I look forward to your additions to the report, Peter. Bob seems to forget that in addition to those of us who have responded, there are plenty of "lurkers" who read but don't post.

Please continue. I read nearly every TR about South Africa as I'm trying to put a trip together for next year. I sometimes don't respond until the report is complete because I don't want to hijack the thread with my specific questions.

Reconsidering... may write less detail.

btw, mostly we eat and drive around, oh yes and LAUGH

Next day we’re moving on again to Franschhoek, a leading wine town. Lovely drive along the sea and then we began climbing up thru a major mountain. All very picturesque. Fantastic wildflowers— all colors. Mostly a two lane road, good road, not a difficult drive—- lots of sharpe turns.

Decended into Fra. and just before town we stopped at a hillside restaurant/winery. Lovely lunch in a covered pavilion— good wine too.

Drove a few more miles into town and our Protea hotel on the shop lined Main Street. Lots of restaurants.

Great gated parking (highly suggested in SA) at hotel. Perhaps 60 rooms surrounding a lovely garden and pool. Comfortable smallish rooms with nice baths. Only 2 floors, with a fine steakhouse on the ground floor.
Some of us had steaks the first nite. Very pleased with this and each of our hotels thus far.

Girls and P did the shops the next AM after a good breakfast at the hotel.

Dinner was at Reubens at the suggestion of the Protea chef. Very good meal, full menu, great desserts.

Good sleep.

Now today we intended to do several wineries, but rain interfered. Did La Motta first. Absolutely fab. Great flowers, great vines, beautiful old, but modernized, buildings. Rain cut stop short, so we moved on.

I'm along for the ride, too, Bob. I LOVE all the details. You always write such great trip reports!

Just chiming in to let you know that I'm still following, even if I don't always comment. Hope you enjoyed Franschhoek as much as I did. It remains the best wine region I've visited - for the food as well as the experience at the wineries.

Just lost another whole post

Today, Thursday we headed to Simon's Town south of Capetown. As we chose to drive Capetown, we took the opportunity to eat at Osteria Tarantino again. They are open for lunch 1-3 daily. There was only one other table full.
We found easy parking just above the restaurant on a tiny street in a handicapped spot.
Same menu as at night when early reservations by telephone are essential for evenings.
Staff remembered us and Tarantino spent quite a bit of time talking with us again.

Menu:

Antipasto for me
1 bottle of white wine, Diet Coke, water
bread with balsamic (moderna) and SA oil
veal and mushrooms AND pasta with fennel sausage, artichokes, mushrooms in a cream cheesy sauce—. Fab—girls
mushroom veal for P, plus pasta Alfredo
tiramisu
chocolate truffle ice cream
casatta— a trio ice cream cake with nuts

$55 a couple

FABULOUS, FABULOUS, FABULOUS

Thanks for continuing your report!

Above forgot to add our fab luncheon at La Petite Coombes in Franschhoek, sister of #1 rated La Colombo in Capetown. Note: restaurant will move end of Oct, 2019 outside of town to a wine estate.

Housed in a lovely upscale hotel in the center of town the vibe is minimalistic and cool. One side of the building is open to a small garden containing well trimmed hedges and a large shinny black stone sculpture of 2 intertwined people.

Tables are formally set with an elegant fern like arrangement set in a huge black bean shaped vase, low to the table.

Much of the cutularily is Japanese in style. We were seated at a large table next to the garden.

Menu:

A trolley was pushed up to our table planted with many plants. Scattered throughout it were some pre-apps: a minced mushroom reformed as a loli-pop sitting atop a wooden scenery, which was “replanted” in our center piece; a small round loaf of oatmeal bread, cut in quarters, accompanied with what looked like a tiny ear of corn, complete with look alike kernels within a tiny husk, which was the butter; a small individual open pot of avacado and tuna broth seasoned with coriander; Granny Smith palate cleanser sorbet served from a steaming from dry ice “treasure chest”; a beef fillet, cooked to individual liking, served with baby veggies and dutchese pots; coconut and passion fruit served in a chocolate shell; “treats”— French macaroons- coffee flavor, roasted marshmallow torched at the table, also served on a stick, smoke infused chocolate cigar.
Upon arrival we had been greeted by a very small sake drink served in a small porcelain cup.
Durind the meal we shared 3 carafes of white wine and some vodka.

