South Africa, Mauritius and Italy.

[turtlemichael]

More Conrad Pezula pics.






Appertisers for Diamonds and Golds.


Chicken and prawn potjie.

 

[turtlemichael]

We've flown into Cape Town this afternoon for a 13 night stay. The dryness from the drought was obvious.

 

[craven morehead]

We've flown into Cape Town this afternoon for a 13 night stay. The dryness from the drought was obvious.

View attachment 120542

Wow that's not good. It looks more like flying into LAS than what you would expect coming into CPT.

 

[turtlemichael]

Our first full day in Cape Town has been warm and sunny. This is exactly what the locals don't want.





Here are a few photos of the Bo Kaap area near where we are staying at the Hilton. It's is the Muslim area developed in the mid-1700's after the Dutch "exported" Malays here. I'm quite proud of one of the pictures

 

[turtlemichael]

We headed off this morning north from Cape Town to the small town of Paternoster, about 140 kms away. On our two past visits we have tended to head either south to the Cape of Good Hope and surrounds or east to the Winelands which have to have some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere. We'll head east tomorrow but today, for the first time, we headed north on the recommendation of a friend. The countryside is reminiscent of the coastal areas around Perth with sand dunes and flatness. But when you get to Paternoster it changes a bit and, for some reason you find yourselves in an area that looks like a Greek island, such as Mykonos, with its whitewashed houses and deep blue seas. Clearly, it was a popular destination. A good day's outing.














A beer?




Paternoster was clearly the place for a decent seafood lunch although the lobster was a bit dry. The oysters were very good as were the hake, prawns and calamari. At AUD12 for a dozen oysters and AUD25 for the seafood platter, who's complaining?

 

[turtlemichael]

We went vineyarding yesterday, another perfect weather day. We went to two smaller vineyards - Solms Delta and Uitkyk, near Franschhoek. Uitkyk is Afrikaans for outlook and it had some very good views. The effects of the drought are obvious. Wines were okay at Solms Delta and we loved the reds from Uitkyk. A couple of bottles have come back to the room.

Solm Delta tasting garden.




The drought stressed vines at Solms Delta.


Franschhoek


The manor house, dating from 1788, at Uitkyk winery.








Out tasters await at Uitkyk

 

[turtlemichael]

Today is yet another sunny warm one. I could get used to this though I think I'd need a bit more water. The local sense of humour describes, in the drought, a "Cape Town Shower" as an extra squirt of deodorant under the arms.

We went out to Camps Bay and had lunch. This time it was really 100% accidental but two of the Aussie cricketers showed up with the WAGS at the same waterfront restaurant. I'm glad they didn't remember me (or notice me for that matter!) as I do not wan the reputation as a stalker. Camps Bay is a very prosperous area about 20 minutes from downtown.


Camps Bay










Curried Mussels starter.


Nice outlook from the Camps Bay restaurant.

 

[turtlemichael]

More Bo Kaap pics.

 

[turtlemichael]

A few from today's outing through two mountain passes, Bain's Kloof and Du Toits Kloof east of Cape Town to the Breede River Valley and the town of Worcester.

 

[turtlemichael]

After a 10 day break it is back to the cricket, this time at the wonderful Newlands ground in Cape Town. There was a much bigger crowd too which improved the atmosphere. Apparently it is sold out on Saturday and the ground holds 25,000. The weather remains great. It is the third time I have been here and I wish it was my local. Australia did well at the end and an intriguing and hard fought Test match is unfolding.


First ball, Starc to Edgar.


Lunch time break.


Table Mountain in the background.


Lunch time.

 

[craven morehead]

W

After a 10 day break it is back to the cricket, this time at the wonderful Newlands ground in Cape Town. There was a much bigger crowd too which improved the atmosphere. Apparently it is sold out on Saturday and the ground holds 25,000. The weather remains great. It is the third time I have been here and I wish it was my local. Australia did well at the end and an intriguing and hard fought Test match is unfolding.

View attachment 120963
First ball, Starc to Edgar.

View attachment 120964
Lunch time break.

View attachment 120965
Table Mountain in the background.

View attachment 120966
Lunch time.

What a beautiful setting for a cricket ground .... and the Aussies fought back well !!

 

[docjames]

Bit weird seeing the cricket ground green compared to the rest of Cape Town. Hopefully they are using reclaimed water!

