6 April 1652

Image: Wikipedia – Painting  of Jan van Riebeeck by: Charles Davidson Bell

Jan van Riebeeck – image: wikipedia

Jan van Riebeeck played a significant role in our history in SA. Until 1994, 6th April used to be a Public holiday as it is founder’s day. For many Saffas this day will still be “founders’ day” and we will still commemorate the day (or “celebrate” it) even if it is only in our thoughts/minds. I would like to “commemorate” it with 2 chess games, just for the fun of it. Also, we’re going to Cornwall tomorrow for  a few days, have a look at the map to see where we’re heading to! We  plan to visit Stonehenge  too, I hope I will have some good pics when coming back! Before van Riebeeck stepped ashore in 1652, there was a Portuguese explorer a few years before him! Read about Diaz and see his route to Cape Town too. The music video is Carika Keuzenkamp singing about South Africa, even if you don’t understand the language, you will enjoy the images of SA on the video.
Van Riebeeck was born in Culemborg in the Netherlands as the son of a surgeon. He grew up in Schiedam, where he married 19-year old Maria de la Quellerie on 28 March 1649. (She died in Malacca, now part of Malaysia, on 2 November 1664, at the age of 35). The couple had eight children, most of whom did not survive infancy. Their son Abraham van Riebeeck, born at the Cape, later became Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies.

Joining the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in 1639, he served in a number of posts, including that of an assistant surgeon in the Batavia in the East Indies. He subsequently visited Japan. His most important position was that of head of the VOC trading post in Tonkin, Vietnam. However, he was called back from this post as it was discovered that he was conducting trade for his own account.

In 1651 he was requested to undertake the command of the initial Dutch settlement in the future South Africa. He landed three ships Drommedaris, Reijger and Goede Hoop at the future Cape Town on 6 April 1652 and fortified the site as a way-station for the VOC trade route between the Netherlands and the East Indies. The Walvisch and the Oliphant arrived later, having had 130 burials at sea.
Please click on THIS LINK to read more on Wikipedia.

A sailboat, if it wasn’t for wind…well, I wonder if there would have been a place called SA – today? and what SA would have been like …or called…..or…whatever…just a thought…

Statue of Bartholomew Diaz in Cape Town – Image: Wikipedia

Diaz -a noble man from the Royal Household – was a Portuguese explorer -this is his route to the Cape in the 1400’s.
Read on Wikipedia more.

In these two games – I have to mention I joined this tourney of 4 play all a few days ago and these guys have ratings of about 400+ more than me! – but hey, in chess you’re always up for a challenge. I’ve already been crushed by a German player quite quicklyand now my Dutch partner is not really very easy to play either, have a look at these two images. I’m hoping at least to give him a hard time, but as you can see, I think he’s going to crush me too. My Israeli partner is a slow mover…so not much to report about him.