Here at the Portfolio Travel Blog we often take a look at the origin of small town (dorp) names around South Africa in our
"How the Dorp Got its Name"
series.
Today we have a slightly different take on the topic as we look at how this roadside pub got its unlikely name.
RONNIE'S SEX SHOP
Drive through the Klein Karoo, along Route 62 from Montagu and through Barrydale, and just before the turn off to Warmwaterberg Spa (reviewed here) you'll come across a building just off the road with the name "Ronnie's Sex Shop" painted boldly in red on the side. Another sign on a different section of the same wall bears the legend "Pompstasie" - meaning 'pump station' - could be referring to a petrol / gas station but alongside the name of the establishment another kind of 'pomp' springs to mind...
Before you get too excited irate and decide to pull in for a bit of naughty fun call the local authorities to report illegal activities in the Karoo - read on...
The owner of this establishment (called Ronnie, it would seem) painted the name of his new rustic roadside farm stall "Ronnie's Shop" on the side of the building with cheerful red paint. When he wasn't looking, his sneaky friends grabbed the paintbrush and added the word 'sex' to the sign - and thus a legend was born. Ronnie, clever chap that he is, decided to keep the new name and instead of running yet another one of the many roadside farmstalls that litter the Klein Karoo and in fact the whole of South Africa, he turned his business into a pub and restaurant and it is today one of the best-known destination pubs in the land.
A popular feature of Ronnie's is the flat rooftop seating area, where one can enjoy a cold beer while watching the sunset, or admiring the truly incredible sight of the creamy Milky Way spilling across the black canvas of the Karoo night sky...
A great idea for a stag weekend or girls' night away is to camp at Warmwaterberg Spa and party at Ronnie's, then recover the next day in the delicious hot water mineral spa pools. Ronnie's is also a well-loved spot for biker groups road tripping along Route 62.
If camping's not your style, check out our website www.portfoliocollection.com for great Klein Karoo and Route 62 accommodation in B&Bs, guest houses, boutique hotels and self catering accommodation establishments all along the Route.
