We all have these photos … throwback photos!
It’s described as ‘nostalgia-inducing pictures … from a different era of your life”.
Every Thursday we will throw a photo of ‘way back when’ on our blog. Why on a Thursday? Because it’s just a day away from the weekend … and we love weekends!
You are welcome to join in or just enjoy the photos (#TB Thursday).

Maskam (mountain), Vanrhynsdorp South Africa
Back in October 2005, my brother and his wife visited us from the UK and together we travelled to my parents in Vanrhynsdorp (Western Cape Province) for a weekend.
We had so much fun together and on the Saturday, we went for a drive to enjoy the vast plains of this area. The mountain in this photo is called the Maskam, a well-known landmark in the Vanrhynsdorp area with an almost similar flat appearance to the world-famous Table Mountain in Cape Town. The Maskam forms part of the Matzikamma mountain range. Matzikamma means the ‘mountains that yield water’ and it is not unusual to travel in this mountain range in rain and thick mist.
While driving on the back roads of the small town Vanrhynsdorp, we stopped to walk around in the field. It was then that we noticed this derelict farmhouse with the Maskam as the perfect background.
(This is yet another scanned photo).
Dis die mooiste foto.
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Baie dankie! Dis eintlik wonderlik hoe mooi die foto uitgekom het nadat ek dit ‘gescan’ het … maar dan, die vlaktes rondom Vanrhynsdorp is ‘n pragtige area 🙂.
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Lovely shot and memories, Corna. Those plains look so soulful and then of course you have the majesty of the mountain. I wonder if the farmhouse has since been converted into a home.
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Thank you very much Leighton. It is indeed a great place to just sit and stare into the distance 🙂 . I doubt the house has been restored – most of the people there have moved to the towns/cities. But I can only imagine being able to stay there must have been pure bliss!
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What an interesting looking mountain. Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend visit with your family. Isn’t it nice to have pictures like these to help bring back the fond memories?
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This mountain is such a well-known ‘landmark’ next to one of our main highways … if you’re coming from the north, the landscape literally change from dry and barren to green and luscious once you pass this the Maskam mountain. Absolutely Linda – just by looking at our old photos, reminds me of such happy moments in my life!
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Great photo, I love the ruined roof in front of the mountain range.
Yours is a wonderful challenge. To think of former travels is a marvellous opportunity for nostalgia …
This is mine, hopefully not to long:
https://wanderlustig2019.wordpress.com/2022/12/22/throwback-thursday-taj-mahal-india/
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Thank you so much! I’m glad you’re enjoying the challenge – I love looking back on great moments/adventures … and I’m so happy you are sharing yours too! The Taj Mahal is a truly beautiful building and your photos are amazing!
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Thank you. I am happy you liked my entry.
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Not an area I know, but that’s one impressive mountain. A very bleak place to live in though.
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I’m just thinking … you probably drove past this mountain on your way to your ‘adventurous’ Orange River trip. It’s very close to the N7 highway when you drive from Cape Town to the border of Namibia.
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I do remember a flat topped mountain, similar to the famous Table Mountain. Could well be this one.
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Beautiful photo and a lovely memory of a special time with family. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!
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Thank you so much Tricia. Yes, this photo brought back special memories – especially since my father was still alive at the time (he passed away a few years later). A very Merry Christmas to you and your family too 🌸.
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That makes the memory even more special. Our parents are always with us, even if they’re no longer on this planet. I hope you have a Merry Christmas too!
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Yes, that’s true … thanks Tricia 💌.
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Ruined farmhouses always make me wonder about the people who lived there and what their story may have been. It’s a great photo and it scanned well.
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We have the same thoughts Carolyn! It was only after the photos were developed a month or so later, that we realised that it was quite a lovely photo! We just returned from a lovely camping week and I have a lot to catch up (like reading your posts 🙂), but will get to that soon! Hope you’re doing well.
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Dis so ‘n pragtige photo!
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Baie dankie Aletta. Ek onthou hoe ons almal vir ‘n oomblik net in stilte na hierdie toneel gekyk het … dit was regtig so mooi om te aanskou!
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Wonderlike herinneringe.
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I wish I could venture to the places you see. Beautiful photograph.
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Oh, thank you for your lovely comment Jessica! I think you too have some amazing places that I will probably never see and it’s great to discover new places through someone else’s lenses/eyes.
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Picture perfect! Lovely capture 🌸💕
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Thank you Henrietta 🌸. I think we were lucky to get the old farmhouse and Maskam mountain together in this photo!
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A wonderful photo! The combination of the mountains and old farmhouse is lovely!
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Thank you 🌸. I think it was quite a ‘lucky shot’, but for a photo that was taken back in 2005, this was definitely a great one 😉.
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It’s a striking photo. Here’s wishing you many more happy travels in ’23!
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Thank you Jo 🌸 … we’re hoping for the same!
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What a beautiful picture and I bet it was a great place to live!
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Thank you so much Diane! The beauty of this area lies in its unspoiled nature! My parents came here to retire in the late 1990’s and we spent wonderful holidays here.
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Cet endroit donne envie de s’y perdre
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This is a very unique area in South Africa … and yes, you would want to get lost here 🙂. (My apologies for answering you in English, unfortunately my French is non-existent)!
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This area in South Africa seems to be a really nice place
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Yes, it is … VERY hot in the summer and really cold during winter!
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