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| April 2008 |
One of the popular tourist attractions in Cape Town is the Green Point Craft Market. There is an unbelievable number of African crafts on show, textiles, baskets, masks, sculptures, paintings, jewellery and so on in a colourful arrangement of never ending small stalls. It is always fun to go there and see all the new innovative products on display - many from recycled materials like beer and coke cans, glass bottles and bottle tops - absolutely amazing.
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| April 2008 |
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| April 2008 |
It is hard not to pick up trinkets every single time, and it is lovely to see tourists taking home the ever popular giraffes as well as many other mementos of their stay in Cape Town. It is a truly enjoyable outing even without buying anything. There is a distinct African feel in this market and everybody seems to have a good time, including the vendors who are fun to talk to and to bargain with the African way.
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| March 2008 |
Newsflash! Have just spotted the first two Southern Right Whales of the season from our pool deck. Very early to be here, but a sure sign that we are in autumn and that winter is just around the corner. If you have not seen whales close up plan a visit to the Cape between August and November - this is the best time to go whale watching, either from the shore or on a whale watching boat.
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| February 2008 |
Every so often, and especially when we have friends visiting, Chris and I become tourists in our beautiful town. It is amazing how enjoyable it is to revisit places we have not been to for years! This time it was our first return visit to Robben Island after 10 years! Although the visits have become more controlled and regulated the experience is still the same. To walk through the prison and look at the bare cell where our Madiba spent so many years reminds us of the amazing generosity and statesmanship of this exceptional man. It is truly humbling to realise what this man has done for this country without bitterness, selfishness and personal enrichment.
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| February 2008 |
Another great personality, although one can argue the man's political correctness, is of course Cecil John Rhodes. Again, we had not been to his monument in many many years, and what an inspiring place it is. We had forgotten the size of the structure and the magnificent position at the foot of Devil's Peak overlooking the Cape Flats right across to the Hottentots Hollands mountains. A wonderful place to relax and unwind, and if you feel like a bite to eat, there is a lovely small restaurant right behind the monument which is a favourite spot for breakfasts and tea!
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| January 2008 |
One of my dreams for the last few years was to visit Antarctica. With global warming in the news Chris and I thought we better go before it all melts. So we did. I cannot describe what an amazing experience travelling through the Antarctic Peninsula really is. A pristine landscape, majestic, harsh, beautiful, cold and absolutely magnificent! We were fortunate to have brilliant weather, and a relatively smooth crossing through the Drake Passage. To spot the first iceberg was thrilling, and to see some being used by penguins and seals as transport was unexpected.
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We spotted the incredible albatrosses that have a wingspan of 3.5 metres, giant petrels, cape and storm petrels in the Antarctic Convergence zone, and gulls, skuas and blue eyed shags in the peninsula. We travelled on a small Russian vessel that was originally an exploration outfit, so we could get into small bays and inlets that the bigger ships cannot get to. This enabled us to do the most wonderful landings, walk among penguins and seals and enjoy the breathtaking scenery. We were priviledged to be invited to visit an Argentinian base where over 200 people live on a permanent basis.
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We also had the opportunity to kayak in this extraordinary environment, and have close encounters on the water with humpback whales and leopard seals only a few metres away. We spent one night camping on the ice with the katabatic wind blowing and shaking the tents. To cap it all, our tour leader arranged for us to have a short and cold swim off the ship with a life jacket on a rope in case we got into trouble. It was a once in a lifetime experience which we will never forget!
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| 17 December 2007 |
As many of you will know, the Table Mountain National Park is the 6th Floral Kingdom on our planet. Its diversity is just as great as the whole of the United Kingdom, a botanist's dream! The Orange Kloof camp is located in the Afromontane Forest and is very charming and well equipped. The second day takes one up the Back Table and past the reservoirs, through Echo Valley onto the top of Table Mountain. It was a fantastic feeling of achievement to come out on top and enjoy the views over the city and the Atlantic Seaboard - glad to take the cable car down though!
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| 20 November 2007 |
Chris and I decided to check out the progress of the new stadium for the 2010 world cup. As you can see there is quite a lot happening already, and although the golf course has been reduced to a mashie it was great to be out and enjoy the sunshine and the brilliant location. The view is taken from the club house of the Metropolitan Golf Course.
