Author: Jane Whitaker

We decided to have a trip into Cape Town today to visit the Waterfront. It was very busy with locals and the Queen Mary 2 had recently docked –

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She carries just over 2.5K passengers and 1.5K crew members. Unfortunately due to the high winds the cable car up Table Mountain was’t running –

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The girls volunteering for the equivalent to out Dogs Trust were out chatting to the public –

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Everyone was entertained by the steel band –

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We then went into the Mall to our favourite restaurant for lunch –

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Tempura fried vegetables and fish cakes (not shown) that were delicious –

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We visited the amazing –

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Which has recently been refurbished. Very difficult to take photographs through glass but her are a few of our friends –

The Moray Eel who doesn’t seemed to have moved since last year! –

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A lobster –

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And a ray laughing at everyone –

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A bit harsh on jellyfish –

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This is a photograph of a turtle going through a CT scanner –

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One of the tanks with various species swimming around – (This is an attempt to insert a video and it does work if you’re patient) –

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Then off to the market for a potter –

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This guy is made entirely from recycled flip flops –

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Not quite sure what this instrument is but the sound it emits is about as lively as any Lennard Cohen song –

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Another great day. Warm, sunny and blue skies –

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xx🐾

Not a lot planned for today as the temperature is rising.

We went down to our local and played 11 holes. Very enjoyable. The skies were clear again –

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And we watched the clouds roll over the mountain tops –

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I alway thing how pretty this pink house is and if you live in sunny climates you can paint with lovely colours –

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Hows about this for a BBQ flu? There must be some serious cooking on this grill –

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This is the view from the 7th green –

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Here’s Mrs Waterhen on her nest –

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Then we got back to our first letter about the water restrictions. Tap on the picture to enlarge. It’s worth reading. 50 litres of water a day per person. A 2 minute shower uses 50litres of water!!! D day (or Dry Day) is the 12th April 2018 and you will get 25 litres per person per day from a bowser. Taps will be turned off . It’s really hard to imagine.

Try this link – http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42836560

Let’s never complain about the rain again!! By the way the temperature went up to 32C feels like 36C. Warm.

Rest of day spent watching the golf on TV!! (In the cool).

xx🐾

Ultra short blog today.

It’s was a lovely days golf at –

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With the usual stunning backdrop and lovely sunshine –

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We walked down to Ocean Basket for dinner and had a great fish meal. No camera so no photos. Both it and I are having a rest today.

xx🐾

We decided to take a drive eastward along the coast –

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To Betty’s Bay and the fantastic penguin colony-

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You walk along a raised wooden platform through the colony and the birds just ignore you and carry on with their lives –

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It’s hard to believe these birds are truly wild and we are invading their space and not visa versa.

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This guy was a little rusty –

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But his mate seemed ok –

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They have been given artificial breeding ” holes ” alongside those they dig themselves –

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Some of the rock formations are quite stunning –

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The we came across these 3 cheeky chaps –

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Then left the penguins enjoying life –

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We then went a little further along the coast to –

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Which was an oasis cultivated in the scrub at the base of the mountains. The views were splendid –

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Similar to Kirstenbosch but on a smaller scale so I’ll not bore you with more pictures of flowers –

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We saw some stunning wildlife like this Orange Breasted Sunbird –

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Gordon spotted this stick insect in the flowerbeds –

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And another magnificent dragonfly –

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Then stopped at a local potters to buy a bowl –

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Great day.

It’s one of those days tomorrow so probably not a lot to write about – 🏌️ ⛳️ 🏌🏼‍♀️.

xx🐾

Very short today as it was one of those days at Bellville and no we don’t walk in this heat –

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Labour intensive maintenance –

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A very impressive flower that we haven’t seen before –

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The old boy’s still doing well. He had a good day today with some super shots against the mountainous backdrop-

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Cormorant and a Darter on a little island –

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xx🐾

We had planned to go up to Betty’s Bay but had to change plans when we ran out of WiFi. So different here. Off to the Mall to get 20Gb put on at a cost of £35.00. No video streaming here. At least I think it’s been set up now so that I can do it over the nett next time.

