Eight intrepid Senatoristas converged from all over the US in Washington DC for a whirlwind trip to South Africa. Organized by Hilda Davis, the troupe consisted of; past president Jumper #38376 and Hilda Davis, Larry #37024 and Ronnie #66024 Bohn, Ronnies Sister Jennifer Munch, Patty Robinson #63889 Ben Johnston # 19444 and COB Doug Meyers #21511.
Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) we were not all seated in close proximity to each otherfor the long flight to Africa. Doug, being the outcast was in the forward section while everyone else was spread around the rear section. We departed Dulles at 5:40PM for an 8 hour first leg to Dakar, on the north west coast of Africa. We did get a chance to visit during the flight, had a few drinks and Hilda introduced us to Amarula a drink similar to Baileys. Much of the flight was spent watching movies or napping.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Day 2 - Wednesday 6 October 2010 Arrival in Capetown
Wednesday was an entire day on an airplane. Our first 8 hours of flight put us in Dakar on the North West of Africa where we spent some time refueling and reprovisioning. A bit of socializing among the group before new passengers began to board.
There was an interesting situation that I had never experienced. Upon takeoff from Dakar we were informed that there would be some unusual noises for a while as the landing gear had heated up and they had to lower the gear until everything cooled off. There was quite a racket for a few minutes but all was well and we proceeded to Johannisberg or JoBerg as the Africans refer to the city.
It was a treat when we arrived at JoBerg and had a chance to stretch our legs with a walk where we could get our legs working again. We had been confined to the airplane for a bit over 18 hours. We got through customs successfully, retrieved our luggage and rechecked in for the domestic leg to Capetown. We had time to have a drink in the terminal restaurant before heading to security and the departure gate. Security was a bit more lax than in the US as Doug had a bottle of wine from the previous flight and it sailed through the inspection. One other interesting occurrence was that they served metal knives with the airline meals - don't see that In the US.
There was an interesting situation that I had never experienced. Upon takeoff from Dakar we were informed that there would be some unusual noises for a while as the landing gear had heated up and they had to lower the gear until everything cooled off. There was quite a racket for a few minutes but all was well and we proceeded to Johannisberg or JoBerg as the Africans refer to the city.
It was a treat when we arrived at JoBerg and had a chance to stretch our legs with a walk where we could get our legs working again. We had been confined to the airplane for a bit over 18 hours. We got through customs successfully, retrieved our luggage and rechecked in for the domestic leg to Capetown. We had time to have a drink in the terminal restaurant before heading to security and the departure gate. Security was a bit more lax than in the US as Doug had a bottle of wine from the previous flight and it sailed through the inspection. One other interesting occurrence was that they served metal knives with the airline meals - don't see that In the US.
We arrived in Capetown around 11 PM and were greeted by Hilda’s brother Hugo his wife Anel and their son Naude (pronounced No-D-A). After loading the rental van and Hugo's car with all our luggage and then were whisked to our apartment in Stellenbosch where Larry, Ronnie, Ben and Doug were to stay. Ronnie was designated the den mother for the three boys. Patty, Jennifer, Jumper and Hilda stayed at Hugo's home. We had a nice apartment with two bedrooms and two baths although only one had a shower so we all took turns in the mornings.
Our first night in Africa deserved a celebration so the 11 of us walked to a local tavern and had a few drinks and got to know our new South African family before trotting off to bed for a good nights sleep in a real bed.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Day 3 - Thursday 7 October, 2010 First day in Africa
We all arose refreshed after a good sleep and since we were sharing one shower which was in Larry and Ronnie's room they got ready first then Ben and Doug each had our turn. Breakfast was just across the street at a small cafe. The coffee tasted much like instant but supposedly was brewed, We had a small breakfast of toast and eggs and a concoction called Marmite. Made from some kind of fruit and was quite good but a bit salty similar to brewing a cup of bouillon. This did grow on us as the days went by and we had it on more occasions - at least some of us. We went back to our apartment to brush our teeth, get our gear and be ready for the days activities. The weather was a bit chilly and there was a light rain so our planned excursion to Table Mountain was curtailed. We altered plans and visited the waterfront in Capetown.
