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South Africa
Late into Cape Town on the 12th. Checked into the Table Bay Hotel, where we had stayed 5 years ago. We had the honeymoon package. Don't get excited, anyone, just a bit of creative room-booking on Georgia's part. It's cheaper and comes w breakfast. It also means it looks like a florist's shop exploded in our room. Rose petals everywhere! Have to feel sorry for the chamber maid! Floor, bed, desk, they really went to town! Including in the hot bubble bath that was waiting. (I do like a good hotel now). I had a quick tub while we waited for the luggage, and then we nipped out for a burger and a beer, as it was now 22:00. Home by midnight to pop open the complimentary champagne! Another tough day at the office.
We are right down on the waterfront, so it is safe and well lit. Lots of shops and restaurants, plenty of places w live music. Walked into the CBD the following morning. It has changed dramatically in the last 5 yrs. Clean, more built up, activity everywhere. In talking to the locals, it's due to the World Cup.
Picked up the car and got back to the hotel quite handily, we even managed to stay on the left hand side of the road the whole way.
Took Marj's dress out for a lovely meal that evening. For those of you not in on the joke, just like the gnome stolen from someone's garden and photographed in many exotic locations before finding it's way home again, I have absconded w Marj's sundress and am taking it on tour. It's not like she'd be wearing it in Calgary just now, anyway. It goes very well w the elephant (tail) hair bracelet I've taken to wearing.
Spent an afternoon at the incredible Kirstenbosch gardens. A renowned botanical garden w the world's largest collection of protea. The setting, on the eastern slope of Table Mountain, is spectacular in it's own right. Puts Buchart to shame.
Had a great Friday night out. A good meal serenaded by 4 black tenors w a nice repertoire, more impressive for the fact that they didn't speak English, let alone Italian. Sure, they fudged on most of the words, but still very talented and maybe even more entertaining for their unique interpretation.
On to a great little pub in an ancient stone warehouse on the pier. They had a duo playing outside, and people were dancing in the nearby square. Wished you were there, Dad, as they played your favorite Dire Straights and then into "Cracklin' Rosie". You would have loved it, dancing in the warm breeze. They may have lost you later w Greenday, but the festive outdoor atmosphere just couldn't be beaten!
To Franschhoek via Paarl in the morning. Really hot. Staying in a lovely guesthouse w 6 separate "cabins". It feels very Napa or even Kelowna here. Safe enough during the day, but there is an alarmed remote gate, the property is fenced, there is a security guard patrolling at night and each cabin door has an alarm. We walked into town for dinner last night, but you have to use a driving service to bring you the 1km back out in the dark, and it was 80 Rand, almost 15 bucks! Great meal, though.
Had an interesting chat w the (white) manager. An unapologetic racist, he was saying all these things in full voice as if the (all black) staff didn't have ears! Very strange to us. What's in the newspapers here is equally surprising. These things are just unprintable in our world, and not just d/t political correctness. It's full on KKK! I can't see how this won't come to an ugly boil one day. Beautiful place, it would be a shame to see it go the Zimbabwe route.
Lovely (long) drive to Tulbagh, a town full of Cape Dutch houses (gabled fronts, thatched roofs) and tomorrow off to Stellenbosch.
I have been trying to arrange cage diving w the great whites, but the swells have been too high, so it doesn't look like I'm going to have time to do it. That would have been a rush. Just not meant to be, I guess.
TTFN
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