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Ghost Story

The Kolmanskuppe Sign

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

When we arrived with the crowds at Kolmanskuppe’s gate, we were offered two options; ‘standard entry’ from 08H00 until 13H00 or ‘special photography permit’ from sunrise to sunset.

The prospect of photographing this curious ghost town at nightfall seemed wildly appealing to me at 09H30. Less so for others in our party who opted for standard entry.

Historic Tram Outside Kolmanskuppe Museum

There were about fifty visitors in attendance for the 10H00 museum tour.

But by the time The Captain dropped me at the gate for the second visit at 15H30, there was not another living soul around.

Wallpaper Featuring Comedy Theater Masks At Kolmanskop Theate

Suddenly, I found myself longing for the arrival of one of those maddening tour groups I’d been wishing away earlier in the day.

Be careful what you wish for … now I had the eerie place to myself. No turning back.


Eerie Entrance To Kolmanskop Theater

The first diamonds were discovered at Kolmanskuppe, German Southwest Africa (a colonial predecessor of modern-day Namibia) in 1908. Rough diamonds were easily harvested from the grounds and the stores filled quickly. [1]

By 1912, the area produced one million carats or 11.7 percent of the world’s total diamond production.  Kolmanskuppe once boasted the highest per capita wealth in the world due to its relatively low population, reaching 1,300 at its height. [2]

Prospectors Looking For Diamonds at Kolmanskop

The enormous wealth afforded amenities and institutions including a hospital, ballroom, power station, school, a skittles alley, theatre and sport-hall, casino, ice factory and the first x-ray-station in the southern hemisphere, as well as the first tram in Africa. [3]

 Skittles Scoreboard At Kolmanskop

In its heyday, the town looked very different. Freshwater bought in by rail from 120km away and pumped into storage tanks nurtured lush gardens with manicured lawns, rose beds and eucalyptus trees. Pets were difficult to keep in the conditions, but a Forman, Ou Kat Coleman, and his family kept an ostrich which was used to pull a sleigh at Christmas ‘given reindeer were unable to cross the desert.’ [4]

Restored House Interior Kolmanskop Museum

But all good things must come to an end. The demise of the town started slowly with the discovery in 1928 of the richest diamond-bearing deposits ever known 270 km south of Kolmanskuppe, near the Orange River. The foundering was accelerated with the depletion of Kolmanskuppe’s diamond field after WWII and the town was fully abandoned with the departure of the last three families in 1956. [5]

Accountants House Kolmanskop

Those glory days now long since passed, the Namib Desert sands have been swallowing the place ever since. This graveyard of boom gone bust was waiting for me.


Some say that ghosts remain on Earth until there is no-one left to remember the one who died.

I entered the extensive grounds with great trepidation, my overly active mind spinning frightful yarns with runaway speed.

View of Kolmanskop

Perhaps an angry Zacharias Lewala haunted here. A track worker with an eye trained at the Kimberly Mines in South Africa, Lewala identified the first diamonds here and dutifully handed them over to his superior, the station master August Stauch. What did Zacharias get for his discovery? Nothing. “no one paid him for it or showed him any kind of gratitude, while [Stauch and] others made diamonds into a big business and made it quick”. [6]

Zacharias Lewala – Image courtesy ilovecuriosity.com

Or maybe the wraith of Lewala’s ungrateful boss, August Stauch still lingered at Kolmanskuppe. He’d experienced his own personal boom and bust from the place, generating substantial riches with the first claim but dying penniless in the end due to bad investments and the Great Depression.

August Stauch – Image courtesy ilovecouriosity.com

Maybe the place was filled with the souls of the native peoples, those displaced with the creation of the Sperrgebeit (Prohibited Land) designated for mining only, of the Ovambo Peoples, forced into labor at Kolmanskuppe, or of the Namibian Herero people who’d been nearly wiped out by colonizers in a genocidal attack shortly before the discovery of diamonds; spirits now lying in wait for justice.

Ovambo Worker: Image courtesy Anders Ellerstrand

Reflecting on the beauty that mankind can create and the horror with which we can destroy, I walked through the doorway to the remains of the Mining Manager’s house.

Mining Manager's House Kolmanskop

I spent an hour and a half wandering the grounds of Kolmanskuppe, exploring the inside of many abandoned buildings. But a lot of deep breathing and silly self-coaching was required to tour each structure.

