In the hinterland, the Great Karoo epitomises the essence of Africa. Vast open spaces; sparse veld bushes and distant brooding mountains. Sheep and game farming are carried out on a grand scale in the region, where millions of years ago, dinosaurs roamed the plains, leaving in their wake fossils which attract the attention of paleontologists from all over the world. The tranquil landscape of Settler Country, studded with historical towns and villages, invites a close scrutiny of its intriguing background of conflict, courage, despair and success. This is where the Xhosa, Dutch and British had their first encounters, leading at first to frequent clashes and later to a cultural learning curve and mutual acceptance. Cape Dutch homes, ornate Victorian buildings and the lime-washed homesteads of the rural Xhosa provide tangible symbols of three vastly different cultures coming together in peaceful coexistence.