Friday 10 February 2012

Africa revisited...

I am glad that you enjoyed the trip to the Game reserve when we were in South Africa.   Mary and I do enjoy South Africa very much and another holiday we had was one when we stayed in Cape Town. This really is a lovely city which is dominated by the famous Table Mountain, take the cable car to the top,  where there are stunning 360degree views across Table Bay, the Cape Flats and back across the chain of mountains making up Table Mountain. We then descended and drove through city, the tour guide pointing sites of historical and architectural significance, including the oldest building in South Africa, built in 1666, the Castle of Good Hope. We then continue to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens which are famous for winning flower shows around the world. These gardens are especially lovely and they also had a very good place to eat....most important !!.... as usual there was a very tempting shop as well  !
Later we head down to Hout Bay for a boat trip to view Cape Fur seals on Duiker Island. The seals I must say are a rather smelly bunch !!  we had an opportunity to visit Robin Island where Nelson Mandela was help prisoner for so many years but we decided to give that a miss.

No visit to Cape Town is complete without a visit to the Cape of Good Hope Reserve down the Peninsula, which the famous navigator Drake said it was "the most beautiful Cape in whole circumference of the world", stopping at the Penguin colony in False Bay and also at Cape Point in the reserve, where we take a funicular ride to the Old Lighthouse, built in 1860. We return via the famous Chapman's Peak Drive,  which curves around the edge of the mountain carved out where granite and sandstone meet. This is a breathtaking experience of mountain and sea-scape's. There are many wild goats, sheep etc in the reserve as well as the baboons...they are a real pest if anyone gives them half a chance they are off with your handbag, wallet, whatever ...I did not stop long enough to be accosted by them !!!.

Another day a visit to the winelands area of Stellenbosch which is synonymous with South African wine industry, was on our "to do list"   Franschhoek and Paarl were the first two areas we stopped at for a wine taste then it was on to. Stellenbosch it houses the largest Uni. in the Cape being the second area to be established after Cape Town, back in 1679. It has saved most of its original architecture and we visit the Period House museum with antiques of each period and style of house dating from 1690 - 1850's. We stopped again for wine tastings as well in each town/village... It was a VERY MERRY trip !!! 

So there you have it two different views of South Africa...

We have had a good week here in Box. The snow came last weekend and although it kept us in over the weekend by Monday it had all gone and my pal Pam was able to get over for her usual weekly visit. and in the afternoon we had our Wesley Guild meeting and despite the cold we had a good many members turn up. This week we had an elderly couple come to give us an update on charity work that their daughter does on the small island of Dominica (not to be confused with the other Dominica the large island in the Caribbean)
with the help of some of our guild members and many more people they are able to send much needed things over there by ship. The gueest Banana boat company have been very good at transporting things for us for many years now..
Wednesday Mary and I went into Bath to the theatre we had vouchers and money gifts at Xmas and we used them to book a few shows. This week it was  The Calender Girls...perhaps my US friends might not know of the Calender Girls they were a group of ladies belonging to an organisation called The Woman's Institute who had to think up ways of raising money for charity,,,they came up with the ...for them...shocking idea of doing a nude calender. Of course it had to be all done with the utmost discretion...and despite a great deal of opposition they did it.  Having written that down it gives no real clue to the hilarious play that it was, the acting was wonderful I had tears running down my cheeks with laughter !!!  (The actual Calender Girls has been made into a film as well as the stage play if you ever get the chance to see it please do)
Now this morning we awoke to another fall of snow, again it is not lying to thickly indeed by this afternoon it has almost gone and certainly the roads are clear, our only fear now is if we get the hard frost forecast any wet on the roads will freeze so it will be icy in the morning.  We will wait and see...
So there we are friends another glance at what Mary and I get up to both here and abroad !!
Remember  to  LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

12 comments:

