions, and though my initial interest was to learn more about Oudtshoorn as a Klein Karoo Town, most of them were eventually about Smitswinkel.
The affable manager, Ms Michele Wiid.
‘What are the main places to visit in Oudtshoorn?’ I asked. ‘Places you would recommend to a tourist?’
‘The Kango Caves’, she answered. ‘And the Crocodile Lodge.’
‘And what would you say Oudtshoorn is best known for?’
‘The ostrich and the wind pump. Almost every business here has a wind pump in their premises.’
‘How’s the weather here?’
‘When it’s hot, it’s scorching, and when it’s cold, it’s blistering.’
‘So you move from one extreme to the other’, I said, and we both laughed about it.
‘What’s Smitswinkel unique and renowned for?’
‘We are popular because we sell almost everything — all the popular products, but also a lot of home-made things that you couldn’t buy anywhere else in the world.’
‘Who patronise you the most: local people or tourists, and what are your busiest seasons?’
‘Tourists come here a lot. We have very decent accommodation. But we also host a lot of local events — kiddies’ parties, end-of-year parties, weddings, matric farewells, photo shoots, birthdays, even 80th or 90th birthdays. We’re busy all year round.’
Passionately, she added: ‘This is the best place to come to in Oudtshoorn. It has two play parks for kids — one inside and the other outside. It has a bar for men and all kinds of options for women, with a large enough parking lot.’
The owner, Mr Andre Claasen, with some friends.
I also spoke to the owner, Mr Andre Claasen, who was sitting at at a table with some friends. He told me the business had been operating for ten years.
‘Then how come it has so many pieces of antique furniture and other antique things?’ I asked.
He replied: ‘It came from many generations. We are collectors. They’re worth a fortune.’ After this he asked Michele to give me a tour of the whole property.
It’s almost impossible to describe, but I believe the following will still impress the reader:
Smitswinkel Farm Village, incorporating Harley Jack’s Grill and Pub (to give itg its full name), is a huge, rambling complex, made up of various different sections. It starts with a big parking lot, facing a long building with a corrugated iron stoep. The stoep is about 50 metres long, and wide enough to accommodate three vintage cars. There is another one on the roof, painted red. The walls are covered with paintings, and there is a large birdcage next to the main door.
Inside the building, to the left, is the Village Grocer. Here you find an abundance of home-made products — jams, cheese, chips, biscuits, drinks, and more. Behind it is an indoor play park for children. To the right is a wine cellar, with wine barrels and all kinds of vintage wines, and a shop stocking the conventional goods you find in a supermarket. The whole of this section is decorated with innumerable artefacts.
Next is Harley Jack’s Grill. There is a huge fireplace with a chimney in the middle. It is packed with rustic tables and chairs, and decorated with all kinds of objects— statues of soldiers and bikers, old motorcycles, and even an aircraft hanging from the roof.
Next to it is the main bar, which is furnished with leather sofas. There are vintage motorbikes everywhere, and old number plates hanging on the walls. A motorbike and a small aircraft are suspended above the bar. Hundreds of toy cars and motorbikes are displayed in glass cupboards and on shelves. Michele told me: ‘This is my best section in the whole building. We have karaoke here and occasional live bands. I love it here.’
Through another door is the huge outdoor section. There are tables and chairs everywhere, some on a wooden deck and others under umbrellas on the luxuriant lawns. The air is perfumed by the delightful fragrances of flowers. Booths under a wooden awning are identified by the names of rivers. There is also a grove for weddings, and a large cage with many birds. Smiling waitresses were moving around with trays of food and drinks.
To the left is a long building with accommodation, hidden behind dense green shrubs. Next to it is the outdoor play park, with old aircraft and cars scattered here and there. The property seemed to extend indefinitely. Michele said it went right down to a river.
As I walked out of the gate, I said to myself: Mr Riettels was right. Smitswinkel is one of the most unusual establisments I have ever visited, and a gem of the Klein Karoo.