Ghost Town Framed By Windows With Broken Glass

I reminded myself that ‘there is no such thing as ghosts’ and ‘that those creaks are just the houses settling or doors/window panes/sand blowing in the wind’.

Bathtub In Decaying Building, Kolmanskop

When that didn’t work, I’d try ‘there may be ghosts but they can’t hurt you’ or ‘it is not the dead you should fear, it is the living’ or ‘it is a good day to die’…and then I soldiered onward.

Sand Filled Building Interior, Kolmanskop

Most of the time, I wandered calmly, laughing at myself.

Sand Filled Building Interior, Kolmanskop

But every once in a while, I was certain that something as frightening as the twins from The Shining was waiting for me around the next corner.

In the end, the only shadows that I saw were my own and those cast by the abandoned structures.

Sand Reclaiming Building At Kolmanskop

Still, I exited the place well in advance of the twilight and returned to the car outside the gate to find The Captain sleeping soundly, dreaming phantom free.


With an hour of daylight remaining, we returned to nearby Lüderitz, the harbor town where we had anchored.

Near Dias Point
Dias Point – Lüderitz

Given its placement between a sweeping Atlantic coastline and the expansive Namib Desert, Lüderitz’s morning and mid-day skies are often covered by fog or a golden haze. But a deep blue emerges late in the day.

Lesehalle - German Colonial Architecture Luderitz Namibia

The predominance of German colonial architecture, erected in Lüderitz during the boom years gives a sense of what Kolmanskuppe might have looked like in its heyday.

Felsenkirche church on the rocks, Luderitz Namibia

But populations declined here too, initially with German deportations after WWI and further when diamond mining moved south, diminishing the city’s importance as a trading post. [7]

Haus Hartmann, A German Colonial Building in Luderitz, Nambia

Today the Lüderitz economy revolves around fishing, tourism and the port with efforts underway to diversify into manufacturing, logistics, and aquaculture. [8]

Train Station At Luderitz Namibia

Its current population size ranks 14th of 20 cities in Namibia, one of the least densely populated countries in the world with just 3.13 people per square kilometer [9]

Lüderitz Locals

With a sparse population occupying this remote outpost, one peppered with large buildings, empty streets, and hopes dashed by a stalled railway restoration, Lüderitz feels like a city waiting for people to show up; a living ghost town of sorts, but a very clean and welcoming one.

Lüderitz Locals

We traveled twice to this oasis, the first time overland through the desert expanse and then again along its coastal highway under sail, attracted by distinct landscapes, a curious history, a safe harbor, comfortable self-catered accommodation at Haus Sandrose, and seriously friendly souls.

Haus Sandrose Garden

An otherworldly place that I am delighted to have added to my list of global haunts!

Windsurfers Near Dias Point
Windsurfers Near Dias Point

~~Next Up – Sossusvlei: A Sacred Space ~~

125 comments Ghost Story

Hi, Lisa – I am not sure that I would do that tour all alone in the evening. But I appreciate that you did. Your photography is beautiful, and the story that you shared is captivating!

Thank you for your kind words on the story and the images Donna! After many successful years of staring fear in the face, I was surprised when my inner 5-year old showed up on this tour, convinced that something was ‘hiding beneath the bed’.

DOMINIQUE GUENOT says:

Fascinating indeed.Thank you Lisa for another unexpected view, beautiful pictures and great comments

😃😊😘Awww…thank you so much for walking the place with me virtually and as always for your lovely compliments. Are you back on board?

An interesting, if sad, story about the abandoned town. I don’t think I would have liked to wander through it alone – i’m so glad you didn’t meet the scary twins!

😱😱Me too! Thank you for walking Kolmanskuppe with me virtually Anabel!

Marjorie K Moeling says:

My favorite post yet! I loved this. Very eerie, and yet very interesting. Thanks for the journey!

😃Delighted you enjoyed this haunting tale! Thank you for the love!

Trish says:

Photos are fabulous – looks like a really interesting area. The stories those buildings could tell….. ‘Ghosts’ (in whatever guise) don’t worry me – I just have to know they are there to be able to ‘talk’ to them (If you think that sounds strange from one who isn’t religious – let’s just say I’ve had a few ‘experiences’ that make no sense and ‘ghosts’ are the only way to describe them, even if the concept sounds insane). I admit I would also be going through some of your self talk preparation as well – that made me smile.

