Build a pergola the African way

I have this problem with a pool that is not fenced off, and no matter who comes to visit, it seems to be the attraction in the garden every kid loves. I do have a safety net on the pool, but I also have an adjacent fish pond which is not covered. The biggest problem with the pool and pond however is the little stones lying around the pond. My son knows that stones should not be thrown into the pool, but usually my friend's children are not that well educated. Hahaha, no hard feelings guys. Anyway, I decided that I need to build some sort of barrier to keep children away from my pond, so I decided a little picket fence and a pergola the African way is the way to go. I won't call myself a skilled carpenter, but I know how to hold a hand saw so this how you do it.

So what is a pergola the African way? Nothing much really, it just means that there were no plans, no design and the whole contraption was build with one saw, a couple of nails and a lot of enthusiasm. Ok, I did use a grinder and a sander as well, but everything was very basic. I only had one right hand man in the shape of my dad and also my son who tried to help but usually just carried my tools away. I started at 7am and had the whole thing finished at around 6pm. I still have to do the gate otherwise the whole exercise would not be worth the effort, but I ran out of material...and time. At least most of the hard work has been done.

I can't really tell you exactly how much material I used, I can't remember to be honest. All I know is that the wood is treated with CCA (chromated copper arsenate) which is a water-borne preservative that protects the wood for at least 30 years. Or so I was told. The picked fence I bought in lenghts of 1800 mm. Everything was rough timber. Not only is it cheaper than "machined" wood, but it has a rustic look which suits the African look. The nice thing about this pergola is that it will hopefully one day be covered with some creeper. This will hide all the mistakes. But there weren't really many. It is rustic after all. Everything was concreted into the ground to make it a bit more sturdy..and to last at least 30 years. All I have to do now is the gate and then paint it with some wood protector to protect it against the African sun.