Pool area

This is my sister and brother-in-law's back yard. The thatched area is called a 'lapa'. The design is very common in Africa. Thatch is very cool and grass is easy to come by. There are no walls to allow a free flow of air to cool one off. The pool is nearby if it is still to hot!

Under the lapa they have chairs and on the other side a large wooden dining room table where we easily seat 12. This is where all the entertaining happens in the summer and even in the winter during the days the weather is lovely and warm and this is the most pleasant place to be. This area makes entertaining very pleasant and relaxed. The compulsory 'braai' (barbecue) area is also close by. In South Africa 'briquettes', made from coal, are used as wood is becoming very scarce and pollution in the large cities is a problem.