The Karroo Theatrical Hotel – Expect to be enthralled

"Welcome to the Karroo Theatrical Hotel - one of only three theatrical hotels in the world!"

It is a balmy Saturday night in the Steytlerville Karoo and the small hotel on the outskirts of the town is fully booked. The intimate Grimaldi's Theatre Hall is packed with guests from far afield. They have enjoyed a scrumptious three-course supper and are now eagerly awaiting the evening's performance by the Steytlerville Folies, presented by entertainer and pianist Freddie Ferrari and starring the legendary karoovian diva Dame Leyla Lamborgini.

The Karroo Theatrical Hotel is no ordinary hotel. On the one hand it is a down to earth home away from home where the weary visitor can relax in the healthy Karoo air, pampered by personal attention from hotel owners Mark Hinds and Jacques Rabie. At the same time the hotel is an extravaganza of style, laughter, fine food and even a hint of decadence. This is especially true when glitz and burlesque meet on a Saturday night over a grand piano and Mark and Jacques transform into performing artists that might as well have come directly from one of the many top theatrical revues in Europe.

And this is indeed where Mark has matured as a performing artist. With almost 30 years of experience in the performing arts mainly in Europe’s German speaking countries, he has finally decided to bid farewell to the glitter of the European stage and to follow his life-long dream of owning a small hotel where he can combine his passion for the performing arts and his love for people.

Jacques comes from a background of singing. Already at a young age he started to earn top honours at eisteddfods and other national events. This, together with other performances in his later signing career, formed the basis for his extravagant performance as Dame Leyla Lamborgini at the Karroo Theatrical Hotel in which he impersonates some of the top female singers of yesteryear.

Building of the hotel was completed in 1943. The choice of land, for a very good reason, was just outside of the municipal borders of Steytlerville. At that time Steytlerville was a ‘dry’ town where no liquor sales were allowed due to regulations laid down when the town was established by the church in the late 1800’s. With the new hotel outside of the municipal area and therefore able to sell liquor legally to town folk and alike, the liquor trade apparently flourished in those early years. Even the golf course on municipal land next door to the hotel had its dedicated 19^th hole on the inside where golfers enjoyed drinks after playing golf and before returning (some perhaps in a more, well....wet state) to the dry town!

The hotel, which was originally registered as the Karroo Hotel, stood empty for a number of years until Mark and Jacques bought it 11 years ago. At that time the building was desperately in need of repair and renovation.

With a dream to create a haven that would offer more than merely food and accommodation and with a vision to make their experience in the performing arts part of this venture, the new owners registered its name as the Karroo Theatrical Hotel. Inspiration and hard work turned the building into the fine concern that it is today.   

  

Do not expect to find TV sets in the rooms – not even a radio. For a good reason, these items do not fit in. However, look forward to striking, yet tasteful and creative interior decoration, to sleeping on a good bed with quality bedding, to first-class and wholesome food, to discreet personal attention and, above all, to good old fashioned warmth and service.

Do not look for vision and mission statements in frames on the walls, but experience Jacques’s passion in his home cooked meals when you sit down for a something to eat. Expect delightful surprises such as Mark’s freshly baked banana loaf, jam tartlets and biscotti when coffee is served in the afternoon under the large veranda. Get an understanding of their caring nature when you look at the assembly of pets – each with its own story to tell – that form a backdrop to the day to day homelike life at the hotel.

Cool off in the sparkling swimming pool which, according to Jacques, became a big attraction in 1983 when it was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest swimming pool by volume in the Southern Hemisphere.

Be amazed by the large number of beautiful pianos in the building. (Mark is also a piano technician by trade.) If you are fortunate enough to be inside the building, absorb the clear piano sounds floating from Grimaldi’s Theatre Hall as Mark rehearses for the next show on the Blüthner grand piano that was manufactured in Leipzig, Germany, 120 years ago.

