AFRICA, PART 2: CAPE WINELANDS NOT QUITE NAPA ... YET

When one has the good fortune to be just a few hours from the world-class Napa Valley, it is easy to become a bit jaded in terms of whether another region can compete.  But when the hubby and I arrived in Franschhoek, outside of Cape Town (see previous post), it was time to rethink that premise. Certainly the accommodations at La Residence rank atop the most superb experienced in our travels .. and that is saying A LOT.

From La Residence:  the entrance; staff greeting us; our vineyard suite and looking our to the main pool.

Pool for the five vineyard suites; our accommodations and the bar provided.  Don't see what you like; Just ask!

From the welcome crew awaiting us on the portico to our vineyard suite, one of five total (this one belongs to owners Liz & Phil Biden) plus 11 rooms in the main building, I have now declared (only somewhat in jest) that I am never leaving.  The beauty is just staggering, not to mention everything included -- bar stocked to "our pleasure," amenities galore, fireplace, private garden, and on ... I am embarrassed to admit this wasn't even our first choice -- that actually was Delaire Graff (comments below).

Bath drawn by the amazing staff; breakfast laid out by a roaring fire to ward off the morning chill; news summary provided plus an assortment of reading glasses just in case ...

Two days is a wholly-inadequate amount of time to enjoy the wine country. Between the principal areas of Franschhoek and neighboring Stellenbosch, there are more than 300 wineries of varying size with more opening all the time. Comparisons to the wine country of Northern California are inevitable. The surrounding mountains are higher in the Cape area, and the weather is more tropical.  Both regions have a mix of enviable soil, open vistas and non-stop visitors coming through.

The biggest difference regrettably is I've never known Napa/Sonoma wineries to have barbed-wire fences surrounding their properties.  Nor are there spaces where undeveloped land is home to virtual slums -- open-sided "housing" with no evidence of the most basic conveniences about which we Americans don't give a second thought. There are lots of small children milling about. The circumstances are heartbreaking. That is not unique to the wine area; we saw much too much of it when driving in other areas of the Cape.  

The wine area of Northern California always appears to me to be "manicured," even in areas absent a winery.  That is another difference compared to the Cape area where undeveloped land is every mix of weed and debris. 

That said, there are ultra-luxurious properties around the Cape -- certainly La Residence (one of five properties making up The Royal Portfolio) -- plus Delaire Graff, the latter developed and owned by British billionaire/jeweler Laurence Graff.  It is an exquisite property with just 10 accommodations and two phenomenal restaurants: Indochine and Delaire Graff Restaurant.  We had a wonderful dinner with great service at the latter on our last night in the area.

On the grounds and elsewhere, there is an impressive collection
of these enormous Dylan Lewis sculptures.

The other sought-after restaurant is The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek.  The tables are offered to hotel guests first, and then to outsiders.  We were thrilled when our wait-list booking was confirmed just hours before the requested time slot.  For a party of two, no two dishes within a course are the same (we swapped a bit after being served). Thankfully a printed menu was presented with the bill so I could read what was just consumed.  Many of the ingredients incorporated were both regional and unfamiliar with inventive presentations. The staff is meticulously trained, yet it was challenging to understand most of the personnel because they speak a variety of dialects. Right now the exchange rate of South African rand is extremely favorable to US dollars which is definitely a benefit to us, but not so to the country.

Franschhoek Motor Museum: South Africa's answer to Jay Leno is the collection of 300 cars owned by the Rupert family.  There are 80 cars on display at a time.  Above is the trolley we took to tour the main grounds of this estate, including the winery and private track above where the cars are routinely driven.

Clockwise from upper left:  the first Ford Model T in South Africa; a Cord; the source of the family wealth (tobacco); the buildings display 80 cars at a time (rotated every six months); a Bugatti

Early 20th century touring cars; celebrating 100 years of BMW; collection of Mustangs

That Aston Martin works for me; five of their 15 Ferraris; our guide/docent was extremely knowledgeable.  Only the five mechanics on staff are allowed to even start the cars, let alone drive them.