The Waterfront was similar to many waterfront developments in the US with a variety of stores and shops, Everyone separated and found Souvenirs at the various shops. We eventually all made our way to Quay4 for drinks and lunch. Some of us were there earlier and managed a few more drinks than others. We then saddled up for a long trip to Cape Point.
We stopped at many points along the way for some great photo opportunities including a picturesque "city by the bay" or perhaps just a town.
Proceeding along the road went up Chapman's Peak - a windy road up some very steep cliffs which reminded me of a stretch of highway 1 up California's north coast. One extremely interesting design feature was a part of the road that was cut into the cliff side leaving a natural rock overhang covering a sharp curve. This feature provided protection from falling rocks. There was also a man made "patio cover" that accomplished the same function but was a man made feature. Similarly, along less steep grades rock fences were constructed of large and small stones strategically fitted and enclosed in a steel mesh framework to form a safety wall. These sections were stacked as needed for the terrain. Some as tall as 10 - 12 feet while others were only around 4 feet tall.
We arrived at Cape Point and the lighthouse that sits atop the cliffs at the very end. There was a tram to get to the top but most of us decided to hoof it along a really steep path. It rose nearly 1000 feet in just over 1/4 mile. Pretty hard on many of these old knees but we all made it to the top and experienced an incredible view of the ocean and distant points of land.
There was two young couples at the top and as it turned out they were from Patty's home town - go figure. We caught the last tram down the hill as the site was closing for the night. The road back was an E-ticket ride on some dirt roads. We spotted 3 groups of Eland but we were not very steady in the car and the photos may not be very good.
We made it back to Stellenbosch and had dinner at the Cape Town Fish Market restaurant. Meals varied but included Sushi, great Greek Salads, Japanese Bento Box dinners and, of course, some great South African wine. The Apartment dwellers were back in the apartment by 10PM for a cup of tea and bed.
The Waterfront was similar to many waterfront developments in the US with a variety of stores and shops, Everyone separated and found Souvenirs at the various shops. We eventually all made our way to Quay4 for drinks and lunch. Some of us were there earlier and managed a few more drinks than others. We then saddled up for a long trip to Cape Point.
We stopped at many points along the way for some great photo opportunities including a picturesque "city by the bay" or perhaps just a town.
Proceeding along the road went up Chapman's Peak - a windy road up some very steep cliffs which reminded me of a stretch of highway 1 up California's north coast. One extremely interesting design feature was a part of the road that was cut into the cliff side leaving a natural rock overhang covering a sharp curve. This feature provided protection from falling rocks. There was also a man made "patio cover" that accomplished the same function but was a man made feature. Similarly, along less steep grades rock fences were constructed of large and small stones strategically fitted and enclosed in a steel mesh framework to form a safety wall. These sections were stacked as needed for the terrain. Some as tall as 10 - 12 feet while others were only around 4 feet tall.
We arrived at Cape Point and the lighthouse that sits atop the cliffs at the very end. There was a tram to get to the top but most of us decided to hoof it along a really steep path. It rose nearly 1000 feet in just over 1/4 mile. Pretty hard on many of these old knees but we all made it to the top and experienced an incredible view of the ocean and distant points of land.
We made it back to Stellenbosch and had dinner at the Cape Town Fish Market restaurant. Meals varied but included Sushi, great Greek Salads, Japanese Bento Box dinners and, of course, some great South African wine. The Apartment dwellers were back in the apartment by 10PM for a cup of tea and bed.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Day 4 - Friday 8 October, 2010 Tabletop Mountain
Up in the morning to a clearer day. The Apartment folks went through our usual shower ritual and had breakfast at another small cafe. The coffee was much better. We were ready to meet the others that were staying at Hugo's home by 9:30AM. Naude picked us up and we proceed to meet with the others for our trip up Tabletop Mountain. 
