Highs and Lows

I really have mixed feelings about being back home. On the one hand I am tired and am glad to be home so that I can rest and get ready for school. On the other hand, we had such a fun time and Cape Town is awesome- so I'm sad it's over.

Let me tell you what we did this morning:

We all got packed and ready to leave, then we went out for breakfast. We went to this little deli down the road, called Carlucci's. I had a croisant with scrambled egg and bacon, as well as a freshly squeezed orange juice. It was very nice.

The flight home was fine, if not a bit boring (but- then again, you don't want to have a very exiting trip in an aeroplane!) I sat next to Ashlyn and we entertained each other. After an very long wait to claim our baggage, we drove home.

I really had fun writing the blog- although it was hard finding time. I am so glad that you all could read it.

Blogging at Harrie's Pancake House


These are everyone's highs :) and lows :( of the holiday:

Me
High: The Segway tour

Low: I got a lot of headaches throughout the holiday

Ashlyn
High: Touching the owls

Low: I don't know

Mom
High: The beautiful long days, the spectacular views and the buzzy restaurants. In 2 words: Cape Town!

Low: The goggos and mosquitos

Dad
High: There is so many! But I would have to say being with my family :)

Low: Not being consulted on my Tuesday-night dinner *

*Dad wanted a burger, but mom had thought he wanted some pizza. She went in to order while he parked. She ordered 1 large pizza and 1 small one for her, dad and me to share. In the end dad got himself a burger- like Ashlyn- and me and mom had to eat a lot of pizza!

Diamonds are a girl's best friend!

Yesterday morning we ate an English breakfast. We had fried egg, bacon, a tamato and mushroom mix, baked beans (Ashlyn's favourite) and toast.

After breakfast we drove to the 2 Oceans Aquarium. We saw some amazing fish, sharks and penguins. When we arrived at the penguin enclosure they were just about to feed them- so we got to see the penguins being fed! It was so cute. We also went to the touch pool and got to feel starfish, anenomes and seaweed.

This was a tank with clownfish in it. It had an open space in the bottom, where you could put your head through- so it looks like you are in the tank!

A Moray eel

Lining up to be fed!

We were quite tired and hungry by this time, so we wanted to find a cafe to have a sandwich or something light to eat. We found one called Fego. Me and mom shared a tramazzini with chicken, avo and a sweet chilinaise sauce. We also had some very nice chips.

After lunch we went to the Shimansky Diamond Museum. We learnt about the history of diamonds in SA, how diamonds are cut, and how they put a price to diamonds (the 4 C's: Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carrat) There was even a replica display of very famous diamonds. That was my favorite. We also got to look at their shop where all their jewllery was on sale. I think they were trying to get us to buy something!

Afterwards we went home to have a break. This week has been so busy- it was almost to much fun to bear! Me and Ash watched some TV, while mom and dad had a nap.

When we were all well rested we got rady to go out for dinner. We had booked for a restaurant on Camps Bay, called Paranga. For starters me and Ash shared 8 pieces of sushi (Calafornia rolls with prawn). I then had the salmon salad- it had some very interesting flavours. Mom and dad had the line fish and Ash had calamari. To end it off mom, dad and I all tried their Creme Brûlée- my favorite!

My salmon salad

Creme Brûlée!


It was a lovely (almost) end to a fantastic holiday.

Spier Winefarm

Yesterday, I woke up and did some blogging. Then I read my book until we had breakfast. After breakfast it was my turn to do the dishes :(

We decided that we would go to Spier Winefarm and left at about 11:30. We arrived there in time for lunch- which we had at their restaurant called Eight. Me and Ash both had there burger and mom and dad had their Trout and Egg.

After lunch we went to the info centre and asked where their Segway Guided tours were. (A Segway is this 2 wheeled personal transporter- look at the pictures) They took us to their obstacle course where we would learn how to drive them. To go forward you lean forward and to stop you lean back. You pull the handles in he direction you want to go. I got to go on the Segway first!

After our practice we went out onto the farm.

The Merlot vineyard

The tour lasted 1 hour and it was so much fun! Once we started to relax we went quite fast. I absolutely loved it!

After the tour Ashlyn said she wanted to go look at their Bird encounters section. She went by herself and got to hold a spotted eagle owl (her favorite bird) She also went around, looking and sometimes touching the other owls and eagles.

Holding tht Spotted Eagle Owl (called Squint)

We drove back home and then decided to go to Camps Bay for beach-time and 1 scoop of ice-cream. This time I chose the Yummy. It is vanilla ice-cream with pieces of chocolate biscuit in it. I played with Ashlyn in the sand a bit and then read my book.