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| 15 November 2007 |
Some of our guests reminded me recently that I have not put any news up for a very long time. I am so sorry, we have been away a lot, and then I got busy and just did not think about it. It is good to be in Cape Town at this time of year, as spring has arrived, the jacarandas are out again, and the fynbos is putting on a magnificent display this year, especially the geraniums that are prolific on Table Mountain. The whales are still around and getting us excited whenever we spot them from our house, and some of the sunsets have been spectacular as you can see. Summer is just around the corner and we love that!
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| 4 July 2007 |
One of the most enjoyable things to do when visiting South Africa is to go on safari. Apart from the game viewing Big 5 safaris there are many other safaris to choose from - walking safaris, photo safaris, birding safaris etc. We are privileged to have friends who own the beautiful Mogalakwena River Lodge in the Limpopo Province. What is so special about this place apart from the people is the fact that it is in one of the most unresearched and remote areas of South Africa. Because there are no large predators on the farm one can enjoy a daily walk through the pristine bushveld, where giraffe, impala, wildebeest, waterbuck and hartebeest are a common sight among others. For bird lovers it is paradise. On the river the fish eagles and hamerkops are nesting every year, various types of kingfisher can be watched hovering and diving for their prey, crakes, plovers and lapwings, jacanas, hadeda ibises are all easy to spot. The variety of the smaller bush birds is fascinating.
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| 4 July 2007 |
Crocodiles are lazing in the sun on the river bank, and the ostriches walk right through the camp completely undisturbed. In the evenings the waterbuck come to graze, watching us with just the same interest as we are watching them. My highlight during this visit was seeing the Cape clawless otter for the first time in the wild - it was truly a fantastic experience. Once you have been to this magical place you will want to return - it is a perfect spot to regenerate you spirit, body and soul. Check it out on the website www.mogalakwena.com.
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| 22 May 2007 |
The Kaokoveld in Namibia has long been one of those magical names that we have always wanted to visit. As it is a very remote and sensitive area it is not possible to do this alone, so we joined a small group of adventurers with a guide to take us there. It is a long way from Cape Town, and we met our fellow travellers in Windhoek, after two days solid driving. From there our route took us through little used back roads that were often not more but tracks past the western boundary of the Etosha National Park to the banks of the Kunene River, that forms the boundary with Angola.
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| 22 May 2007 |
The brilliant Epupa Falls were a great relief from the heat and dust of the Kaokoveld and reminded us of Victoria Falls on a small scale. We were privileged to visit an authentic still functioning village of the Himba people, who to this day follow their traditional way of life, something which is hard to understand from our western point of view and culture. From there we continued our journey over the famous and feared Van Zyls' Pass, which is quite a challenge even for experienced 4x4 enthusiasts. But we all managed and ended up in the beautiful area called Marienfluss. This is a wide flat valley with a sea of grass as far as you can see, perfectly suited to savannah wildlife.
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| 22 May 2007 |
Namibia has established more and more conservancies in the country, slowly removing cattle and goats, and letting the wildlife return. The result is starting to show by the unexpected sightings of giraffe, mountain zebras and antelopes, absolutely wonderful. The next area we explored was the Hartmanns' Valley which is completely uninhabited and probably the loneliest area we have ever visited. A desert of rocks, sand and small scrub every so often, the occasional tree dotted around.
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| 22 May 2007 |
We returned along the Atlantic coast through Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and the Namib Desert, stopping at the famous Sossusvlei Area and visiting the Fish River Canyon enroute. It was an awesome experience, and any of you who have visited Namibia will remember the unbelievable space, beauty, loneliness and harshness of the region.
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| 7 April 2007 |
Today the Easter Weekend really started. The ferocious southeaster wind that blew yesterday has stopped, and it was a sunny balmy Saturday to be enjoyed by all. Our morning walk on the beach was beautiful, the ocean calm but with beautiful surf coming in. The temperature was in the late twenties, so really a late summer's day. As an additional Easter Special I thought you might like to know that we have just spotted the first two whales while sitting on our deck watching the sunset. Not only did we see them, they also did us the favour to breach. Southern Right whales come to the South African coast to mate and to give birth, and are usually arriving during the month of May. This was definitely a surprise. Have a relaxing and peaceful holiday weekend, wherever you are.
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| 4 April 2007 |
When I travel home from my grocery shopping and the time and weather are just right, I always marvel at the beautiful display these beaded wire baskets present on the paveway. The artist is a young Zimbabwean who is trying to make a new life in South Africa. Every time I drive past I see something different, some new ideas, always exciting!
