Beattys Overseas

Hi everyone!  Sorry for the huge break in blogging - upon our arrival to Cape Town, South Africa we have been struggling to find a strong and reliable internet connection.  Finally I am upon one, and I have so many things to tell you.  I'll try to go backwards by a week with thoughts & observations with corresponding photos in the next 2 - 3 days (thanks for your patience!). 

But for now, let me provide a few titillating blurbs of news from S.A.  Consider yourself sneak-previewed.....

1. Took a drive down the Cape Penninsula to The Point of Good Hope, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet

2. New hemisphere, New Year, New Haircolor for Whit

3. Frolicking in the sunny wine valley in the adorable village of Franschooek

4. Horsebackriding with giraffes, rhinos and elephants

Cape Town's famed Table Mountain Arriving in the lush and sunny city of Cape Town following the last few months in Europe was like receiving a surprise bunch of sunflowers.  We smiled and giggled and wondered why we were so lucky.  Situated on the Southwestern coast of South Africa, Cape Town is a major port city and tourist destination that BOOMS this time of year with Northern Hemisphere pilgrims like ourselves. 

We were staying in a leafy suburb of Cape Town in a private guesthouse, and drove into the city to the V&A Waterfront on our first day.  The waterfront area is quite touristy, and reminds Whitney of San Francisco's Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf area.  We kept giggling at the place's beauty; with the Atlantic Ocean shore just yards away and the powerful view of Cape Town's famed Table Mountain in the background, it was like walking around inside a brochure.   We stopped into the mall to buy a few things for replenishments (new shoes for each of us), and marveled at how much further our money was going here, as opposed to Europe.  The American dollar goes 1 to every 7 South African rand, so the prices seem high at first - our lunch was 175 Rand, but divided by 7, that was 25 bucks for three beers, a burger and a plate of calamari.  Awesome.

At the Point of Good HopeOn Friday we took a long drive down the Cape Peninsula to Cape Point, the spot at which the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet.  It was a gorgeous drive filled with sights of beaches and local communities.  We were told by the managers at Timour Hall to be aware of the baboons near Cape Point.  Baboons???  Yes, they live in the bush alongside the road and can be very aggressive with visitors, even snatching your purse or backpack to find any food inside.  Also, we should keep an eye out for the ostriches that roam the Cape Point park area.  Wow, how exciting, we thought.  All that time in Europe with no wild animals except for the drunk guys on the train in Munich, and now we'll have to fend off baboons and ostrich. Yahoo!  HOWEVER, after our 2.5 hour drive down the coast to Cape Point, it seemed we arrived during the blazing afternoon when the animals take long naps.  We couldn't buy a baboon sighting, no less a good ostrich chase.  Sigh.  We hiked a little from the park's parking lot to the Cape of Good Hope, where dozens of ships have crashed - and some of the wrecks still possible to view from the cliffs above - and John spotted some little wombat-type thing.  And even it turned and ran before he had his camera.  Despite no run-ins with tourist hungry animals, we enjoyed the amazing scenery and the history of Cape Point.

International Police visitors leave mementos as Timour HallOur accommodation in Cape Town were arranged through the International Police Association, which runs a gorgeous inn in the suburb of Plumstead called Timour Hall.  It's a historical building on large, leafy grounds with Egyptian Geese and Guinea Fowl running around like a petting zoo.  The proprietors were so kind on accommodating us when, upon our reservation a few months ago, they didn't have any space at the inn but offered us a 3-bedroom house two blocks away from the inn where we could stay.  A three-bedroom house, jut for us?!  Sure!  When Jo [a member of the Timour Hall staff and the sweetest thing to his South Africa since Amarula] picked us up at the airport and brought us to the house, she quickly explained that the house was a recent addition to Timour Hall's lodging artillery.  It had been the house of an old woman, whose children, upon her passing not too long ago, decided to turn the house into a guesthouse and have Timour Hall manage the property.  Jo was quick to mention that no updating has been made on the house and all the furniture was original of the old woman.  We quickly named this place "Grandma's House," as an ode to the woman whose collection of dishes and tiny port wine glasses could rival any American pack rat.  We unpacked in one bedroom, making it our large walk-in closet, and settled into another with the softest bed.  There was a washer available and a gated driveway for our little VW rented car.  It was great, save for no Internet and bathtub-only bathroom. 

