SA Day Six

I accidentally had French toast again for breakfast… Our driver, the same chap as the other day, picked us up about 9.30 this morning.

There was low cloud around Franschhoek again, so we couldn’t see the mountains. And actually, we drove over them on a steep windy road, which would have been pretty spectacular had we been able to see far. However, once over the mountains, we had sunshine for the rest of the day.

It was a spectacular drive through miles and miles of open countryside, the huge dark jaggy mountains in the distance on one side, and vast tracts of soft rolling hills that went on as far as the eye could see, all cultivated with a spring crop of wheat (possibly). I’ve never seen countryside like it. No farm buildings, no trees, (almost) no livestock.

We arrived at our next abode about midday, and were invited to have coffee and scones while we checked in. This hotel’s style is ‘old colonial’ - we sat in a dark wooded bar for our scones - it has an outdoor swimming pool (we won’t be using) and another pool with those huge colourful Koi.

We had a walk ‘down town’ - just a few cafes art galleries and real estate offices - before retiring to our verandah for a restful afternoon. JR is going a bit stir-crazy through lack of exercise…

We had a wine in the old colonial bar, and chatted at length to the manager, a young man who spent his informative years in Dublin including university there, then came back to SA to run his uncle’s hotel. We then had a wonderful meal, and were back in time to watch the France v Namibia game.