The Cape of Good Hope

Because we all need a little hope sometimes...

The Cape of Good Hope, South Africa

Ribbit

Laborie, South Africa

When we weren’t looking for lost keys at vineyards in South Africa, we were enjoying some very nice wine and the beautiful landscape.  Our last vineyard stop before we would have to return to reality was Laborie.

Sitting out on the balcony, overlooking the mountains and vineyards, my husband had a spiritual moment and decided we should pray.  I can assure you this is incredibly rare.   We are incredibly grateful and humbled by many things in this life, but we are not ones to pray over vineyards. 

My husband said a few truthful words about how fortunate we are to have the opportunity and ability to travel, one of the things we love, and so frequently.  And to now take our son with us and watch him embrace the big, colorful world is even more amazing.

After thanking God for this life and opportunity, there were a few seconds of silence.  Just before we were about to raise our glasses, our son looked over at him, and with the straightest face ever closes the prayer with Ribbit.  Yes, Ribbit.  As in the sound a frog makes.

Ribbit is our new toast.  It pretty much says it all.

Laborie, South Africa 

Love, Peace, Faith, Hope

Your Respect is My Strength

In Cape Town, we went to the top of Table Mountain at sunset.  I understand why it is closed when there is "bad weather".  It is incredibly windy.  Here is a picture I took of a girl sitting on a bench at sunset.  On the bench it writes "Your respect is my strength".

Meet Elliot

This is Elliot.  He is a giant made up of over 4,000 Coca-Cola crates.  He resides at Cape Town's waterfront.  I heard he moved there about the time of the World Cup in 2010.  His main goal in life is to draw attention to the need to recycle.

I always have mixed feelings about big exhibits like this.  Don't get me wrong - I am all for recycling, and love art made from recycled stuff.  We do it all the time at home.  I have one small room full of "junk" just waiting to become master pieces.

One of our latest pieces is an escalator made from cardboard box.  It was create something for show-n-tell that starts with the same letter as your name day.  Forget elephant, and all those other "e" words.  The escalator was the subject of choice.

At minimum, Coca-Cola did get attention.  If a huge red man permanently blocking the view of a beautiful landmark does not encourage you to recycle, then I am not sure what will.

Stranded at Uitsig!

Scenes from Constantia Uitsig Restaurant, Cape Town, South Africa

Well, its not as bad as the title sounds...

One cloudy afternoon we took our rental car and headed to Constantia. It is beautiful and everything that you would expect it to be. 

As it began to rain, it was the perfect time to stop and have lunch.  On our quest for the perfect vineyard restaurant, we decided to try our luck at the Constantia Uitsig Restaurant.  It was a busy weekend, so my son and I went in to see if there was a table available while my husband got our stuff out of the car. 

When we arrived back to the car, my husband asked me for the car key.  I did not take it.  He was driving, so he kept it with him.  It couldn't have gone far because he never left the car.

We looked, and searched, and searched and looked.  It began to rain harder.  We kept looking. We borrowed the security guard's flashlight and looked all around the car and in every hole in the car.  We even searched the impossible where you know there could be no key, but you keep searching anyway kind of places.  

I could not get angry really.  It was annoying, but my husband was already upset enough with the situation, so why torture him.  Or maybe I stayed calm to protect my own legacy.  The fear of future stories like "Remember the time that mom lost her mind when you lost that rental car key in Cape Town?" were in the back of my mind.  Our son was amazingly helpful and patient throughout the entire ordeal.  He searched the inside of the car thoroughly where he could be sheltered from the rain. This was family teamwork at its best.

After more than an hour and a half later, we had enough.  We called the rental car company, defeated by the key.  It was going to take two hours for them to bring another car.

Even though the restaurant had no space, we went back inside to their bar.  When I saw the waiter that turned me down for the table, I asked him if he remembered me.  He did.  I explained how my husband lost our car key and that I really needed some wine.  Looking, and possibly smelling like the dog that was left out in the rain, he directed us to a couch in the bar.  

We enjoyed a bottle of wine as we waited, and they even threw in some freshly baked bread.  It wasn't the lunch we planned, but we did get to spend the afternoon in a beautiful vineyard restaurant sheltered from the rain.  

A friend of ours has a theory that a baboon could have picked it up.  I saw many baboons along the coast, but none in this region.  It is (kind of) nice in theory to think that a monkey was sitting in a tree laughing away as we scrambled in the rain, but I think this will remain one of those unsolved holiday mysteries.

Aquila Private Game Reserve

From Cape Town, we took the long day trip to Aquila Private Game Reserve.  When I asked the hotel about them they told me, "I am not going to tell you that it is a glorified zoo, but..."  However, since a good friend recommended it to me as a great place for kids, I went with her recommendation.

And it was just that, a great introduction to safari and wild animals for children.  The real deal can be very long and tiring for a small child, so this is a good first safari option.  Even though it is small, and a few hours drive from Cape Town, I encourage you to visit.  The drive is beautiful, the animals are well looked after and have been saved from lost land, trophy hunting, poaching and more.

Every animal there has a story....

An elephant at Aquila Private Game Reserve, South Africa

Cape Town, South Africa

Hello computer! Hello pictures!  How I have missed you!!! 

I have been going through an upgrade.. It is painful and takes a lot of time.  I don't think it should be this way, but I am kind of lost when it comes to finding highly effective personal IT support here. I assume that all the good support is working for large corporations, which makes sense.  I am still hopeful that there are some out there somewhere, but I've yet to find them.  References are welcome!

So until I catch up, I leave you with this picture from a recent trip to Cape Town, South Africa.  Its coast is very dramatic.  Rocks, cliffs, and light - its beautiful.  I can't wait to dig through the rest of those files that are waiting!

Camps Bay, Cape Town, South Africa