Artistic Barcelona
Our last day in Barcelona was a warm Sunday in August. We had made plans the previous day to visit Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), compliments from our hotel the Le Meridien. We also planned to visit Casa Batlló, another one of Guidi’s architectural treasures and then arrive at the Picasso Museum around 2 pm, because they offer free tickets after 3 pm every Sunday. With these plans in mind we set off in search of a café for an easy breakfast and espresso. We found one near the Contemporary Art Museum and sat on the patio enjoying the morning before entering into the museum.
This contemporary museum was quite interesting and entertaining as most modern museums are. We visited each exhibition taking in the creative minds each artists had. One exhibition was purely based on every item an artist had found in an abandoned apartment and each piece stacked neatly on a slatted platform.
Upon entering the museum this is the first thing you see. 
An entryway into an exhibit
Upon leaving the museum this was at the beginning of our walk.
An entryway into an exhibit
Upon leaving the museum this was at the beginning of our walk. After some time in the museum we walked toward the direction of Casa Batlló and jumped on the nearest Metro headed toward Passeig de Gràcia, near Ciutat Vella, the oldest part of Barcelona to explore Casa Batlló. We had purchased tickets online, which I highly recommend to anyone visiting tourist sites in Europe, this way you avoid 1-2 hour ticket lines. We quickly got inside the home and decided to get the audiovisual tour. I’m so glad we did. They provide you with interactive small tablets, which as you enter each room show you what it once looked like back in the time when the Batlló family lived there. The home is unlike anything else you have ever seen. Many believe Guídi’s inspiration for the home came from marine life. The skylights appear of tortoise shells and the staircase built like the spine of a large animal. This home is extremely large, sizing at approximately 7,600 square feet. There is a lift inside the home due to multiple floors. We visited each floor, including the loft which was much less decorative, but simplistic and used as a service area. Guidi still managed to make the loft beautiful in its simplicity. We walked up to the roof terrace, which has amazing views of Barcelona. The roof itself resembles a dragon’s tail with different colors of tiles throughout, a very artistic and functional piece. If you ever find yourself in Barcelona you should check out this creative mansion. It is a little pricey at 21.5 euros a person, but worth it.
The front exterior of Casa Batlló. The pillars resemble bones and the windows masks.
The internal light wells 
The ceiling swirls into a sunlike light
Wood and colored glass entryways
The loft which contained the service area
The infamous roof with the dragon like tail. You can see the detail of the tiles. Some say if you look close enough it appears as though the roof is moving.
The view of Barcelona from the roof.
Our next stop was the Picasso Museum. We wanted to get there early because we knew the line would be long. We arrive right around 2:15 pm and stood in line for about 45 minutes, not bad compared to how long the line looked. The museum entrance is located on a narrow street in El Born and the line often takes up most of the street. We received our tickets and the entrance time of 3:30pm. We were feeling hungry so we walked to a nearby café and order wine, beer and tapas consisting of olives and goat cheese. For those of you who know me wine and cheese are some of my favorite things.
We sat and relaxed before heading back to the Picasso Museum located within five medieval stone mansions. The mansions alone are gorgeous. The staircases, arches, terraces and galleries could keep you busy for hours, let alone all the wonderful work of Picasso it contains. We walked through each gallery seeing the wonderful transition Picasso’s work took on throughout his life. This museum contains over 3500 works! The collection is focused mostly on his formative years, but was a perfect start for Drew and I because we were not done with Picasso yet. Throughout the rest of our time in Spain we would see many of his later works and the profound difference from his formative years to his “creative years”. I enjoy art, but have never been one to study this topic; therefore I really enjoyed this museum. I learned a great deal not only about Picasso, but art in general. I even learned what cubism is! Imagine that. 😉
Not a great shot, but gives you an idea of one of the stone mansions the museum was located in.
Picasso himself.
We unfortunately don’t have pictures from the museum accessible! But someday if you have the opportunity you should visit. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
Our time was almost complete in Barcelona and we were excited for a new city and adventure in Madrid. Our last dinner in Barcelona was at Tabarlot, a charming pub with tasty Catalan cuisine. We ate grilled Padrón Peppers, assortment of olives, Spanish ham and croquets. We also enjoyed Moritz, a local beer with lots of flavor. It was a great last meal before heading to Madrid the next day.
Those grilled Padrón peppers are amazing!
