Happy New Year - January 1st 2022

The Senior couples held a fun New Year's Eve party - snacks and games.  I made chopped ham sandwiches (Spam)! Sugar cookies, deviled eggs and saltine toffee.  Lots of yummy good! Fun to snack all evening!
Playing board and card games in the Area Office Conference room.  It was fun for a couple of hours and then Elder Smith wanted to go home.  We are of a mind that a good way to welcome a new year is by sleeping!  Actually the fireworks woke us up at midnight - we said Happy New Year and then went back to sleep!!  
Wonderful friends - senior missions are the best!  Happy 2022 everyone!!
New Year's Day - we drove to Pretoria and visited the Voortrekkers Monument.  Here is Elder Smith next to our car in the parking lot.  The Monument is behind him.  
A statue to the Women and children of the 'Great Trek'.  These Dutch/French people had been in the Cape Town area for over 200 years!  The English government took control and passed laws that they didn't like.  They were pioneers and trekked toward the interior of Africa.
Pretoria in the distance. Named after one of the leaders of the Trek - Andries Pretorius.  The Zulu King signed a treaty with the Voortrekkers, and then had them murdered!   War came about the the natives were not armed - so they lost!
Stairs in the monument - we took the elevator to the top and walked the stairs on the way down!
One of the wagons - larger than we are used to.  Many similarities to the westward treks in the US.  Some artifacts could have been from our pioneer museums!  Sunbonnets just like our pioneers had.
The actual cannon - at the right - that was used at the Blood River Battle.  It was fought on December 16, 13
Another wagon - 1835, was the beginning of the treks, continuing until 1838 - similar time of our own pioneers in the west.  

 It is important to learn about history and the events of the past.  Elder Smith has read two books about the Voortrekkers and the Battle of Blood River.  It was interesting to see the monument and know some of the names and facts about the 'Great Trek.'

Comments

  1. PollyJanuary 10, 2022 at 8:57 PM

    I appreciate you taking us to historic sites whenever we traveled. It is fun to learn about South African history and see some of their sites.

    ReplyDelete

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