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| 4 April 2007 |
Apart from baskets there are now beaded flowers, especially our indigenous plants, proteas, strelitzias and arum lilies, but also a variety of animals, from sheep and gorgeous tortoises to giraffes, zebras, lions, and more! I could not resist, just had to take home the lions. If you ever visit us, you can admire them in Cape Town and pay a visit to these talented young men.
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| 20 March 2007 |
Chris was contacted a few weeks ago whether his Jaguar would be available for a photo shoot for a German client in the Cape Town Castle. Of course he was happy to give his Jaguar a public outing and we delivered the car yesterday morning to the production company. It was a perfect day to be out and about, not a cloud in the sky, no wind, sunny and warm. Everyone was impressed with the car, it is such a beautiful old model from 1951, and the production guys enjoyed giving it a little spin inside the Castle. When we returned to collect the car and realised that we had to wait a while we decided to sit down and enjoy a drink at the local restaurant. It is an amazing place to relax in, surrounded by these historic walls, watching guides taking the visitors on a tour, and admiring the beautiful backdrop of Table Mountain! We shared our table and bottle of wine with a visitor from France who told us that he was absolutely blown away by the beauty of this city and the friendliness of its people. What a lovely compliment to Cape Town! |  |
| 13 March 2007 |
Last Sunday Cape Town hosted one of the major annual events - the Cape Argus Cycle Race - one of the biggest cycle races in the world with over 33 000 participants! This year was absolutely fabulous. The weather was perfect, a slight overcast cool morning which turned into a brilliant day with a slight breeze to take off the heat. When we took the dogs for an early morning walk to the beach we just saw the first riders coming past. As always, we were impressed by these professionals who already come into Camps Bay as early as 8h30 in the morning. After having cycled 100 kms already they are still going strong, riding as fast as ever, not even looking slightly exhausted although I am sure they are. Already there were people lining the pavements, shouting encouragement to the riders and clapping to congratulate them on their ride, some groups were busy cooking a traditional breakfast with bacon and eggs right there next to the road - it smelled delicious!
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| 13 March 2007 |
Riders were coming through the whole day, small groups, large groups, all age groups, different cycles, colourful outfits and helmets, lovely to watch. Heartbreaking to see the sweeper coming past after 17h00 to collect the strugglers who did not quite make it. Nevertheless, it will be on many people's mind for a long time and hopefully most of the riders will be back next year to again take up the challenge!
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| 7 February 2007 |
A few days ago we were invited to join some friends for lunch at Blaauwklippen on the Stellenbosch wine route. We had visited this estate some time back, but had never had the opportunity to sit under the beautiful old oak trees enjoying delicious food and delightful company! Blaauwklippen is one of the oldest wine estates in the country and is truly beautiful. Apart from cellar tours, wine tasting and the Barouche restaurant one can also visit their unique carriage museum. I love the Cape Dutch architecture with its pleasing proportions and simple lines. Every single building on this particular estate has been beautifully maintained and exudes the charm of a bygone era. If you ever come to Cape Town put this on your list as a visit well worth while, you will love it!
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| 1 February 2007 |
When we went for our usual morning walk the other day we came across a large group of students with spades and buckets, the perfect tools for a day on the beach - see the photograph! These students were involved in building sand sculptures as part of their studies, and the results were big, but very different, ranging from slightly offbeat to recognisable items like the Titanic. I was amazed to see a new interpretation of Hollywood - can you see the well known profile of Table Mountain? |
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| 17 January 2007 |
A major comet, known as Comet McNaught or C/2006 P1, has been visible in our skies last week just before nightfall. Amazingly the comet could be easily seen during daylight. It was the most beautiful sight! Apparently it was mainly visible in the Southern Hemisphere, and from the photographs I have seen at its best observed from New Zealand. If you are interested to check it out look at the photo gallery on www.spaceweather.com.
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| 14 January 2007 |
On our way back to Cape Town we took a new route through the Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area, a spectacular road over rugged mountains that is only possible to do with a good 4x4. The area has been restocked with game, and we saw kudu, baboons, vervets and the largest tortoises we had ever come across in South Africa. There is even buffalo, but the bush is so thick that we did not spot them, although they may have been right next to us. Once over the mountain passes the road descends into the Baviaanskloof Valley, a beautiful valley that is slowly becoming a tourist area for its scenery and tranquility. We stopped on a guest farm and were lucky enough to watch two black eagles soar into the evening sky from the high cliffs against which the farm is nestled. Every time we travel a new road we are amazed at what we discover in this interesting country of ours.