We have loved Barcelona and hope you have enjoyed it with us as well. You will soon hear of our new travels to Madrid!
xoxo
Guidì Days in Barcelona
As many of you probably know Guidì is one of the most famous architects to come out of Europe. His works are highly praised today and hundreds of tourists visit his works daily. He is often praised for projects that aren’t even his own. Throughout our time in Barcelona we visited many of his acclaimed architectural sites and learned a great deal about his life and visions for his buildings, particularly for La Sagrada Familia. On August 7th Drew and I spent much of the day exploring Guell Park and La Sagrada Familia. Our first stop was Guell Park. We took the metro near our hotel then walked the rest of the way so it took us some time to arrive at the park. We also got lost a couple times so we ended up on the backside of the park first. At the top and very edge of the park is a great view of the city, but upon arriving at this location first it is hard to tell where the park begins. We descended down a large amount of stairs to arrive within the park to see the beginnings of Guidì’s work. Inside the park you will find the home Guídi lived in with his father and niece. Guídi did not build this home, but did do several renovations to it during the time he lived there. We bought tickets and toured the home and the works of Guìdi it now contained. It was not what you would have expected. The home was pretty simple. The outside looked grander and larger than the actual home was, but it was still very beautiful. We walked around the home for about 30 minutes and then explored more of the park. The park was supposed to eventually become a neighborhood, but never progressed into one. Guídi only built two homes at the front of the park and that was it. Throughout there are gorgeous structures made of stone and designed by Guídi himself. We enjoyed viewing the different structures and looking at the crafmanship of the architecture. You can buy tickets to enter into the homes and other structures, but the wait was long and we decided to enjoy other parts of Barcelona instead. Visiting Casa Batlló was in our plans so I didn’t feel like we were missing out on seeing the interior of Guídi’s genius.
Guídi’s personal home
We left the park and headed to the bus stop where it would take us close to our lunch spot. Drew had made reservations at Sopa Boba, a tapas resturaunt. We enjoyed sitting and resting for a little bit before heading back to Hotel Murmuri to move to the next hotel, The Le Meridien, where we would be staying for the remainder of our time in Barcelona. Le Meridien is located right in the middle of the popular tourist street Las Ramblas. It was definitely a different environment to the hotel we just left. It was fun to see a busier side of Barcelona. After settling in our room we headed back into the streets in the direction of La Sagrada Familia via the Metro. La Sagrada is known as Guidí’s most famous and extravagant work. It has even been deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site even though it is still incomplete. Guídi knew this Roman Catholic Church would not be completed by the time he passed away so he laid out all the plans for the completion. Construction began in 1882 and believe it or not they continue to work on it to this day with hopes of completing it in 2026, exactly 100 years after Guídi’s death. It was one of the only churches to survive the Spainish Civil War. The facades on the buildings are ornate and each side tells a story. There’s a Nativity facade, a Passion facade telling the story of Christ’s death and ascension and lastly the Glory facade which has yet to be completed. The Nativity facade is considered more of the gothic style as the Passion is more of a Catalan neomodernism style. For you lovers of architect and art this probably means way more to you than me, but I get these concepts on a very basic level. 😉
The Passion Facade. If you look close enough you can see Jesus ascending into heaven about halfway up between the spires.
The Nativty Facade
The focal point of the Natvity Facade.
Just as the outside of La Sagrada is beautiful the inside is stunning with stained glass windows and enamarous pillars that projected like trees on the sides of the church. You are able to visit two of the towers that are completed and Drew and I had planned on going up to the nativity facade but, unfortunately, due to weather the towers had been closed. We did receive audio guides though and walked around the Church listening to Guídi’s vision for the design and purpose of the Church. Guídi was a very religious man and this Church is a testament to his faith. He never married and ended up passing away after being hit by a tram just outside the Church in 1926. Drew and I spent about 2 hours in the Church, including going down to the museum in the basement and seeing the plans and models presented for La Sagrada Familia. We greatly enjoyed our time here and appreciate all the time and hard work that has gone into such a beautiful Church. Someday I hope to return once it is fully completed and see Guídi’s vision as a whole.
The stained glass windows are so remarkable. These pictures do not do them justice. You will just have to visit someday to see what I am talking about. 😉
You can see the treelike pillars well in this picture. 
This sculpture of Christ on the cross is directly at the center of the Church and will be the focal point once the Glory Facade is completed where the entrance will be.
The doors leading into the Church under the Passion Facade
Drew and I left the Church heading toward the nearest Metro station to take us to dinner at Santa Gula. This resturaunt was a gem! It was small with only 7 tables. The walls were painted white with trim work in light wood. It had a chic farmhouse appeal to it, very homey and comforting. I had a great meal of tuna tempura with the house wine. Drew had a local beer with the short ribs. Once dinner was completed we headed back to the hotel Le Meridien. It had been a packed day of walking and visiting some of the greatest sites of Guídi’s work. We aren’t done with Guídi yet though! We still have yet to tell you all about Casa Batlló and let me tell you, you won’t want to miss it! 
Dinner at Santa Gula. You can get a small sense of how cute this place is.
(Each photo taken with iphone6).