Exploring the neighborhood near "Grandma's Place" was fun, finding an open supermarket on Boxing Day was a nightmare, but overall we navigated Cape Town well.  Figuring out that some neighborhoods were less-desirable than others was tricky, but we never felt out of place.  South Africa tends to have a certain reputation - especially in The States - of being racially divided and a little dangerous.  We found it to be quite the contrary.  Although Apartheid ended less than 20 years ago, the social structure seems to be balancing itself out very well, and the crime issues seem just as relevant as any major American city.  Craig, our South African friend who lives in London put it best when he said, "I was terrified to go to New York City for the first time, thinking it was as dangerous as I'd always heard and seen on TV. The same is true for Johannesburg, and you'll be absolutely fine in Cape Town." Safe as can be, just mind your Ps and Qs.  

Although we expected a very noticeable "African" social chain, we hardly felt like we were in Africa, as the Cape is extremely modern and very Westernized..  There was a little glimpse into the level of poverty prevalent in the country, as we drove along the major highway connecting the Cape Town Airport to the City Center, where shanty-towns are crammed into fields along the highway fences.  And, most startling were the pedestrians on the highway, including children walking along the road or even playing with each other on the shoulder of a 4-lane highway.  On a brighter note, the South African people that we encountered were beyond welcoming, one waiter even saying to us "Thank you for supporting our country," when we told him we were from the U.S.  A few others that we met told us they don't get too many American visitors, which is a shame because this place is so beautiful.  Start your tour bookings now, people! 

- Whitney

South Africa is famed for its diverse topography, including a large lush valley perfect for growing grapes. The S.A. wine valley lies a concise 90 minutes from Cape Town, and we decided to join our friends Jon & Vanessa and Craig & Hayley for a weekend in the vineyards. We chose to stay in the small village of Franschhoek, whose quaint charm and easy-to-navigate layout are perhaps the reasons why some find it more appealing than its nearby big brother, Stellenbosch.

John and I found a well-priced and perfectly situated B&B to stay called La Provence Vineyard Cottages. We made fast friends with the proprietor Carin, who runs the business with her husband and three children. They live in a beautiful house on the property which was Carin’s Grandfather’s at one time. Carin’s eldest son Paul, who is currently attending university on a tennis scholarship in Georgia, USA, hung out with us a ton and went on a long run with John around his family’s vineyards.
Our new buddies: Carin and Paul (note his NY Yankees shirt!)As he’s currently home on holiday break from the States, we obviously had a lot to talk about. The vineyards which have been in the family for over 150 years, stretch across hundreds of hectares. Currently, most of their crops are sold to other wineries in the area, but we were honored to be given a bottle of their family’s private reserve, made from a choice selection of grapes from their vines, named after their new generation - and our new friend - Paul.

Their property is amazing. We stayed in 1 of the 3 cottages at La Provence, and such a small number of guests makes for a very personal experience with Carin and her husband Johan’s spread. Besides the amazing vineyards behind and on each side of the home, there are some of the most spectacular gardens I have ever seen, all planned and planted by Carin’s grandmother when she lived at the home. Vintage cars collected by her father dot the property, as do a pack of pet Collies and a Retriever. For a ‘dog person’ like me, this was perhaps the best part of staying here; the company and constant presence of 5 very happy and friendly dogs. 

John LOVED the fresh poolFor John, the favorite was the fresh water swimming pool, fed through a system of pipes and pumps from the mountains surrounding the valley. At first, when we drove in, John questioned the cleanliness of the pool and was a little disturbed at the sight of the large dark pool. However, when Carin assured him that it was a freshwater concrete mini-pond, unlike the suburban chlorine jobbys that he’s always seen, he was sold. And how refreshing! It was extremely hot on our weekend in Franschhoek, and a few dips in that pool were welcome respites from the valley’s heat. The water runs into the pool from the mountains above at one end and runs out and filters itself at the other end. Nice!

Anyway, back to the dogs…. On Saturday morning, following a long and delicious (and winey) dinner at the restaurant of Jon & Vanessa’s hotel the prior evening, Carin suggested a route for jogging to John along her vineyards. But when she said “Head to the foot of the mountain, at the river: the dogs will show you the way, and probably run with you,” I was all of a sudden in the mood to run. Running with a pack of Collies and a Retriever? Bring it on; I’ve been having doggie-withdrawal.
Me and my personal trainersAnd how fun it was… John took the long route, about 3 miles, and the golden retriever stayed with him the whole time. I took the feeble course, only 1 mile, and the 4 collies kept me company. They’d disappear for a few moments and return soaking wet, having ran down to the river to a dip or a drink. When I’d slow down to a walk, they’d turn and stare at me, like hairy personal trainers, their eyes doing the talking for “Hurry up, lady, this is only a mile, I could do this with one paw tied behind my back!” This was an excellent motivator, petite and lovely little collies giving you the “You’re a wimp” kind of look.

