It's BIG!

The Blue Train trip we took stopped over in Kimberley on its journey from Pretoria to Cape Town. We arrived in Kimberley at about 5:00 pm, after the Kimberley Mine Museum was closed to the public but before sunset. Perfect timing. We had the place all to ourselves!

I had wanted to see the Kimberley Mine ever since we visited Cullinan near Pretoria a few years ago - another required pilgrimage site for the jewelry admirer and collector.

Kimberley is of course famous for the first big diamond rush in South Africa. Diamonds were first found in Kimberley in 1869 and the quaint museum village surrounding the Kimberley Mine - or The Big Hole as it is commonly known - reflects that era's Victorian charm.

The Big Hole was closed as a working mine in 1914. It is still the largest man-made hole in the world and the central focus of the Kimberley Mine Museum.

The other museum exhibits were interesting too. We watched a short film about the history of the Kimberley Mine. Barney Barnato. Cecil John Rhodes and the De Beers Consolidated Mines. There were historic tools and equipment to view and a recreated mine shaft to explore.

But the best part was just seeing The Big Hole. It's big. Photos just cannot do it justice. We observed The Big Hole from the end of this observation platform and it was still hard to get my head around just how big it is!

some facts about the mine

And okay, the other best part was seeing some real diamonds. We were able to enter a diamond vault with millions of dollars worth of cut and raw diamonds in all shapes, colors and sizes on display. Behind bullet-proof glass and monitored 24/7 by an armed guard. No touchie. No takie.

Sadly the museum's diamond shop was closed too so I had to leave  Kimberley empty-handed. I did look down as I walked back to the Blue Train though. Just in case something sparkled in the setting sun.