Franshhoek.

Driving to Franshhoek was easy and only an hour from Cape Town. It is a dream driving here.The countryside is spotless , vast broad plains ringed by towering scraggy mountains . The are studd farms and cattle farms with huge amounts of cows. Impeccable gardens and of course the wineries. Yeah! "It's time for lunch , let's just pull into this one here , "Allee  Bleue Winery " a small restaurant in a lodge  , painted white and blue, Dutch style, it was to oneside of the entrance to a long wide driveway bordered with the talest eucalyptus trees . Lunch, Presentation A1 , service A1, 3 salads each one a picture in its own right. A bottle of Rose wine. We paid around £25 for 3!you know it makes sense.We walked around the estate and ended up in the shop. Franco asked which was their most expensive wine. Believe it or not it was a red wine called "True Love" . It was valentines day. He bought a bottle, the price? 167 Rand. About £10 , we cooked steaks at home and the between the three of us we finished the bottle, it was sooooo good.

Bye Bye Cape Town

We have had a wonderful time here. The whole place was an incredible surprise. It is difficult to say exactly what we expected but the overall impressions are of a very friendly , clean city, extremely warm people, we have been sensible and followed instructions regarding going out at night , we all agree we have never felt ill at ease or threatened in any way. We have eaten fantastic food in beautiful restaurants and the service is so good ( albeit sometimes on African time).
In 9 days we have done so many brilliant things. We have relived through the eyes of our guides, who themselves really did live through those terrible times and appalling events,the disgrace that was Apartheid, we have been unexpectedly moved close to tears on two occasions.
We started on the Hop on Hop off bus which I have already mentioned.
Day two we visited the District Six Museum. An enlightening and jarring initiation to the history of Apartheid . I disitnctly remember as a child discussions at home which arose from articles in the morning newspaper. I remember as clear as day when I was trying to get my Equity Card ( the Actors and Dancers Union ) I signed a section to say I would not perform in South Africa as long as Apartheid existed. Do "Google" District Six and read about it. Wikipedia also has an excellent section.Our Muslim guide ( who, by the by, used to sing on Sunday mornings at the Christian church) and his family who were driven out of their home back in 1965,have been given a new property in the District Six area which is supposed to be being returned to its former owners. However this area is in central Cape Town it is prime real estate. Need I say more. Nelson Mandela started the initiative to return the land to any previous resident who could prove with documents and land registration papers that they had owned property there, however ,since his death progress on this has slowed down,most of the area remains a barren scar on the landscape.
We went up Table Mountain, SPECTACULAR! The view, the silence, the space, it leaves you quite speechless.
We drove down to The Cape of Good Hope and watched the collision of two Oceans the Atlantic and the Indian, once again nature at her stunning powerful best.
We watched the penguins on Boulders beach. Watched the surfers in Musenburg and got stuck in horrendous traffic on the our return journey. "Yeah ! Tough " I can hear your thoughts.

Early days

Cape Town .

First feelings about this holiday? " Peter, we all wish you were with us" however your news is very encouraging and that you are getting released from the clutches of the NHS gives us a reason ( as if we needed one) to tryout the wonderful South African wine and raise our glasses to your continued recovery.

Yesterday after an overnight flight we were pretty bleary eyed and thick headed as we walked the mile from the plane to passport control, we did not have to wait and once through customs we met our driver "welcome to Cape Town.Please give me your cases" big beaming smile .

"Mrs Jones, do you have a case?"

OMG

"Where 's my case?"

Yes indeed where is her case, it is back INSIDE the customs hall by the American Express desk.

Easy, just retrace your steps back through the EXIT of the customes hall.

Men in uniforms , forms to be signed, not just one Group4 man but several security men. Very nice gentlemen escort her backward through security and happily to find her case just where she had left it.

After a lovely lunch down on the Sea front we decided to take advice we had been given and take a ride on the Blue Hop on Hop off bus , a two and a half hour journey round the outskirts of Cape Town and behind Table Mountain an excellent way to get your bearings and the traffic jams allowed us to have a few naps en route which were much needed after the flight. It is a beautiful city so clean very modern.
In the evening we were running on low and very tired so at the suggestion of our B & B went to eat along the sea front to a restaurant called Theo's. If ever you come here give it a miss. Not terrible but by the standards of service and restaurants we have discovered since you can do soooo much better.

Our first surprise was a bread issue. We had "three" pieces supplied on our table for "three". Ok, we just ask for more. Ha ,ha ,ha,no, no, no. With a perfectly straight face our waitress actually told us that the bread was portioned to the amount of customer reservations. Therefore for no extra slice of bread. We couldn't belive it either. The meal was fine once it finally arrived, Franco had a Roebuck steak which was actually two huge portions of meat and our ribeyes were also man size. Another learning curve here , portions are extremely generous and "sharing " is good.
With the combination of wine and tiredness kicking in for all three of us Franco , thinking of our taxi driver and knowing how pleased he would be with the food, asked the waitress if we could have a " baggie dog for his reebok steak"

The taxi driver appreciated both the story and the gift.