After lunch we decided to visit our local 9 hole course –

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Wild life was fairly chilled – baby Egyptian geese –

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Then obviously strayed into big cat country –

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Had a good view of the Cape of Good Hope about 24 miles away –

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View of the local town -Strand – from the beach –

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Pretty shells –

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And a fisherman returning home with not a lot to show for his day –

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A view of the power plant but I cannot find its name –

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And a picture of Beatrice with her 2 cousins – Bracken and Rosie – in Hamilton-

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xx🐾

Off to the beautiful botanical gardens of Kirstenbosch which we love. Acres of plants set on a hillside just in the suburbs of Cape Town. Another beautiful day and very little wind today.

We were amazed how may of the proteas were still in magnificent bloom –

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Quite unusual for this time of year-

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We decided to explore off the main track and climbed The Stairway to Heaven –

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It just went on and on and led to the aptly named –

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On a more gentle note we ambled along onto the bridge passing over a very clear freshwater pond –

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To admire these little chaps –

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And their friend –

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Spotted a very beautiful Spurfowl enjoying the day –

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Now this looks like a sculpture in steel but it is in fact a dried flower head –

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Then down the shaded Camphor tree lined walk –

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To the restaurant for lunch where we were entertained by a local band –

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Beautiful butterflies –

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Then saw this rainbow on the way home –

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Ok. See you tomorrow.

xx🐾

We decided to start the day visiting somewhere totally different –

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This is where they take in hand reared or injured cheetahs and look after them. The ones that stay are not able to be reintroduced to the wild. The centre is mainly use a an education centre for children to tell them about conservation and the evils of poachers. In the main the animals seem quite happy –

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This chap takes life at a slightly slower pace –

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It’s nice to find some shade in all the heat for the black backed jackal –

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Though some aren’t too bothered –

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They also have various other conservation plans in operation.

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We then decided to drive up to Erinvale Golf Club for lunch and were REFUSED ENTRY!!! No tee time booked and you don’t get in. Any how, their loss was our gain as we stumbled on –

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A fabulous winery tucked away on the hillside. We had a lovely lunch then a wander through the grounds with a backdrop of the Hottentot Mountain Range –

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The gardens were splendid. The hydrangeas were almost perfect-

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One of the small properties on the estate –

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This cheeky dusky Flycatcher on a garden seat –

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The onto the reflection garden – aptly named –

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This is the inbuilt sprinkler system on the thatched roof –

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A stunning dragonfly –

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Hows about this as a lovely direction to the toilets –

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The old oak tree –

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A truly wonderful place –

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A great place to find and I’m sure we’ll be back.

xx🐾

This is how the locals line the roads in the morning waiting to be collected for their days work

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Many sit by the roadside with their work tools on display showing their trade. Couldn’t get a photo of one with their tools as they weren’t too keen on been photographed!!!! –

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The it was one of these days –

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At –

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The golf was good and the course was in excellent condition. Somewhere in the cloud is Table Mountain-

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We were bathed in lovely sunshine. A little cooler today but VERY windy.

This is the river that runs through the course and these are the gangs who work, by hand, to try and clear all the polluting rubbish that collects –

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Part of the course in the background looking very lush-

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The filth is unreal –

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On a brighter and cleaner note – there is a growing population of birds as there is still water here. Lots of gulls, black-Winged Stilt, blacksmith Plover and two flocks of Flamingo in the distance –

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A pirate ship in dry dock on the side of the motorway you ask? No it is a prop built for a film part of the Cape Town Film studios-

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Another lovely day. Never tire of the warmth and blue skies!

xx🐾

Just wanted to show you how clear the sky is –

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Temperature currently 32*C

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It was one of theses days –

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The course was looking wonderful and look at the back drop-

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Saw this roadside fire –

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Went for a very refreshing swim . The pool is only open limited hours due to the water situation but at least it’s one of the few that are –

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It’s a 🏌️day tomorrow at Rondebosch.

Latest update – This is a tap not running. No water for how long? –

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xx🐾