A Common Fiscal, also called Fiscal Shrike, (Lanius collaris) on an aloe leaf at Ormonde wine estate, Darling
We took a break, away from home, just to get away from it all. So where did we go? To a place on a beach, on the doorstep of one of our favourite wine producing areas. We booked, in August, on Booking.com; a self catering flat with a view of the sea. When we arrived, we found that it had been let, last June, on a one year let. Panic. We found a lovely lady in an estate agency; long story shortened, she found us a superb place to stay. Booking.com refunded our R8000 deposit and we could have a holiday. Of course, the story went onto Facebook; wine farming friends nearby read it and said we had to come for lunch…. So, after a long period in which we’ve only had two stories to tell each week, we close off this year with a bundle. We wish you a happy Christmas, Hanukkah, holiday; There will be one more story, too late for this deadline, and then it will be “see you in 2021”, hopefully with more and happier stories and, for now…. read all about it
Wineding through Elgin
An invitation to a media event, the first for a long, long time brought us to confusion and then consideration. They promised social distancing, and some of the events would be out of doors. They offered to take us there and back in a bus. Well, that was not as enticing as it sounds. At our age we really don't want to travel in a confined space with people whom we don't know well. We decided to go, to be cautious and to drive there in our own car. We are, after all, huge fans of Elgin wines AND it seemed like a bit of normality, which we have been craving. Read on….
An invitation to Muratie and, after this hard year, we decided to accept as long as there were the proper protocols in place for social distancing. The invitation said: "Please bring a mask and note that all COVID regulations and precautions will be adhered to. A small attendee list allows for responsible social distancing". Read on….
Every December, we plan a small summer holiday. This year, after 9 months of lock down, we really needed a change of scene. And we love to be beside the sea; it helps us relax. We like both coasts but find the West Coast so much more affordable than the East Coast. We also don’t like very busy places. We had a holiday at Yzerfontein a few years ago and found a wonderful apartment there back in August on Booking.com. We booked for 12 nights in early December, paid in full on November 23rd and happily headed off with the car piled high with all our essentials for self catering, lots of reading matter, our lap tops and a few casual clothes. Read on….
On our first night in Yzerfontein, so emotionally exhausted after having to relocate, we decided to go out for supper. Lynne had investigated the local restaurants on line before we came, and we chose Lulas (Squid in Portuguese), a Portuguese restaurant on the seafront. Many of the locals we spoke to recommended it. Read on….
When you go to Yzerfontein you just have to take walks on the two superb long white beaches. Read on….
When Berinda Basson of Ormonde wine estate in Darling read our horror story about our holiday accommodation in Yzerfontein on Facebook, she immediately invited us to their family farm for a tasting and a cheese platter. How could we refuse? We have always enjoyed their company, liked what they do on the farm and the wines are very good indeed. Read on….
We have many friends in the wine industry and, when we go on holiday in a wine producing area, we often get invitations to visit them. Groote Post is about half an hour from our holiday venue at Yzerfontein and we were invited to visit for a wine tasting with the winemaker Lukas Wentzel, followed by lunch at Hilda's restaurant. It was a very valuable visit; we tasted some very good wines and lunch was delicious. Read on….
Saturday, 19th December 2020