Ooooh I would love to hear about your ghostly encounters. I’m not religious in the traditional sense either, but I believe in ‘the universe’ and that there is ‘something’ just beyond the ‘physical’ realm that one who is sensitive enough can tap into.

lexklein says:

Strangely, I just read another post on this ghost town recently! As I said to that blogger, I never realized there was a museum and a chronicling of former life there, and it is that humanizing presence that makes the place both more interesting and more disturbing. Knowing someone (like maybe that creepy-eyed August, who would be the one to haunt my solo wandering around there!) actually bathed here and ate here add a level of sadness and fullness to the story of this place. Love the light in Lüderitz!

Exactly! The place was like a little microcosm of mankind; “the good, the bad, the ugly” and the “ashes to ashes, dust to dust” nature of our existence. Thinking of it in that way, I no longer find it scary (or is it better to say I am now scared of everything ;-). I wish you could have been there to explore it with me and to hold my hand. #nexttime

Ohh such beautiful photography, Lisa. I’m sure you didn’t regret your decision. Thank you not thank you for including the twins!! 😮 As if weren’t creepy enough! Just recently I heard and saw images from these parts for the first time by way of Jolandi on her blog. She must have taken the same photography option. Not surprisingly I love the most all of your entrances.

Roared at your ‘thank you no thank you for including the twins’. They are certainly the poster children for ‘spine-chilling’. I so appreciate your introducing me to Jolandi’s magnificent blog. Twas wonderful to take the sunrise tour through her lens.

Ohh! Was it me who introduced you to her blog? Great to hear! I planned to include the link to her post of the visit to this place but I didn’t have it at hand. I see that you’ve seen it. Excellent! And glad to make your roar. 😀

It was! I went to her blog and commented on her Kolmanskuppe Post. She returned the favor here and I added a link to her post in my reply below. A new friendship is born.

Oh right! You saw it when I shared it on Facebook! I’m so glad to hear this!!

What an extraordinary stroll. A city slowly engulfed in sand…
Well done.

“Sand to Sand” as they say. Ghost towns have a way of putting life in perspective. Thanks for strolling with me.

A pleasure. Always. I think I asked, not sure, when are you sailing to Grenada?

Between May 5 & 11. My preference is to start the 14+ day with a waxing moon …and I’d love to have one more visit to Olinda before we sail onward.

You are your own masters…
Why the waxing moon? Any particular reason? Better winds? Smoother sea?

It is a 14-20 day passage and we’d like the sky lit up the whole way! Best to leave with the waxing in case our passage is a slow one.

Ok. Made sense. I was actually confused with the waning moon. (Ask the Captain, too many languages in one’s head eventually collide). I French, the waxing moon is la lune montante (climbing) while the waning moon is the lune descendante…
It must be such an incredible sensation to be alone at night under the moon and stars, wihout any urban “lightnoise”.
We had similar skies in Africa when I was a boy in the magic house by the sea. There was no urban “lightnoise” then.
Enjoy.

(I have to look up Olinda….)

Just looked it up. So you are in Recife right now? Isn’t the food (and drinks) wonderful?

We are back in Cabedelo at the moment doing boat work. Hope to visit Olinda/Recife one more time before we leave Brazil.

Love the possibility of Maps! Just a click and I “find” you, between Natal and Recife. I think I’ve been to Natal, Fortaleza, Sao Luis and Belem a looong time ago, but not Recife. Enjoy.

You must come back! Recife and Olinda are calling!

🙂
Thinking of the Nordeste, have you seen “jangadas”? They’re the typical fisherman’s boat with only one sail. The exact replica of West African boats.
(And a beautiful song by Vinicius de Moraes too)

Have not seen them yet although I have seen some colorful skiffs. Something to look forward to 🙂

Maybe they don’t use them anymore… here’s a link. They use a latin sail as in Africa and a minute front sail whatever you call it in English:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jangada

So cool!

A very simple but efficient boat.

Such wonderful photos Lisa. I think I too would have to have done a little self-talk being in such a place alone, though it exudes a kind of seer timeless beauty, and the message that nothing lasts forever.
As for Stauch – karma’s a bitch isn’t it 🙂
My favourite photos are the bathtub, the diamond-pattern floor, and the one with green wall in front and red wall beyond.
Alison

😉Karma is a bitch indeed.