We came home and finished the Snoek Pâté. The we ate dinner- which was a steak pie and salad.
After dinner I had a relaxing bath and went to bed.

Pics for my post (Table Mountain)

Here are some photos to go with yesterday's post:

Eating pancakes

Mariner's Wharf

There was a man there who had been training a local seal (called Pirate) for 14 years

Snoek Pâté with biscuits

Ashlyn in her jacket she bought on Table Mountain

Table Mountain!

Yesterday, at 8 o' clock we drove to Table Mountain cable car station. It took about 35 minutes to get into the cable car, but the wait was worth it! The cable car can hold a lot of people and the floor rotates so that where ever you are standing, you get to see a panoramic view. Once we were up the mountain we went to lots of view spots and looked down at Cape Town (we even saw the house where we are staying!) We walked around among the strange plants (proberbly Fynbos) that grow up there, saw some interesting animals, like Dassies and lizards, and just admired the wonderful view. After we had walked around we went to the Table Mountain Cafe. I had a packet of chips and some Rooibos tea.

The cables for the cable car. YIKES!

Cute Dassies

Mom, is that really a good idea?!

Table Mountain Cafe


When we got back down, we went back to our apartment and rested a bit.

We wanted to go to Hout Bay and had seen a pancake house there, so we decided to try it. It was called Harrie's Pancakes. Me and Ash shared a mince pancake and then, for dessert, a cinnamon sugar one. They were the best pancakes I have ever tasted (sorry to anyone whose pancakes I've tasted- maybe these just had the Factor X!)

We drove to Mariner's Wharf for some beach-time. I had a headache so I just read while Ashlyn played in the sand. It was very relaxing.

Mom and dad had bought some Snoek Pâté at the Fish shop there, so we went home to have it on biscuits. Dad made a braai and braaied chicken with a Moroccan flavoring. That was so delicious! We had it with salad and bread.

(I will put in some pictures of the day when I can- dad only loaded on the Table Mountain photos)

Picnic and Beach

Here's what we did yesterday:

Well, I woke up before everyone (as usual) so I decided to use that time to blog and read my book. After we had breakfast (fruit salad and fried egg on toast) I posted my blog. Then I read while mom and dad went to the shops to buy us stuff for a picnic. We had decided that it was the perfect day to go to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens :)

When we arrived we went through some of their themed gardens, like the fragrance garden (smell all the plants) and the garden of extinction (endangered or threatened plants). These were really fun.

We were getting hungry by then, so we found a picnic spot (with a view!) Ahslyn took some great photos and went to explore. When she came back we ate lunch (sandwiches and other snacks from Woolies)

One of Ashlyn's awesome pictures (my favorite)

We went on a beautiful walk in the Kirstenbosch forests, called Skeleton Gorge (foreboding!) After a while, mom and I decided to turn back. We went down a different path and came to another of the themed gardens- called the Braille Trail. This was a a part of the forest that was specifically aimed at blind people. Me and mom did some of it with our eyes closed. There was a guide rope next to the path and the information boards were also written in Braille. The whole idea was that you use your other senses, like feeling the textures of the plants and listening to the sounds of the forest. There are points that tell you that you can reach out your hand to grab another guide rope that leads to a bench. They also remind you to call out before you sit down- in case there is already someone there! After that interesting experience, we walked around the garden.

All together on the walk

Braille Trail

Really interesting tree mom and I saw


Meanwhile, dad and Ash were doing the skeleton gorge walk up into the mountain (crazy people!) When I asked Ashlyn what they did she said: We walked and walked and walked! They saw some very nice views, though. After their walk they met up with us and we walked on a lane of camphor trees, planted by Cecil John Rhodes.

Camphor Lane


We drove home to get into our costumes and then went to Camps Bay for some more beach-time. We wanted an ice-cream and when we were walking towards the beach we saw an ice-cream shop! We got 2 scoops of any flavours we chose. I had Addictions (Vanilla with yummy stuff, like nuts and chocolate inside) and Very Yummy (Chocolate with chocolate biscuit pieces inside) Mmmmmm!
Camps Bay is on the Atlantic ocean and the water is very cold. Dad bet us R10 that we could not keep our feet in the water for 20 seconds. Me and Ash both tried and are now R10 richer!

Para-gliders coming through the cloud over Table Mountain


After some lovely beach-time, we wanted to get take-aways, so we drove around until we found a Pizza Perfect and Burger Perfect next-door to each other. Dad and Ash chose a burger, while me and mom had a Bacon pizza and a Miami pizza (ham, feta and avo).