2 1/2 hour lunch— fab, fab, fab lunch...335 ZAR for food= $23. each— amazing. did I say AMAZING

Pics coming

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Bread and butter
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Tuna and avacado dish...the best
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Same
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Beef and baby veg
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Cheese and rhubarb
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Lamb and baby veg
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Dessert
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Treets

As the diner eating the larger menu I received a couple of additional dishes: Lamb with baby veggies; the soft cheese and rhubarb circle served in a glass top box—- more wonderfulness...

New york, eat your heart out!!!!

The day of rain in Fra. saw us return to the lovely La Motta wine estate for lunch. Lovely restaurant indoors and out.

Pierneef is the restaurant name— Hugh open kitchen, comfortable dining room.

Menu:

smoked brisket with mushroom sauce, green salad with mustard seed dressing— best salad so far, chick pea and almond salad, several types of really good bread with the brightest yellow butter, pickles, butter beans, pickled beet chunks, tomato relish and pickled onions— all of these served family style as appetizers.
For mains 3 of us had the pork cooked for 12 hours with a crossection cut of a cabbage head which had been braised. P had a chicken dish.
Desserts: Sogo pudding (like tapioca), and a chocolate caramel dish
Wine of course— sauv. blanc

$66 per couple

What gorgeous food!

Today’s correction: Price for fixe prix La Colombo luncheons: 495 and 795 ZAR= $27. And $54.


Nice dinner tonight up the road in Kalk Bay at the Harbor House. Our table overlooked the rocks where huge waves crashed and sent water spraying skyward. Great fresh fish (3 of us had swordfish with fried chopped artichokes and leeks— yummy). Peter had a pork belly dish.

For apps I had a rich corn soup, K had oysters (so so, not like NE), L had calamari.

Desserts good but did not match descriptions.

1100 ZAR for 4 incl wine, vodka and beer.

At hosts suggestion we took a car service both ways— 400 ZAR

It rained most of the day.

Today in the PM P drove the girls down to the cape of good hope. We will return there again tomorrow in the sun and tour the whole area.

Enjoying our time in Simon’s Town, so. Of Capetown. Small town on the coast, near Cape of Good Hope. We are at a 4 room B & B called The Lookout. Wonderful and accommodating hosts. Lovely fresh breakfast put in your room the afternoon before. You can eat by your slider looking at the pool, ocean and mountains or out on the deck overlooking the same.

A few good restaurants nearby— last night it was Harbor House in the next town—Falk Bay. Could not be any closer to the sea. Great food.

Got up Sat. AM to bright sunshine and a breeze, about 70.

Headed up the road to the Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope national park, about $10 per person to enter, but we were able to use our Wild Cards—1 year membership in SA national Parks.
Sensational scenery, beautiful flora and fauna, many flowering shrubs and wildflowers. Curving roads up a mountain and down, baboons along the roads in small groups, some with babies. Several wild Ostrich with babies. More flowers and more flowers. Pounding surf hitting the rocks. 6-8 foot waves....small beaches.

Ended up in a small seaside town called Scarborough— for rich hippies. Great lunch at Whole Foods Cafe. I ate vegan.
Drove over the mountain, narrow road, and back to Simon’s town. Stopped at Boulder Beach, along with 1000 other people to see the famous penguin colony on the beach.

Note about parking: homeless people are in every parking area, helping you to park, and “protecting” your car when you are away. Very nice friendly guys to whom you give some change. Good system....

Tomorrow, Sunday, we have to be up and out early as we have an 11:45 AM flight from Capetown to Johannesburg.
We will spend the night at the airport Protea Hotel (Marriott). Monday AM we pick up another Toyota Forerunner SUV for the drive to Kreuger Park and hopefully lots of animal sightings.

