Friday, March 21, 2014

Cape Town and The Mount Nelson...

Back to Port Elizabeth we go for a short flight to Cape Town, one of my favorite places to visit.  It reminds me of Santa Barbara, but with a MUCH better coastline.  Always fun traveling with these two guys.
We arrived in Cape Town to beautiful weather...blue sky, slight breeze and warm sun.
Just perfect.
We had the opportunity to stay at the Mount Nelson (fondly called, The Nellie).  Mount Nelson, named after Admiral Lord Nelson, was built in 1899 and has become an icon of the city due to impeccable taste and luxury.  First painted pink to celebrate the end of WWI, it's color has earned it the nickname "the pink lady".
 

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 Kinda looks like a Hollywood set...

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It's a very, very nice hotel with amazing grounds.  Lets just say our bathroom reminded me of what it might be like to have stayed at Hearst Castle in it's heyday.  And yes, the marble floors were heated.  sigh...
The view from our bathroom window.
Downstairs, the bathroom were no less beautiful.  I especially liked this one, right off the main sitting area since it seemed to be painted the most beautiful shade of Iced Spruce.
 Of course there were elevators (very small wooden elevators), but the stairs were beautiful.
 These vases filled with hand blown glass balls were right by the Master class teaching room.
Inside the room -


I thought I would take you on the trek to breakfast so you could see, just what I saw, each morning.  Take the elevator down to the main floor...walk through the main tea room (high tea around here is a BIG deal...apparently people come from all over to experience it).
 If you turn to the left you can peer into one a bar.  What I loved about the room was the bar stools with an image of Lord Nelson on the back (a detail not lost on me).  The perfect mix of old meets modern.
And were off again.  Through another set of doors to cut through the semi-enclosed tea room.
Out the hotel, down the steps...
 Past a big bird sitting on top of the fountain...
Follow the path...
Past the restaurant (with the wood windows) where we had dinner.


take in some sculpture along the way.  Hummm...not sure about this one??
then past the huge pool...
Finally we are here...pretty much anything you can imagine or want.
 


 Tim's favorite station...just the candy, no crepe of course.
Now on to the teaching...
Master Class
This was a class given for a small group of women.  Glenda had everything prepared, right down to the last piece of ribbon - what a special experience for all who came.  We felt like we got to know everyone so well and had a great time creating together.



Here is one of the final necklaces that was inspired by Connie Fong's necklace she made for CHA in 2013.



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 The next day we taught two classes in the upstairs ballroom.
Nothing like teaching in a room full of chandeliers!
I think we all had a good time and got a little messy (which is a good sign in my world).

Love the mixing of the Distress paint colors here.
Someone was VERY organized (and you know who you are...)
Just some of the really nice ladies that were sitting up front (Carolyn, Isabel and Tanya).

Girls from the Master Class
One of the nice things about teaching over the years is seeing some of the same people each time you visit.  One of the people I have stayed in contact with over the years is Jennifer R.  Such a kind person with a funny sense of humor (always important in my book).  This time she brought along her husband Peter for the short getaway to Cape Town.  Jay and I had the pleasure of sitting next to Peter at dinner after the Master Class and we both found him engaging.  I will admit, at first I thought Peter looked like a cast member of Downton Abby, but once you talk to him, you find that he's more like a comedic version of Hemingway (if Hemingway had a comedic side).   Now add in Lynn, Carolyn and Sheldon and we had some lively dinner conversation down at our end of the table.  
Jennifer invited Jay to join herself, Peter and Glenda's very sassy mom ("granny") on a sightseeing adventure while I was in class the next day...again, that kindness comes through.  Thank you to all for making us welcome.

One last day of photos left...the Cape Town coastline...so beautiful it needed it's own private post. 
carry on,
paula

16 comments:

  1. Oh wow Paula, thanks so much for sharing all these amazing photos! A journey of a lifetime for sure!!

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  2. Jennifer and Peter are so special, I am also privileged to call them friends, as well as Lyn, Carolyn and Sheldon. You could not have asked for better company at your dinner table. I cant wait to see what you do with all these photos when you make an album to remember these 10 days of your life.

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    1. Belinda - Oh, to have the time to work on a personal album! Hopefully it will happen.
      paula

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  3. It is 6:13 AM my time and I would love a plate or twelve of the oysters! For me, vacation is as much about the food as the adventure! I was shocked to see a can of Coke in Tim's hand! I thought it was all Starbucks all the time for him! I don't know how you got any "work" done with all of that beauty around you. I think I would have just sat with my mouth agape at all the wonders around me!

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    1. sue -Would you believe there are no Starbucks in South Africa? I will happily trade you the oysters for a huge bowl of sliced mangos - my favorite thing at the entire buffet.
      paula

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    2. We might not have Starbucks...but Cape Town has Truth...

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  4. Paula- such a bittersweet treat to revisit the Masterclass and all the activities around it through your blog post. We anticipated this very special event for most of last year, then after 2014 began it rushed towards us so fast and now it is behind us. Thank goodness we were reminded to take it all in and to #rememberthenow. Peter & I remember you and Jay very fondly, and definitely hope to see you down our way someday soon. Thank you so much for your kind words. Shedding a little tear now.

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    1. Jennifer, I know exactly what you mean. I feel the same way about the trip itself...in a blink of an eye it has past. Thank you for your kindness and hospitality. Until next time...p

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  5. Wow Paula! Sigh! What a fabulous place to teach, relax, and hang with friends. The hotel and grounds do look like something out of a movie set. I just had to giggle as you took us through the tour and we came along that, um, unique sculpture . Thank you for the tour. Lucky girl!

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  6. Fabulous photos Paula! It looks beautiful! TFS

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  7. So glad you enjoyed your time in CT... one of my fave places and looks like you were treated like royalty in true SA fashion... I hope that we see you back again soon... :D <3

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    1. thanks Val! Glad to have met you and I do hope to come back someday. Until then I will be following you on your blog!
      paula

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  8. wow, what a hotel, what a class or two and what a trip, you are so blessed to have seen these beautiful things and more importantly spend it with some lovely people, <3 Debi x

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  9. What a great place to stay at! Fabulous views and the breakfast looks wonderful. I am glad you enjoyed your time in the country!

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  10. I'm so jealous! What a fabulous "job" you have (if you can call it that!). If you can travel to South Africa, you can travel to the east coast the next time Tim and Mario head this way. Pretty please.

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