Listen in awe as Mark tells the story of Grimaldi, the little fluffy white dog after whom the Theatre Hall was named. He was of a noble and highly sought-after breed known as the Cotton De Tulear and was one of the top performing dog acts in Europe. Embraced by Mark and Jacques, he retired and moved back to South Africa in 2002, making the Karroo Theatrical Hotel his new home where he later passed away at the ripe age of sixteen.

Marvel at the beautifully restored 1963 Austin Vanden Plas Princess which is the pride and joy of the hotel. Wave elegantly at town folk from the roomy back seat if you are one of the lucky and privileged few who may be invited for a drive down Steytlerville’s main street.

Plan to come back for one or more of the hotel’s special annual events – Christmas day celebrations , New Year festivities, the Queen of the Desert extravaganza and the yearly art exhibition.

Any famous visitors to the hotel? As expected, the discreet Mark and Jacques refuse to divulge names, but reluctantly admit that the hotel do get booked out by high profile individuals wanting to get away from it all in the privacy that these two considerate individuals can offer best.

And what do the guests have to say?

• "Thank you to two beautiful people for having us in your ‘hometel’. We loved every minute of it – amazing hospitality, formidable food and extraordinary company” – Karen.
• "Beautiful place. Fun place! Accomplished performers!” – Binky and Ray.
• "Truly the most memorable weekend ever. Glitz and glamour galore!” – Derrick and Edwin.
• "How can we thank you enough for the generosity, kindness and hospitality received? We enjoyed ourselves so much. We will certainly remember the terrific performance.” – Johanna and Cor.

But, back to the show! "Welcome to the Karroo Theatrical Hotel…..". Freddy Ferrari's opening words from the glittering stage can only hint at the glamour, excitement and humour that would follow during the night’s performance. And what a performance it is! Freddy's serious, yet zestful and humourous performance of classical works and more modern pieces on the grand piano enthrals the audience. Dame Leyla Lamborgini's powerful entrance is only overshadowed by her formidable performance of hit songs by superstars such as Diana Ross, Shirley Bassey and Celine Dion.

But in the end when the excitement of the show is over and the guests have settled down, what remain is two people with a passion for what they are doing. The combination of the hotel, the theatre, the ambiance, the food and the service is only the end result. The engine that drives all of this is Mark and Jacques, fuelled by their vision, dedication and unpretentious passion to be good for people and to make a difference in the lives of those that they touch with their modesty and gentleness.

Leaving at the end of your stay, you will already be planning to come back. And with Jacques’ musical finale – “I did it my way” – echoing in your mind, you will begin to miss the two wonderful people of the Karroo Theatrical Hotel who have managed to create a unique haven in their special way – a haven where the traveller who is looking to be enthralled, can come home to.

For more information, contact Mark or Jacques:

• Tel: 049 835 0010
• e-mail: info@karroohotel.co.za
• www.karroohotel.co.za

Riding Life

“On the other hand, I may also offer other, hopefully interesting snippets and even some of life’s lessons that I have learnt as I went along to now reach my delayed mid-life crisis. And, I can think that my motorcycle will feature now and then in what I will be writing as this machine has become a big part of my life.”

After writing the above in last week’s posting, I said to myself: “Do not do that! Why would people be interested in your life’s little lessons?”

But I thought about it and, perhaps there would actually be value in reflecting on life, especially if it relates to what my unusual mentor – my motorcycle – has taught me. 

It has coached me in many ways – the most important being that you must prepare for the ride and adhere to certain principles and techniques when riding. If you do not do so, you will not enjoy your motorcycle or the ride and you may fall and sustain injuries. You may even end up in accidents. On the other hand, if you do, you will enjoy that special and unexplainable freedom that the motorcycle has to offer and you will be safe during your journey.

My motorcycle has also made me realise that you can apply the same principles when dealing with life to enjoy the freedom that life has to offer, yet to be safe at the same time while enjoying the ride.

So, this is not about life’s lessons. It is perhaps a little about riding motorcycles and more about riding life!

Understanding the differences between driving a motorcar and riding a motorcycle
It is important to understand that riding and controlling a motorcycle is completely different – and much more complex – than manoeuvring a car. You drive a car. You sit in a seat and you control the vehicle via controls. You ride a motorcycle. This means that you grip and control the bike via your whole body, moving your weight left and right, backward and forward, also using you muscles.

