News from Burg Gusinde
Since the opening of our Lodge "Burg Gusinde" and the "Osema Farmhaus" we have replaced the yearly letter describing all the latest news, changes, happenings and adventures of our farm in Africa to our family and friends by this online news letter - available to everyone who would like to get an impression or participate in the lives of all the inhabitants of Osema/Gusinde.
A severe winter 2002, a lovely spring and summer 2003 which has brought rain, warming sun and lash green trees, bushes and fields lies behind us. You asked us if we had enough rain? - enough is rarely enough in Namibia, but we do not want to complain. The old damm which we have reinstated was nearly filled up. The day our daughter Carolin from Europe arrived she brought the rain in her suit-case (and was not stopped at customs!). Senta, our Burrbull bitch is rollicking about in the few hours left until the river stops flowing again. After about six hours the natural spectacle is over. We are grateful that the new "old" damm has not given into pressure of the floods .
Many birds settled on and around the new lake: the blue haring, standing majestically along the lakeside for hours to catch flash like its prey. Is the hunt not successful he unfolds his enormous wingspread and elegantly changes location. The hammerkopp hammers relentlessly into the soft ground along the lakeside to satisfy his appetite. To our delight a nilgoose couple has found its home on our new lake. Many more kinds of ducks have made the lake their home and we are still keenly studying their whos, whats and whereabouts to get to know our new farm inhabitants by their individual names.
Our ostriches enjoy the food variety along the water. All day long you can find Kudus, Waterbocks, Springbocks and Impalas coming for water. The warthogs with their whole little family just throws themselves right in and wallows in the mud - who said there is just one way to enjoy water - everyone their own. Anyhow, it is a new found paradise for everyone.
Our very dear and excellent chef, Michelle du Preez has left Burg Gusinde. The hot kitchen air is no longer good for her health. We are very sad. We have learned a lot from and with each other and after long and thorough refection she has found a new niche for herself: Lodge Consultant.
With Michelle's departure two of her dearest friends, Frikki the warthog and Hengsti the zebra, have also started new lives. They caused fits of laughter and were well liked by most of us (you did not want to be on their bad side). Frikki was too domesticated, to be put back into the wilderness, as soon as Michelle was out of sight he started screaming, however, due to his well developed tusks playing with Senta became soon too dangerous. He is now sharing his life with another half tame warthog on a farm near Gobabis.
Hengsti, her mountain zebra, which she brought up with the bottle, after having been injured during a game transport, would have been killed by his own kind in the wilderness. He did not belong to any of the zebra families and zebras have unbreakable family ties, which do not allow any outsiders to join the herd after birth. Hengsti has also found a new home with other half tame zebras.
Dear guests come and go but what is a real joy: they hate leaving and hope to come back soon. With pleasure they follow our request to sign our guest book. I would like to quote some of their entries, while it is hard to make a choice:
"Who would like to enjoy the sunset on the Ziller farm behind Namibia's mountains needs to come here! At Burg Gusinde Gloria and Hans guarantee for this natural spectacle every evening. Thanks to our perfect hosts and friends we are thoroughly refreshed and are looking forward to coming back." Fee and Emar Waterloh
"No better day in these times,
than here in Namibia mine,
where we gather at Burg Gusinde,
every evening.
Thank you for a relaxing weekend and the personal hospitality."
Brigitte Grottendieck
"A fascinating coming together of tradition paired with unpaired taste and stile. A diamond in the middle of Namibia. We are swept of our feet!"
LTU Crew
"Burg Gusinde?
Time seems to stand still,
Peace comes,
Nature in undreamt-of closeness,
corresponding with lived hospitality,
in a dreamlike ambience.
Burg Gusinde!"
Rudolf Gabel, Christian Fischer, Friedrich Gross, Small and Luxury Hotels of the world.
We could continue with these entries, which are all true little pieces of art.
However, the best is you come, read and see for yourself.
Burg Gusinde, April, 1st 2003
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