  1. lovely to hear of your adventures as always.thanks for your comments on group,always appreciated.you mind that ice,i just checked the greenhouse max/min,not theres anything growing in it,just as well,minus3.and thats under glass.chilly.you tc,love mort xxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. You have had some wonderful adventures. I always love hearing about your travels. And I like to hear what you have been doing recently too. We are to have some snow coming in tonight that may just keep me indoors most of the weekend. I was out today and stocked up on some groceries just in case. We've been having a mild winter that I shouldn't complain at all. It isn't unusual for us to have a big snowfall close to Valentines Day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Sybil,loved reading the second half of your S.African trip.A great time was had by you and Mary by the sound of things.The Calendar Girls are funny I agree,so pleased you enjoyed the show.It's good to have a laugh is it not?.It was like glass everywhere here yesterday,bitter this morning too.ENJOY your week/end Sybil and if you do go out,wrap up warm.Love you.Take Care God Bless Kath xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love your remembrances of your trip to Cape Town Sybil! You do get around! We have had no snow yet, but that is not unusual for here as we are somewhat sheltered by the Welsh Hills. It has been quite cold though, but that is winter! I am looking forward to spring, although iin truth we haven't really had that bad a winter. Temps for the most part have been quite mild! I hate it when it gets really cold though because my freezer, which is in the shed next to the back door, freezes shut, and I can't open it. So much food and I can't get to any of it. Most annoying! xxoo

    ReplyDelete
  5. PS - I loved the film Calendar Girls!

    ReplyDelete
  6. i wish i had been with you...you have so much fun and enjoy yourself so much. your tales of your trips are amusing, interesting and educational. keep them coming.....hugs.
    regina

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi! Sybil

    Your travel posts are always so interesting, you do get around!

    Lovely heading picture too.....

    We had snow last weekend, and again this thursday,just a covering now, -4 here last night. I'm not allowed out on my own yet, still recovering.

    Take care

    Aileen...X

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sybil what a interesting life you and Mary have....love you writing us about your travels.
    I was sitting here wishing I had been with you too. Especially the wine tasting. hahaha
    Seriously I love you writing about your travels and life. I think I am living through you these days.
    Hope you don't have ice when you wake up in the morning.
    Calendar Girls is top on my list for favorite movies. I wish I had a copy of it to watch right now. It is too cold and damp here today to be out working on the North Forty so that movie would certainly be great to have on hand today.
    When I first met you on here I thought of that movie. I could just see you and Mary in it. Laughing the whole time you were posing behind some fruit. hahahaha
    No snow here but it will be in the twenties tonight which we have not had in a while. Thank goodness our winter was not as hard as last year.
    Guess I should quit writing but I always love my visits by here.
    Keep writing Sybil
    Love ya
    Maggie

    ReplyDelete
  9. I never traveled much. When I was younger, I was alway too busy working and had the money......now that I'm retired, I have the time but not the money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Thank you for allowing me to travel thru your writings in your blog.

    Hugs, Rose

    ReplyDelete
  10. My beautiful Sybil!!!!! HUGS being sent your way! I successfully got into my own BLOG! YAY! Enjoying the beautiful postcard you sent of Bath. Hoping to get more postcards from you! You are so blessed and I am so blessed to have met you through my blog. XOXO

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dear Sybil,
    I will probably never get to Africa so thanks for the insight. How nice that you have been to such exotic places.

    Did you say that you are planning to join "The Calendar Girls" on their next photo shoot?? HaHa

    Be really careful if you are driving out on icy roads. I know first hand how terrible that can be. Take care and have a good week. Hugs, Lura

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi honey
    Sitting here this evening thinking about you. I hope your having a lovely weekend. How is the weather there? It turned cold again today but should warm up again soon.
    I do have my younger brother to help me with the trees. He is the one that went through the cancer treatments. Actually he just called me a few minutes ago and said he would be out here tomorrow morning to work on them but it might be to cold for me to help him. lol
    I wish I were there to visit with you now
    Instead I will just have to visit with you via internet
    Love
    Maggie

    ReplyDelete