Kimberley - a diamond in the wilderness!

On the border of the Northern Cape and Free State, 177km west of Bloemfontein, lies Kimberley, the capital of the of the Northern Cape. When you think of Kimberley and its Diamond fields, it is easy to imagine a wonderland of romance and riches. And yet, the reality is that Kimberley and its surrounds are mostly dry and uninspiring; it is unlikely that the city will again experience the glamour and importance that it had for two decades at the end of the 19th century. For this reason, many tourist by-pass Kimberley and it was this self-same reason that I decided to purposefully travel to this city. In doing so, I found a well-hidden gem beneath the dusty surface of the region, simply waiting to be discovered by the intrepid traveller! My arrival in Kimberley did not bode well. I arrived later than planned, and found myself bedless-and-breakfastless too. After several calls to hotels that were full, I found a room in a religious establishment of sorts. The greeting at the establishment was less than warm, to put it politely, however the room was clean and the bed comfortable and I was too tired to go elsewhere. After a refreshing shower, I found myself in better spirits and it was with a spring in my step that I once again located my little run-around and headed into town. It was thus in a chirpy frame of mind that I found, and thoroughly enjoyed, what I believe to be Kimberley