Saturday 5th January - Wine Route

Left at 9.30 to visit the Woodstock Saturday market and the section Neighbourgoods Market selling fresh local produce, clothing and foods. It was very crowded and not Ed's sort of thing although the samosas stall was right up his street. We bought a picnic of ciabatta, amazing rocket & walnut pesto, ginger, halva and forest raw honeys (what is 'raw' honey?), cheese and a pot of basil.

We then drove up the N1 turning off at the R304 towards Stellenbosch. The views of the vineyards and mountains were stunning. Our first stop was Simonsig as we needed to replenish our supply of bubbly. Although we knew what we wanted, we decided to have a wine tasting, Mike was the designated driver, so Ed, Nic and I paid for the tasting. We were each allowed to taste 5 wines so we each chose a different 5 meaning we got to try 15! Bought our case of Kaapse Vonkel.

As we were walking back to the car, my sandal broke so I had to do the rest of the tour barefoot. This being SA, though, I did not get any funny looks walking into the posh tasting rooms with no shoes.

Mike decided our picnic could be eaten for supper as he wanted us to try the best burgers ever. We drove to Beyerskloof vineyard on the R304 and sat on the verandah of their Red Leaf restaurant. It was a baking hot day but they had cold mist sprays which kept the air cool. The views, as you can see from the photo, were stunning. We all had the pinotage soaked burgers. Mike was right, they are the best.

Two more vineyards were visited en route - Alto where we bought delicious red wines and Avontuur for an amazing 10 year old brandy.

The day ended perfectly with our picnic on the balcony - accompanied by wine, of course.

Days 10 & 11 - Tuesday 1st & Wednesday 2nd January 2008

Our last day in Wilderness.

Last walks on the beach, last playing in the sea for the 'boys'. It is such a beautiful area and heart breaking to leave. In the afternoon, Ed, Mike, Nic and I went over to Chareen and Craig's for a birthday tea in Craig's honour. When we arrived, Erin was playing in the road with her friends and informed us, in no uncertain words, that we were LATE.

The tea party was downstairs overlooking one of the greens. Chareen was, as ever, a great hostess. The cakes on offer definitely did not come from the Weight Watchers' cook book! Delicious and great company.

Goodbyes to the Bartrums in the evening were not sad, as they usually are, since we knew we would be meeting up again at Chad's and then Eddy's races.

We set off around 10.30 on Wednesday. The day was overcast and there was quite a bit of rain from time to time along the road. We pooled the cash left and had enough for fuel and also, of course, the pie shop. Arrived home around 4 pm. Decided it was still our holidays so went out to eat in the evening.

Day 9 - Monday 31st January

It’s Monday and Ed’s gone to check out some car buddies so I’ve got the laptop for a while so I’m going to get on with my blog ‘catch up’ while listening to the A Century of Jazz album. Now where were we – oh yes New Year’s Eve.

I was up early as I was going to be Mim’s helper at the craft market at Sedgefield. She picked me up at 6.30 in her little white van laden with her goodies. When we arrived, there were only two other stall holders there. This was an additional market laid on as it was New Year’s Eve and Mim was not sure if there would be enough stalls to attract the punters so she said we’d get a cup of coffee and toast while we waited to see if it was worth setting up the stall. The market was opening at 10 and stall holders dribbled in. We only decided to stay at 20 to ten when we set about putting up the stall and displaying the jewellery. Our spot was one of the few shady ones between two trees.

The market was not very busy but Mim was happy with her sales. It was great just to have the time together for the two of us to catch up on what was going on with our friends and family and to reminisce and laugh about the old days.

The market finished at one and we packed up and headed back to Wilderness where Mim dropped me at our flat and headed home.

Pat had left in the morning to go back to Cape Town and Ed, Mike, Nic and I were joining the rest of the family at Pete & Mim’s. We drove instead of walking as we had loads of bubbly as well as red and white wine to take to the party.

Masses of food, booze and chat. We all set up our laptops and swapped photos. So busy doing this that Nic and I did not take any photos that evening but, with a bit of luck, Heather or Sandy did, so there may be a photo or two uploaded later.

After Auld Lang Syne and the Happy New Years, we stayed about another half an hour. My brothers and theirs are obviously made of sterner stuff as I heard they made it to 3.30!