The mountain is 1097 Meters high and is reached with a very impressive cable car. It looks like it will smash into the cliff as it nears the top but it actually makes a very steep ascent at that point, going nearly straight up.What a beautiful view. From the top we were able to see that road that we traveled the previous day to Cape Point. The first Dassie, a small furry critter similar to a groundhog, was spotted at the top.
We also had a great view of the massive stadium that was built for the worlds cup competitions as well as all of Capetown. To the south are twelve peaks called the 12 disciples. There was a restaurant on top of the mountain where lunch was paid for by weight. We then returned to the parking area by the Cable Car and proceeded to "the Castle".The castle was a wooden structure built within a pentagonal defensive wall. There were displays of weapons and military uniforms as they appeared throughout the history of the castle. We proceeded to Landskroon, our first winery in South African wine country. We tasted 6 wines and had a pleasant conversation with the owners daughter. Many of us bought some wines that we will share during our stay. Our second winery was DuLeuwen Jagt.
We were off to dinner at the Magos Restaurant where we met more of the family. This was a buffet style dinner although we were in a gigantic tent with various stages where we were entertained with African folk songs and dance, each on a different stage and at differing times.
The buffet was a different arrangement than what might be thought of as standard in the US. There were cooking "Modules" - separate sections cooking types of foods. Some dedicated to meat dishes Antelope stew, Chops, ribs and whatever accompaniments complimented the dish; Fish modules with a fabulous calimari wherein the entire mantle was sauteed whole. Other modules were salads, desserts, potatoes. The group managed to eat more than our share and guzzled some wine in the process. Reaching the end of the entertainment and our evening an order of Sjweto Toilets was ordered. The shots consisted of banana liquor, a cream float and a dollop of Chocolate liquor which, viewed from the side looks like a turd floating in a toilet. Novel idea but tasted pretty good.A few photos were mandatory then we went to Hugo's daughters home (Mare and husband Dirk) to enjoy a drink and conversation before returning to the apartment and bed.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Day 5 - Saturday, October 9, 2010
This is a move day so the apartment residents packed all our luggage an met Naude who drove us to Hugo's home where the rest of the troupes gear was loaded and we proceeded to the Paarl "Bazaar in the park". This bazaar is done every weekend and is quite a gathering. The highlight for the morning is a stupendous breakfast as well as many booths around the perimeter of the tent selling crafts, foods and many fresh meats. This would surely not pass a food inspector in the US but everything looked well packaged and fresh. The breakfast was a traditional meal; fresh home baked bread, sausage, bacon and interesting and tasty dish called PAP and HESHEBEBE, a finely ground meal the size of grits or cream of wheat but made from flour (the PAP). On top was ladled a sauce with tomato, onion and some great seasonings. Then came eggs cooked to order, fresh jams and jellies. The rumor that we starved in Africa is certainly not true.
We all sat at picnic tables and Hugo brought some extra treats - a variety of sausages and some great grilled lamb chops. I understand that they cook over 2 tons of meat in one morning. After breakfast Anel went ahead to our next base of operations while the rest of us headed out to sample more wineries.
The first stop was at KWV winery where we took a tour of this massive operation. This rivals any winery I have ever seen for it's size and capacity. An interesting sidelight was a box on the side of one building on which was written Owl Pest Control System. It was a nesting box for Barn Owls and would certainly be a great rodent control.
Of particular interest to Doug was a massive vat made of California Redwood, whoda thunk! We ended up in different type of tasting room - it was setup in theater style with the "teacher" at a table in the front of the room. From there he described the wines while an assistant moved through the room pouring the taste samples. The presentation finished with a nice Brandy and a creamy brandy similar to Baileys.
Next stop was Faarview winery where here the tastings were conducted at one of many semi circular bar-like stations. We sampled the requisite 6 wines then moved to another room where we sampled a variety of goat cheeses. Of course many of us purchases different flavors for cocktail hour that evening. Party animals that we are.
