We finally found time to hike in the Helderberg park, with great trails for hiking enthusiasts. Throughout the trails there were some magnificent plants and flowers, Proteas etc. There are a number of different trails from easy to extreme( for experienced climbers/hikers only) and since we started in the afternoon, we were only able to do the 2 hour trail. We experienced a great wine tasting at Waterkloof which is a beautiful winery overlooking Gordon's Bay. Jane and Jim invited us and we hope to return there to try out their menu. Also had lunch at Longbridge which was good but not quite as "goumetish" as Jordon Winery that we visited last week. On the way home, stopped by Morgenster for an Olive oil tasting which was quite interesting. For those of us who are ignorant ... read more

An interesting week! Wednesday we met up with some "Scotiabankers" in Cape Town. Debra worked with Chris and Jan Little and they are touring South Africa. We had a nice dinner with them at the Victoria and Albert waterfront. In advance of meeting up with Chris and Jan, we took a 2 hour tour of the Cape Town Heart Museum at the Groote Shur Hospital (it means Big Barn and was a farm owned by Cecil Rhodes who gave it to Cape Town to build a new hospital). Dr. Christian Barnard conducted the 1st human heart transplant in 1967. This was very interesting and informative tour of an amazing event that took place 47 years ago. The tour and presentations were very well done and included a re-creation of the operating theatres in which the transplant ... read more

We've decided to return to Gordon's Bay and finish our "winter getaway" returning home on April 4th so will start sending blogs again.We were glad to have come home for my sister's funeral service and to be able to spend time with family. It was a very appropriate service and Linda would have been very pleased. All her family were there as well as a lot of good friends many of whom gave her great support during her illness. She will be greatly missed!!!Just before we were called home, we had just left Gordon's Bay and drove for a couple of days to the Drakensberg area which borders Lesotho. Lesotho is a separate country but surrounded by South Africa. On the way, we stopped at Graff Reinet which is in the "Free State". Close by was ... read more

Spent the day in Cape Town which is only about 45 minutes from Gordon's Bay and an easy drive on the N2 (freeway). We took the "Hop on and off" bus, the red route which lasts about 2 hours and covers the city center and some of the coastal areas around the city. See pictures of Camps Bay beech which is an area where the notables of South Africa visit and is used regularly to shoot TV commercials etc. A beautiful beech area. We hopped off the bus and had lunch here. Spent the balance of the day at Victoria and Albert Waterfront development which is one of the nicest shopping, dinning and entertainment areas that we've seen anywhere in the world!! Cape Town is a very dynamic city and appears to have a thriving economy. ... read more

After spending a little time at our new practise range, we have our first golf game at the Strand Golf Course. The green fees for Debra and I with pull carts was a total of $55.00. By joining the South Africa Golf Association we get affiliate rates at most of the courses which is considerable savings. The membership cost $230.00 for both Debra and I. Even without the membership, golf is very reasonable. The Strand course would be comparable to Hidden Lake (for those who know that course). On Thursday we played De Zalze Golf which would be a considered a premium course in Canada, certainly to the level of a Club Link Gold Course. With the SAGA membership, the green fees were $32.00. This is a beautiful course nestled amongst the vineyards. It also has ... read more