Beauty in Barcelona
We arrived in Barcelona late on August 6th after traveling for over 36 hours. It was around 1030 pm and the airport was decently quiet except for the international flights arriving. Drew and I bought train tickets into Barcelona and headed in the direction of our hotel, the Hotel Murmuri. We came to our stop and I jumped out with one of our bags while Drew tried to exit out of another door. It would not open so I watched as the train doors closed and Drew was swept out of sight down the tube. Immediate thought…. I don’t have phone access and no euros. I walked out of the station and turned the direction I first laid eyes on. I found a hotel to get wifi access and hoped to find our hotel figuring I would just meet Drew there. Well, as my luck goes our hotel did not have a lighted sign (very American of me, I know) and I passed by our hotel several times in search of it. Meanwhile Drew did a u-turn at the next stop and jumped on the returning train. We ended up finding each other on a street corner around 1230 am and found our hotel pretty easily. HA! By this point we were running on 3 hours of sleep in two days of travel and exhausted. We ordered room service, took showers and headed to bed excited to explore the city the next day. Our first stop on the agenda was breakfast at the hotel, (because it was included in our stay with the Visa signature card) then headed to Placá San Jaume where we would start our tour of the city with Fat Tire Bike Tours. I would highly recommend this tour. Our tour guide, Dicken, was from the United Kingdom and very informative on the history of Barcelona as well as including his witty sense of humor wherever possible. He is also good friends with the Lumineers so that automatically makes him a pretty cool person. The tour was 4 hours long and you ride to many of the historical sites including la Sagrada Familia, Santa Maria del Mar, Citadel Park and Palau de la Música. Each of these sites are beautiful and grand in different ways. You also ride on the busy streets of Barcelona so it’s a good tutorial if you are interested in riding bikes on your own throughout the city. One thing we learned a great deal about during this bike tour was the Catalyan people and their struggle in the past as a desire to be identified as an independent European nation. The Catalonia region is northeastern Spain and Barcelona is the regional capital. Dicken was very knowledgeable in the Catalyan culture and described the oppression the Catalonia people had dealt with over time. Upon biking all over Barcelona you will see many Catalyan flags all over the city. Not knowing much about Spanish history I really enjoyed learning about Spain’s rich history and the people who make up this beautiful culture.
Palau de la Música
The tiles on the columns and facade of the Palau de la Música were so colorful and beautiful. Although many people think Guidi designed and built this Palau it was actually Llouís Domènech I Montaner, a famous Catalyan architect. We did not enter this building, bit admired it greatly from the outside.
One side of La Sagrada Familia. We did not enter the church at this time, but walked around and observed the exterior, which in and of itself you could spend hours doing. This is Guidi’s greatest work. The side shown here tells the story of the Passion of Christ and is a very interesting view. I will go into more explanation of our time here in another post, because Guidi and the story of this church can take up an entire post. 🙂
Drew and I at Citadel Park. Another monument Guidi recieved credit for but was only an intern on the project. This area was once a fortress, first created during the War of the Spanish Succession. Once an area of disgust is now a beautiful park for the locals and tourists to enjoy.
We ate lunch toward the end of the bike tour near Barceloneta, right by the beach in a restaurant called the Beach Garden. The fish was great here and the sangria refreshing. We finished up the tour back in Placá San Jaume around 3 pm and walked around the beautiful El Born and El Barri Gòtic. We grabbed iced coffee in a local cafe then headed back to Hotel Murmuri to shower and get ready for dinner. We had a $25 dollar voucher at the hotel’s bar known as elPassatge so we sat on their outdoor terrace ordered a pitcher of sangria and talked about the day. We then had a nice walk to the Metro for a ride to La Forquilla, a wonderful restaurant located in the Sant Martí district. Drew had read reviews on Trip Advisor that had suggested ordering the tasting menu and that’s exactly what we did. It was a great suggestion and we loved the meal. Drew isn’t a very big fish person and they were more than happy to switch out some of the fish plates for Drew’s preferred red meat. Such an Oklahoma boy. Our favorite dish of the night was the grilled octopus with potato foam and mustard sauce. Although my tataki of tuna was also amazing. We also enjoyed a bottle of rosé during the meal which the waiter had suggested. The meal was perfect after a busy day in the city and offered many different varieties of cuisine.
El Barri Gòtic
Thought you may be curious as to what potato foam is.. Here it is with octopus. Ignore the suction cups 😉
Our first day in Barcelona was full of discovery, history and enjoying the Spanish food and wine. It was a lovely day. This adventure is definitely to be continued…
*All photographs taken with IPhone6 due to forgetting the Mac photo transfer device at home.