Our next stop was Franschoek where we were dropped off at the Huguenot Monument which is dedicated to the cultural influences that the Huguenots brought to the Cape Colony during the 17th and 18th centuries.
We walked through the quaint small town and stopped at the many shops along the way with our final destination of the Col Callhio Pizzeria . Pizza's were in store for lunch which were much lighter than some of the American styles. They had light crusts and were topped by vegetables and avocado - some with garlic. Garlic is well liked there as there was a jar of minced garlic on every table.
We were off to Kleinbaai where we will stay for the next few days. Our drive took us cross country and over the mountains much of it on dirt roads. We were treated to our first spotting on African wildlife, Geese, Zebra's, Wildebeast and the Blue Crane which is the national bird of South Africa and many other birds along the way.
Our arrival in Kleinbaai was surprising as most of us expected a beach house to be somewhat Spartan. This home was huge and what a party house. The lower floor had a large entry with bedrooms to the right as well as a bathroom, Garage entry door to the left and large windows to the front, the hallway led to two more bedrooms and a bath.
The second floor was party central. It was only two rooms, a master bedroom/bath as you topped the circular stairway then a large room with a kitchen area, bar, couches, dining table and an indoor wood fired grill.
The wall facing the ocean was made up of folding glass doors with a patio area outside. The doors could be moved so that the entire outer wall was open to the sea. There was a set of stairs leading to a roof top observation area and had a grand view of the Atlantic Ocean.
We were all assigned our bedrooms and settled into our new digs. Some of us took the opportunity to stretch out from the long drive in the van. Then the party began starting with a game of "Crocodile". A small plastic croc head that would snap shut when a particular tooth was pressed, other teeth were safe and the naughty tooth was reset each go-round. The person that had the mouth snapped upon had to take a shot of whatever Hugo was pouring at the moment. Some smooth and some more harsh. We settled into a regular cocktail hour when some folks were becoming a bit, shall we say - Dizzy?
Dinner was at home with Hugo grilling some nice Fillet (fillet Mignon) that was tender as butter. We played a new card game of SEVENS then introduced Hugo and Naude to "screw your neighbor". This is sure to become popular in South Africa as we seemed to convert Naude and he had a ball. Finally we shuffled off to the land of nod.
The first stop was at KWV winery where we took a tour of this massive operation. This rivals any winery I have ever seen for it's size and capacity. An interesting sidelight was a box on the side of one building on which was written Owl Pest Control System. It was a nesting box for Barn Owls and would certainly be a great rodent control.
Of particular interest to Doug was a massive vat made of California Redwood, whoda thunk! We ended up in different type of tasting room - it was setup in theater style with the "teacher" at a table in the front of the room. From there he described the wines while an assistant moved through the room pouring the taste samples. The presentation finished with a nice Brandy and a creamy brandy similar to Baileys.
Next stop was Faarview winery where here the tastings were conducted at one of many semi circular bar-like stations. We sampled the requisite 6 wines then moved to another room where we sampled a variety of goat cheeses. Of course many of us purchases different flavors for cocktail hour that evening. Party animals that we are.
Our next stop was Franschoek where we were dropped off at the Huguenot Monument which is dedicated to the cultural influences that the Huguenots brought to the Cape Colony during the 17th and 18th centuries.
We walked through the quaint small town and stopped at the many shops along the way with our final destination of the Col Callhio Pizzeria . Pizza's were in store for lunch which were much lighter than some of the American styles. They had light crusts and were topped by vegetables and avocado - some with garlic. Garlic is well liked there as there was a jar of minced garlic on every table.
We were off to Kleinbaai where we will stay for the next few days. Our drive took us cross country and over the mountains much of it on dirt roads. We were treated to our first spotting on African wildlife, Geese, Zebra's, Wildebeast and the Blue Crane which is the national bird of South Africa and many other birds along the way.
Our arrival in Kleinbaai was surprising as most of us expected a beach house to be somewhat Spartan. This home was huge and what a party house. The lower floor had a large entry with bedrooms to the right as well as a bathroom, Garage entry door to the left and large windows to the front, the hallway led to two more bedrooms and a bath.