Day 8 - Sunday 30th December

Mim was 'marketing' again as there was a Sunday Craft Market on the community ground opposite our flat in Wilderness. It was a baking hot day so all visitors were out and about. Went to church and then joined Ed and Pat looking around the market. The guys bought pancakes and cokes for breakfast - can't remember what I had with my coffee.
At 11.30 Pete, Sandy and Warren picked us up for a visit to the local 'Big Tree'. We took two cars and drove up the mountains to the Wilderness National Park.
What a delight to be in the shade of the forest of indigenous trees and out of the sun. The 800 year old giant yellow wood tree was awesome - makes one realise just how small we are in this universe and how short a time human beings have when compared to trees and other flora.
There is a wonderful woodland walk marked and we followed the circular footpath which returned us to the big tree. A few metres away were picnic benches where we sat whilst Sandy and Warren went back to the car to fetch the picnic Pete had put together. (One of the pleasures of not being one of the 'young ones' any more, is that we can relax while they do the work!). There was enough food for the 5000. Delicious!
Afterwards we drove the back roads through the forests to the beach at Swartvlei Lake. Ed and Pat went for a beach walk whilst the rest of us had a swim in the sea then laid on the beach before heading back.
That evening we got together with Mike & Heather and their lot at the Kwelanga Country Retreat for a braai.
It was a bit cool and I did not stay long in the pool. The weather did not seem to effect Chad, Trent & Mike who played in the pool (an excuse for wrestling which I have noticed that boys never grow out of no matter their age).
M & H had organised for the restaurant to supply the salads and a huge fruit salad for afters. We had barbecued prawns and meat and, of course, wine. The evening finished with Irish whiskeys around a fire on the patio.

Day 7 - Saturday 29th December

Mim was working at the market in Sedgefield and we had all intended going for breakfast there. The guys, however, were all sound asleep as they had returned late last night or, rather, early in the morning. Nic and I went on our own and after strolling through the food market, Wild Oats, decided on fresh strawberries and coffee for breakfast. Strolled around the stalls and said hi to Mim then went home. The men were just getting up.
It was a gorgeous sunny day; a day for walking on the beach, swimming, boys (Warren, Mike & Trent) surfing and sunbathing.
In the evening the whole family met up at backpackers to watch the sunset and eat pizza baked on the out door oven.


Watch your pizza Trent!

On the way there we spotted a large number of dassies in the bush.

Day 6 - Friday 28th December

On Saturday, Ed, Patrick, Nicola and I took a 45 minute walk along the beach from Wilderness to the Wilderness Beach Hotel where we climbed the many steps up the cliff to the hotel and watched the paragliders for a while before popping into the pub to quench our thirst then back along the beach again. On the way back, Nic and I collected some lovely shells which could be made into pendants. In fact, one actually had a tiny hole in it and Nic hung it on her chain. It looks beautiful.
In the evening, Mike, Trent, Ed and Patrick went to play night golf at Fancourt Golf club with Craig. They started with cocktails and then Mike, Trent and Craig went to play and ed & Pat were in one golf buggy and Chareen and her friend went in another. Apparently the ball they hit flashes so they can track it and there is a light on the flag at the hole and two lights on the ground. They can see nothing between the tee and the hole. Great fun. They got in around 1 a.m.
Nic and I had a more sedate but equally enjoyable evening. We joined Pete and Mim at the night market in Milkwood Village, Wilderness. Sandy and some of her friends were there too. There was live music in the delightful square and we sat at a table and drank wine and shared a platter of starters.

Day 5 - Thursday 27th December

Checked with the family then booked a dinner at Track 29 in Wilderness for all 15 of us after persuading Robert to take the larger than normal number.
We enjoyed a drink of sherry on the station platform before sitting down to a sumptuous feast! The menu was as follows:

• Ice breaker: Kwaaimans 5 year old white sherry.
• Starter: Roasted beetroot with strawberry, balsamic and black pepper accompanied by Hill and Dale Merlot Rose
• Intermediary: Chive crusted tuna with an asparagus and artichoke salad accompanied by Slanghoek Sauvignon Blanc
• Sorbet: Lemon sorbet
• Main: Braised rolled stuffed pork bell with Thai brocolli spears, brandied apricots and vanilla mashed potatoes accompanied by Ashanti Shiraz
• Dessert: Champagne jelly with summer berries accompanied by Rooiberg Brut MCC
• Rounded off with Mooiuitzicht invalid special reserve port

Robert's wife Sandra was the amazing chef. The price, including wine, was R280 per person and without wine R180 per person. The menu changes according to what is in season and available. I would definitely go again.

Day 4 - Boxing Day

I woke early so walked to Pete & Mim's to collect the car. Only Mim was awake having a coffee in the kitchen. Did not stay as we had to be at George airport by 9.15 to say goodbye to Mom and Mik and Ray who were flying back to Durban. Stopped on the way back at the mall in George for breakfast.