Lovely to see a bit of ourselves in each other’s posts, you here with the ‘self-talk’ and me in your $40 cup of tea. Thank you for walking this little corner of Namibia with me virtually and for your lovely compliments on the images.

I would have chosen the same time to visit; better light and much more atmospheric. You’ve definitely captured that ghostly feel. Love the colours of the landscape at Dias Point.

I used to think the most magical time of day was sunrise, mostly because it was a thing I of my imagination. While I dreamed of kicking-off every morning watching the sunrise, in reality, I either slept through it or worse, worked through it, often arriving at the office before sun-up. Since setting sail, I have managed to enjoy many a sunrise (the 3-6 AM watch is my favorite) but have found it is the golden and blue hours that I now crave. Definitely better for the camera!!! I wonder if I would have been as fearful walking Kolmanskuppe if I’d chosen to enter at sunrise after the ghosts had finished their night of haunting and gone back to bed. Thank you so much for your visit and kind feedback.

The sunrise watch is the best. You appreciate the sun and light after the darkness. It definitely would have been interesting to go at sunrise and see how you felt.

I would have joined you on that photo adventure in a New York minute (and made you stay until twilight)! A chance to get unique shots would have trumped any concern about ghosts. What an interesting town and history.

OMG I so wish you were there to hold my hand, Janis! I would have totally stuck around with you by my side. I was totally surprised when my inner 5-year old unexpectedly showed up as I entered those gates, certain that something was hiding ‘under the bed’. Kolmanskuppe is HUGE so I only managed half of it before I fled back to the land of the living. I definitely bypassed some good photo ops. But I am grateful that you were able to accompany me on the tour with me virtually!

I love how the two of us seem to be writing about the same places at the same time, Lisa. And kudos to you for exploring Kolmanskop on your own. I love being alone in places when I travel, and have had a good many on my trips, which, although often a bit creepy, are always memorable. I’m looking forward to your blog on your trip to Sossusvlei, especially as I am also currently working on a post which includes my visit. Namibia is such a beautiful country.

I REVEL in alone time so I was totally surprised by my unexpected reaction at the gate. But then both of us had unexpected reactions. Mine was the fear as the spirits came out to play at sunset. Yours was the failure to experience ‘that tingle of excitement’ you’d anticipated at sunrise. But you definitely created excitement here with your the magnificent imagery you crafted with photos and words. I oohed and ahhed as you took me along on your tour virtually. Looking forward to sharing Sossusvlei together in the blogosphere, separated only by time and space.

Indeed, Lisa. I love how the exact same place can stir up different emotions. Really looking forward to your next post. It is wonderful to be connected in this unexpected way.

Sue says:

I could only see one image, and a paragraph of text…it looks like you showed more than on photo that I can’t see….jus t so tantalising

Great to hear from you Sue! For some reason, only a snippet from my posts appear in the Reader with a link to click through to my website for more.

Sue says:

Yes, fine in your website!

Good to hear!!!

rxfrazier says:

What a fascinating story and well told. Your photos are super!

😀🤗😘 Awww. Thank you Rawls!

rxfrazier says:

You’re very welcome. Thank you for posting such great stories.

You have brought us some stunning if unsettling vistas, Lisa. I can well see why you felt ‘haunted’ at Kolmannskuppe – the stark sunlight and shadows, the sand washing in. The stuff of nightmares actually – the ‘normality’ of what had been, knocked only slightly off kilter by abandonment and desert encroachment; and then those undercurrent tales of colonisers’ abuse of the local peoples – the land that gave rise to the prototypes of Belsen and Auschwitz.

Adore your impactful eloquence Tish! (unsettling vistas, normality knocked off kilter, undercurrent tales, prototypes for Belsen and Auschwitz). When I grow up, I want to write like Tish Farrell. Thank you for such a heartfelt comment.

Such a sweet thing to say, Lisa. What happened in Nambia is one of my ‘I’m really angry about this’ topics, which seem to be stacking up by the day. Your photos helped give me a wider perspective though – psychically speaking that is, so thank you very much for that.

Thank you for those v. kind words, Lisa.

