Gate 1, South Africa - Day 4, Hippos!

This was a travel day: bus to the airport, flight to Durban, brief stop to dip our feet into the Indian Ocean ("The Canadians", minus me, swam) and then a bus drive to the river where we took a cruise to see Hippos. My camera battery died and I didn't have my little camera on the boat with me so I have no photos. I will get Kristen's and Jason's photos when we get back to Canada and do this blog post then, so stay tuned.
It was amazing to float along beside the pods of hippos with them sinking under water and disappearing and then, minutes later, appearing (nostrils first) and just looking like brown bumps in the water until they raised their heads or stood up. I hope those photos are good.
Jason uploaded his photos to "the cloud" so I was able to access them and pick and choose, then crop and size. All the photos that follow were taken by Jason.

While waiting for the cruise to start we were treated to the antics of these Southern (or African) Masked Weavers. There were flocks of them going in and out of their nests, built in the reeds.

Brown lumps in the muddy river waters don't look like much

but then a head slowly emerges. Hippos!

It was a grey afternoon with occasional rain but we sat on the top, open, deck anyway, excited to see them in spite of the damp.

The guide on board also pointed out birds and the skipper tried to get us close for pictures. Cattle Egrets.

This magnificent Fish Eagle ignored the boat as we crept right up to him.

The Yellow Billed Kite

was a little more nervous and flew off.

Kingfisher (not sure from the birding sites, this may be a Giant Kingfisher)

But the real reason to be there was the Hippos and there were lots to see.

A couple of youngsters play fighting. What do I know? They may be kissing.

Most of the time they are just lying around, on each other

or wallowing in the water.

Often we could just see nostrils breaking the surface.

A Nile Crocodile was keeping a watchful eye near one pod.

The boat ride was about and hour and a half long and we saw many, many Hippos

up really close.

Gate 1, South Africa - Day 3, wine tour continued

I m writing this on Day 6. A combination of late evenings, early mornings and poor internet has really put me behind and there is so much I want to post about and some lovely pictures but I am being very self disciplined and staying chronological. The trip may end up being posted when I get home.
So to continue.....

We stopped briefly at the entrance to the prison that Nelson Mandela was released from, to take pictures of his statue there.

This, at the base of the statue.

A brief stop, at the request of a guest, at a renown chocolate shop, and it was on to the next winery.

The wine area is very picturesque; a lush valley surrounded by mountains.

Our little group waiting for our tasting.

This time it was 3 varieties of "Bubbly", can't, of course, actually call it champagne.

The area also grows lavender.

Workers in the lavender fields were taking their noon hour snooze.

Our first glimpse of African game and it was domesticated.

Next we had an hour and a half

to wander

and shop

in an old, and very pretty, but rather touristy little town.

Tessa was very uncomfortable with the bartering process

so I tried to assist her with purchasing some paintings in the market area. It was great fun as the vendors are not aggressive and quite adept at drawing you in. They know the game and play it with a good nature.

So, I am now in Johannesburg. Its Day 7! Renier keeps reminding us that large parts of South Africa are considered a 3rd world country and although the hotels have been lovely, the internet has not. So here in "Jo-burg" I am staying in (not going out to dinner with the rest) and trying to catch up a little.

The last winery (Neethlingshof) we visited had lovely views

and old, dutch architecture

but I liked their wine the least.

On our return drive we saw a family of Blue Cranes

South Africa's national bird.

We also drove past "Informal Settlements" beside the highway. These are large areas, fenced, covered in little homemade shacks (corrugated metal, plywood, plastic, whatever they could find). Around the edge are chemical toilets and the people living there are basically squatters. The government provides the toilets, water to central taps and electricity. The people pay nothing to live there. We also passed "Formal Settlements" where the government had erected small houses (a bedroom and one other room, outside toilet) with running water and electricity and this was one step up and the people living there had to pay for the accommodation. Renier spoke of the high unemployment rates, high crime and murder rates, drug and gang issues in all of South Africa. He talked about government corruption and the need for free education. He passionately wants better for his country. Better homes are surrounded by walls that are topped with barbed wire or electric fence due to the crime rates. I was glad I was on an organized tour and our safety kept being emphasized.
We were on our own for dinner so Tessa and I met Chris, Jason, Noah and Kristen (they had been cage diving with sharks and then gone to Table Mountain) at a restaurant called Gold.

It had a set menu of 16 courses of food from all over Africa. The food was fabulous and because they bought small amounts it was almost like a tasting menu and we were full at the end.

They came and painted our faces. The females got flowers while the males got patterns of dots or squiggles.

The troop of dancers and singers wandered around the restaurant entertaining on all the different levels. They also periodically took to the stage area, right in front of us, with drumming, dancing and singing.

It was a great meal and a fun experience.

We took an Ubber back to the hotel as both Renier and the hotel concierge had made it clear that it was not safe to walk.

Gate 1, South Africa - Day 3; Table Mountain and wine tour

We are a group of 25. 15 of them went cage diving with sharks today, 6 did things on their own and 4 of us had signed up for the wine tour. As we drove away form the hotel, Renier stated that it looked clear over Table Mountain and asked would we like to do that while we had the chance. We jumped at the opportunity and that was the first of the examples of his flexibility on the days agenda. Easier he said with such a small group.

We were lucky to just have a short wait in the lineup and then boarded the cable car. It rotates (like one George and I went on near Palm Springs) so you get to see all the views without having to move.

The cable car station at the top

There is a hiking trail up, quite steep in places, and we saw people doing it.

People also mountain climb on the sheer cliff faces. Last week 2 tourists and a guide died when their rope let go. More people die on Table Mountain (climbers and people who misjudge the changing weather) than on Everest.

The views are spectacular

Looking down at Lions Head and Signal Rock, both of which also have less onerous hiking trails.

Sometimes the clouds dulled the view but still pretty impressive.

There are 6 distinct floral regions in the world. "Cape" is one of them but is tiny, only occurring at the tip of South Africa.

At the top of Table Mountain we were able to see some of this unique flora (I don't remember any of the names though)

This one is related to Scottish Heather.

As for fauna, there were lots of these cute little creatures around, eating the vegetation. Renier called them "rock rabbits" or "dassie" but its actual name is a Rock Hyrax. Closest relative is an elephant!

I hate having my picture taken but I think Renier considers it part of his job as tour guide.

I think Tessa is a "dassie whisperer" as this little guy walked up to her and then rolled over, asking for a belly rub.

Back down on the cable car. Some of the windows are open which is a bit scary.

Especially when the other car whizes by.

Back into the minibus with Renier commenting on whatever we passed and answering all our questions. He told us how the Huegenots had been driven out of France and ended up in Holland. They were then offered land in South Africa if they knew anything about making wine and 200 wine making families were settled in the valley we were visiting.

The first winery was called Fairview. They also have a herd of goats and make the creamiest goat cheese I have ever tasted. When the goats got out into the vineyard they decided to name their next wine "Goats do Roam". Yes it was a cute play on words but the French Cote de Rhone winemakers took them to court, and lost. I know Heather likes this wine so took the photo for her.

We had 6 wines paired with 6 of their cheeses and they were, by far, my favorite wines of the day.

Broken Barrel was my favorite but it was a "one off" blend and will not be made again.

The others bought wine but I didn't want to have to deal with the transportation. I did by some cheese and a large pretzel, for lunch, at their deli.

I am going out to dinner with "the Canadians" as our group of 6 is now called (the rest are American) so can't finish the days post. I have a feeling this will be a pattern, one or two days behind on the blog because there just isn't a lot of free time and lots of early mornings so early bedtimes too.