When we weren’t enjoying the appeal of La Provence Vineyard, we were eating and drinking in Franschhoek, monikered the “Gourmet Capital of South Africa.” Our Friday night dinner was shared with the Ford’s and little Olivia at their hotel’s winery tasting room. Saturday night’s dinner was with the Fords and Craig & Hayley, their colleagues from London and both native South Africans. Our meal was an 8-course tasting menu at Le Quartier Fancais, one of the world’s Top 50 restaurants. The food was exquisite, with wines paired to each course with perfection. W­­­ith dishes like mushroom and ­­escargot-foam lasagne and cherry jus with slow-baked cake, our only complaint would have been the portions, which were tasting menu size. But, we’re gluttons and we wanted more!
Our rowdy friends - arent we all lovely?Our table was by far the rowdiest in the dining room, and we felt the vibes of envy from other tables in the place; no one wants to see a group of 6 people having a raucous good time when you’re on a boring date. Oh well! A blast was had in Franschhoek, and we headed back to Cape Town on Sunday afternoon. During the drive back, we passed small country animal parks called Monkey Town and Giraffe World with too little time to stop and much regret. Oh well, we were headed to a safari soon where we would see these animals in their natural habitat.

We were searching for adventure in Cape Town, and found a private game reserve which offers horseback rides through the reserve.  Aquila boasts itself as the closet Big 5 game reserve to Cape Town, a neat 2-hour drive from our guesthouse.  Upon arrival we had some bubbly and a large breakfast and cruised by the reserve's crocodile pond and cheetah pasture. 

Horses were saddled for us, and we were off for a 3-hour ride with 3 other people - a mother and her adolescent kids from Britain.  Our guide, Bheki, was very friendly and an excellent rider (although, his flippant attitude about John's bum shoulder and unwillingness to wear a helmet made Whit a little nervous).  Our first sighting was a group of ostriches hanging around the main watering hole.  Bheki told us that ostrich, while very strong, have not shown to be aggressive toward the horses.  The next visit - as per Whit's request - were a pair of giraffes, who seemed extremely comfortable by our presence.  Great photos!

Rhinos!We took the horses in single file towards a clearing where huge rhino and zebras were grazing, followed by wildebeest and springbok (like a little petite deer).  It was here that Bheki explained that the wild animals aren't threatened by the horses - especially if we stay in single file.  Firstly, the animals can't tell that there are humans on the horses, but just that it's one tall animal.  Secondly, when the horses stay in single-file, the wild animals think it's all one long animal, and not a herd coming at them for an attack.  This made sense enough, so we stayed in single file and just watched the rhinos munch away. 

When we came upon the reserve's 2 elephants, we kept our distance.  Elephants can charge, and they move fast when they want to, so we watched from afar.  At the end of our ride, we went back to the lodge to water the horses and get into a truck for a private drive past the reserve's lion pasture. 
GrrrrrThere are three young lions fenced in a large space, as they are juveniles and aren't deemed ready to feed & defend themselves on the reserve yet.  It seemed a bit like a glorified zoo, to drive by three young tigers behind wire fences, but lovely nonetheless.  All in all, it was a lovely daytrip, and John loved getting back onto a horse since his injury a few years ago.  On the drive back to Cape Town, we passed through the wine valley again, and marvelled at the amazingly beautiful vineyards.  The Western Cape is definitely a feast for the eyes. 

- Whitney

More exciting news from the Beattys Overseas in South Africa...  We switched haircolors. 
Brown Haired GirlRight before we went to Franschhoek, I bought a box of hairdye and went brunette.  My blonde highlights were growing out and instead of trying to find a trustworthy haircolorist to keep me my beloved New York blonde color, I decided to go for an extreme change.  It was fast, easy and cheap.  I found a 129-Rand box of dye (roughly $17 USD) and did it in 35 minutes flat.  AND, I rinsed out the dye with the plastic pitcher over the seafoam green bathtub at Grandma's House. 

John was thrilled with the change (although he couldn't find me in crowded places anymore), and asked if it would be easy for him to change his haircolor.  When he said he'd always wanted to go blonde, I joked that he wanted to switch colors with me.  By the end of the week, he had made up his mind that he wanted to do it.  "Why not?" we mused...  If it looks awful, he'll shave it off or wait 6 weeks for it to grow out. 
Blonde Haired BoyIf it looks decent, then he can roam around Africa, Australia & New Zealand looking like a cool blonde surfer dude. 