The second floor was party central. It was only two rooms, a master bedroom/bath as you topped the circular stairway then a large room with a kitchen area, bar, couches, dining table and an indoor wood fired grill.
The wall facing the ocean was made up of folding glass doors with a patio area outside. The doors could be moved so that the entire outer wall was open to the sea. There was a set of stairs leading to a roof top observation area and had a grand view of the Atlantic Ocean.We were all assigned our bedrooms and settled into our new digs. Some of us took the opportunity to stretch out from the long drive in the van. Then the party began starting with a game of "Crocodile". A small plastic croc head that would snap shut when a particular tooth was pressed, other teeth were safe and the naughty tooth was reset each go-round. The person that had the mouth snapped upon had to take a shot of whatever Hugo was pouring at the moment. Some smooth and some more harsh. We settled into a regular cocktail hour when some folks were becoming a bit, shall we say - Dizzy?
Dinner was at home with Hugo grilling some nice Fillet (fillet Mignon) that was tender as butter. We played a new card game of SEVENS then introduced Hugo and Naude to "screw your neighbor". This is sure to become popular in South Africa as we seemed to convert Naude and he had a ball. Finally we shuffled off to the land of nod.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Day 6 - Sunday October 10, 2010
We had breakfast at home, coffee and biscuits as folks awoke and were ready for the day. We loaded both the Van and the SUV as we had 15 folks traveling with us. The 8 intrepid Americans and most of Hilda's family. We were off for the southernmost tip of Africa where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans converge. What a ride to get there over mostly dirt roads. The landscape was desert like with short shrubs and plants. Many of the flowers were in their last stages of bloom but still very pretty. I now know what Mr. Magoos Wild Ride is really like with over 2 hours on that bumpy dirt road. Not what the normal tourist would accept - but who ever said we were normal.
We made a pit stop at a small harbor where we had a view of the longest white sand beach in the world - 15 miles of it.
This was primarily a potty stop but also a chance for some photos. There was a small stand selling soft Ice Cream cones which was just too much for most of us to refuse - BUT, they tasted great.
On to the town of Agulhas (some spellings were L'Agulhas). This is where the two oceans actually meet and we made sure that many photos were taken at the monument.
You can actually stick your feet in two oceans at the same time, albeit quickly as it was cooooold. There is a lighthouse at this point, one of 7 located around the Cape.
Back to the vehicles for another "wild ride" and another 2 hours basically backtracking most of our earlier drive. Some of the ladies mentioned the need for a sports Bra! We stopped at an old missionary village dating back a few hundred years. Built in the Dutch style of brick and stone and still sporting thatched roofs. I noticed the continuing use of thatched roofs even on newer homes throughout the southern part of Africa. Thatching lasts around 20 years and is made from a local bush that is plentiful in the area.
The next stop was the village of Baardskerderbos (try to say that after a glass of wine). First visit was to a small pub that Hilda wanted us to experience. The pub was closed but the owners wife was fitting a wedding gown in the building and rushed to her house to get her husband to open the doors. The interesting thing about this bar is that the local residents leave some money in marked Zip Lock bags when they are flush so they can get a drink when times are slow. Small town, honest people - it works for them.
We all ordered a drink and we had some interesting conversations with the owner as well as his wife who had joined us in the bar. We were each offered a shot of his own brew - African White Lightning - smooth going down but it would not be wise to drink many shots. The legend of the village name comes from two families from the Netherlands who settled in this spot. There were large resident spiders with sharp pincers that got into the men's beards so they named the town Baardskerderbos meaning Beard Trimmer. I'm not sure what part is true but it does make an interesting story.
