Snippets from the Cape ..

Tuesday - I have been trying to finish this post since Sunday! Have been busy since our return from our trip to the Cape. Choosing a few photos was very difficult as we seemed to be on the go the whole time .. and it was suppose to have been a relaxing few days away !

So here are just a few photos .. I shall do separate posts on some of the places we visited as they are worth sharing in more detail

This old fellow is one of the resident tortoises at the Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town

...which has a stunning view from the front patio which is part of the original building built in 1800 ...

... a large lush garden ...

... interesting corridors (in the newer part of the hotel) as though one was looking through mirrors ...

... and a dining area set out in rows ..

We strolled around the beautiful Kirstenbosch Gardens filled with indigenous plants .. (Kirstenbosch Gardens are the representatives every year at the Chelsea Flower Show in London and all the plant specimens come from these gardens) ...

The Cycads are amazing ...... some are huge in height and width !!

Wine estates in the Constantia Valley were another stop but being a Sunday some were closed like this one - Buitenverwachting ..

Hubby and I then spent some time in Stellenbosch whilst staying at the Erinvale Estate Hotel .. quite different from the Vineyard but equally as comfortable. From the vast picture window of the Vineyard hotel room, our Erinvale room was quaint !! ...

The buildings are also very old but I couldn't get any info from the chappie at the front desk. He just said it was 'steeped in history' and used to belong to 'an Irish guy' !!! I am hoping I have set him a task by telling him that there must more people like me who are interested in the history of a place !!

Strolling through the courtyard we came across a these cuties huddled in the morning sunshine ...

Morgenster Wine Estate is close by ..... soooo naturally we popped in for a tasting !!! We've been there before but it's well worth a second visit .. or third ... or .... !!!

Something different was the olive oils and olive tastings. Found the oil tasting quite weird as I had to warm the little glass in the palm of my hand and sip the oil! I managed ... actually it wasn't that bad .. I certainly got the flavours but the third one was a white truffle essence oil ... oh yuk!! The smell was fowl and the taste even worse!!! Apparently the overseas visitors love it and often buy bottles of the stuff to take back home !

Back to wine tasting ... this time a gem of a place ... Hidden Valley

... and whilst in the Hermanus area we popped into the old farm building of the Hamilton Russell vineyards. Took Hubby's Mum for a change of scenery from the Old Aged Home where she now lives .. well into her 80's, she is looking well but getting frail

Picnic anyone? ... Well worth a visit is the Franschhoek Motor Museum which is well signposted on the main road to Franschhoek ...

.. where there is a magnificent personal collection of about 350 cars spanning 100 years, of which 80 are displayed at any one time (they rotate the cars all the time so all can be viewed if you keep popping in to the museum) - we'll definitely be back - it was amazing (shall do a separate post on this outstanding museum) ...

A little wine tasting at La Motte in Franschhoek ..

... where I could peep into an oak wine vat ..

A Bistro lunch on the main street in Franschhoek which was bustling with tourists but I managed to captured these three tables at a moment when no-one was there ...

Perfect setting for a snack lunch ... beautiful mountains and buskers' music!!

Must add this ... that's one HUGE plane!!! It had just landed at OR Tambo airport ... I don't know what it's called but hubby says it holds about 600 passengers or so!! It's mighty large !!

And finally .. from the window of our 'ordinary' aeroplane ... the gorgeous False Bay with part of Strand Beach and mountains passed Gordons Bay up the coast ... the coastline where my Dad's ashes are scattered ...

Spent a little time with my Mum .... she didn't know me this time :(

I felt a little sad ...

... when hubby and I visited this vast warehouse called Just Africa at Hartbeespoort Dam over the New Year's weekend ...

.. and saw all the animal skins made up as furniture items, rugs etc and then just the 'simple' skins lying on the floor for sale ... mainly to tourists who visit our beautiful country. Apparently the Zebra skin is the favourite ...

The skins were piled high in places ...

... some with visible bullet holes .. as in this Springbok skin (those small dotted dents)

Now .. this made me even sadder ... the taxidermist area ... :(

(I'm not sure why there are two bears there ... we do not have bears in this part of the world! )

... the leopard brought tears to my eyes ...

Then we went onto a huge African art, curio and artefacts warehouse ...

... with stalls overflowing with goods ...

... including colourful beadwork ...

... ostrich eggs ...

... and interesting woodwork... loved these candle holders!!!

I know there has to be culling of over-populated animals but seeing all those skins, stuffed animals and heads saddened me

Giraffe day ...

Yesterday was 'Giraffe Day' .... according to Janet and Firefly !!

So here are my contributions .... baby giraffes taken on an early morning game drive two years ago! Shocking .. that's the last time we went to a Game Park!! Hubby took these photos

Weekly Winners : 21 - 27 June

" Hello ... all you big people out there ...

... my name is Schnappe ... I am a miniture daschund ....

.. and I went with my new mommy and daddy to watch rugby between the British/Irish Lions and Springboks to their friend's parent's house.

My-new-mommy's friend's mom took photos of me .. 'cos I'm really very cute and am only 6 weeks old so I showed her my adorable little paws ...

... and my perky black tail to compliment my new winter outfit ....

.. and look at my cheeks wrinkle when I eat my yummy food ...

.. grrrr ... I can growl and pull on the camera strap ....


... what's that you say ? ...

... oh yes ... most definitely ... I am soooo cute, aren't I?

Luv and wuffs from ...............

Schnappe "

"PS .. my-new-mommy's friend's Mom said that she has had a very bad dose of flu and these are the only photos she has taken this week."

Have a look at more Weekly Winners here at Lotus' blog

Wordless Wednesday :

Mabula Private Game Reserve, Bela Bela, Limpopo, South Africa - May 2007

Lovely photos of this magnificent game reserve - http://www.mabula.com/

and more info - www.sa-venues.com/visit/mabulagamereserve

For more Wordless Wednesday contributions go here