St James, Kalk Bay and Boulders Beach

It was a gorgous day so Chrisèl, Jo and I decided to do the walk from Muizenberg to St James, taking lots of photos along the way.  St James looked as colourful as ever; it really is a photographers dream.

Then we met up with Antony and Matt and had a nice lunch at The Brass Bell, a restaurant in Kalk Bay right on the ocean's edge. After lunch, we explored Kalk Bay Harbour with its vibrant fishing boats and fishy smells.

Chrisèl and I then went on to Boulders Beach for snaps of penguins and I had a lovely swim.

Walking to St James

Jo and I in action!

Lunch at The Brass Bell and a stroll round Kalk Bay Harbour

Boulders Beach

Beach Crawl

After climbing Lions Head with Antony and Matt, Chrisèl and I did a tour of some of Cape Town's most beautiful beaches before joining the family on Llandudno Beach for Sam's 14th birthday party.

Highlights of our beach crawl included ...

• A stunning warm day, perfect for walks along the beach and a dip in the ocean.
• Walking down to Clifton's 3rd beach for a sit down.
• Moving onto Camps Bay for an invigorating swim and delicious ice cream (once we eventually managed to find parking!)  The water was brisk to say the least!
• Heading onto Hout Bay for a walk along the beach in the lovely late afternoon light.  
• Bumping into Heather, Russell's mum, on the beach and having a bit of a catch up.
• Watching the frolicking dogs on the beach, all having a ball.
• Going to Woolies where we bought some delicious salads to take on with us to Llandudno.
• Meeting the family on Llandudno just in time for a spectacular sunset. They're always so beautiful here. Of course, we took lots of silhouette shots, which came out great.
• Meeting Sam's 3 friends (she'd decided to opt for an intimate party this year).
• Sam and friends stripping down to their costumes despite the cool temperature and having a splash and paddle in the freezing ocean with much shrieking and laughing.
• A lovely picnic of salad and pizza on the beach by candle light.

Clifton

Camps Bay

Hout Bay

So lovely to bump into Heather!

Llandudno

Chrisèl and I having a leap.

Sam's party friends

Climbing Lions Head

It doesn't matter how many times you climb Lions Head, the views never cease to blow you away.  Spectacular views of both the city and Table Mountain as well as Camps Bay and Clifton.

Highlights included ...

• Sharing the walk with my favourite nephew in the whole world.
• The spectacular sunny weather making the sea sparkle a vivid emerald blue.
• Climbing up the chains; always exciting.
• Leaping with Matt. But I must emphasise it wasn't my idea, I had to do it under pressure!
• Asking the Japanese tourist flying his noisy helicopter at the top of the mountain to stop. And he did.  Pays to ask.
• How much Chrisèl enjoyed the walk. It was her first time up Lions Head.

Visiting Tannie Tia in Franschoek

We visited Chrisèl's very friendly aunt and her daughter who lives in Franschoek.  

A lovely day out, the highlights included ...

• Stopping off in Somerset West so Chrisèl could meet the author of a book she admired.
• Trying out my Afrikaans again after over 25 years.  A challenge!
• The spectacular mountains in the winelands; I'd forgotten just how "asemrowend" they are.
• Their cute doggies, one of them a miniature yorkie (a mini Jason!)
• Tea and cake (yummie carrot cake, chocolate cake and lemon merengue pie shared between us) at Cafe Bon Bon. What a great place it would be for a function.
• A curious spotted eagle owl watching us from a nearby tree, not seeming in the slightest bit shy. I love owls so was in my element.
• Henrik, the local rooster, who sites on the piano in the restaurant and heckles the pianist. What a character!  Needless the say, there's no intention for him to ever be on the menu!

Less happy moment ...

Getting very lost on the way when the GPS took a sabbatical and switched off without our realising it.  Now Sheila would never do that!!

Tannie Tia's house in Frranschoek. A stunning place.

Tucking into enormous portions of cake...

... while being watched intently at by this beautiful fellow.

A lovely setting; I'd love to come back here to the restaurant ...

... if only to see Henrik, the rooster, perform!