A quick jaunt in Frankfurt
Drew and I started our adventure on Wednesday, August 5th. Just as a side note it was my first official day of being 30. What a weird feeling. Thank goodness I was headed on an European vacation with my favorite person in this world. I couldn’t imagine a better first month in my 30’s than exploring the streets of Spain and Portugal. We had been planning this trip for a year now and had trouble believing it was already here! We flew from Denver to NYC on Delta, a pleasant flight with their great new entertainment system via gogoflight. We had a 5 hour layover which we spent most of in the Virgin Atlantic lounge in JFK. It was a great lounge with excellent food, drinks and views of the Tarmac. We then flew overnight with Singapore Airlines in their suites class to Frankfurt, Germany. Now that was an experience! The flight was only 7 hours which Drew was very disappointed about. He prefers the 14 hour flights so he can experience each class to its fullest. It is probably the best I’ve ever slept on a flight, maybe it had to do with suites class?? 😉
Drew in Singapore Suites Class before take off.
We landed in Frankfurt at approximately 10 in the morning with about 6 hours to go into the city and explore. We took the train into the city from the airport, the cheapest and easiest way to get into the city.
Frankfurt Main Hauptbahnhof – Main railway station
Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof
We had previously made reservations at Salzkammer for the desired schnitzel and beer which is located near Frankfurt’s city center. We arrived at the restaurant an hour late due to misdirection, but they had saved our table for us. The schnitzel was delicious and we enjoyed people watching on the terrace.
Schnitzel!
We left lunch with full bellies and an excitement to explore. Drew had previously researched the area and noticed there was a free walking tour everyday outside one of the gold exchange shops. We had decided this would be the best way to experience Frankfurt in such a small amount of time. We met up with a group of adults from all our the world. The guide, Dominque, was a student at a nearby university who had grown up in Frankfurt, therefore we received a local view on the city which was great. This was not your everyday, normal tour. Dominque explained the good AND bad of Frankfurt should be experienced so within 15 minutes of the tour we were standing on a street curb outside a drug consumer house run by the government. These homes were set up in order to isolate and contain drug use in the city. As we stood there talking multiple people walked around us making drug deals and clearly under the influence. Multiple police cars patrolled the areas and there was always police present in disguise. It was definitely a different view of the city. The rest of the tour Dominique discussed a lot of the history of Frankfurt and it was amazing to hear and see the buildings that had been reconstructed after WWII. We walked past one of the only buildings that had survived the war with a small cafe located near the town plaza. He also discussed how most of the buildings in the city center were rebuilt after the war and many were created much fancier than previously to attract tourists.
The Main River in Frankfurt reflecting Frankfurt’s true name, Frankfurt Am Main (“Frankfurt on the Main”)
Locks on the Eiserner Steg Bridge along the Main River
The tour had yet to finish, but Drew and I needed to catch the train back to the airport for our flight to Barcelona, Spain. We enjoyed our short time in Frankfurt and learned a great deal in such a small amount of time. I was ready though to jump back in a plane and head to a city I had wanted to explore for quite some time… Barcelona! That is where this adventure will continue. Hasta luego amigos!
Table Mountain and the ‘Old Bisquit Mill
We settled back into Cape Town after a wonderful trip to Wine country. Our day started off early with yogurt and granola in the hotel room and of course Charlie’s delightful Aeropress coffee. We then grabbed a taxi in front of the hotel and made our way to Table Mountain, one of Souths Africa’s gorgeous landscapes. We waited in line for some time to get on the tram, because of course this is one of the prime tourist locations. We traveled up the tram at a decently steep level looking out over Cape Town and the ocean. A great start to a day.
We reached the top of the mountain and set off exploring. Table mountain is exactly what its name implies. The top is completely plateaued and you can walk around the entire thing. You can have a 360 view of the entire city, ocean and landscape. It’s not a sight to miss, not to mention your walking on a flat mountain top. That alone is amazing by itself.
The view on top of table mountain
We spent over an hour exploring the mountain then went to the cafe and enjoyed a beer and some food. We found a stone edge to sit and eat when Torrie had quite the surprise. She reached her hand back to grab a piece of a granola bar and felt something furry. An animal indigenous to South Africa, known as a Hyrax, had climbed up to eat some of the food. It was entertaining to say the least. After sometime exploring Table Mountain we headed back down the tram and back into Cape Town where the Ol’ Bisquit Mill awaited us. This gorgeous building made out of red brick houses many shops, a couple restaurants and a fabulous coffee shop.
The Ol’ Bisquit Mill
We were quite hungry at this point and decided to try our luck at The Test Kitchen, located in the Ol’ Bisquit Mill. This restaurant was rated No. 48 in the Worlds Top 50 Restaurants in 2013 among many other accolades. It appeared luck was on our side that day because they had one opening available for lunch. Either that or they were just so accommodating they made room for us and we are so glad they did. The food and atmosphere were fabulous and it was a lunch to remember. We feasted on line fish and pork belly and ended with strong fragrant espresso. We then made our way to the coffee shop mainly because it was intriguing and due to the fact Char and I love coffee. This coffee shop focused on coffee as a science and it was a very different experience from my everyday Starbucks grind.