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| 7 January 2007 |
Like many of our guests we decided early this year to drive along the Garden Route and spend a few days in the Eastern Cape enjoying the unspoilt beautiful beaches of this area. From Wilderness right through to Port Elizabeth are the most beautiful river mouths and lagoons to explore, some having become very popular and commercial, others still pristine and empty. We visited St Francis Bay, one of the most popular holiday areas for South Africans from Johannesburg, with beautiful homes along the many canals leading into the Keurbooms River mouth. We stopped in Kaysers Beach, a small town off the main road popular for fishing and the beach. We walked with our dogs for over an hour on a beach about 100m wide and completely empty of people. Since all vehicles have been banned from the beaches the Black Oystercatcher population has recovered brilliantly, and we counted as many as 21 birds just in one location, as well as sea gulls, shore birds, cormorants, terns, swallows and many small plovers and sanderlings.
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| 3 January 2007 |
One of our favourite places for a casual lunch is certainly the Mariners Wharf in Hout Bay. We take our XK120 out of the garage and drive along the beautiful coast road to the Hout Bay harbour. The restaurant is on the upper level and has an outside deck that overlooks the beach and the start of Chapman's Peak Drive. While enjoying our lunch we watched people having fun on the beach, a helicopter doing spectacular fly byes and the popular adventure boat doing circuits of the bay at high speed. A walk along the jetty is also interesting, checking out the fishing boats anchored there, Cape cormorants and lots of sea gulls waiting for some titbits from the fishermen gutting the fish. An excellent fishmonger underneath the restaurant offers everything fresh and delicious from the ocean - mussels, prawns, crayfish, calamari and fish. The antique shop specialising in nautical wares is always worth a visit, as it has everything from trinkets to collectables for the connoisseur. What better way to spend a sunny and warm summer's day in the Cape Peninsula!
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| 30 December 2006 |
Camps Bay is really becoming a hotspot for all types of activities. When walking our dogs a few days ago we watched the "Miss Tropika Camps Bay Contest" that was held on the beach. Tropika flags flying, free bottles of their soft drinks handed out to beachgoers, promotion frisbees thrown to the crowds, while a live band was entertaining the audience between the various parades. The contestants had to model first a tropical outfit, then something casual and finally swimwear. The onlookers really enjoyed all the action, and the young contestants (16-24 yrs) seemed to have a great time, walking up and down the catwalk to whistles and applause. We cannot tell you who won, as both the dogs and we were anxious to get home and jump into the pool!
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| 28 December 2006 |
Christmas has come and gone, and we hope that everyone has had a wonderful time. The weather in Cape Town has been absolutely perfect, sunny and no wind! On Christmas Eve we had carols on the beach for the first time ever. People came with picnic baskets, children, grandparents and pets. Music sheets and candles were handed out to encourage the audience to participate with the performing musicians. It was a lovely atmosphere and will become an annual event. After the usual invasion of our beach on Christmas and Boxing Day we were very pleased to see that our cleaning teams, sponsored by Vodacom, a cellular service provider, were busy tidying up the leftovers of those busy days. The beach was almost spotless again by 9am this morning. The new enforcement of dogs having to be on the leash is also helping to make the beach more enjoyable for beachgoers, especially families with children, as some of the big bouncing dogs have been quite a problem in the past. There is no doubt that Camps Bay beach is one of the best spots in Cape Town!
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| 23 December 2006 |
Chris and I have just returned from an amazing trip to the Galapagos Islands. A truly magnificent place to visit, and an experience that cannot be described easily. Nevertheless we are very happy to be back in Cape Town, and are beginning to catch up with the Holiday and Christmas spirit. The weather has come up with everything necessary, lots of sunshine, hardly any wind and a beautiful clean beach. On our walk yesterday morning we spotted a small school of dolphins just 20m away, what a lovely start to the day!
We wish all of you a wonderful Festive Season and may 2007 be happy, successful and enjoyable, wherever you are.
Gila, Chris and our Camps Bay pooches Mischief and Monty.