MythRider says:

Thanks for the show and history. Interesting.
Like you, I would have opted for the evening light. Like you, I would have been nervous to be by myself. Not sure it the ghosts would have bothered me since I don’t believe. I would have been more nervous of a living being lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce.
Nevertheless, I’m sure you’re glad you gathered your courage and went for it.
Good for you. ;0)

😄’It is not the dead we have to fear; it is the living’ was one of the strongest thoughts that ran through my mind as I wandered this abandoned ghost town. But somehow, the ‘living’ seemed less menacing to my inner 5-year old who decided to show-up unexpectedly that day, certain that ‘there was something under the bed’. I’m glad was able to calm myself down for an hour and a half, but I wish I could have lasted in this ‘otherworld’ a bit longer. Thank you for coming along with me on the tour Phyllis! And HUGE thanks for the fun shout out on your website.

MythRider says:

I like that “5-year old inner child” comment. You are brave to have been there for and hour and a half. Hats off to you.

😊Thank you Phyllis!

Oh LIsa, you are so much braver than I. I would have found it pretty creepy to discover I was exploring alone.

The photos are haunting though – especially the interior ones with the sand beginning to pile up. Nature always wants to reclaim what was once hers.

The history of the diamond mines is indeed a sad one. There should be plenty of ghosts roaming the world because of it. A great story, Lisa. I was fascinated.

Thank you for exploring this haunted place with me, Joanne. May mankind learn history’s lessons to stop treating each other so unjustly and/or creating ghosts before their time.

I can stand behind that wish too!

A peculiar place all round, with those German buildings looking so out of place, Lisa, but your photos of the remains of your ghost town are full of life, ghostly or otherwise. Hauntingly good! 🙂 🙂

Always a pleasure to see you here Jo. And so psyched to see your feature on WordPress Discover! Well deserved recognition!

Thanks so much hon 😍💖💕xxx

Thanks, darlin! You’re very kind 🙂 🙂

Britta says:

I don’t believe in ghosts, but I certainly would have never gone on that tour alone. 😅

Loved reading the story, Lisa, and great photos (as usual). Are you sure Lüderitz is in Africa? The architecture is suspiciously European. Ah colonialism. Very cool to hear a little bit about the history of a country and region I’m unfamiliar with!

The citizens of Lüdertiz maintain the historic buildings so well that the structures seem to have been erected yesterday. The Kolmanskuppe buildings have not fared as well, but they are still surprisingly intact 63 years after abandonment. Speaks well to the care in which the colonizers built their dwellings. If only they could have cared as much for the indigenous dwellers. Delighted to have you along virtually for the tour Britta! Thank you so much for your lovely compliments on the images.

I think we’ve got a pretty active imagination. I avoid places that make me feel sad. But it’s hard to do that when I’m travelling. You’ve captured the eery beauty and tragic history of this place beautifully. I had to skip some parts though. I’ve been reading gloomy posts on the internet and the weather isn’t helping much. I haven’t seen ‘the Shining’ and doubt I will. 🙁 I avoid horror stories.
It’s good to have you back on the internet Lisa. Your travel stories are always inspirational! xoxo

I prefer to write uplifting posts as there is so much negativity in the world today. And I totally know what you mean about places that make you sad when traveling. I usually try to keep a stiff upper lip but was unable to visit Auschwitz when I was traveling Poland. My upcoming posts on Sossusvlei, Botswana/Zambia, and St Helena will be full of pretty landscapes and wildlife so I hope you’ll be able to read those all the way through. Sending love, light, and hugs your way.

<3

J.D. Riso says:

Just breathtaking, the photos and words. These are two places I never made it to during my visit to Namibia. I so wanted to visit the ghost town, especially. And oh what a dream to have that eerie place to yourself. My imagination is very florid, too, but I love it. Thank you so much, Lisa, for sharing yours with us. 🙂

My vivid imagination can be a friend and foe! Apparently, I have not yet built up your confidence to dwell fearlessly among the spirits …but I was proud of myself for lasting an hour and a half! Would have been lovely to have you there by my side to remain until twilight. I’m starting to contemplate my Sossusvlei post and think your discussion of ‘sacred spaces’ will make appearance there. Thanks as always for the love.

J.D. Riso says:

Ohhhh I can’t wait for Sossusvlei. I wish I could have been there with you and the spirits. My imagination can get out of hand, too. Especially living out in the woods. I admit that I sometimes sleep with a small light on somewhere in the cabin.