 

[Cossie]

Bit weird seeing the cricket ground green compared to the rest of Cape Town. Hopefully they are using reclaimed water!

I was thinking the same thing, TM do you know how they doing doing it? Is it being trucked in or reclaimed as DocJames said?

 

[turtlemichael]

As an outside observer it is a bit hard to work out what is happening with water here. Bore water is not restricted. There are bores evident around the city but still there seem to be strange things. Up the road from where we are staying (the Hilton) there is a car wash going full pelt looking like it is using mains water but car washing from the mains is banned. As for Newlands I think they now rely entirely on bore water. This early article discusses it #CapeWaterGate: How Newlands Cricket Ground is fighting the drought | Daily Maverick

 

[turtlemichael]

I certainly don't want to make a trip report political but I guess I am going to do so a bit. Please be easy on me as I'm just reporting what happened. After the Home Minister's statements of a few days ago in Australia we are widely regarded in South Africa as racists. The papers have extensively reported it and I was even asked more than once about it by South African strangers at the cricket. After our "performance" on the cricket field today we are regarded as cheats. We have admitted that. Cheats and racists is a big call. I am really quite depressed about it all. I am not looking forward to Johannesburg and am certainly not looking forward to the crowd reaction when the Australian team walks onto the field tomorrow.. I am feeling for all the many other Aussies who paid good money to follow their team here.

 

[VPS]

I certainly don't want to make a trip report political but I guess I am going to do so a bit. Please be easy on me as I'm just reporting what happened. After the Home Minister's statements of a few days ago in Australia we are widely regarded in South Africa as racists. The papers have extensively reported it and I was even asked more than once about it by South African strangers at the cricket. After our "performance" on the cricket field today we are regarded as cheats. We have admitted that. Cheats and racists is a big call. I am really quite depressed about it all. I am not looking forward to Johannesburg and am certainly not looking forward to the crowd reaction when the Australian team walks onto the field tomorrow.. I am feeling for all the many other Aussies who paid good money to follow their team here.

I certainly feel for you there. I don't think I've ever felt less proud of our Aussie cricket team (even when we got out for 61)

 

[Noel Mugavin]

I'm absolutely gutted. Feel a bit for Bancroft, new kid on the block in the team, ordered by the so called leaders to cheat. Smith has to be on the first plane leaving Capetown after the test ends, never to captain again.

 

[RB]

I certainly don't want to make a trip report political but I guess I am going to do so a bit. Please be easy on me as I'm just reporting what happened. After the Home Minister's statements of a few days ago in Australia we are widely regarded in South Africa as racists. The papers have extensively reported it and I was even asked more than once about it by South African strangers at the cricket. After our "performance" on the cricket field today we are regarded as cheats. We have admitted that. Cheats and racists is a big call. I am really quite depressed about it all. I am not looking forward to Johannesburg and am certainly not looking forward to the crowd reaction when the Australian team walks onto the field tomorrow.. I am feeling for all the many other Aussies who paid good money to follow their team here.

Certainly a odd situation for you after all the planning you have done. I guess you can console yourself that you have some great times planned after the cricket but it must be deflating.
You have posted some great photos of your time between the tests!

 

[craven morehead]

I certainly don't want to make a trip report political but I guess I am going to do so a bit. Please be easy on me as I'm just reporting what happened. After the Home Minister's statements of a few days ago in Australia we are widely regarded in South Africa as racists. The papers have extensively reported it and I was even asked more than once about it by South African strangers at the cricket. After our "performance" on the cricket field today we are regarded as cheats. We have admitted that. Cheats and racists is a big call. I am really quite depressed about it all. I am not looking forward to Johannesburg and am certainly not looking forward to the crowd reaction when the Australian team walks onto the field tomorrow.. I am feeling for all the many other Aussies who paid good money to follow their team here.

turtlemichael......I feel very very sorry for you as an avid cricket fan and a keen visitor to RSA with the recent " disgusting circumstances " as in the Aussies cheating ! Being branded racist is a bit rich especially considering that the norm over there now is reverse racism... "affirmative action" The comments made by the Australian minister about White Farmers are entirely true. If I didn't have an upcoming trip to PHX about to start I would most likely have been following this tour around as well. Enjoying the TR thank you.

 

[docjames]

The ICC sure have an endless supply of wet lettuce......