Clarens, Thomas

Position: 28°30’53.6″S 28°25’15.6″E

“Hello sir, I am Thomas. Can I look after your car?” enquired the slim young man with a shy look. Glancing around the boutiques and craft breweries lining the main square of Clarens, I decided that attended parking was one way we could contribute directly to the local economy. Just over Thomas’s shoulder a gruff looking individual sat on a decorative rock smoking a cigarette. He eyed our transaction, but otherwise looked harmless. I couldn’t tell if he was part of the self-actualized parking team or not. It didn’t matter. I preferred Thomas’s mien and didn’t want to start negotiating with a third party, if it came to that. So, I said, “Sure thing, we won’t be long.” No rate was mentioned and I figured it was up to us to determine the value of Thomas’s work.

The previous night in Ladybrand, I had parked our car in the hotel’s secured parking. Collecting Kiki after breakfast, I noticed she had been cleaned. Two guys sat under the shade of an awning across from me and I asked if they had washed the car? With a big smile one of them walked over and I handed him about $3 in rand. It was all the cash I had. He gratefully accepted the money, and I gratefully drove off with a clean car. There was no need for negotiations and both parties walked away happy.

I figured the same would be true with Thomas. By the time we got back to KiKi and none of her doors had been jimmied we’d settle on a mutually agreeable price. With that we set off for a walking tour of the Free State’s only hipster enclave, safe in the knowledge that Thomas was on the job.

Separated

Clarens is a small town in the foothills of the Maloti mountains and surrounded by farmland. during apartheid separate towns, one designated for blacks and one occupied by whites, were the norm. The division largely remains, even 30+ years after apartheid’s official end. That probably results from the heavy inertia of entrenched poverty and an attendant lack of social mobility. White flight and black population growth has reduced the white population from 20% to around 8% today. Still, whites control a disproportionate amount of the country’s wealth. While land and houses are cheap by American standards, most remain out of reach for the vast majority of South Africans.

Unlike many places where a black township is separated by several kilometres from a white enclave, in Clarens they are a street apart. That helps make for a chill-out, melting pot vibe that the town is trying to take advantage of. Shops cluster around the town’s square, itself the events hub. Art galleries, tchotchke emporiums, and restaurants keep the tourists occupied.

Fizz

We paused at the Clarens Brewery and sampled their IPA. It made a welcome change from the 4.2% Euro-fizz that defines beer in this part of the world. The brewery also owns Junipers Craft Gin Bar, located just behind the pub. England has gin and Holland has jenever (a tipple very similar to gin). Therefore, I wasn’t surprised that the bar was stacked floor to ceiling with a large variety of local gins.

With so many choices, we asked for help narrowing down our options. The young lady behind the bar directed us towards Blind Tiger. It’s one of the most popular, she said. Light on juniper and refreshingly citrusy, we liked it well enough to buy a bottle. As a premium brand, Blind Tiger’s $20 price was at the high end. Have I mentioned getting quality drunk in South Africa is cheap? I have.

Koffi

Undrunk as we were, a coffee and a bite would happily fill in the time until check-in. But not before a little shopping. Ever on the lookout for gifts and souvenirs we paused in a boutique selling inspired throw pillows. Blending old, 18th century artwork and modern Hollywood visages, each one was a mash-up enabled by inkjet printing. Besides oddly designed pillows, the shop sold vintage clothes, and Carol couldn’t resist a pair of jeans with a big red rose motif repeated across them.

It was time for a coffee around the corner. Crossing the road towards Liewer Koffi, we watched a vendor shoo away a flock of errant sheep. Our coffee was delicious enough that we bought a bag of espresso. Turns out South Africa doesn’t grow coffee. The climate isn’t suited to it. But they sure can roast it. It also turns out Liewer Koffi has almost no social media presence. Exceedingly rare in a country where every shop owner asks you to post a positive review on TripAdvisor.

The Titanic

To seal its hipster vibe, Clarens hosts the Titanic Challenge Trail Run. The race snakes around nearby Titanic Rock, named for its large bow-like promontory in honour of the famous ship’s sinking. About a thousand runners and their supporters come from all over the country to participate. We know this because the weekend we arrived was the weekend of the event. Tents and tables were being set up on the central square for the next morning’s race. Participants were trickling in and filling up the bars. Nothing like several pints of local microbrew to help with carb-loading.

By the time we returned to our car Thomas was nowhere to be seen. The scowling guy was still lurking around, but I wasn’t about to give him Thomas’s money. Even if he had asked for it.

The DALLES

Thanks to the Titanic run all the rooms in town were taken. We headed east about 12 kilometres and found a very comfortable hotel. Looking out our sliding glass door we might as well have been in eastern Oregon. Someplace near the Dalles where the edges of the Columbia River still rise several hundred feet above the water. The scarred face of the sandy rock, the angle of the sun and the sparse vegetation was transporting. Had there been a 2,000-megawatt hydroelectric dam it would be all but indistinguishable. If you are training for a long bike ride, it’s hard to think of a better place.

The young couple next door at our hotel had come down from Johannesburg for the Titanic. She was doing a 10K, he a 21K. Carol enjoyed trail running, back in the days she was a runner. She also enjoyed mountain biking, back when… Me? I preferred pavement for both sports. Neither of us was in good enough shape to participate in the Titanic run, although we would have walked the 10K without complaint. According to Carol, our neighbours engaged is some strenuous pre-race aerobics while I was soaking in the bath. All was quiet by the time I emerged.

 

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