😄I was a ‘night light’ gal well into my early thirties but thought I’d overcome ‘night fright’ many years ago. Apparently, aspects from our ‘earlier’ selves cycle back just when we least expect them to show up.

Natalie says:

Thank you, Lisa, for sharing your captivating story and beautiful photos. So much history in and around the now vacant buildings. I’d be doing a lot of self-talk to quiet my active imagination of ghosts if I visited this place. Namibia is on my ‘to visit’ list. I look forward to reading your next post.

👻😄 Glad to know that I am not the only one with an active imagination, Natalie! I do hope you add Namibia to your list of ‘global haunts’. The landscapes are like none other that I’ve seen on the planet. We oohed and aahed with every mile. I could have traveled these parts for another year!

I dont even know what to add since so many others have already, other than to say how utterly fascinating, Lisa. I would have never suspected German architecture in Africa, but it makes sense. Your photos capture the eery beauty and mystery of the place. Amazing to see the kite surfers sailing in the desert environment! I bet the wind is awesome.

Totally thought of you when I saw those kite surfers. a colorfully surreal scene in that otherworldly landscape. The winds were goldilocks perfect that day but on other days they can be seriously strong. Cheers from Cabedelo

You had my heart in my mouth at the beginning of your post, but then common sense told me that if you’d managed to post about your visit, you did survive the ghostly ordeal. Your photos are quite other worldly, Lisa and the history behind them was both fascinating and tragic. I never could steel myself to watch, ‘The Shining’, but the picture of those twins is quite chilling enough. 😯 Lüderitz does look like a ghost town, but at least you found some real live people to photograph. 🙂 Wonderful post as always.

Thank you for your very welcome feedback, Sylvia! Delighted to have you virtually by my side Kolmanskuppe and Lüderitz. Sorry to give you a fright 👻. Did you ever manage to visit this area when living in South Africa or traveling the globe?

No we didn’t go to Namibia at all. I think we were too taken up with visiting family down at the coast and then there were all our overseas trips. Too many places, too little time. 😅

😁 Totally get it. I’ve navigated over 360 degrees of longitude but have yet to make it to Vermont which is a much easier 6-hours drive from my home in NYC.

We did get to Victoria Falls which was totally awesome.

I just came back from a tour of your beautiful images from there! Wow! Just Wow. Living vicariously. Our experience was a bit of a bust but it ended well. Post forthcoming.

Amy says:

Thank you for the stories and tour of these architecture. I feel the same with other bloggers about the town, and the twins…

Always a pleasure to see you here Amy! Thanks for joining me on the tour!

George Shaw says:

Stunning photography and a “hidden gem” of find with a story well told!

😊Awww … thank you for reading my tale and for such a lovely compliment, George ✨💎✨

Tara says:

Beautiful photos, Lisa. Really gorgeous. Looking through the windows and doorways (even though they were often just frames) onto the deserted landscape magnifies the isolation, the loneliness, the sense of loss. Those poor, poor ghosts! So happy you braved the sweep of desolation and happier still that the ghosts didn’t get you.

🤗😘Thank you for all the love, Tara. I wish you’d been there to hold my hand. Kolmanskuppe is HUGE so I only managed half of it before I fled back to the land of the living. I definitely bypassed some good photo ops but I’m delighted that you enjoyed the ones I did manage to snap.

Thanks for the tour. I’ve seen many photos of this place but your words bring the place to life (or death as the case may be). I had expected to see some night shots, but I understand why not.

When I got to the twins photo I had goosebumps. Don’t do that!!!

I so appreciate your positive feedback on my story ‘bringing the place to life’. My fear kept me from getting the shots I’d intended but it served as a good base for this ghostly tale in the end. Sorry about the twins 😱😱😄.

AmyRose🌹 says:

What an outstanding story, Lisa. I agree with others … I don’t think I would have gone alone but these shots are amazing! Incredible what we learn about those in our world who share this planet. Thank you for sharing this incredible tale that gave me goosebumps.

You are lovely to say Amy! Thank you so much for your uplifting comment. Always a pleasure to see you here!