You generally think of the four wheels as one thing, for example when braking or turning in a corner. On a motorcycle you think of the two wheels separately. They fulfil different roles at all times.

I can go on to highlight the differences when looking at the surface of the road ahead of you, the effect of the wind, the impact that the passenger has on the handling of the motorcycle, the different way in which brakes are utilised, even the differences in the use of the accelerator.

Enough, however, to say that riding a motorcycle requires a complete different skillset and alertness than driving a car.

So, how does this relate to life? The whole story of safe motorcycling and, for that matter safely riding life, can be grouped under the following headings:

• Before you ride
• When you ride

Before you ride your motorcycle and, for that matter, before you ride life
Make sure you have the right motorcycle for the trip. There are motorcycles for different purposes. Approach life in the same way. Always be in the right frame of mind in relationships, during challenges and in your career.

If you have to work at a high pace, think sports motorcycle. In doing so you will set yourself up with characteristics relating to being sharp, precise, agile and fast.

Venturing onto new terrain requires a different approach. In this case think off-roader – a motorcycle which is light, manoeuvrable and of the go-anywhere type.

During you holiday, become a cruiser with the characteristics of sitting back, letting things roll by and having time to think and recharge.

Most of the time, however, life is a mixture of everything, even changing all the time. That’s why it is practical to prepare yourself mentally into the role of a dual-purpose motorcycle, also referred to as dual-sport or adventure motorcycles. These motorcycles can go fast as well as being able to go slowly over traitorous and unexplored terrain. They are comfortable on long trips while they take short trips and day-to-day communicating in their stride. They can tackle the fast lane, the urban crawl and the back roads with ease. They can also carry a lot of weight.

When riding life, make sure that you equip yourself with the right riding machine and get into the right frame of mind before you start.

But do not only decide on the best machine for life’s roads, also make sure that you understand, get training and apply the correct riding techniques.

On a motorcycle there is a huge difference between what to do and what not to do when riding on tar and when riding off-road. Furthermore, as with life, you do not need brute force to control the motorcycle. Most of the time sensitive and controlled actions are required.…and a good measure of balance.

So, when riding life, as you would do when riding your motorcycle, be alert and adapt when conditions change. Know when to tuck in behind the fairing and go fast; know when to go slow and stand up to negotiate new terrain. Life changes constantly. Be aware and prepared for that.

Apply self-discipline and skilled control. Get formal training to improve your life skills. Speak to others on how they deal with life. Get a mentor!

Talk to and involve your partner. Make him or her part of your personal growth experience. Be in unison with one another.

But life is not only about the trip, it starts with planning and constantly adjusting the planning for the trip.

Planning a motorcycle trip means having to give more attention to the detail. You have to plan distances, where to refuel, the nature of the roads, planned stops, weather, accommodation and many more. You also have to allow for deviations and unplanned opportunities.

Try not to travel alone, especially when venturing onto back and unknown roads. Take a riding partner along or ride in a group. You do not want to be on your own if you are in trouble.

Make sure that the basics such as insurance and medical aid are in place. It is too late to get these things in place when you actually need them.

Do the same when you plan your journey of life. Take care of the basics first so that you can then focus on your journey, instead of wondering about the daily matters. Take care of your accommodation, transport, insurance, health, exercise, banking matters and all those items that you need on a daily basis. In doing so you will not be distracted by the small things when you need to focus on the long-term and really important things.

Get support structures in place. Make friends and work hard at maintaining and growing the right friendships. Help each other. Do not travel alone.

Allow time for life’s necessary stops. Take breaks. Refresh and revive yourself. Regularly smell the roses.

Do not neglect your spiritual and religious inner being. This can happen so easily in today’s rushed and material life.

And, very important, know when to replenish. Never run on an empty tank or be without reserves.

Make sure that you are equipped with the right gear to be comfortable and safe. Try to invest in good quality items that will last you longer. Make sure that you have protection against mishaps and life’s elements such as accidents, loneliness, pain and stress, amongst others.