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| 4 November 2006 |
When the Jacarandas start flowering we all get excited. First of all, the trees are absolutely magnificent, as they only carry flowers, the leaves appear after the blossoms have fallen. It also means to us that summer is just round the corner. Native to South America, Jacarandas are very much part of South Africa's urban landscape, particularly in Pretoria. Because they are exotics we are no longer allowed to plant new trees, so this makes them extra special as they will at some stage disappear from our scenery.
After the recent few cool days we have today enjoyed true summer weather. The beaches have been busy for the last few weeks already, and our visitors are arriving for their holiday in the sun. Look at these beaches! When are you going to visit?
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| 2 October 2006 |
The African Penguin is endemic to southern Africa, breeding mainly along the coasts of South Africa and Namibia. Its population has declined dramatically during the 20th century from 1.5 million to a mere 153 000, and it is now vulnerable to extinction. In 2005 there were only 2000 breeding pairs left on Dyer Island, the largest African Penguin colony of all. Penguins used to burrow into the natural guano to make their nests, all of which was harvested many years ago as it was an excellent natural fertiliser. Now nests are built on bedrock and are very exposed to both weather and kelp gulls, who steal eggs as well as chicks. To help the penguins survival The Dyer Island Conservation Trust is placing nest boxes on the island which should result in more successful breeding. Anyone interested is encouraged to "buy a house" on the island complete with new tenants rent free - is this not a wonderful way to preserve something so valuable for future generations?
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| 23 September 2006 |
It has been our intention for a long time to go on a boat whale watching ride. At last we have had the opportunity to do this, and I can only say this is a Must for every guest who comes to the Cape region! As the boats leave either in the morning or afternoon we decided to stay overnight in De Kelders, which is just a few kilometres outside Gansbaai where boats are launched. It allowed us to travel along the coastal road from Gordons Bay through Rooiels, Betty's Bay and Kleinmond to Hermanus, where we saw a few whales performing in the bay. Nothing though compared to what we experienced the following day. After being kitted out by the operators in Gansbaai with waterproofs and life jackets we set off to the harbour and boarded the boat. It did not take long before we spotted the first whale, a solitary animal playing with a piece of kelp. Everyone just took one photo after another until we had to leave, as the time spent close to a whale should be limited to not disturb them unduly. After this we saw a female with a calf, but she did not want the contact and moved away before we could have a really close look. Our slight disappointment was soon forgotten as we met two whales that were so curious that they circled our boat, dived under it, came right up close and nudged it, lifted their heads out of the water and did their best to give us perfect photo opportunities. This by far exceeded our expectations and everyone was on an emotional high. It is difficult to put into words how it touches you to see such a gentle giant interacting with humans. It was the most unbelievable experience which Chris and I will never forget! If you have any opportunity to do this, please don't miss it! The best time for whale watching is from August to December.
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| 11 September 2006 |
When Chris and I set off for our winter safari to Lake Kariba in mid August we first took the North Road to Namibia which goes along the Cape West Coast and then through Namaqualand. To our great surprise the famous spring flowers of this area were already out due to the good and recent rains. Not only that the flowers were out early, it was the best and most spectacular display we have ever seen - kilometer after kilometer of a carpet of flowers in various colours, sometimes mixed, sometimes monochrome, as far as the eye could see, stretching up the slopes of the mountains and lining the shoulders of the road. We felt like stopping every few kilometers to take another photograph, it was so beautiful. The small town of Springbok in the Northern Cape was ablaze with the orange Namaqualand daisies, the white houses looking like ships in an orange sea. If you ever have the opportunity visit this amazing natural event of spring in an arid area. There are special excursions arranged from Cape Town from one to a few days to enjoy this display.
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| 3 August 2006 |
Would you have believed that this photograph is of one of South Africa's small towns? Sutherland is well known for its cold temperatures in winter, and is the town where the new SALT telescope is located. As the whole of South Africa is experiencing a cold spell at the moment, some areas have had extreme weather. It snowed in Johannesburg yesterday - something I have never seen - and Sutherland seems to have had a bit more of this beautiful white stuff!
Nevertheless the sun is shining in Cape Town, and although the temperature is cool, the sun is on its way back and we are all looking forward to a beautiful spring. We have heard that the flowers around Citrusdal have already started and are apparently putting on a spectacular show. So if you are planning to visit Cape Town allow for a day's outing to see this brilliant show of indigenous flowers for which this area is famous.
