Farewell

Time to say goodbye - awful.  So just a few pics.

Jenny and Ian on the final trip to Kirstenbosch.  Now that's a cycad!

Final dinner with the family and - shock horror - a hysterical defence of the Kardashians. (Do not even ask!)

Packing - the worst part of the trip.  2 cats almost made it into the suitcases.

Christmas 2015

Panic stations!  It's February tomorrow and I'm still trying to finish the December postings.  Time to get a move on.

Christmas - hot and sunny and quite windy.  Held in the perfect setting of Kalk Bay with all the family (well, most of them) around - just wonderful.

A lot of people still do the traditional Christmas Dinner thing, but with the kind of weather prevalent at this time of the year, it's much more sensible to create new traditions.  Fresh is the word -  the best produce and not stodgy!

Good food, good weather, good company

Kirstenbosch 24 December 2015

Back to Kirstenbosch on another beautiful day to meet Tarryn for lunch and a catch up.  Only four days left here, I was starting to feel anxious but it was wonderful to see everyone. Often it was just one visit, not enough!

This statue is by my favourite sculptor - Dylan Lewis.

In this setting - magnificant!

After lunch we took a walk up on to the Boomslang, or to give it the proper name - Kirstenbosch Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway (Google is your friend!).  The views ...  can't be beaten.

Tarryn, enhancing the view :)

Then a stroll down into the dell where the bird bath tempts people on a hot day.  Do you see the shape of the bird?

Constantia Glen 23 December 2015

For a few years now, we - Lee, Elsabet, Lucille and myself have been meeting up for lunch perhaps once a month at fabulous restaurants.  We had to keep up the tradition so we met up at Constantia Glen, one of our favourite places and a place we've been to a few times before.  It's so convenient for all of us, pretty much a central point, not more than 15 minutes drive from any of our homes.  The restaurant, though the food and wine was as good as ever, had fallen prey to the festive season madness and the prices had gone up alarmingly and they seem to have jammed in a lot more tables - it showed in the service, which really wasn't very good.  But that really didn't matter as it was so great to catch up and spend time in such beautiful surroundings in gorgeous weather.

As you can see, surrounded by mountains and vineyards but so close to the city.

And these lovely people!  It was a good afternoon.

Water's Edge 20 December 2015

This must be some of the best swimming I've had in my life, if you can get over the cold that is.  But once you are used to it, there is no place better.  Even when the South Easter is howling, which it was on that day, indicated by the cloud over the Muizenberg mountains, it's still great swimming.  

This is what the bay looked like beyond the rocks.

Sometimes if you're lucky you get to swim with the penguins as it is just around the rocks from Boulders.  Sometimes there's lots of kelp, but not the couple of times I swam on this trip.

Dayne had to be persuaded to come in, it was pretty cold so she didn't go in very far.

It's a goodly drive from home but as Helen always says "you never regret a swim".

Early Christmas dinner 19 December 2015

Dayne and Matt were heading off to Port Alfred for Christmas so we had an early Christmas dinner before they left.  No reason not to start the celebrations early ...

Yes, it's just salad dressing but aren't the colours festive?  Button checked out the table settings and the courtyard.  He approved.

The house is not very big so serving happened inside, which also required decoration.

Another African style Christmas tree.

As always with this family, there was constant laughter and fun (though you wouldn't believe it from this photo, but take my word for it) and bubbly stuff.

And the Moms' who are both going to be in the UK from January.  A winter Christmas next year for everyone I think.

Kirstenbosch 16 December 2015

The best scones in the Southern hemisphere....

I met Helen, Michele and Jenny at Kirstenbosch on that lovely sunny afternoon - ostensibly to go for a walk, which we did, but we had to start off with these excellent scones and tea.  Sustained, we headed off into the gardens.  Mid summer and there is so much to see.

An African christmas tree.

This tiny little field mouse was so fast, I was lucky to snap him.

All the while catching up on what everyone has been doing - I miss these friends and regular afternoons spent doing stuff together. It was wonderful coming back and slotting back into my life, thanks you guys.

#ZumaMustFall March 16 December 2015

Days before I arrived back in SA the President saw fit to fire the Finance Minister, appoint a completely unknown but malleable replacement, fire him within a couple of days and then reinstate a previous incumbent - fortunately one held in high esteem by the business and financial communities. There was a collective gasp from all South Africans everywhere.  He had never messed with the Economy to any great degree before but the impact was immediate on all the financial markets.  I watched with horrified fascination as the exchange rate to the pound hit new territories throughout the day.  So it was a done deal when my sister suggested that we attend the march to be held in Cape Town on the 16th of December - a public holiday now known as The Day of Reconciliation but previously memorialised as Blood River Day - another iniquitous day in South African history.

The march started off at Parliament and wound it's way into the historic Company's Garden.  A beautiful sunny, hot day.  Thousands of people arrived with wonderful placards and banners.

There was such a spirit of camaraderie and the speakers, who included Mpho Tutu - The Arch's daughter, encouraged everyone to talk to the people standing next to them.  With serious intent, this was also a fun day to be out with like minded people of all colours.

After a couple of hours, the march was heading off to join a celebration of Bishop Tutu and his wife, Leah's contribution to peace and reconciliation and equality in South Africa - they are much loved.

With the serious business over we headed home and on the way passed some newly painted buildings, aren't they spectacular?

Cape Town December 2015

I had been counting the days until this trip.  So just as the festive season was getting into full swing I headed off to Heathrow and Air Egypt.  What can I say about that airline?  Well, they didn't serve any wine and there were no movies available on the Africa leg of the trip!  Made for a very long flight ...

But eventually we got to Cape Town and it was lovely to be home.  It was hot and the sun was shining, bright enough to almost blind my poor, unaccustomed to light, eyes.  After a nap we headed off to Kalk Bay and Ann & Revel's 30th wedding anniversery dinner - isn't that impressive!  It was all family and absolutely wonderful.  I miss these people!

Can you see the family resemblance?  My brother Tony and my sister Ann.

Dayne and Matt, Kate and Kean - waiting for dinner ...

Catching up on all the news

The other intrepid travellers, Andrea and Nick who have recently spent 8 months in South America.

The next set of intrepid travellers - Chane and Ryan (Ryan missing from the photo because he was cooking dinner along with Revel so no photos of the chefs, sorry!) - who are off to the far east.

Matt and Kean, enhancing the view

What a wonderful evening.  No place like home.