Month: January 2017

Today we went to play –

At –

Then went out for a –

Meal. Lovely. Off to visit Hermanus for an overnight stay tomorrow. 

Visit down to –

For a stroll around the indoor market –

With their bright craft shops –

Even old rust buckets look good in the sun –

It’s still very much a working area –

This is a statue of Oscar the seal named after a man who fished off the end of the pier and fed him daily –

Now, around the base are little plaques to commemorate famous people who have stayed in the hotel behind –

When did Denis become an American? –

Chilled out seals –

Need a little help reaching the top shelf? –

Is this some sort of play on words? Hardly 2 buoys when there’s a boat full –

Life sized souvenirs –

Lunch –

Then back to our cottage for a swim and then a very delicious BBQ.

This school sports day started at 6.30AM!!!! I could hear the loudspeaker from our cottage and it’s quite a distance away. It was all packed up and cleared away by 8.30am! –

The rest of today’s blog is short as I am sure you are tired of seeing beautiful golf courses with a back drop of mountains. The sun out. Being told how warm it is etc, etc, etc. –

This was the view from our patio just after sunset –

See you all tomorrow. 

The day dawned bright and sunny so we had a wander down to the beach after breakfast to ponder the vista –

 

Some people very active –

Others preparing for a day in the sun –

Now these notices are put up for a reason!!! If you want to stare into someone’s garden when you shouldn’t then don’t lean on the fence – IT HURTS.

After lunch we went off to Kirstenbosch for the afternoon and tried to find a couple of different things to photograph – 

Lovely King Protea –

Then an interesting statue –

Couldn’t get away without a couple of birds photos. Sugar bird –

And a lovely flycatcher ( Just waiting for official identification Dusky or Spotted) –

Ok. Golf tomorrow. Going to get the Braai (BBQ) going tonight for the first time. Lovely. 

Well the day started with thunderstorms and torrential rain and continued in much the same vane until late afternoon. 

Rain bouncing off the wall opposite –

We decided on a visit to the fabulous aquarium in Cape Town. As before the displays are impressive. 

A massive Moray Eel –

Then lots of Nemos –

This is a back lit picture of a shark’s purse and it actually has a tiny baby shark in it –

These tanks are massive –

The divers come in to feed the fish and Bob the turtle –

These rockhopper penguins were getting a good lunch as well –

This chap isn’t very pretty –

A moment to think –

Then we walked down to the waterfront past the clock tower –

And along to see the Queen Mary 2 who was in port for a couple of days –

I thought this photo was interesting over the ship repair yard. The working area in the foreground and then some very expensive apartments behind –

Just liked the look of these windows on a new build –

Ok. The sun’s come out and off for a swim. 

We had a lovely day out moving inland to near Stellenbosch to play golf at the Devonvale Wine and Golf Estate. There was a light breeze and the temperature was in the upper 20’sC. Course dry but in good condition and we got round in good time. 

The tee markers were rather different –

Again a wonderful setting with the mountains as a backdrop. (Today you could look in any direction and it was pretty) –

Quite a number of Springbocks on the course –

A duck house in dry dock –

It’s surprising how many trees and shrubs have flowers in bloom along with their fruits –

And to finish for today, a picture of a common sandpiper –

The weather for cast for tomorrow is looking fairly horrendous – thunder and rain so let’s see what that brings!!!

The male southern double collared sunbird dropped into the yard after breakfast –

Wash day –

Dried in no time in the heat!!!!

Went to visit Table View nature reserve   So named with her cloth on today –

The lake was full of water and people were enjoying the windsurfing –

The reserve side was very dry indeed. These flamingos were miles away feeding on the only damp patch left –

Snapped a cheeky shot of a white throated swallow in action – 

And then this guy looking out of someone’s conservatory –

Decided to go out for tea. We tried walking down but returned to get the car as it was SO windy. 

Golf day tomorrow. 

Forecast not too good for today so decided to drag Gordon round one of the large shopping malls –

All very splendid both outside and inside. A sort of Victorian theme with heavily decorated cornices –

Elegant lifts –

Someone trying not to look too bored –

How’s this for a pick and mix shop –

Followed by a nice coffee –

Then lunch –

With a couple of bottles of wine –

View out of the window whilst we were dining ans YES IT’S RAINING –

Useless snippets of information –

Now if you’re short on an idea for a present then this could answer your needs –

Ok that’s it for today. Let’s see what tomorrow brings. 

First visit to Rondebosch Golf Club and what a lovely day out. We played with a couple called Robert and Caroline from Rotterdam and had a really enjoyable round of golf. 

The views were stunning –

Just don’t turn round –

Some small person knocked their ball into a water hazard but fortunately  help was at hand –

And finally a photo of an upside down African snail –

Shops tomorrow!!!

Very hot day out to Paarl/Boschenmeer Golf Club about an hours drive inland so not too windy –

This photo tries to tell you it was a very hot 34C –

Just to show you how beautiful it is –

Beautiful fresh looking flowers on the lake –

Then a couple of shots of the bird life  – A cheeky pied kingfisher –

Then part of a massive roost of Scard Ibises alongside the 27th hole –

At the back of the 6th they are trying to reintroduce the Spotted Eagle Owls –

More golf tomorrow but I’ll keep it short!!!!