We walked around the mill for a little while then headed back to our hotel, The Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, where for the first time this trip we relaxed and sat by the pool and oceanfront. It was a peaceful time much needed after an active 6 days of traveling around Cape Town and other areas in South Africa. That evening we went to a lovely Mediterranean restaurant right on the waterfront and discussed how much we all loved South Africa and one day MUST return. Our next adventure would lead us to Hoedspruit, SA where we experienced the most amazing safari and viewing of all big 5 in the first day! But, that of course, is for another post. 😉
A couple more of our favorite pictures from Table Mountain 
PS. Quick side note. If you’re looking for a laundry service in Cape Town Washr is stellar and comes highly rated. They were very responsive and reasonably priced.
Stellenbosch
January 5th started off rainy and gloomy in Cape Town. The forecast was not promising so we decided eat brunch at Bootleggers, (we obviously loved it there) and head up to Stellenbosch early. Stellenbosch is wine country about a 45 minute drive east of Cape Town. It’s a beautiful landscape with hundreds of wineries, vineyards and estates. We arrived mid afternoon and decided to start our wine tasting earlier than planned. Our first stop was Asara, a winery just inside Stellenbosch on the way to the city center. The wine tasting room was a creative setup with oak barrels as tables and overlooking a wine storage room. Although, out of all the wineries we visited this was not our favorite it was a good start to our Stellenbosch tour.
The vineyards of Asara
The next winery we visited was Warwick Estate. A beautiful estate with white mission buildings which was once considered a farm. The estate is locally and family owned like many of the wineries in Stellenbosch. We walked into the wine tasting area and sat at a large, wooden table. We enjoyed the wine here much more and left with a bottle called the Black Lady, a Syrah. This wine was not apart of the wine tasting and one could only try it if they bought a bottle because it was a limited edition. Of course Drew couldn’t handle the thought of not being able to try something so we left with a bottle of the Black Lady and decided to enjoy it on his birthday.
We left Warwick and headed to the Bed and Breakfast we were staying at for the night called 10 Alexander. This B&B was located just outside the main stretch of Stellenbosch and was a quick walk to some great restaurants and bars. Our room was comfortable and cozy and outside the window we had a view of a small garden. We went to the pool and sat and talked with the owner, Paul. He suggested we eat at a restaurant called Inniebosch, which means “In the bush”. We took his suggestion and walked to this hidden treasure. It is not off the main drag but behind a building down a walkway. We probably never would have found it if it hadn’t been for Paul. We sat on the patio, which was a little chilly but blankets were provided, which I’m thinking was the doing of our B&B we were staying at. The food was great and the wine delicious. This is one thing I think you’ll notice throughout these posts is how delicious and plentiful the wine is in South Africa. We ordered a bottle from Warwick, one we had tried earlier in the day and had liked. After dinner we walked around Stellenbosch, got some homemade ice cream and ended up at the oldest pub in town called De Akker. We drank beer and talked about what the next day would bring; Endless hours of wine tasting.
We woke up the next day to a wonderful breakfast. 10 Alexander is known for their breakfast and all the reviews were definitely correct. We filled up on food and packed up for our wine tasting adventure. Drew had found a wonderful tour company called Vineyard Ventures and our guide, Glen, came to pick us up at the B&B. we discussed the days plans and gave her some vineyards we would like to see, but then gave her full reign to go where she thought best. Our first stop was a Kanonkop Estate, a fourth generation winery that sits at the base of the Simonsberg Mountains. It’s a beautiful estate with a large tasting room and reception area. Their wines were bold and a little strong for 9:30 am, but we tasted like pros and enjoyed learning about each wine.
Our next stop was Muratie. Glen has told us this visit was not so much for the wine, but the estate and surroundings. The estate is much older and had a lot of interesting artwork and decor. Thick cobwebs were scattered among the window frames and slung over old wine bottles. There were oak barrels scattered throughout the rooms with the name and year of the wine. The only tasting I really enjoyed at this estate was the champagne called Miss Alice. It was a lovely rosé, light and flavorful. Unfortunately the rest of the wines were not much to talk about. If there is one winery we wouldn’t have minded going to it would be this one. We did enjoy some of the scenery and originality of the estate though. It was a beautiful area of Stellenbosch.
After Muratie we headed to Stark-Condé. This winery was gorgeous and one of our favorites when it came to the views. The tasting was at Postcard Cafe, across a bridge on a small island in the middle of a lake. The patio was covered in large willow trees. It was a beautiful sunny day and so refreshing to sit outside and get a little sun.
Our fourth winery of the day was Delaire Graff, a very magnificent, prestigious winery. The Graff family also owns Graff Diamonds, a very well known jewelry company. Along the estate are beautifully presented sculptures, paintings and displays of their jewelry. The gardens are equally as beautiful and the estate faced the great mountain range. We had a small wine tasting here, but mostly enjoyed the estate and Glen loved the bathrooms. 😉 We also had the event of bee flying up my shirt and Glen graciously trying to remove it while everyone got quite a nice show. Ha! This would happen to me at a very high end winery. At least it was entertaining for everyone else! (Disclaimer: Photos taken at Delaire Graff were from my iPhone, therefore they aren’t the best).