Pat arrived around midday. Ed had gone with Mike to watch him surfing at Victoria Bay. That evening we had a braai on the balcony and talked about the old times.

In the evening, we decided to walk to the local backpackers as we had heard that the views were stunning. We thought we were lost and decided to have a coffee at what was the old station but now appeared to be a cafe or restaurant. It was called track 29 but the owner said it was only a restaurant now serving dinners to a maximum of 12 people. He directed us to the backpackers. We manoeuvred the mud puddles (it had finally stopped raining today but there was still alot of water about) and finally got there. Sandy was there with a lot of her friends and we had a few drinks. The views were great.

Days 2 and 3 Christmas celebrations

On Christmas eve it was overcast, drizzly & cool. I had not reckoned on this in midsummer and only had a cardi with short sleeves so I wore my multi-coloured water proof all day! We all met up at Leila's in George for lunch. We being the four of us, Ed's mom, Mik & Ray, Chareen and family and Saskia and family. Leila's being an old house on a permaculture farm where the food was freshly cooked as we were ready to eat. We took our own wine and bought soft drinks for those who wanted them. The delicious 3 course meal cost R150 per person.

While we were enjoying our meal, two couples came who also wanted to eat but as the place was fully booked (can only take about 24 people), they were ushered into the adjacent bedroom where each couple sat on one of the two single beds and a table for the meal was put between the beds!

It was a unique experience and the food was great. Much fun and laughter was shared.
After our meal, Chareen and Craig treated us all to tea at the golf course club house. A lovely day.

Christmas morning after church, we drove the short distance to Pete and Mim’s for breakfast at 10. And what a breakfast! Smoked salmon, baked ham and wonderful bread not forgetting the bubbly with some of us drinking black velvets and others, bucks fizz.

The only ones, sadly, missing from our immediate families were Sean, Lynda and Senna and Terry, Traer and Nya. Also there were Esme and her daughter, Candice. We had done a secret Santa with each person only having to buy a present for one person and nobody knowing who had given the present. We exchanged gifts after breakfast amid a lot of hilarity.

Dinner was not served until 4 as we enjoyed breakfast a bit too much. What a feast it was. It was as if Pete, Mim, Warren and Sandy had been cooking all week. Two chickens, each with a different stuffing and lamb with garlic and rosemary all cooked on the braai plus an assortment of salads and veg that were out of this world. Then there was the pud and brandy custard, pavlova and trifle.

Mike conducted a general knowledge quiz of the “oldies” versus the “young ‘uns”. I am pleased to report that the winners were the oldies!

It was a lovely day for catching up on news and just enjoying each others’ company.

We left the car there and walked home as we had all been enjoying the array of bubbly and wines.

Day 1 of trip to George and Wilderness

Have been for an early (well for Saturday, early) walk, read the papers, lounged in the pool with my book so maybe now is the time to get on and update the neglected blog.

On Sunday 23^rd we set off for our trip up the garden route. Started off slowly as we had to stop a couple of times to secure the boogie and surf boards on the roof. Eventually we stopped at a service station and bought some rope which did the trick. The drive is so beautiful with the mountains to our left and fields to our right. The route pass lots of ostrich and some sheep as well as arable farms. We stopped in Riversonderend to buy pies for breakfast. These are the best pies I have ever tasted – the pastry is to die for. After a loo break we were on our way again. Stopped for a coffee at an Aloe Vera padstal.

Arrived in George around 2 and went to Chareen & Craigs for tea and Christmas cake. All the family were there - Mom, Mik, Ray, Saskia, Andrew, Lara, Matthew, Chareen, Craig, Rhett, Erin and Erin's two Scots friends. Great to see everyone together again. Chareen’s home on Fancourt golf complex is stunning (Rose would love it!)

After tea, tour of the house and discussion of arrangements for the following day’s Christmas Eve lunch we set off the short distance to Wilderness calling in at the agent’s to pick up our apartment keys and then straight to Pete and Mim’s. Another happy reunion. Whispering Leaves is the apt name of their beautiful new home. After tea and a brief discussion of plans for the coming days, we went to our apartment at L’Azur which was to be our home for the next 8 days.

We were all delighted with the 2 bed roomed apartment with balcony which included a built-in barbecue and stunning views of the sea. (Much to Ed and Mike’s delight, the lounge featured a huge flat screen TV on one wall).

We unpacked, freshened up and drove up to Kwelanga Country Retreat at Pacaltsdaorp east of George where Mike, Heather, Trent, Chad & Che were staying to join them for a superb dinner. What a gorgeous location with views across fields where a couple of wildebeest and a baby wildebeest and a buck were grazing over to the ocean.