Before firing up your motorcycle, do a quick pre-ride and safety check on the critical items such as fuel, brake fluid, lights, tyres and so on. Do the same when you go on life’s special assignments. Plan properly and consolidate your planning in a checklist. This helps to make sure that you do not forget something and to remain focused. Plan your life, you next assignment, your next step carefully….and do a pre-ride check to make sure that things are in place before starting off.

When you ride your motorcycle….and when you ride life
Maintain traction. On tar, a motorcycle’s wheels should under normal circumstances not skid or loose grip. Loosing grip means loosing traction – which means losing the ability to control the bike.

Keep your eyes on the road. Actively evaluate the surface on an on-going basis. Take into account the effect of rain and storms. Changes are more sudden on gravel. Be aware of sand, loose gravel, mud and stones.

Sometimes the rider may deliberately break traction to do a power slide through a bend. This helps to get you quicker through a corner, but for good reasons should not be attempted by the novice.

Braking is an art. Avoid locking the rear wheel. A locked rear wheel means that you are going to fall over.

A general, interesting and very true rule to maintain traction and balance under challenging conditions is: “When in doubt, go faster”. Or, in more scientific terms and on gravel surfaces: “Stand up, eyes up, power up.”

The same applies to life: Keep your eyes focused on where you are going. Actively evaluate what you see on life’s road. Look out in advance for dangerous situations that may cause you to loose traction. Adjust your speed timeously and steer around the obstacles in your way. When in doubt, stand up, eyes up and power up.

As with a motorcycle, be on the lookout for the bends in life’s road – the things that could slow you down or throw you off track – situations where you cannot see far ahead.

When they appear, slow down until you feel safe. Identify the line through the bend. Approach the bend, identify the apex and then focus on your exit point. Always look at where you’re planning to go to, not at where you are right now! Open the throttle and gain traction and momentum.

Master the art of defensive riding. Take care of your motorcycle, your life and your lifestyle and ride in such a manner that you will be able to ride again tomorrow. Make sure that you are not let down halfway to where you are going to.

Take care of yourself, even pamper yourself. Live a healthy lifestyle, exercise and go for medical check-ups. Be twice as alert while on life’s roads and, as you would do on a motorcycle, look out for and think on behalf of the other road users. Others do not always adhere to the rules of the road and may be the cause of your accidents. Expect them and steer clear from such road users.

Trust your instinct and experience. Now and then deliberately take deep breaths and re-focus when you start to lose focus. Talk to and coach yourself. It is often good to hear your own voice.

Never try to show off…this is when you fall and make a fool of yourself! Be humble and stay humble.

Guard against common mistakes
A motorcycle, as with life, is an unusual vehicle and our survival instincts tend to work against us when we get into trouble. We tend to do the wrong things which may feel safer at the time than the right things that may feel wrong at the time.

Do not snap off power when things go wrong. This could result in loss of control. Opening up the throttle and keeping momentum often is the correct action to take.

When a dangerous situation develops, we tend to fix on the situation and we coil backwards on the motorcycle, arms stiff and straight thereby losing control. Instead, accept the challenge and lean forward into the danger, arms relaxed to be able to steer through the situation with the correct amount of momentum.

When an obstacle appears, we are drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Acknowledge the obstacle and then decide how to avoid it. Once you have done so, look beyond the obstacle to where you want to go to, keeping your eyes focused on that point. This allows the mind to come up with a solution and the internal compass to take us there.

Teach yourself to fight against these erroneous survival instincts every time when they happen, and discipline yourself to do things correctly. Do things correctly especially under calm conditions. By making a habit of doing the right thing when things are easy, you will automatically do the same when the chips are down.   

To end
What I’ve shared today, are life’s lessons that I’ve learnt from riding my motorcycle. But this is not the only place where we can find valuable lessons. We also find them in our game of table tennis, in our dog’s behaviour, in the turn of the seasons, in the love of those who care for you and in many more situations.