Driving along the entry of Delaire Graff
Once the bee fiasco was over with and we had tried out the wonderful bathrooms Glen raved about we made our way to a tasting and lunch at Tokara. We took part in the wine tasting first and then headed into the dining room. We had one of the best meals of our trip at Tokara. Torrie ordered the line fish and Drew, Charlie and I ordered the Springbok entree. Springbok is small game, similar to venison. The entree came with strawberries, asparagus and a wonderful lime sorbet. We would’ve ordered extra if it would’ve been appropriate, it was that good! We also ordered a bottle of wine we had tasted and enjoyed. Glen definitely picked out an excellent place for lunch. It was the time of day where we started to feel sleepy from the wine and days activities so we each ordered a double espresso and went on our way to Rust en Vrede.
The view of the vineyards from the dining room at Tokara
Rust en Vrede was our second to last stop of the day. It was about 3:30 at this time and was by far our longest, but one of the greatest tasting. Rust en Vrede means Rest and Peace. A beautiful name for such a gorgeous estate. We sat on a large patio outside and enjoyed some of Stellenbosch’s greatest wine. Nelson Mandela had chosen Rust en Vrede wine to be served at the Nobel Peace Prize dinner some years back. They also have been nominated as the first South African red wine to be listed in the top 100 Wines of the World four consecutive years in a row. Pretty prestigious accolades!
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Our last winery of the day was called Meerlust. Glen, our fearless leader had been married at this estate many years prior and we had had many good things about it from South African locals. It was a great end to our Stellenbosch tour. A pristine wooden fence lined the entryway and horses walked the fields connected to the estate. We got there about ten minutes before they closed, enjoyed a wine tasting and Drew bought a couple bottles of their wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon. We were glad we made a point of stopping at this winery, it was different from any of the other ones we had visited prior.
As we left Stellenbosch we had mixed emotions of “we need another day to see more wineries” to “I can never see a glass of wine again.” Later that evening, back in Cape Town, Torrie and I tried to look at a wine list at a local restaurant and immediately put it down. We had met our quota for the day. We would love to return to Stellenbosch someday. It is a gorgeous country with a plethora of wineries and estates, each unique in their own way. Someday we will return and we will take on a whole new round of vineyards.
A Day Drive along the Cape
We woke up feeling refreshed on the morning of January 4th in Cape Town. Torrie had graciously planned a day of driving along the coast line and visiting different beaches and towns on our way to the Cape of Good Hope. We couldn’t have asked for a better day! The weather was amazing; Sunny with a temperature around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Our first stop was at Bootleggers Coffee House. It was a random, but great find. We would visit this restaurant one other time because their food was so delicious. We ordered grilled banana bread, croissants, fruit and yogurt and coffees to go around. We took the food to go in order to get on the road and discover Cape Towns coast. We had already driven part of it once from Hermanus, but we had plenty more to stop and see.
We took Chapman’s Peak drive on our way, which winds it’s way between Noordhoek and Hout Bay. A beautiful drive along the coast on a mountain road. Pictures cannot do it justice, but we tried our best.
One of the great views on Chapman’s Peak Drive
Our first site seeing along the way was the penguin colony in Boulders Beach located near Simons Town. This site is part of Table Mountain National Park, a world heritage site, and is quite large. We walked along the Burgher’s walkway and watched penguins sleeping over nests, standing on granite boulders and swimming in the ocean waters. There were people in the bay also swimming with them. We were there during breeding season so there were many nests hidden among bushes and trees and hundreds of penguins among the brush. We enjoyed the walk and viewing of penguins. At the end of the walkway we decided to head back to the car and continue our drive.
Boulders Beach
Warning! BABOONS!
We headed for the “southern most tip of Africa”, the Cape of Good Hope. I did learn upon research of the Cape of Good Hope that it is the most south-western point of Africa. Cape Agulhas, about 90 miles to the southeast is the actual southern most point, but this is a common misconception. We entered the park and drove as close to Cape Point as possible. We then ascended the steps and made the climb to the top of the peak. There was a beautiful lighthouse and viewing decks at the top. We spent our time taking in the sight of Africa’s end point and enjoying the mountains in the distance. After getting some great pictures and standing in awe of where we were we decided to walk down and take the hike out to the Cape of Good Hope. There was a pathway formed so you could walk all the way to the end of the Cape and up to the top of the peninsula. What a beautiful area! It was great to get out and walk after being in the car for several hours. The winds on top of the peninsula were pretty intense and we had to pay close attention to balance and the edges of the cliff. We spent some time on the top then headed back to the car to take us to the beach where the Cape of Good Hope sign sits. We explored and took pictures at the sign.