He found a men's-only hair salon here in Cape Town to give him the BLONDE BLEACH BATH, which apparently burned his scalp so much that he thought it was peeling off.  Peroxide is dangerous stuff, dude.  The whole process took over 2.5 hours and cost a LOT more than my 17-buck box of dye.  But the result is shocking; my salt-and-pepper-But-more-pepper headed husband is a new man.  Now I'm the one who can't find him in crowds.  

We've met a handful of people since we've switched haircolors who cannot imagine us any other way.  We show them our passport photos and they've gasped at the sight of our former selves.  We see this holiday as the perfect opportunity to do 'crazy' things like this.  Hey, we don't have to go to work tomorrow, remember?!  Neener neener neener. 

- Whitney

Happy New Year!  We were generously invited to join in a Tipping family New Year’s Eve celebration at the home Craig’s parents, who live in a gorgeous home in Cape Town. We were welcomed with open arms, even by their German Sheppard, Becks, whom had recently bitten a neighbor on the ass (oops the bum) a week before — thinking that the neighbor was up to no good. Actually, the neighbor just wanted his model airplane back, and had only come over with Nigel’s permission. Bad doggie. Or good doggie, depending on which side of the fence you’re on. Ha ha ha.

While enjoying champagne on a swing deck overlooking the amazing property, which is bounded by fencing to keep the local baboons out (they like to eat the Tippings’ BBQ and tease the dog) we met Craig’s mom Jenny, his dad Nigel, beautiful sister Lolly, brother Dr. Brent, and twin cousins Kim and Nicki, all of whom did a great job of pretending that they liked us, the strange and overly-friendly Americans.

Watching New Years fireworks It was a brilliant evening, with great stories shared and laughs a plenty. We had a traditional South African dinner of Bobotie with basmati rice and shredded coconut, and of course, lots of bubbly to drink. What a wonderful dinner! The party was about 30 people strong (see photo), and was going off so well that we all missed the countdown the midnight. It was the first time that either of us had casually looked at each other and said, “Oh, yeah, Happy New Year.” After the stroke of midnight, the whole party went outside to the patio and the high swing deck to watch the scattered firework displays over Cape Town’s skyline.

Waterfront colorsNew Year’s Day we laid low, sleeping in at “Grandma’s House” and taking a long lunch alone on the V&A waterfront at a restaurant that serves more types of game than imaginable. Care for a springbok chili, or an ostrich burger, or maybe a filet of wildebeest? They’ve got it. We settled for a lunch of dorado fish for Whit, and John enjoyed a roasted BBQ chicken half. Oh yeah, and maybe a beer or two. It’s something about this other-side-of-the-world thing and the summery weather that makes us want to drink at nearly all hours of the day. Our livers are in trouble.

We met up with the Tipping family and the Fords again two evenings later at a hot Cape Town restaurant called Five Flies. The food was good, wine flowed and many stories shared. Things were so wonderful in Cape Town that we decided to extend our stay by three days. Luckily, our OneWorld RTW ticket allows for flexible and free changes to dates & times of our scheduled flights, so we opted to stay until Monday Jan 7, instead of our planned departure of Jan 4. The news of our extension was enticing to the Fords, who soon enough found themselves a new flight the following week, so we could hang together more in this seaside paradise.

We had to change our lodgings, though. The Fords needed a hotel that was more child-friendly for their 18-month old, and we needed a place with WiFi and a shower. We booked a room at a Protea chain hotel near the water on hotels.com, but apparently our reservation never went through and when we tried to check in, we were met with unfriendly staff.  We left and drove to the Protea President hotel, who - upon hearing our experience from their sister place down the road, and that we were American honeymooners - gave us a lovely room on the top floor of their place with an amazing view of the ocean.  Only problem? 
A heart-shaped welcome from our hotelTheir wireless signal didn't reach the top floor of their hotel.  Which stunk, because we liked the place, but I had a ton of work to do online for the rest of our trip. So, we had Shameema, the nicest reception clerk we've met in a long time, book us a room at yet another Protea sister hotel in Cape Town.  Third time is a charm, as always, and the Protea Victoria Junction loft-style suites were great!  Hearing that we were honeymooners, our room was even decorated with rosepetals and a romantic poem.  Knowing that we are Internet-needers, their assistant manager Desmond personally came into our room to setup our online connection.  Ahhhh!  What a great way to spend our last 3 days - extra days - in Cape Town!

- Whitney