A FORLORN SIGHT

just down the road from us, the former town residence of the List family, the Rockefellers of Namibia; but more than the Rockefeller's, since their company Ohlhaver and List, was involved with every industry from brewing to holiday resorts to fishing. Mr. List died in 2002, and the whole area was blocked by the President's convoy coming to the house to pay their respects. Then Mrs. List went to live with her daughter, and the house now stands empty and for sale. We went around to have a look - we expected a majestic mansion, from which we always averted our eyes in respect when driving past : instead we found a sad little 1950's house, with overgrown grounds, pathetically old-fashioned, useful only for knocking down and turning ino another cluster devopment. Everything on a small scale, except of course for the asking price.

So has the O&L empire declined - now in the hands of the bean-counters - its flagship hotel in Swakopmund has become a fast fish eatery, the historic brwery closed, and the once glorious Midgard a shadow of its former self, with weeds and cracked swimming pools: once hosting legendary sunday buffets, but now offering uneatable food prepared by catering students of the local Polytechnic !