A little direction at the top of Cape Point
Lighthouse on Cape Point
On Cape Point overlooking The Cape of Good Hope
Cape Point lookout
We were blessed with a beautiful day
Wild Ostrich, Cheeky Charlie
We decided to head back along the coast into Cape Town so we wouldn’t miss the sunset. We stopped at Long Beach on the way for the beautiful views. I’m sure as you have read this blog you know South Africa does not lack beautiful views in any way. We made it to Camps Bay grabbed some food from the local grocer and sat on the boulders watching the sunset. The Twelve Apostles mountain range stood protectively behind us as we talked about the day and the time ahead of us. As soon as the sun set we walked across the street to have dinner. Unfortunately the restaurant we chose wasn’t the best, but we were hungry and it was the was easiest option at the time. The restaurant was called Umi. The service was poor and the food was hit or miss. They had run out of a lot of things and some of the portions were small. I am happy to say though that out of our time in SA this was the only restaurant we were disappointed with.
Long Beach
The Twelve Apostles mountain range in Camps Bay
A view of Lionshead from Camps Bay
Overall it was another great day in Cape Town. Each day that came was filled with new and fun adventures, each one different from the last. We still have so much to share with you!
Hermanus and Sharks
We made it to South Africa actually feeling somewhat rested and ready to take on a whirlwind tour with our friends Charlie and Torrie. We arrived at the Cape Town International Airport via Johannesburg around 130 pm on January 2nd. Tor and Char had arrived several hours earlier so they had picked up a rental car, had a quick lunch in Cape Town and came back to the airport to collect us. Low and behold they pull up in a Mercedes, waving out the window. The Budget lady was obviously very trusting. 😉 thank goodness Char had some experience driving on the opposite side of the road so we had appointed him this lovely, stressful job. He did wonderfully! He drove us up and down the coast for two days without a hitch. He definitely deserves a pat on the back for that one.
We packed all of our luggage in the car and took off toward Hermanus, where the next day we would be driving to Gansbaii Bay to take part in a little activity we call cage diving with great whites. We drove along the coast enjoying the views and breathing in the ocean air. We arrived at our hotel in Hermanus called Whale Coast Hotel. We stayed in a beautiful two bedroom apartment right above one of the main streets. It was a perfect location in this little beach town. We had arrived in Hermanus late afternoon and decided to venture out onto the coast in search of a seafood restaurant for dinner. We came to Paradiso restaurant where we ate grilled calamari, paella and seafood pizza. We drank wine and talked about what the next day held for us. Excitement, nervousness, and uncertainty all lingered as we spoke about what it would be like to see a shark fin swimming toward you. Don’t you worry, the next day we definitely learned that feeling.
Views from Hermanus
After a decent nights rest we woke up at the indecent hour of 4 am. We needed to be at the Apex headquarters for cage diving at 5:45 am and it was about an hour drive from our hotel. We slowly piled in the car and drove toward Gansbaii Bay. We arrived at the meeting location, drank coffee, had a small breakfast and watched a quick tutorial on Great White sharks, which the South Africans lovingly call “white sharks”. A waiver signing our life away was given to us, we were placed in bright orange rain jackets and life jackets and strutted out to the boat. This boat is the largest one used in cage diving and the most updated and outfitted of all the diving boats. All four of us got a nice spot on the upper deck and we took off toward the shallow waters of Gansaii Bay. During this time of year, SA’s summer, the sharks are not in shark alley, but in shallower waters. Makes one feel good doesn’t it? They pulled to the area they wanted, dropped anchor and waited for the chum to work its magic. Chum is a recipe of bits of fish and sea water, which attracts sharks to the boat. They also have a line of bait and a seal decoy thrown out and pulled back every couple minutes to also attract them. We sat and waited, my stomach was not holding up so well due to extremely rocky waters and I prayed a shark would come quickly. All of a sudden right in front of us a shark barely breached to snatch a Coriander from the waters. We were up on our feet in seconds and the fun had begun. Three different groups went into the cage at different times and the four of us were the last ones to go. We watched as each group had different sharks circling them, attracted to the bait and decoy. The Captain and sailors would yell out where the shark was at way before anyone else saw it. “Look by the bait!”, “Look left!” and this game went on for some time. The second group that went had a great experience in the cage because the shark grabbed onto the bait and took it for a ride. We enjoyed it because we had an amazing view on the top deck and saw every move the shark made. The water visibility was horrible. You literally couldn’t see your hand in front of your face when you were under water so it was much better viewing on the boat. Finally, it was our groups turn. We donned our wetsuits, boots and masks and climbed down into the cold water, inside the cage. It was freezing, 16.1 degrees celsius. My wetsuit was too big and I thought hypothermia may set in. It took some time for a shark to come around, but when it did you aren’t even thinking. You’re just in awe. There is this magnificent, wild predator in front of you. We would often see the fin directly in front of us, and we would duck into the water, but again visibility was not on our side. It was better to see the shark above water. The shark would appear from below, it’s sneak attack and all of a sudden be right at the cage. It is a bit humbling because you realize how powerless you are. After several confrontations with the sharks I headed out of the cage due to being cold and motion sickness. Drew, Torrie and Charlie stayed in the water until the marine biologists decided they would get hypothermia and made them come out. They were loving it. We had a wonderful time on the boat and it was such a new and different experience for all of us. We headed back for shore, hit land, warmed up and started the drive to Cape Town where the next five days awaited us. We stopped at a couple different lookouts along the way and had some beautiful views. I would say it was a great start to our South Africa trip and we had so much ahead.
