Trip to The Aquarium

The Tereo home for children with no homes or very unstable homes, now has 8 children living there, it is running well and they are reasonably well funded for the necessities. However trips out, that most children enjoy with their families, for the Tereo children are usually ones that are inexpensive ,like days out to the beach etc. So for a treat we went to the Aquarium.

Little Keenan is always smiling and Celeste wanted her picture taken in her new outfit!

The exchange rate is so favourable at the present ,it did mean that we were able to pay, from the various gifts of money we brought over ,for the children and the house parents to enjoy an outing to the Two Oceans at Cape Town waterfront aquarium. They loved it! they also were able to have spending money for treats or sweets. It was really special to see them enjoying what other kids are able to take for granted!

Heather and Arthur are here

Tempus Fugit!!!

Where have ten weeks gone? it is hard to believe that in less than two we are due to fly home.

We have enjoyed all our visitors, Sister Heather and Arthur are here now

and we had a great stay at Plettenburg Bay and then on the way home we spent a day at Avalon Springs resort where we enjoyed the natural hotsprings that flow from the mountain.

On our travels we saw lots of baboons on the roads that were off the beaten track!

Love from
Di and Paul

Be careful what you wish for!

They said they wished they could stay longer, but we took them to the airport anyway, only to find the plane had technical problems and could not fly, the new part could only be flown in today, they were taken off the aircraft in the early hours and after spending a night at the airport, we rescued them this morning .At least they have had another day in the sun!!

Love from
Di and Paul

Our friends are homeward bound

Before our friends time ran out we took them to see two of the charities we support out here, the feeding scheme and Creche at Sir Lowry's pass village.

T

We then went out to celebrate Maureen's birthday in a swish restaurant overlooking the bay. It was a super evening we were joined by other friends as well .

Now all good things must come to an end and everyone is busy packing

Love from
Di and Paul

Days out with our friends

The Waterfront at Cape Town is always a favourite.

Brandy tasting after a tour around the Distillary.

This was one of the sculptures at The Wine Farm we visited and in no way does it represent anyones head after the wine tasting!!!!

More Sculptures and flowers.

That was last week , this week we have driven to Plettenberg Bay for a few days, to see the beautiful Garden Route and back through Oudtshoorn which was the ostrich capital of the world in the early 1900s when no self respecting girl would be seen without her feather boa!
Not much to look forward to, ending up as a feather duster!!

Love from
Di and Paul

Look what the tide washed up!!!

Well our visitors arrived a bit shell shocked by the long journey but with amazing powers of recovery and a good nights sleep, much refreshed this morning.

Even more so after a paddle along the beach.

Love from
Di and Paul

Cape Town

Last week we spent a couple of days in Cape Town, because two nights in The Lady Hamiliton Hotel were thrown in by e-bookers when we booked our flight tickets with them. The hotel is situated in The Gardens area, right by Mount Nelson Hotel, and with a superb view of Table Mountain.

It was great to be able to walk around and leave the car behind - especially as this also allowed us to see some places that are more easily accessible on foot.

The flower market is a sight for sore eyes!

And even buying a solitary egg meant destroying a layout that really was a work of beauty

Tonight we have our three lady visitors arriving. Paul is a bit concerned about the forthcoming Valentines Day as there will then be four of us to look after!! ( But he'll cope - Paul )

Love from
Di and Paul

Phew it's been hot!

Sunday January 26th

We have heard all about your cold snap, so just to be in vogue I will tell you about our hot days. Temperatures have been 38 0r 39 by 11am, only cooling by evening and then to mid 20s so just for a few nights sleep was a hot and sweaty experience! It is calmed down now and is back at around 30 degrees.


There were a lot of bush fires. So we have taken it easy this week .




We have had several e-mails and phone calls and people say they cannot get a comment on the blog, well if you run the mouse over the line at the bottom of the report where it gives the date and then says how many comments linked to this post, the pointer should change to a hand and if you click on that word comments then a page should open which directs you.





Oh modern technlogy has a lot going for it - we have just seen and spoken to Zoe and Megan over the webcam (and Colin and Clare of course) and earlier we were gurgled at by Charlie with his Mum, although Charlie did grab the keyboard and type in a message himself , which lost us contact for a short time! (wonder what he typed)!!!




Paul has been taking some local flower pictures and is adding them to this.



Love from
Di and Paul

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

Because we want to show our friends as much as possible we have been out and about much more than usual. The botanical gardens, built on the slopes of Table Mountain, are one of the jewels in Cape Town's crown and we spent a day there in these beautiful surroundings.

Cape Town lies under the Mountain known as Devil's Peak.

All the plants and flowers are indigenous. A picture says a thousand words so here are several thousand words on the subject! ( By the way if you click on the photos they will enlarge on your screen ).







It was a hot day, so we wandered around in the dell.




Our friends went up the cable car to the top of Table Mountain, but as we have been up before, we went to see the sunset from Signal Hill. While we were there a flock of wild guinea fowl came to see if there were any crumbs.



The sun went behind the clouds before it set but the sea and sky looked beautiful anyway.



Love from
Di and Paul

Last Friday we took our friends to the Van Ryn Brandy Distillery to see how brandy is made, this was very interesting and in the cellars where the brandy is stored for 5, 12 or 20 years the brandy evaporates and fumes fill the air. The amount lost is called "the Angels Share" - we all felt a bit tipsy just breathing it in!

As we were on the subject we then went to a wine farm and did some wine tasting, it was a very old and beautiful estate and weddings are now held in the grounds.




There is a labyrinth in the grounds , built on the design of the one in Chartres Cathedral and the idea is that as you walk round the pathways in the beauty of the mountains and gardens you concentrate on God. However I confess to getting the giggles seeing Pat and Gordon and Richard walking round with me bringing up the rear!!!



At lunchtime we went to a new restaurant which is housed in an old corner shop and is very rustic, featuring a return to the 50's , with some old fifties style genuine kitchen equipment!









The writing was on the wall......... it was the Menu!














But the food was very good.



After that we had a fairly quiet weekend.

Love from
Di and Paul

Afternoon Tea at The Mount Nelson Hotel

We spent a morning visiting the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town, where Gordon had a happy time investigating the Military Museums, and Paul decided the sentry box was only for very slender guards.













Then we went on to The Mount Nelson Hotel ( fondly known by many as The Nelly ) for afternoon tea.

We sat in the magnificent gardens until 2 30pm, when we were invited to a table in the lounge and there set out before us was a most sumptuous spread, tiny sandwiches, savoury quiches, scones, cakes large and small of every description, and big bowls of strawberries, fruit salad and blueberries.

Of course, none of us had much because of our diets!!!!!! Actually we thought it would be churlish not to tuck in after they had gone to so much trouble. There was a choice of five different types of teas and coffee, with fresh pots being brought to us throughout.

After we really could eat no more we retired back into the garden in the shade with our last cups of tea . It was a big treat! Michael Winner, in his newspaper column, has pronounced this " the Best Afternoon Tea in the World!!!"

Afterwards we had to go for a long walk on the beach to walk it off!

Love from
Di and Paul