The Last Hurrah!

For my last post on South Africa, I decided to take you on a drive around the Cape.  This is a shortened version of the drive we took on our last visit in 2011, but no less impressive.  Once again we were blessed with beautiful weather and good company.
With our host Gary driving, we set out to follow a loop - leaving Cape Town (to the right on the red oval below) and traveling out to False Bay, then cutting across the peninsula to the coast and back around to CT.

 We stopped for a few hours at Kalk Bay, one of my favorite little towns.  Full of clothing, trinket shops and antique stores, I really could have stayed for the weekend.

 I like the hand painted signs around the town so I snapped a few pictures to remember.

 Tons of little alleyways to be explored....didn't even know they were there the last time I visited.

 

I picked up a few photos and skeleton keys.  The large one will go nicely with my collection of "people in groups" photos.  I love when there is a date on the photo!

Back on the road again, we pass Chapman's bay, a beautiful white sand beach (and barely a soul on it).  One reason may be, that we have now crossed the peninsula over to the Atlantic side where the water current comes from the Antarctic (burrr!)

We continue to follow the road winding our way up Chapman's peak.  I added this shot with the white arrow so you might be able to spot how the mountain is literally carved out, so cars can pass though.  At some points it is cantilevered and other spots have stone pillars.  All are amazing feats of construction. 


On the historical side...construction of Chapman's peak drive started 1915 as a narrow, winding gravel road, and completed after seven years.  If you are interested in the Chapman's peak drive, there is actually a 6 minute YouTube video that takes you on a ride along.  At about 4:20, the car drives through the mountain cut outs...just like you are there. 

We stopped at a lookout point to take a few photos.  Pictures do not do the view or the color of the water justice!

Mario taking a selfie!

 At yet another picturesque stopping point.  This one overlooking the beautiful Hout Bay.  Thanks to my husband jay for the panoramic shots!

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Notice the interesting mist that is surrounding the coastline?  Gary said he had never seen that before.

 Can you spot the paragliders?

We stopped at the trendy little town of Camps Bay for lunch.  Million dollar homes mixed with white sand and tan people.  The mountain range behind Camps Bay is called the Twelve Apostles.

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We had a wonderful lunch at Paranga before walking across the street to the beach.

We decided, if we were so close to the water, we couldn't pass up putting our feet in the ocean.  "Remember the now" as Tim always says. 
At first I thought, this feels like the water at our local beaches (pretty cold), but after only 10-15 seconds you start to feel the icy temperature kick in.  I now understand why there are shark nets at all the beaches...cold, cold, cold.  We almost expected to see some ice cubes come floating by!

So glad Granny was along for the day.  Such a wonderful spirit about this lady.  This was her first trip to Cape Town so she was as happy to be there as we were. 

One of my favorite photos - washing the sand off our feet off before going back to the car.  That water was warm compared to the ocean.  Gives new meaning to the term..."pole dancing", right?

After we left Camps Bay, we headed back to the Nellie.  Since we had already checked out of our room, we stopped off for about an hour in the tea room lounge to wait for our ride to the airport.  The teaching is done, friends were made, and finally a time to sit and relax. 

Thanks to Tim for inviting me along on the journey.  I don't just mean South Africa, but the everyday journey as well.  He is always generous and beyond inspiring. 

Also, glad to not only travel with Mario (the kindest man I know) but my husband Jay, who sacrificed every day off he earned last year, to be in South Africa with me.  Lucky to be traveling with all these guys.

A special thanks to Glenda for the invitation, the arrangements, and warm hospitality. Always a pleasure to be around you, and your wonderful family.  Thank you.

I will be back to my regular programming this week.  I figure, if you have endured the 4-day travelogue of this trip, I better back it up with a few projects.

now carry on,

paula

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