The first thing to report is that Stuart and Terri have now left us for six days having set out yesterday to travel the garden route and enjoy all the experiences that this particular part of South Africa has to offer. Linda and I have done it twice previously and all that we could do to supplement the amazing research that they had done prior to departure was to recommend a thoroughly good pie shop that we visited on the route last year! No doubt that there will be updates to this blog from big bro over the week but will there be any photos to go with them?
The weather continues to be magnificent with blue skies from morning until night enabling us to showcase the major places of interest without fear of weather disruption.
One of the places we visited on Sunday was the Cape of Good Hope which for many years was believed to be the Southernmost tip of South Africa and the place where the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans met. In fact it isn't here but is at Cape Agulhas which lies some 90 miles to the east of Cape Point.
This is a wild, rugged but truly scenic place and is a must visit site for anybody coming to Cape Town. Whilst we were here on a very benign day it must be a place to be avoided when the winds do blow and the coast around Cape Point has been the site of hundreds of shipwrecks over the years. One of these, the SS Lusitania (not the one you are all thinking about) sank off The Cape in 1911 and the result was the construction of the Cape Point lighthouse. It is a haven for over 250 species of birds and innumerable wild animals including antelope, ostrich and baboons, the latter incidentally not to be messed with!
The journey down from Cape Town is quite arduous as you pass through a series of very busy and very touristy seaside holiday resorts. Perhaps the nicest of these being Simons Town which despite being the smallest of several settlements is actually home to the South African navy? Whilst we were there we were lucky to espy the only remaining vessel in their fleet which was in port for the fitting of a new coal fired boiler and a Tom Tom navigation device. The town is perhaps more famous for its colony of African Penguins that live at Boulders Beach which is a place where the penguins cohabit perfectly happily with sunbathers and swimmers.
Everyday brings highlights here and the food continues to prove faultless at any of the restaurants we frequent. Have a look at the Trip Advisor reports for Stephanie's Place, La Pineta or Vergelegen. Even more importantly, check out the reviews on Alistair's BBQ's. If BBQs earned Michelin stars, three would be the minimum awarded.
Final words tonight are on golf as three of us took to the fairways of Somerset West Golf Club on Monday with the winner being declared from the golfer who scored the most pars. It was a touch worrying when my former 3 handicap elder brother drove it a stunning 6" off the first tee! I did let him have another go which did then see the ball travel a magnificent 200 yards plus down the middle of the fairway but this was as good as it got. The end scores were Terri, nil point, Big Bro, nil point and me, only 6 pars😆. Battle recommences next Tuesday when we have blagged a round on pensioner's day for the exorbitant sum of £8.00!
One last thing, we did try to visit the vineyard of one of the world's most famous golfers but it was closed! Photo attached at the gates but we will be there for wine tasting next week.
Side Note - Before I publish any blog, I read it through to Linda, an expert in wordage and punctuation. The only response I got tonight was, "how did you know about the boiler and the Tom Tom device?" And she isn't even blonde!!
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