south africa: pretoria

The first time I went to Pretoria I'd seen the outside of Melrose House, but it had been closed when I wanted to visit. 

I decided to go back during the last few days of my summer trip. I rode the Gautrain to Pretoria, it's a really easy and quick ride. 

It was a quick walk to Melrose House, a Victorian House. During the Anglo Boer wars this was the headquarters for the British forces fighting in the war. It is also where the treaty ending the war (called the Vereeniging treaty,) was signed. 

The entry fee is small, almost nominal. The entire house is still decorated, though some of the pieces only represent what would've been in the house during those days. Each room was differently decorated, and served a different purpose for a family. 

I can't imagine living in such a house, as Victorian decoration is far too busy for my taste. There were so many flowers (and "delicate" wallpaper and items all over the place. 
I walked through all the rooms on the 1st, 2nd, and attic floors. I also peeked into the greenhouse. I love history.  I loved the stained glass that was part of the entry way.

After the museum I took an uber taxi to Brooklyn Square Mall, where I'd puchased my guidebook earlier in my trip. This time I was on the hunt for crispy M&Ms. I also bought a bottle of multivitamins. In the mall was also a supermarket, where I bought yogurt and a drink. 

I caught another uber taxi back to the train station and went back to Johannesburg. 

I probably won't come back to Pretoria, but I really like the city.