Torrie and Charlie on the way to cage diving, orange jackets and all
The sunrise on our way to Gansaii Bay
GREAT white
Views from the drive back along the coast
That evening back in Cape Town we settled into our hotel rooms at Park Inn by Radisson and researched places to eat dinner. Drew found a highly rated restaurant in Cape Town called Carne and the reviews looked fantastic. We decided to give it a try. It was great! (As long as you like meat) 😉 First the restaurant fit us in because we didn’t have reservations and the service was amazing. They brought out different cuts of meat on a tray to show what they are then allow you to pick the actual cut of meat you want. It’s a creative and interactive part of dinner we haven’t experienced before. We were hungry from the day and steak was exactly what we needed. Drew and Char got the safari plate which included different meats from Ostrich, Kodu, Impala and Springbok. Torrie and I had different cuts of fillet. We drank wine and enjoyed conversation. It was a great end to such a crazy day. The next day would entail driving along the coast line and exploring The Cape of Good Hope. A part of the trip we were really looking forward to. We are looking forward to sharing it with you.
PS. sorry for the silence on the posts. We have been in some wonderful places with very spotty wifi. Our apologies 😉
Hong Kong Delicacies
Our second and last day in Hong Kong consisted of walking all around the city, eating delicacies in Causeway Bay and visiting the markets of Mongkok. It was New Years Day and the city was busy with locals off from work, running errands and enjoying meals with their family and friends. Our first stop of the day lead us to hike Dragons Back, but unfortunately we were never able to find the trailhead. Although planned adventures don’t always come to fruition, this can lead to wonderful new discoveries. On our path to find the trailhead we came to an expansive cemetery which spanned across the hills just outside of Chai Wan. We had never seen anything like it before. There were thousands of stone heads lining the hills and the place was eerily quiet and empty. We walked along a winding road which took us above the skyline and gave us a whole new view of Hong Kong and it’s surrounding suburbs. It was a great way to get lost and was an experience I will not forget.
We walked back to the MTR in Chai Wan to head toward Causeway Bay. We arrived into this part of the city and walked through the Bazaar and into the fish and meat market. Many times the best way to delve into another culture is to immerse yourself in the local markets. We walked among stalls of different butchers and men filleting fish and watched the locals buy food for dinner.
The meat market in Causeway Bay
#pighooves
After some exploring we made our way to Se Wong Yee. We had been told we could find the best snake soup in this part of the city and after researching restaurants we found this local gem. It’s a hole in the wall restaurant filled with locals where the waiters walk around with rubber boots on their feet. I can only imagine what the kitchen looks like. We ordered a bowl of snake soup, which at first I was weary about, but upon first bite my attitude completely changed. It was actually pretty good. It tasted like chicken. 😉 While sitting there a man who was from Hong Kong, but now lived in Vancouver came and sat down at our table. After chatting for awhile he said, “I don’t expect to see foreigners in here.” We knew from that comment we came to the right spot.
Se Wong Yee
Snake Soup
Our bellies full with snake soup we started to walk in search of Mongkok. Mongkok is a section of Hong Kong filled with markets, vendors and shopping along the streets. It is one of the most densely populated areas in the world and you notice it just walking through the streets. We walked past the goldfish markets where vendors were lined with fish, aquariums and pet stores. Markets lined the streets in between large buildings and skyscrapers. The atmosphere is different from anything I have ever experienced. Business men in nice suits were walking by into high end buildings next to a large market built out of tents and tables; Very different from a NYC vibe. Drew bought some egg waffles he had been wanting to try and we spent the time taking in the last moments we would have in Hong Kong.
We left Hong Kong at midnight on January 2nd for our adventure in South Africa where we would meet up with our good friends Torrie and Charlie. We are ready for a whole new journey and can’t wait to share with you the love we have for South Africa. We had a wonderful and eventful time in Hong Kong. I’m so glad we were able to visit this vibrant, busy city. We hope you have enjoyed reading about it as well. Xoxo
travelingdawkins 