That ghost town is pretty fascinating, Lisa! It looks well-preserved as well, some of the buildings anyway. It must have been an interesting contrast to find it in the desert, as well as observing the piles of sand inside the buildings. I would have loved to join you on your late afternoon photo shoot! I’m a bit disappointed you didn’t stay until the sun set, but I totally understand why! 🙂

The German town seems so out of place in Namibia. But then again, you’ve seen similar “grand villages” in places where you didn’t expect them.

Oh, how I wish you’d been there for the photo shoot Liesbet, so many missed opportunities. Maybe when I get stateside, you and I can do a sunset tour of Bodie!!!

What surprised me most about Lüderitz’s colonial architecture was their pristine condition of the facades, as if the buildings were erected yesterday.

That place certainly offered scope for the imagination. I enjoyed your examples of the thoughts that crossed your mind. It’s a good day to die????? Your imagination was running away with you! Better to think about those fictional twin girls! As you shard the potential for ghosts I couldn’t help thinking of the Leo DiCaprio movie about diamond mining- I was left with the impression that it was/is pretty terrible business. These deserted buildings do tell a story of what one was and the destruction of a time and place. There are certainly some desperate stories of desperate and unhappy people lurking there.

My imagination was definitely on a runaway train to the extreme 😁. I never saw the Leo DiCaprio movie but it sounds like he left you with the right impression. An ugly business. I still love sparkly things but don’t think I will ever look at a diamond the same way after my travels here. Always a pleasure to see you here Michele.

Dave Ply says:

Hi Lisa, sorry to be late for the party. Doesn’t look like you showed up in my reader, good thing I checked my backlog of email.

Cool pics of the ghost town. I’m not sure I’ve been in one, now I’m wondering about the spooky factor. I’d probably be fine – until those twins showed up.

😁Luckily they never did! Thank you for visiting this other realm with me virtually Dave!

Haha…I can just see myself doing this too…curious but freaking out. I can positively feel the ghosts seeping out of your post. The way the sand slowly eats up the past is particularly haunting (and beautiful). I love how you threw in that photo of the Shining Twins. I never made it to this part of Namibia and now I’m really wishing I had. Like Luderitz, I found other places in Namibia (Swakopmund) bizarrely appealing with its incongruous mix of German architecture, apfel strudel cafes, traditional and modern African culture, and desert meets ocean geography. One of my favourite countries.

We are kindred spirits indeed 😄.

Just had a lovely visit through those beautiful Namibian landscapes on your blog but was unable to find your posts on Etosha or Swakopmund. Would love if you could direct me to those posts as we only managed to visit Fish River Canyon, Lüderitz, Sossusvlei, and Windhoek.

Sorry to send you on a wild goose chase Lisa. Sadly I never did get around to posting about Etosha and Swakopmund. Those were early days of my blog and follow-through wasn’t great. Maybe if and when I ever get caught up with recent travel I’ll get back to these.

😄Looking forward to it!

Lisa, I think I may have joined a tour group with a talkative, somewhat humorous guide. Just saying :). Quite the diverse landscapes and cultures you’re experiencing! Wow!
Dave

Blessed to be seeing so much of this grand planet. And along the way I have learned that I need at least one person, preferably humorous by my side next time I visit a ghost town 😱😁. Speaking of humorous … loved your latest post on Rocky Romance That Formed The Baja Penninsula!

Mom says:

I walked with you through the ghost town and had a lot of laughs because I could picture how you felt. My friend Rosemarie Mora was very intuitive and could see ghosts but she was never afraid of them. She also could see people’s auras and could tell their health or depression from that. One day I was talking to her on the telephone and I mentioned to her that I needed to run an errand in the car but could not find my keys. She said “look under your couch”, I did and there they were!!!

You are having such a wonderful adventure and I am so happy for you.

Of all the comments I have received on the blog, this is my favorite because it is the first from you, the best mom in the whole wide world. Loved laughing with you on the phone yesterday. Miss you and love you ❣️❣️❣️

Mom says:

Lisa- loved your ghost story and have shared it with friends. My brave daughter.

My biggest fan is my favorite person! Love you Mom 💖

Teresa says:

Would of loved to stay past sunset…as long as there was another person with me.🤩🙄 Neat place with a sad history, I’ve read of this place before. I think the diamond mines owe gratitude and millions of dollars to the local people also, so sad they were treated like that.
wonderful post Lisa.🥰🥰

I wish you’d been there by my side T. We would have taken some amazing images together at twilight. Sad history indeed. Has your Gorilla learned to behave himself and give you some respite?

