Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer

For many of you that have read my previous blog postings, I did get into the habit of using a song title as the heading and then went on to give a little information about it. Well today, I am back to using a song title but that's where it ends! You'll have to do your own research if you want to know anything more about this famous lyric.

And so back to South Africa and a post to follow up on the last one from my Big Bro. He is starting to think a little more deeply about this wonderful place and the pretty grim underlying problems that it experiences but when you start to do this, it can put a dampener on the many positives. This is the fifth visit for Linda and me and despite my aforementioned comments, we have developed a love for the Western Cape and really hope that over time it does become a more equitable society.  Aaaaaagh....! Now I'm becoming too serious! 

Back to the holiday and what an amazing time we are having with endless days of warm South African sunshine. Our house is in the most spectacular location which allows us to watch the sun rise over the Hottentot Hollands mountains and then watch the effect of it setting at the end of the day producing wonderful colours. It is simply impossible to get fed up with the views - hopefully some of today's photos demonstrate what I mean.

Over the last couple of days we have visited the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and driven the road between Gordon's Bay and Betty's Bay which in my eyes is possibly one of the most beautiful pieces of road on the planet. Stunning is something of an understatement.

Kirstenbosch was founded in 1913 and sits on the Eastern slopes of Table Mountain. It was founded to preserve the country's unique flora and fauna and with a very rare exception grows only plants indigenous to South Africa. Unfortunately at this time of the year the majority of those plants have bloomed but it still remains a lovely place to wander around. The land was bequeathed to the nation in 1903 by Cecil Rhodes who was the founder of Rhodesia.

The 25 mile drive from Gordon's Bay to Betty's Bay needs to be undertaken on a blue sky day to see it at its best and boy did we get one of those days. When Linda and I travelled this route last year we experienced the total opposite with leaden skies and clouds covering the mountains and we were so pleased that Stuart and Terri were able to experience it at its best. 

Betty's Bay sits 96kms from Cape Town and is no less than 13kms long, one of the longest villages 

in the world. It's very much a holiday destination and only 18% of the homes here are occupied full time. It seems a shame. It's also home to a colony of African penguins at Stony Point and this is a wonderful place to see these delightful creatures wandering around in their natural habitat. Far less congested than the colony at the more famous Boulders Beach and only 50p each to wander along between them on a purpose built boardwalk. One final recommendation is to sit on the terrace and enjoy great coffee, pancakes and scones at Cafe Jack's, a restaurant and B&B run by an English couple who emigrated here 15 years ago.

Lots of photos today to accompany the post and I am uploading it just before we head off to Cape Town where I shall be jumping off Signal Hill strapped to an experienced paraglider?? I hope it's not my last post but if it happens to be, it's been nice knowing you all!