Heritage day fun run.
Category: <span>Cape Town</span>
Here is a something unusual way to celebrate heritage day. Go for a 10km run through Gugulethu. I have driven past Gugulethu (or “Gugs” as it is locally known) many times, but I have rarely being inside, and certainly not on foot. It was a fantastic experience. Since we were basically running through the streets of a township, we had loads of wonderful supporters, screaming, shouting and blowing on their vuvuzelas to edge us on.
The run started at 7am, so as we ran through the streets, we got to watch the area wake up, with local “spaza” shops opening, taxis operating with their sound systems on full volume, fires being stocked for breakfast cooking, and entrepreneurs on every corner, finding ways to make an income.
I didn’t take my camera with me (a heavy SLR was not going to be a good idea while running 10km), but I had my trusty phone with me, which gave me a great opportunity for some street shots. My time was 1:08, which considering all the photostops was not bad at all. Over 7 min faster than my last 10km, so I am very happy.
Here are all the photos.
So if you have nothing else to do on Heritage Day next year, why not head off to Gugs and join me on the fun run?
Last Sunday, we decided to drive to Wellington for lunch and some wine tasting. What we had completely forgotten is that small towns like Wellington close on a Sunday. Absolutely nothing was open. Well almost nothing…
Dunstone wines
But, it was still wonderful weather, so we were not going to let that stop us. So with the help of some friends who live in the area (thanks Doug from PT Productions and Dawn from Jorgensen Distillery), we managed to find what was probably the only open place in Wellington, but also one of the nicest restaurants I have ever been to. It is called The Stone Kitchen, and it is found on the Dunstone wine estate. At about 2 hectors of vines, it is a tiny little estate but with some fabulous wine. But the restaurant was great, the food was simple, fresh and tasty.
When we arrived they were full, but after a quick wine tasting at the bar counter (we finally got our wine tasting), they found us a table. The chef came out to introduce the menu, and we made our choices.
Warthog Burger
I had a grated warthog burger, with onion marmalade and cheese, and Lois had the goat’s cheese salad. Now for Lois to eat goat anything is pretty amazing! But at the chef’s instance she tried some of the goat cheese, and she loved it. She actually asked where they got such good goat’s cheese (that does not taste like, well…goat). I could tell you the answer but I will save that for a future post.
The chef
So two suggestions. Firstly if you want to go wine tasting on a Sunday, stick to the well-known areas like Stellenbosch or Paarl, and if you want a fantastic meal, goto the Stone Kitchen (but best to book – they were very full). And their sauvignon blanc and merlot are both brillant wines. We took a few bottle of each home with us.
I saw this field while driving to Wellington the other day. I love the way the hay was rolled into those big, round bales. I would love to climb into the field and see if I can roll the bales all the way down the hill, and see how long they last. Of course that would no be very nice (and I suspect not very successful), but it is still tempting.
This old Morris Minor has clearly seen better days. I hope that somebody is planning on restoring her, but I think that it is going to take a great deal of work to get it running again.
Isn’t it amazing how nostalgic we get about old cars? We give them genders, we feel bad when they get old, and we have an inner urge to maintain and look after them forever.My first cars was an orange Opel Kadett (which was my mothers and then brothers). It leaked in the rain, and sometimes mushrooms grew on the carpets, but it was my first car, and I loved it. Although I was a little relieved when I upgraded to a newer car (also a purchased hand me down, but this time a Toyota Corolla). I can still easily remember every car that I have owned since. Considering that cars are just bits of metal and glass, our attachment to cars is all rather strange.
What was your first car?
Markets are always great places for photos, especially when there is great food. And when you goto a market in an Afrikaans area, you are assured of plenty of great food shooting opportunities.
This particular market was in the park directly across the road from our holiday house in Langebaan. Langebaan is a small seaside holiday village on the West coast about an hour from Cape Town. Like most small town markets, it had an eclectic collection of great food, lovely hand-crafts and rubbish. It amazes me how you can see wonderful food and beautiful carvings right next to miscellaneous junk from somebody’s recently cleaned up house. And I am not talking about old antiques. No, this is just junk that nobody wants, but is still for sale on the off-chance that somebody might buy it. And have you noticed how all markets have at least one junk stall?
Anyway, lets straight past the junk to the good stuff.
Big yellow blocks of Boere-kaas (farm cheese)
Handmade dark chocolate cupcakes
Handmade pepper grinders
These pepper grinders are hand made from tree branches, resulting in grinders that have a natural variation in shape and size. If you examine the quality of these grinders, and the hard work that went into the turning and varnishing of them, it is difficult to really put a fair price on them. They are truly beautiful.
These samosas were a little unexpected at an Afrikaans market (especially vegetarian samosas), but nevertheless they were freshly made, crispy and excellent.
Like most small markets you can walk through and see everything in about 1/2 an hour. Will you life be unfulfilled if you miss it? No. Will you have an enjoyable 1/2 hour delay if you are driving past? Yes, worth the visit, but don’t stay too long.
Go hungry!
In some traditions, it is considered good luck to eat a mince pie every day for the 12 days before Christmas, and even luckier to eat each pie in a different home. In my family it is far more simple.
Every mince pie eaten before Christmas gives you a month’s good luck.
So the more you eat, the better your luck (assuming they don’t kill you from a heart attack). Of course eating 12 pies guarantees your luck for the next year. To continue this nonsensical and superstitious tradition, I ate my first mince pie of the season last night; like I need an excuse to eat a mince pie. It was supplied by my friend Sandra, and baked by her husband.
Ok to tell the truth, my luck is guaranteed for at least the next two months, and I am bound to have a little more luck coming my way soon.
Enjoy the pies :-)
These guys were with one of the bands playing at the Kite Festival. Like typical musicians (I know because I am one), they had no idea what time they were playing. So while I didn’t get to watch them play, they were quite happy to do an impromptu photo shoot.
I am totally baffled as to where they got their hats from, they were totally unique and artistic. Any ideas?
I love this old car that I spotted, and the best part is that it is in fully working order, well at least it is running.
Lots of people have said that my recent Kalk Bay Harbour shot would make a nice painting, well with a little help from a friend (PhotoShop), here is the watercolour :-) Which version do you prefer?
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