Wednesday 26 August 2015

Durban, South Africa.




Hazel + Zadie = BFF

Zadie arrived in the middle of our winter here in Durban, which in this case means maybe every once in a while some grayish sky and 22 degrees instead of 32, but still wonderful weather for an early breakfast at the beach... which is exactly what we did on her first morning with us! Winter here also means that the aloes are flowering everywhere and Zadie turned out to love them just as much as I do.


We took Zadie with to Durban's Botanical Gardens - another favorite place of ours. We ate the legendary crumpets there with her, in the tea garden that apparently hasn't changed a bit since 1970.

It ended with the monkey's trying to steel the crumpets off our plates and straight after they even tried to get hold of Zadie - so we decided to hide her between the big air roots of the rata tree.


At home she made friends with Cloe; "her sister from another mother" as we ended up saying. She is one of the little wooden Clonette dolls I produce.


I loved the travel cards that came with Zadie and they really made some of our days together. We offered a beautiful old lady that we never met before a cup of coffee, but she preferred to have a cup of tea. She turned out to be 97 years old and with still an incredibly sharp mind! 


She came with to the Beadmarket in town where I meet the crafters that produce beaded products for me. The people selling at that market come once a week from often very far to sell their carefully beaded products. 


She also came with selecting a new range of traditional woolen Basotho Blankets. These are the blankets that the people of Lesotho often wear day and night. They come in stunning colours and patterns and are water and fire resistant.


We also took Zadie to a South African hair salon - those are little tent like structures that you find in street corners. And we showed her some of Durbans beautiful Art Deco buildings.

Back at home Zadie has been making friends with all Hazels toys and Hazel says her monkey on top of the cupboard fell in love with Zadie.


Words & Photos by Noush
Full set here.