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| 12 May 2006 |
Most of our guests visit the Garden Route during their holiday in South Africa. One wonderful way of experiencing the natural beauty of this coast is doing it on foot. In the past this was only possible on hiking trails where one had to carry everything on ones' back, which was fine for the young and fit, but not that attractive for most of us! Now everyone who is reasonably fit and able can enjoy a wonderful two day hike in comfort on the so called Dolphin Trail. All one needs to carry is a daypack with personal stuff like a jacket, sun tan lotion etc, everything else is arranged by the organisers. The trail starts at the Tsitsikamma National Park, an area that is famous for its indigenous forest and associated wildlife. The tour takes a maximum of twelve people and is very well organised. The tour guides are very knowledgeable on the area and we were thrilled to sight the famous Knysna Louries a few times. Lunch stops are in beautiful surroundings with table laid, drinks poured and snacks to fortify you for the next section of the trail. Every evening one arrives at a luxury lodge with the luggage already in one's unit, a hot bath or shower welcome after the walk, and a delicious dinner to finish the day. For anyone who enjoys nature I can highly recommend this hike which is very well worth while to add to one's itinerary!
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| 28 April 2006 |
Autumn is with us, a wonderful time in Cape Town with mild temperatures and little wind. This news item is specifically targeting would be golfers like myself. It is a difficult and frustrating game, but look at the backdrop! It does not matter how well you play, it is just lovely to be outside playing at the foot of Table Mountain. You may be interested to know that many clubs run special weeklong training courses for our international guests at very good rates. I can certainly recommend a round of golf as a very humbling but enjoyable way of spending a few hours in our great outdoors!
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| 11 April 2006 |
Today's wonderful autumn weather seduced us to leave all the work, take the Jag XK120 out of the garage and drive along the Atlantic coast to Constantia. All of you who have visited Cape Town may already know the beautiful wine estates in the area. We decided to have lunch at the Jonkershuis Restaurant on Groot Constantia wine estate. What a beautiful spot! The tables are set outside under big old oak trees that have just started getting their autumn colours. The views are stunning, right across to False Bay and the Hottentots Mountains. The place itself seems at a standstill, peaceful, serene and steeped in history. The small but exquisite information centre gives a fascinating account of the establishment and development of this old farm. The old manor house which is beautifully restored, has been turned into a museum. The restaurant itself was delightful, the food excellent, and if you have a chance to do so visit this historic wine farm which has a lot more to offer than lunch!
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| 30 March 2006 |
Just two hours drive north from Cape Town lies a beautiful wilderness area, the Cederberg Nature Reserve. It is a peaceful pristine environment where facilites include inexpensive camping sites and self catering chalets, as well as catered accommodation on farms or in a luxurious resort. The area is rich with bushman's paintings, one of the most famous being the Stadsaal caves near Algeria. Hiking is one of the most enjoyable activities, with lovely vistas, clear mountain streams and game as an added bonus.
The most wonderful experience for us during our last stay a week ago was to look at the sky at night. Living in a city, even one as unpolluted as Cape Town, one forgets just how beautiful our night sky is. How many of our visitors have seen the milky way? To look up onto a black velvet sky with myriads of stars is just very amazing. This universe is beyond our understanding, but fantastic to gaze at. Just look at Orion, a constellation most of us recognise. We could not believe how many other stars we suddenly saw inside it. We also watched three satellites crossing over, all within a time period of 15 minutes and going their different ways. It makes you think what else is out there! |
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| 20 March 2006 |
When the Cape Peninsula experiences a big fire one of nature's most spectacular plants arrives a few weeks afterwards, the fire lily. We went for a walk on Lion's Head which was severely burnt out during the recent fire, and came across a swathe of the most beautiful fire lilies in the middle of a devastated area. These plants do not have any leaves, just a stem and the flower. It is amazing to see these blooms bursting out of the ashes - a wonderful display of nature's survival. The walk along this beautiful path also gives wonderful views over Camps Bay, Clifton, Sea Point and the City and is well worth it.