What is important is to identify and internalise these lessons…and to apply them in life.

Ride life with zest while applying the valuable lessons that we’re learning as we go along. And remember, life is not about applying brute force to be in control. It is about deliberate, sensitive and controlled actions at the right time…and a good measure of balance.

The most valuable thing that I’ve learnt from my motorcycle, is that motorcycling – and for that matter, life – is not about the destination or the arrival, it is actually about the ride and the enjoyment of being on the road.

Enjoy life. Make your furthest destination the place where you will be sleeping tonight. Wake up refreshed so that you can embark on what the new day’s journey has to offer.

Ride life with passion. Ride life well. Practise and apply life’s riding principles and remain humble all the time. Be grateful to our Creator who gave us life together with the intellect, the ability and the opportunity to make our own decisions in life…and who really wants us to enjoy the ride!

The Daunting Step

I don’t know for whom this, my first attempt at blogging, is more daunting – for me as the writer or for you as the (hopefully ongoing) reader.

A zillion mind instructions flash on imaginative screens in front of me as I sit here, typing: “Keep it interesting; Keep it short; Be yourself; Don’t try to be everything for everyone; Offer something that would appeal to different generations of readers.”

It is rather overwhelming to go public!

Who am I? I am a 63 year old male, living in Stellenbosch, South Africa. I am possibly experiencing what I refer to as a delayed mid-life crisis. I’ve had enough of the corporate life, of the business of working for a business whose business it is to make money and of the daily routine of going to work and going home at the end of the day. (Of course, I haven’t had enough of receiving a pay cheque at the end of the month for all of this, but let’s leave this part out for the sake of the story!)

“Possible delayed mid-life crisis?” you may ask.

Due to interesting careers, career changes at the right time, a happy family and personal life and interesting and refreshing challenges that I had to deal with from time to time, I have always had the opportunity to reinvent myself as life went along. Actually, the reinvention part happened by itself without me often realising it.  I therefore never had a mid-life crisis (or perhaps I was just too busy to have the time for it!). When other men of my age started to buy motorcycles to deal with and show off during the mid-life phase, I merely upgraded to a bigger model as I have been on a motorbike for most of my life. When other guys started to look around for new life partners, my wife and I happily cemented our life-long relationship into something even stronger, more solid and happier than before.

So, at the age of 63 I believe that I am now ready for and deserve a delayed mid-life crisis.

So how should I approach this? I already have the motorbike, I am happily married, and I cannot afford a Porsche!

I have decided that it is time to reinvent myself. And I have a feeling that the blog that I am staring today will be my reality check as I go along. I therefore wouldn’t mind if, in the end, I am the only reader of my blog. On the other hand, I am hoping that there will be followers out there who would be willing to stay with me and help to guide me as I venture into the unknown territory of reinvention. I can do this on my own. But it will be more fun with far better results if others could observe me, perhaps walk with me and even cheer me on or point out the mistakes that I make as I go along.

So, part of my blog will be about progress during my reinvention. On the other hand, I may also offer other, hopefully interesting snippets and even some of life’s lessons that I have learnt as I went along to now reach my delayed mid-life crisis. And, I can think that my motorcycle will feature now and then in what I will be writing as this machine has become a big part of my life.

I will be retiring from my formal job at the end of April 2014. I chose to retire and I deliberately choose to use the word “retirement” as this is what they understand back at the office. But, between you and me, it is not about retiring, it is about starting fresh. It is about a new beginning!

I do not know the road ahead and, frankly, I do not really want to know. However, I do have a broad plan, a direction which I am starting to follow. This direction has something to do with having the time and the flexibility now to undertake specific assignments of interest to me (in my book travelling is also seen as an assignment…) and, more important, to start a vocation in freelance writing, something which has been on the back-burner for too long now.

Although I cannot see the road ahead, I do know that it will become clearer and more exciting as I go along.

Yes, my first attempt at blogging is rather daunting. But then, if I do not start, I will never know what fun I may be missing out on if I do not do it at all. And I have a feeling that this also applies to the process of reinventing myself…