Fidler in the Hood: Merry month of May… and strangers on our shores

Right then: no more weather predictions. Not after last week. Talk about a deluge? As the song goes: “I’ll Remember April” – but for all the wrong reasons. Even ‘April Showers’ let us down. Showers? More like ‘Stormy Weather’. Still, we should count ourselves lucky: the Hibiscus Coast remains intact – just. It’s the Merry Month of May. Anyone fancy being the May Queen?

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Strangers on our shores

There’s nothing more encouraging for us locals than to meet international visitors to our sleepy shores. They might have foreign-sounding names, and originate from not-so-familiar countries, but all are welcome when visiting South Africa.

Last weekend – before the day that the rains came down – we were privileged to share a lunch with some really lovely visitors from Eastern Europe, Slovakia, Austria and Bavaria. Add a touch of jolly old England (and don’t forget the Irish), spiced up with typical South African hospitality: all the ingredients for a ‘lekker’ lunch.

Meet the Krchnakovas

Introductions brought a a game of tongue-twisters: Meet Daniela Krchnakova: originally, from Bratislava, but currently living in Kitzbühel, Tyrol, Austria. Daniela’s two sons and their good ladies were with them. Gregor, an electrician by trade, together with his German girlfriend, Lulu, who is of Italian descent, are resident in Munich, Bavaria; brother Gabriel, is married to Heather Newey, born in Birmingham (“Sutton Coldfield, to be exact, Rob”), who was visiting her Mum, Hazel van Rooyen, who lives in Uvongo. Formerly from Johannesburg, Heather returned to the UK eight years ago, and the couple is now resident in Fulham, London, along with their delightful six-year-old daughter, Nina.

Add the Van Rooyens and the Rautenbachs into the mix, and it’s not easy to remember all the fuzzy details, particularly with the old ‘vino del casa’ taking effect. But you get the picture, don’t you?

Gabriel’s guitarists

Gabriel (your scribe won’t spell their surnames!) is a music teacher; classical guitar at a school in London. Encouragingly, his pupils ‘dig’ the classics, although they are not averse to the present pop groups. (Whatever happened to Bill Haley and the Comets?) Now, here’s a tip: never discuss Brexit with a Central European living in London! Despite your scribe’s assurances as an Englishman (ha ha!) that he will have secure, guaranteed right of residence in Britain – just like we have those same assurances in RSA – Gabriel is a devout ‘remainer’. Your scribe beat a hasty retreat, and let the CO take over to discuss the Brexit ‘thing’.

Heather on the hill

Heather, Gabriel’s charming wife, is a professional corporate public relations specialist. Asked what that entailed, she replied, “Rob. I see you are wearing a watch? Well, I teach you how to read it and tell the time!” That figures, as time has stood still since coming to live on the Hibiscus Coast. Heather originally emigrated to South Africa in 1969 as a one-year-old with her family on the Shaw Savill passenger liner ‘Northern Star’: coincidentally the same ship on which your scribe had worked as a printer – the same ship which guided him to emigrate to sunny S’Africa. Small world, isn’t it? Memories are made of this. Heather eventually returned to to the UK, got a job, a husband, and a daughter, in that order. She still retains wonderful memories of being brought up and educated in an idyllic South Africa.

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Home is where the heart is

Interestingly, despite the security of living and working in London Town and having their own home in Fulham, Gabriel and Heather are contemplating leaving the Big City due to the social issues, including increasing levels of knife-crime. Greg and Gabriel’s mum, Daniela. and her husband are considering returning to Bratislava, Slovakia, as life, they say, is ‘not easy’ in Austria, and they miss their kith and kin. Haven’t we heard something like this before somewhere? Home is where the heart is, agreed?

The Krchnakovas were on their first visit to South Africa, having taken in Pilanesberg Game Park, Cape Town, and that ‘place up the N2’ They all agreed: it might be their first visit to RSA, but it won’t be their last!

Another week in ‘boring’ South Africa – your scribe give it another day or two. See you. Rob 

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