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| 12 March 2006 |
As every year, thousands of cyclists met in Cape Town to take part in The Argus Cycle Tour yesterday, one of the biggest cycle races on the international calendar. It caters for all categories, from professional riders to very fit, weekend riders and plain amateurs. The different types of bikes range from racing bikes, to mountain bikes, tandems, tricycles and custom made special machines. The ages vary from very young to very old. It is a spectacular route starting in the city bowl and skirting Table Mountain and the Peninsula on the Eastern side, coming back via beautiful Chapman's Peak Drive along the Camps Bay beach front and ending at the Greenpoint stadium. Yesterday's race must have been one of the most comfortable rides as it was cool, even with some drizzle in between, and no wind on the Atlantic Seaboard. As always, many spectators lined the route, especially along the difficult stretches to encourage and applaud all the riders who tackled this challenging route. Congratulations to all, and hoping to see you again next year!
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| 9 March 2006 |
Many of our visitors have commented on the fabulous light we have in South Africa. No wonder that this combined with our good weather is attracting film production crews from all over the world to our wonderful country. When we walked on the beach the other morning we thought we had landed in California, as it looked like Baywatch, with glamorous "life savers" in orange swimsuits and beautiful bodies on the beach! But if you look at the picture you will clearly recognise the Camps Bay backdrop!
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| 25 January 2006 |
Cape Town was on fire last night, starting from Platteklip Gorge on Table Mountain right across over Lions Head in a spectacular but frightening display of a fire fanned by strong winds. Fire fighters, fire engines, disaster management and police all worked late into the night to try and control the flames and to save homesteads from being destroyed. Many roads had to be closed and a number of houses were evacuated. This morning helicopters were on the go non stop dipping their buckets into Camps Bay waters to try and extinguish the still existing fires on the Atlantic side of the mountain. It was fascinating to watch, and luckily the strong wind had dropped. If it had not been for the helicopters flying it would have been the most peaceful morning. Walking on the beach we watched three dolphins gliding through the calm waters, absolutely idyllic. Our thanks to all the helicopter pilots, firemen, police and other personnel on duty.
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| 18 January 2006 |
Jaguar selected the Lanzerac Estate just outside Stellenbosch for the international launch of its new Jaguar XK150. It is a magnificent looking car, again making Jaguar a desirable vehicle to own! To add interest to the launch, owners of previous Jaguar models were asked whether their cars would be available for display during this significant event. Chris' XK120 was the oldest car on display - the white one in the picture - it still looks absolutely fabulous, at least we think so - and we still use it regularly to enjoy our beautiful corniche on the Atlantic!
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| 5 January 2006 |
Cape Town is the first stopping point in the Volvo Ocean Race that started in Saxenxo in Spain and ends in Gothenburg in Sweden - the home of Volvo. This year, seven of these super racing yachts are competing, all being identical, so the results depend on the skill of the skipper and the crew. During their month long stay in Cape Town a race took place in Table Bay in gale force winds, making it really difficult to manoeuvre. The stopover also gave the crew the opportunity to make some repairs and relax. What better place to do that than in the V&A Waterfront looking up to Table Mountain? On the 2 January the fleet was off with beautiful weather, just a breeze to send them on their way. We will follow their progress with great interest and wish them safe sailing! The race schedule is:
| Race Leg | # | Start Date | End Date | Distance |
| VIGO - CAPE TOWN | 1 | 12-Nov-05 | 02-Dec-05 | 6,400 nm |
| CAPE TOWN - MELBOURNE | 2 | 02-Jan-06 | 16-Jan-06 | 6,100 nm |
| MELBOURNE - WELLINGTON | 3 | 12-Feb-06 | 16-Feb-06 | 1,450 nm |
| WELLINGTON - RIO DE JANEIRO | 4 | 19-Feb-06 | 07-Mar-06 | 6,700 nm |
| RIO DE JANEIRO - BALTIMORE | 5 | 02-Apr-06 | 17-Apr-06 | 5,000 nm |
| BALTIMORE - NEW YORK | 6 | 07-May-06 | 08-May-06 | 400 nm |
| NEW YORK - PORTSMOUTH | 7 | 11-May-06 | 19-May-06 | 3,200 nm |
| PORTSMOUTH - ROTTERDAM | 8 | 02-Jun-06 | 07-Jun-06 | 1,500 nm |
| ROTTERDAM - GOTHENBURG | 9 | 15-Jun-06 | 17-Jun-06 | 500 nm |
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| 1 January 2006 |
We wish all our friends and guests the very best for 2006 - as you can see we got the year off to a great start with plenty of good Cape wine! |
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| Archived News |
This is where we keep all the old news. The file is getting quite big so may take some time to download!
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