Teresa says:

Life is good right now, busy gardening,working on our yard, trying to stay positive. Hubby is waiting for his next surgery date, he’s a bit down but doing his best to be positive also. I’m going down the the waterfront tomorrow, we have a cruise ship coming in and all the First Nations will be doing their welcoming songs and dance so I’m going to try to video and photograph as much as possible and will be posting it soon. So stay tuned. 🥰🥰

Ahoy from Grenada T. Am hopeful the surgery went well today and your hubby is fully recovered soon. Looking forward to seeing the video of the First Nations Dance dance om Messenger.

Thanks for taking me to a part of Namibia that I am yet to see.

I am surprised to learn I’ve been to somewhere in Africa that you have not been. You’ve lived so many wonderful Africa tales.

How spontaneous, an afternoon-evening tour of Kolmanskuppe among the abandoned places. Your shots of the area are stunning – desolate, quiet but also peaceful. Maybe you could have stayed a bit longer… So interesting to read about the history of the place once being a diamond-rich place and that petered out. Lüderitz also looks every bit peaceful, and as you mentioned the locals do look so friendly. The trio looked so happy to pose for a picture for you (kudos for you on this one, I still find it hard to ask or get people to pose for my camera lol). Safe travels, Lisa. The Wobbles clan wave furiously at you and they want to let you know they are always up for a wander around a ghost town 🙈🙉💙❤💗

You are so lovely with your kind and supportive words on the images Mabel. I would have stayed until twilight if I’d had Mr. Wobbles by my side to protect me. No one would mess with that monkey 🐵⚡️❤️

The people that we did manage to find in Lüderitz were seriously friendly. I find myself increasingly confident in asking people if I can make their photo. Sometimes I get a no, but I would say I get a yes about 80% of the time. And I’ve learned to accept the ’NO’ as their personal choice, not their rejection of me (unless it is a rejection of me, oh no 🤔😭🤣). It is easier in places that are not tourist-infested. The way I got started was by doing the Eric Kim exercise “Go out on the street with a camera and solicit ’10 Nos’. It was a great confidence builder.

Love the photo of the pink sands overtaking the inside of the building. “I reminded myself that ‘there is no such thing as ghosts’ and ‘that those creaks are just the houses settling or doors/window panes/sand blowing in the wind’.” Yup. Definitely been there while visiting the ruins at Mitla. I adamantly scoff at ghosts until I enter certain places where the hairs on the back of my neck stand up no matter how much logic I feed myself with.
As you said so beautifully, ghost towns are a powerful reminder to us about our impermanence, our capacity for construction and destruction, and our hubris.

I am delighted that you can appreciate the unexpected appearance of an illogical fear 👻😱😜. Loved, loved, loved your post on Mitla …the shape of our fears indeed!

I remember thinking that this place felt quite like the end of earth. Eerie and dismal and yet captivating. Your first photo inside the house, the way the light is captured… it’s truly a great photo. Interesting to read up on some of the history you present, which no doubt as a teenager I was less than interested in reading or hearing that stuff haha.

Peta

Kolmanskuppe was another ‘eyes wide open’ moment on this global circumnavigation ..and there have been many. I was seriously living in a bubble before I set sail and will never look at diamonds (or life for that matter) in the same way again. Thank you so much for your kind compliment on the first photo inside the house. You’ve put a big smile on my face with all of your love on the blog today. Ahoy from Grenada. Setting off from here today for Bonaire.

Ooohhh – your post made my hair stand on end, especially when that Shining picture showed up – ha! I am so fascinated by ruined places like Kolmanskuppe; there’s a definite presence in places like that that really makes you wonder whether spirits walk among us. I don’t know if you had a chance to walk around much in Pundo or Otrabando on Curacao, but I lost count of the spooky old abandoned Dutch colonial houses and buildings, and I got the same feeling from the forlorn lighthouse on Klein Curacao.

Sadly, our Curaçao experience was limited to fixing things, provisioning and checking in and out twice. The true highlight for us was your visit aboard Amandla! Luckily we have your images of Curaçao and Klein Curaçao to enjoy it more fully. Hugs from Cartagena! Just a hop, skip and a jump from your doorstep! See you again soon.

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