OnrusRivier - The river of unrest.

Some days just scream "get out of the house, away from the screen and go do something". Today was one of those days so we hopped into the car and took about a 15 minute drive from Fisherhaven, which is where we are currently staying to a place called OnrusRivier. It is the most beautifully quaint little seaside village, which as I have said in a previous blog post, holds many a childhood memory for me.

The word "Onrus" actually means unrest and is reference to the wild surf against the rocks along the coastline of the town. The word "rivier" being rather self-explanatory and translating into "river". I have been visiting this lovely little place since I was about six years old when my dad built one of his first properties which also became our first "holiday house". We would go there pretty much every year for the December holidays as well as other long weekends and holidays throughout the year.

The place is a lot more developed now than it was 33 years ago lol, but it still has the most amazing charm about it. I can remember that pretty much NOTHING which is there now was there back then. On the block, we were literally the only house. I actually asked my dad today about the building of the house, because by commparison to the last house he built it differs greatly in style and well, professionalism haha!

That house being a timber house - perhaps he was going for the "holiday house feel" and then the last house being a bit of a mixed texture approach - with face brick, plaster and timber. Way back then there was no wall around the house, it was just on open ground - and without looking like some kind of stalker, I tried to get a pic of it... but you really cannot see much.

The first pic below, being his first design and build (and holiday house I am referring to) and the last photo being the house in which he currently resides, his last build. Quite a contrast really, but I suppose all of us grow over the years in our creative talents lol. My dad always wanted to be an architect, but his parents could not afford to send him to college for that, so it became his hobby eventually.

It was super to take a little drive down memory lane! I was so young back then, and despite the fact that it was actually a really difficult time in all of our lives - because my mom and dad had recently gotten divorced, he did whatever he could to detract from that and bring happier days into our immediate sphere. For those of you that do not know, I am the youngest of four and the only girl... so whilst I was pretty young for most of the holidays spent in Onrus, my brothers weren't. I can remember all their parties and camp outs in the back garden and totally wild New Years eve parties on the beach. Those days were where I developed my love for UB40 as a band.

This post would also be completely incomplete if I did not share the "gnome house". Other than the fact that they have put a small hedge around their house and there are probably a few LESS gnomes than there were 30 odd years ago, pretty much NOTHING else has changed! No doubt the hedge was grown because people began to steal the gnomes. Its like so SUPER kitch, lol - but I am sure this house must be famous on google by now lol - or perhaps not... Onrus is a bit of a secret gem really.

Jude and Dave wanted to take the metal detector out, so we headed toward the beach. There is a little restaurant which is literally built over the water of the lagoon - "The Milkwood Cafe". Jude opted for bolognaise and Dave and I had a nice healthy serving lol - a cheese and tomato toastie with a side of chips. Potatoes are a vegetable, right?!

Once the tummies were full, we headed down to the beach. Onrus beach is particularly awesome because it is a pretty small beach as far as beaches in South Africa go, but it has not only ocean, but lagoon too... and the mouth is right at the entrance. It is SUCH a super beach for families because the lagoon is milder for the littlies... and warmer too hahaha.... (shut up!) and the ocean side is great for the surfers, body boarders, or as I like to refer... the lamp posts and the shark biscuits haha!

Jude did some digging, so did Herbie. Sadly, the rewards of the day were not great. Jude is not a South African millionaire just yet. I think they found a R1 coin hehe... shame, lol! but hey - it was more about getting him out the house and into the "real world".

The monetary rewards may have been low - lol, but the time out was priceless. I spent a good while just sitting, staring at the ocean and its rolling waves - contemplating, well - many things. It was a "food for the soul" day. The kind I look forward to having plenty more of in the days ahead.