Our next stop was just down the road in the same town where we had a few drinks and an interesting lunch. There were also some ZipLock bags hung behind this bar. They did not seem to be set up for a large crowd so it took some time to rearrange the tables and find enough chairs. Our lunch was served in appetiser style trays although large enough to feed us all. We had quite a variety with steak, ribs, calamari, chicken, etc. and a ton of chips (home fries). We all tried hard but could not consume all that was set before us. The wind was howling outside and rattled the roof and shutters. Hugo sure had his hands full driving us home in that rolling sail of a van. He did a great job of keeping us from rolling over.
The afternoon was quiet as everyone needed a nap from the wind as well as the early departure that morning. The evening was relaxing and pleasant with some playing cards and others just enjoying a cocktail and discussing the days adventure. Hugo was busy at the indoor grill cooking POTJIE for dinner. This is a stew like dish cooked in a cast iron kettle hung over the wood fire. Meat, carrots, corn, potatoes, onions, zucchini and who knows what else he had in there but it was mighty good. We did not eat dinner until 11 PM so it was not long after that we all trotted off to bed.
We made a pit stop at a small harbor where we had a view of the longest white sand beach in the world - 15 miles of it.
This was primarily a potty stop but also a chance for some photos. There was a small stand selling soft Ice Cream cones which was just too much for most of us to refuse - BUT, they tasted great.
You can actually stick your feet in two oceans at the same time, albeit quickly as it was cooooold. There is a lighthouse at this point, one of 7 located around the Cape.
Back to the vehicles for another "wild ride" and another 2 hours basically backtracking most of our earlier drive. Some of the ladies mentioned the need for a sports Bra! We stopped at an old missionary village dating back a few hundred years. Built in the Dutch style of brick and stone and still sporting thatched roofs. I noticed the continuing use of thatched roofs even on newer homes throughout the southern part of Africa. Thatching lasts around 20 years and is made from a local bush that is plentiful in the area. The next stop was the village of Baardskerderbos (try to say that after a glass of wine). First visit was to a small pub that Hilda wanted us to experience. The pub was closed but the owners wife was fitting a wedding gown in the building and rushed to her house to get her husband to open the doors. The interesting thing about this bar is that the local residents leave some money in marked Zip Lock bags when they are flush so they can get a drink when times are slow. Small town, honest people - it works for them.
We all ordered a drink and we had some interesting conversations with the owner as well as his wife who had joined us in the bar. We were each offered a shot of his own brew - African White Lightning - smooth going down but it would not be wise to drink many shots. The legend of the village name comes from two families from the Netherlands who settled in this spot. There were large resident spiders with sharp pincers that got into the men's beards so they named the town Baardskerderbos meaning Beard Trimmer. I'm not sure what part is true but it does make an interesting story.
Our next stop was just down the road in the same town where we had a few drinks and an interesting lunch. There were also some ZipLock bags hung behind this bar. They did not seem to be set up for a large crowd so it took some time to rearrange the tables and find enough chairs. Our lunch was served in appetiser style trays although large enough to feed us all. We had quite a variety with steak, ribs, calamari, chicken, etc. and a ton of chips (home fries). We all tried hard but could not consume all that was set before us. The wind was howling outside and rattled the roof and shutters. Hugo sure had his hands full driving us home in that rolling sail of a van. He did a great job of keeping us from rolling over.
The afternoon was quiet as everyone needed a nap from the wind as well as the early departure that morning. The evening was relaxing and pleasant with some playing cards and others just enjoying a cocktail and discussing the days adventure. Hugo was busy at the indoor grill cooking POTJIE for dinner. This is a stew like dish cooked in a cast iron kettle hung over the wood fire. Meat, carrots, corn, potatoes, onions, zucchini and who knows what else he had in there but it was mighty good. We did not eat dinner until 11 PM so it was not long after that we all trotted off to bed.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Day 7 - Monday October 11, 2010
This day was scheduled for a cage dive with the Great White Sharks but Mother Nature was not cooperating and the ocean was a bit too wild for the boats to go out. A disappointment to some of us that were looking forward to the chance. White Sharks are abundant here as the island off the mainland is a favorite habitat for seals - the whites favorite dish. he waters around the island are known worldwide as the "circle of death". We took it easy this morning as everyone slowly came to life and assembled for Coffee, biscuits and fruit.
