23 January
Our last breakfast at Constantia Valley Lodge and we say goodbye to Steve (from Ouseburn) and our lovely Anglo-German friends - Renata and Yoda (Peter). This place has changed sadly since the arrival of all Renee's golf friends. Now less friendly and we are slightly irritated by Baron Von Bombast's (not his real name but like the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang character!) frequently shouting. Time to go.
We head initially towards Stellenbosch which is like Harrogate with wine! Good shops and cafes and some nice linen shorts!
Then on to Franschhoek and for the second time on our travels (Australia being the first) we are effectively abandoned in the vineyard where we are staying with no staff after 6.00pm. This is Manoir de Brendell. Seemingly tomorrow it will be busy because there's a wedding on ...
We drive to the vineyard opposite - Paserene - and enjoy 2 wines (me) and 5 wines (Bert) and lots of delicious tapas. We walk home and are delighted to get back in through the electric gates (memories of Australia again). However this is the first time we have really been affected by load shedding (the South African method of reducing electricity use). At 8.00pm all but essential electricity is turned off so asleep by 9.00pm.
24th January
We wake up to clouds and rain - not in the plan! And today is our wine/tuktuk morning. We get Hannaz (designated driver) to take us into town and drop us at the tuktuk station. As it turns out, we start at the best - La Motte - with the incredibly knowledgeable Ross who takes us through a host of wines with great tasting notes. Finding my wine feet (or flippers!) here a little at last.
Tuktuk wine tours!
Then it's on to Leopard's Leap which is more of a showroom than a winery. Very impressive building but the wine is nowhere near as good. We wait for ages for the tuktuk to return but eventually he arrives and takes us to our third and final winery of the morning - Grand Provence. This is beautiful and we have some cheese and fruit with our six wines. Then we return to the Manoir de Brendell very full!
A bit of lazing around the pool as the weather has returned to its glorious normal before changing for the Cafe de Vin for dinner. Getting there proved challenging as Ubers don't really operate here so we ring Hannaz who is at the airport. He instead sends another blokey who takes us and then says he will pick us up at 9.00. Great steaks, fabulous wine - then no taxi. After 20 minutes the maitre d' calls us a cab. Not actually being in the centre of Franschhoek is slightly challenging if you want a drink!
Beautiful pool at Manoir de Brendall
25th January
Lovely morning by the pool whilst Robert went to the Motor Museum. There is now another family here with a Freddie-sized boy - very cute.
Today is La Petite Colombe day - surely the most impressive restaurant I have ever been to. Absolutely stunning surroundings starting with a walk round the sculpture part before going in. We choose the Reduced Chef's menu with paired wines despite my needing all my wines to be red! Amazing, amazing food and phenomenal wine. Utterly extraordinary! I go to congratulate the kitchen team on my way back from the loo and nearly burst into tears! What am I like? Applause! Afterwards we walk along the garden after lunch towards the uber-amazing hotel having decided that a wine tasting is a bridge too far.
Lying by the pool in the late afternoon before taking a short walk amongst the wines. Note to self: don't do this in flip-flops - loads of thorns!
26th January
Beautiful morning, beautiful day! Lying by the pool until Hannaz comes to take us to Chamonix for lunch - fabulous food. Afterwards we walk into Franschhoek down the hill in the heat and after a little light shopping we find a bar and drink beer in the sun. Luckily Hannaz was in the bar so he took us home a little later. Load shedding again.
27th January
We say goodbye not too sadly to Charmian at the Manor de Brendell and get a good 20 minutes up the road before getting a call to say we have left the battery charger. Back we go.
Arriving at Fernwood Manor in Newlands. Very easy. Our room was not ready but a cake and tea later and we're in our room and it's very pleasant with excellent pool right outside our door. Lie by the pool before heading into downtown Cape Town to El Paradiso which was probably the only disappointing meal we had. We should have booked the Black Sheep two doors down which number 4 and I had loved and was rocking and rolling. All meals are about the same price regardless of how good they are. El Paradiso was only ok. Home in an Uber and sleep the sleep of the dead - oh yeah!
28th January
Wet. So disappointing. After a lot of toing and froing we decide to go to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens despite being told that it's not as good as it was. Actually it was lovely though very wet - glad we went. Met fabulous people who were doing 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 continents - utterly bonkers and insanely wealthy! Then back to Fernwood Manor for reading and napping - albeit indoors.
Beautiful sculpture at Kirstenbosch
The Table Cloth!
Our evening jaunt was to Lobster and Burger - an excellent burger joint on Bree Street. Fab food, great atmosphere. Then back to Fernwood for an early night. Last day tomorrow. Feeling torn - love it here but also ready to be home. Lots of happy memories at Kirstenbosch Gardens today from my holiday with Number 4. Special mother and daughter times 4 years ago.
29th January
Last day today and feeling a bit ropey so my beloved takes the car back to the rental place and I stay by the pool. We meet Robin Smith (and his lovely wife) ex-Chair of Yorkshire Country Cricket. Hang about by the pool all day enjoying the last of the South African sun. Boy, I will miss waking up each day to Table Mountain. I love looking at it from wherever we are. The constantly changing light and shade, the clouds (known as the Table Cloth) and the magic of it all.
We walk to a neighbourhood pizzeria and then home to pack.
South Africa - it's been a blast!!
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