Tonight’s dinner will be at Saveur Restaurant in the harbor.

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Baboon eating protea
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Coast near Cape of good Hope
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Shore line
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Road traffic
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We made it
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CapePoint
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Penguins in Simon’s town

Early rise 6:30 for 45 min. Drive to Capetown airport.

Comair flt to Johannesburg, bumpy. On time.

Thank God I use a wheelchair at airports— walk would have been a mile— needed 2 girls to push me.

Marriott shuttle to near by Protea Hotel. Same room as our 1st nite in SA— upgrade???

Dinner will be downstairs tonight.

Tomorrow we get another Hertz car and drive north about 5 hours to another Protea at Kreuger Gate of Kreuger National Park for our wild animal fix— about a week.


Last night’s dinner at Saveur was good. Again a view of the water, the yacht club and the Navy yard. Fantastic young waitress. Open fire just next to our table. Great cause there was a chill.

Menu:

butternut squash soup with crepe fraishe, butternut and walnut raviolis, seared tuna, chicken roularde, bbq ribs.
dessert was a failure. Wine and water. $44/couple.

A note seems necessary about current race relations here in SA. It’s still not great, but better than when we were here 10 years ago. Unfortunately race and crime are tied together. There are still large and small “townships” outside of most towns. I think they are 100% black and still very dangerous for residents. Buildings are small shacks, many now have sat. dishes. Walls are correlated materials and cardboard and plywood, as are roofs—. Many are also covered in plastic sheets. We noticed that they throw much of their trash over the fences and animals eat it.

Barbed wire is very much in evidence in all neighborhoods, even wealthy enclaves, and around and on top of businesses.
”Nicer” neighborhoods are gated and walled with 24/7 guarded entrances and roving patrols.

I WILL REPEAT THAT WE FEEL PERFECTLY SAFE, BUT ARE AWARE AND CAUTIOUS.

SA IS A FANTASTIC PLACE TO VISIT....

Poverty is in your face 24/7.

Each and every black or colored person we have encountered has been friendly, warm and welcoming; and that is from business owners, trash men, parking attendants, wait staff, drivers and probably the bank president.

Colored and Black are two different things in the SA mind—. Complicated.

Love the photos! SA seems very affordable, at least where food is concerned. Looking forward to hearing about the safari, which is the major reason I want to go.

Laurie.. SA perfect for you and Eric... Animals start tomorrow.

Food is cheap, as is good lodging... Champagne reasonable and wines good and reasonable.

Sounds great! I have to research and reading your report is part of my research! Hopefully we can go next summer/fall (ours).

Drove all day today north and arrived at The Paul Kreuger Gate about 3:30. Staying tonight at Protea HOTEL AT GATE.

IN the AM will drive north a bit more to Elandora Lodge our private lodge for game viewing.

Looking forward to hearing about your game viewing.

Me too!

Protea Kreuger gate hotel gets about 5 out of 10, but is 1/4 mile to park gate.

We left Protea about 9:30. We travelled over good and bad roads for the next 2.5 hours to the gate to our private game park— Elandela.
We passed deplorable housing and simple housing, many with no windows and most with outhouses, but all above the standard of the townships. The earth is parched. Some properties had mango and other fruit trees, all laden with fruit, not yet ripe.
Everyone walks, or takes minivan buses, mostly walkers. Many of the ladies are well dressed— ready for market.
Lots of schools all along. We passed 2 malls and thousands of fruit and nut stands. Very few gas stations...lots of car washes— not automated. Some of the open land was beautiful, most parched. Some land had crops, mostly irrigated tree crops: oranges, nuts, bananas..

