Through the Karoo

The drive north through the Great Karoo from Beaufort West to the diamond mining city of Kimberley was pretty much like driving through the desert anywhere.  The subtle beauty of the desert gets old after a hundred miles or so.

However, our destination, the historic Kimberley Club, was well worth the drive.  This was the private club of the early diamond moguls, beginning with Cecil Rhodes.  It's now a boutique hotel.

We had dinner in the Rhodes dining room -

The halls are full of photos and newspaper articles about the history of the club and Kimberley, including the siege of 1899-1900 during the Boer War.  Some of the huge shells from the "Long Tom" gun that the Boers bombarded the city with are on display, as well.

Apparently the club members convinced the Boers to not shell the club by pointing out that they'd have a great club for themselves should they win the war - it would be a shame to ruin it.