Dis Ekke

My vreugdes en frustrasies

About

About

I am a 66-year-old retired bank official and grandmother of one. I grew up in the arid, barren region of Namaqualand, (Northern Cape, South Africa) which is well-known for its springtime flowers after a “good” rainy winter season. My adult life, I spent living and working in large cities.

In January 2015, we (my husband, daughter and myself) moved to the beautiful South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal. The South Coast is a popular holiday destination and during the holidays, life becomes quite hectic. However, out of season, we live a very quiet life.

We love the laid-back lifestyle, the long stretches of isolated beaches and the wonderful, warm water of the Pacific Ocean. We love hiking along the beaches, lingering on the banks of the beautiful rivers and visiting the numerous nature reserves. Whenever possible, we drag along our cameras to capture the beauty of this region.

Some of these photos find their way to this blog Dis Ekke (This Is Me), written in Afrikaans and English. The blog posts represent the rantings and ravings, the joys and blessings of a 66-year-old retiree – Me.

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35 thoughts on “About”

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  3. Hi Hester,
    Hoe gaat het met U? Afrikaans is indeed so close to Dutch. Do you live close to Pretoria? I would love to learn more about S.A. as my oma was van Indonesia & she has spoken of cousins in Den Haag en Pretoria. I will visit your blog tomorrow but I just was so intrigued reading some Africaans & understanging some words. 🙂

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  4. Hi Pekebun, dit gaan baie goed, dankie. Yes Afrikaans is indeed derived from Dutch. The Dutch were the first European trading power to set up a permanent settlement in South Africa (in 1652). It has developed into a beautiful language. You will find quite a number of Afrikaans bloggers on WordPress and I am following their blogs as you will note from my blogroll. I live ±110 kilometers from Pretoria – today 😀 – tomorrow I am moving to KwaZulu Natal, which is on the Soutcoast of South Africa. I love your blog site and will visit often.

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    1. Baie dankie.

      Goeie idee. Op skool (baie lank gelede) het ons nog Hollandse boeke gelees, maar ek het alles al weer vergeet. Gelukkig kan ons Google Translate gebruik 😀 – Goed idee. Op school (heel lang geleden) hebben we nog Hollandse boeken gelezen, maar ik heb alles al weer vergeten.

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  6. Your stress is well-founded, and I don’t know anyone who can’t relate to what you are going through. Thanks so much for following our blog, Oh, the Places We See. Here’s hoping each day can bring you some comfort but also a lot to write about. After all, we all like knowing that we’re not the only ones facing life’s challenges! http://ohtheplaceswesee.com

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  8. Vele dank vir die “volg”… ek hoop daar wag ‘n glimlag of fyf wanneer jy ‘n draai gooi hie by my blog. Ek geniet jou manier van skryf… jy koggel en laat my lag! Dankie.
    NS – My ma se naam was Hester…
    😉

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  10. Thank you so much for following Oh, the Places We See. I’m the one who usually writes the posts, and I, too, and a grandmother of one. I know I’ve spoiled that grandchild, but what else do you do when she’s so cute and the only one! Best wishes for continuing to write and take lovely pictures. I’ll enjoy seeing what you put out.

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  13. Beautiful pictures. I like Genis, cute one. hi-fi fellow banker 🙂 hehe You have a demanding life style, I wonder if I will be able to be as active at 65. Keep it up dear.. by the way what does your name mean?

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    1. Hester is my given name and I believe it is a throwback to the Latin Esther.In true Afrikaans tradition where the eldest daughter is named for her mother, this is just a family name (one that I can trace back seven generations). Ley is my maiden name and Nel my husband’s last name. I love yours by the way – body parts made of gold!

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      1. hahaha thanks dear.. My name is used to make fun by everyone. Some even want to sell me metaphorically speaking. 😉 In Indian tradition we do not name kids after their paternal/maternal ancestors but it does sound nice way to preserve some culture and be connected to your lineage. Wow, I certainly need to think about this. Thanks for the wonderful explanation dear.

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    1. Thank you for the nomination, but mine is an awards free blog and for various reasons I do not deviate from this policy. I am always honored when bloggers express their appreciation fior my writing (or reading, in this case 😀 ) but my real joy comes from receiving comments and likes, and discussing mutual interests.Keep up the good work.

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