Around 10 Am we saddled up and headed to Danger Point, the location where the HMS Berkenhead ran into the rocks and sunk. On 26, February 1852, while transporting troops, primarily of the 73rd Regiment to Algoa Bay, she was wrecked at Danger Point on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa. There were not enough serviceable lifeboats for all the passengers, and the soldiers famously stood firm, thereby allowing the women and children to board the boats safely. Only 193 of the 643 people on-board survived and the soldier;s chivalry gave rise to the "women and children first" protocol when abandoning ship. The lighthouse remains to warn of the dangers of the submerged
We drove past a large shanty town, which seems to be common in the larger cities throughout South Africa, on our way to the Birkenhead Brewery named after the ship that sank thereby. Everyone had their tasting tray consisting of 7 of their brews served in large shot glasses. Jumper and Doug finished their samples as well as the leftovers from the others in the group.
Our next stop was a small local pub serving brandy for just over a buck. The walls of the entry was covered with Abalone Shells as was much of the bar area. It was a cute bar and everyone enjoyed a drink.
We next stopped by a small Fish and Chips market where Hugo loaded up on some to-go lunches for us to enjoy back at the house along with some card games in the afternoon. A group of us walked to neighbor Marie;s home to see her extensive shell collection and a tour of her home. We then strolled the beach looking for treasures from the sea. Many shells were discovered and we had a chance to examine the Shark Diving boats although we will not get a chance to try them out, thanks to an angry sea. We continues our walk around the block and stopped at a Shark Diving shop where we, at least, could get a picture with a life size likeness of a Great White.
Back to the house for cards, naps and relaxing until time to load up for dinner at a local restaurant. Again, good food and lots of it. W@e were entertained by a dog that was sitting at the bar upright as if he was a patron. Quite funny until he got tired of sitting in that position. I might add that he did have his owner there as well. A quiet evening of cards and conversation before packing for our departure to a new base of operations in the morning.
Around 10 Am we saddled up and headed to Danger Point, the location where the HMS Berkenhead ran into the rocks and sunk. On 26, February 1852, while transporting troops, primarily of the 73rd Regiment to Algoa Bay, she was wrecked at Danger Point on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa. There were not enough serviceable lifeboats for all the passengers, and the soldiers famously stood firm, thereby allowing the women and children to board the boats safely. Only 193 of the 643 people on-board survived and the soldier;s chivalry gave rise to the "women and children first" protocol when abandoning ship. The lighthouse remains to warn of the dangers of the submerged
We drove past a large shanty town, which seems to be common in the larger cities throughout South Africa, on our way to the Birkenhead Brewery named after the ship that sank thereby. Everyone had their tasting tray consisting of 7 of their brews served in large shot glasses. Jumper and Doug finished their samples as well as the leftovers from the others in the group.
Our next stop was a small local pub serving brandy for just over a buck. The walls of the entry was covered with Abalone Shells as was much of the bar area. It was a cute bar and everyone enjoyed a drink.
We next stopped by a small Fish and Chips market where Hugo loaded up on some to-go lunches for us to enjoy back at the house along with some card games in the afternoon. A group of us walked to neighbor Marie;s home to see her extensive shell collection and a tour of her home. We then strolled the beach looking for treasures from the sea. Many shells were discovered and we had a chance to examine the Shark Diving boats although we will not get a chance to try them out, thanks to an angry sea. We continues our walk around the block and stopped at a Shark Diving shop where we, at least, could get a picture with a life size likeness of a Great White.
Back to the house for cards, naps and relaxing until time to load up for dinner at a local restaurant. Again, good food and lots of it. W@e were entertained by a dog that was sitting at the bar upright as if he was a patron. Quite funny until he got tired of sitting in that position. I might add that he did have his owner there as well. A quiet evening of cards and conversation before packing for our departure to a new base of operations in the morning.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)