Sam's Giardino News Headlines - January 2010 to January 2011

This summer was absolutely wonderful at the Namibian coast!
Visitors and us alike enjoyed lovely warm and clear weather for most of the time between November 2010 and January 2011. Very few rainy days early in the new year were just right to keep peak summer temperatures in check. Even the Atlantic Ocean played along and lured swimmers with calm waves and water temperatures just above 20 degress Celcius. Watching the prolific birdlife in and around Swakopmund was just as rewarding, with plenty of Damara Terns nesting on beaches, flamingos feeding in a small lagoon at the mouth of the Swakop River, and many other winged species going undisturbed about their usual business.

Our water-fanatic Bernese Hound certainly had a ball taking dips in between racing his canine friend down endless beaches and across countless Namib Desert dunes.

After lots of summer rainfalls in Namibia's interior, - securing our water supplies once again also for 2011 -, the bone-dry winter season will soon be on its way and with it the time for amazing desert excursions, all sorts of sports activities, as well as watching marine life on boat cruises and wildlife on game drives.

If you missed this lovely African summer, come and join us for a glorious winter season under deep blue sunny skies, and take advantage of our SPECIAL OFFERS.

Thanks for all your emails and taking such active interest in our guesthouse. Our Skype connection is also working again, and as Beethoven already announced on the first page, we will start appearing on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter sometime during 2011 - once our website will be online in a new format too.

So please watch out for this space, or if you are interested in receiving our news by email, make sure to subscribe via SGpromo@giardinonamibia.com 

- the next room upgrade will look something like this!
Only one room thus far has got this new rounded wooden ceiling with built-in down-lights in a recess along the edges. Wood and lamps together make for a very warm atmosphere and well-lit surroundings.
We are currently collecting feedback from customers and hope to get some more good ideas to incorporate for the next phase. Upgrading our other bedrooms will not happen before early 2011 though, as we are now entering the high season.

If you'd like to contribute your thoughts, please contact us!

Another big event of January 2010 was, of course, the arrival of our Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, Björn now re-named Beethoven.

Please see the "Sandmännchen" page for updates until as recently as June 2010.

With last summer's rains appearing at strange times in Namibia and even coastal Swakopmund experiencing exceptionally warm and dry spells, it took our garden plants a while to decorate the gazebo we built last year. In January 2010, the gazebo was finally ready for a first official photo shoot - here it is:




Left: View from the inside out, with the 2 comfy loungers visible at the bottom.
 

Right: The gazebo viewed from the entrances of the restaurant and reception - the greenery ensures throughout the year that guests using the gazebo are not disturbed by what is going on in the more busy areas of the Giardino.

Left: The gazebo at night times - its steps and immediate surroundings are well lit.