Finally we turned off rte 40 on the airport road. The game park fencing (electric) was on both sides of the road. Finally our first giraffe eating tree leaves, then a springbok, then a warthog, then a family of giraffes.
At Elandora gate we turned in and were buzzed in thru the electric gate. From here it was 3 kilometers on a very narrow dirt road, passing through some tree and brush area and over small streams (little or no water). We saw quite a bit of game along this area.
We pulled up to a parking space in front of the main game lodge where two ladies were waiting for us. A nice reception. Others came to help with luggage.
Brenda checked us in and went over activities. We were escorted to our rooms. Rooms are nice, thatched roofs, and red brick walls. Nice bath, twin beds, desk, chair, fridge. Covered patio with 2 chairs with view to water hole where 7 rhinos, incl babies are mostly submerged.

Lunch at 2, first game ride at 3:30-7.

Hope you guys get to see all the game on your list!

Nice lunch, then on to the animals at 2:30.

Front seat for me, with headrest. All dirt roads, ditches, curves, thorns from trees. Simon, our young driver was very well informed and interesting. Beasts seen: monkey, small herd of water buffalo, giraffes, impala, jackel, huge warthog, springbok, birds, bush baby, hippos, family of rhinos (son playing with father, mother overseeing), zebras, and most exciting a closeup of a pride of 7 white lions, which we watched stretching and sleeping.

SIMON DESCRIBED lots about the animals and their habits and about the brush, grass, trees, soil, termite hills and general area. Park, reluctantly, has begun selective feeding for certain animals because of the extreme drought and the deceased animals found. We saw some hay stacks. Simon was brilliant. We only saw one other Jeep in the 3.5 hour drive...
It got dark and Simon used a search light to see animal’s eyes, but we saw little.

Back to lodge for 7PM dinner.... Two choices for main course: fish and shredded springbok. My app and rice were delish...

Must be up for 6AM drive...

Wow! The number and variety of wildlife is incredible - especially on your first drive. Hope the others are as amazing and fun.

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Baby giraffe
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Zebra...due to drought ,grazing animals are being fed hay
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Wildebeast
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Leopard..unable to get any closer.

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Rhino..horn filed down to prevent poaching
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Old buffalo
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Rare white lions.

O wow, that Leopard is such a good spot! They're generally very elusive. Look's like a great trip so far.

Great wildlife! I love the pics.

So our first 6AM morning arrived (1st of 2). In the vehicle by 6:05.

Property is 1000 hexacres on this side of the paved access road and 5000 on the other side— all uneven dirt roads, up and down, bumps and more bumps.

K and I were struck by the drought—really bad. We saw zebras, water buffalo, birds of prey, birds, antelope, springbok, wilder beast, a hyena, hypos, white rhinos, a child and mom and dad galloping zebras. Simon described how many animals have died and are diseased because of the drought.

As I type this I can hear the 7 hippos out front in the pond grunting.

We did an afternoon drive with much the same views and a few more breeds seen.

We returned to the lodge about 7. A bbq, African style had been prepared outside for us: salads, grilled chicken kabobs, fish and pork ribs, some veggies, cheese and a yummy dessert pudding. After dinner the staff put on an African singing and dance show (too long imo, but fun).

This Am was our 2nd 6 AM trip. This time we were taken into Kreuger National Park in an a/c mini bus. We were devastated at what we saw, as we could compare it directly with our trip there 10 years ago. Devastation. Leafless dead looking trees, lack of feed grasses, huge lack of animals of all sorts. We did finally see elephants, but few zebras and giraffes. Very sad comparison. We did see a very rare flyless bird, an ostrich , monkeys, wilderbeast, hyenas, lions at a distance, eagles, and perhaps others. In contrast, 10 years ago we saw hundreds of animals, many crossing the roads in front of us, many at watering holes (now dry holes mostly), and many just wandering about in search of water and the next kill. We did see a wonderful view of a herd of elephants in procession in a dry waterbed to a small muddy patch with some water. There were 2 or 3 small babies with them. This was the game trip’s highlight for me.


The others have gone on an afternoon game drive. I stayed behind.

Dinner at 7 upon their return.

We leave Elandela tomorrow and head south to the Town of Hazyview, near a gate to Kreuger. We will use this time to visit the south of the park.