The proverbial take away is go, go, go to this wonderful and fascinating country.  The Cape winelands may not be the Napa Valley just yet, but you are certain to enjoy the scenery, great food, hospitable people and some excellent wines -- in particular Pinotage, which happens to be South Africa's signature variety, which we greatly enjoyed.  It is a cross between the Pinot Noir and Cinsaut grapes  and was developed in South Africa in 1925 ... cheers!

Rust en Vrede -- the land dates back to the 1600's

Ernie Els -- one of the country's best golfers and pretty good vintner

AFRICA, PART 1: CAPE TOWN AND MORE

It is finally time to utter some of my favorite words:  "And, we're off!" Every year at this time, the hubby finishes tax season (for which I thank him profusely) and we are fortunate to take off to yet another planned out, thought through, thoroughly explored part of the world for roughly three weeks.  This year it is South Africa, Zimbabwe and four days of lying on the beach in Mauritius (not shown, but further out in the Indian Ocean).  Lucky us, indeed.

And then there is the getting there ... it is a long way, no matter what route is employed.  In this case, it was via AA and BA: LAX with plane change in Dallas, about 8 hours in London and finally arriving in Cape Town after 36 hours. Kudos to BA's first class cabin. I don't recall how this leg ended up being a true first class experience -- the other two were business; all three using miles-- but it was great.  PJ's, blanket (both of which I kept) and really good food ("to your liking"); but the best was when the staff made the seat into a flat bed complete with sheet and comforter.  That made the 11.5 hours extremely comfy to say the least.

Some shots from the BA flight to Cape Town above;
below is our travel journal and messenger bag courtesy of andBeyond

For this particular journey, my step-by-step path was recounted in a previous post. In short, I was fortunate to have been referred to the company andBeyond, whose planning and guidance proved to be invaluable. Planner extraordinaire Kirsten was amazing, patient, informative and now retired (hope it wasn't me!). The CEO of andBeyond is Joss Kent, whose father founded the iconic Abercrombie and Kent. Joss left A&K and went to their biggest competitor, which I think you might find to be an interesting story.

Our four days in the Cape Town area were based at the One and Only Hotel right on the V&A Waterfront -- walkable and safe for shops, restaurants and getting the lay of the land.  You can read about how we "crashed" a Passover Seder the day we arrived, recounted in another post. Below are photos from the hotel, including a turn-down service wishing us a Happy 30th (not until August but much appreciated!).

The hotel grounds top; extraordinary turn-down with early anniversary wishes

A must-see in the area is The Old Biscuit Mill particularly on Saturday mornings where it is an insane scene of food stalls, arts & crafts and wall-to-wall people.  This was among the main sights seen and enjoyed as we navigated around the city in our rental car while becoming reacquainted with driving on "the wrong side" -- particularly when making turns.   That can be most challenging.

A fabulous and interesting dinner was right in the same area, at The Test Kitchen, the only restaurant on the African continent listed on the World's 50 Best. The booking was made as far in advance as allowed, which turned out to be fortuitous.  I was told repeatedly how difficult it is to get in; in fact, Ellen DeGeneres made quite a stink last year when they would not accommodate her and wife Portia -- the story made the local press.

 

The drive around the Cape of Good Hope is also a must-see.  Eagerly anticipated was the visit to Boulders Beach in Simontown at the penguin colony.  They are abundant in numbers.  Fortunately for both the tourists and the penguins, barriers are set up providing protection from getting too close (their beaks are sharp and they might bite).  What is it about them that is so captivating?  

 

"Baboon crossing" signs along the highway were a good thing.  The traffic stopped dead as the animals emerged on the side of the road and indeed crossed.  Everyone warned us not to feed the baboons as they can become aggressive, so the windows stayed up (except for a few pix).  The Cape itself is breathtaking, as is False Bay.  We took the funicular up near the top while many others braved the steep terrain by hiking up to the original lighthouse or down the sloping rocks.

Baboons above; Cape of Good Hope below followed by a view of False Bay

I am proud to have braved the Cape wheel (with enclosed cabins) for a sweeping view of Table Mountain and Lions Head as I am not a lover of heights. It was worth it on a gorgeous, clear day.   Our last dinner was at The Butcher Shop for steaks cut and served "to your liking."  We are loving the exchange rate in South Africa.  The cost of the prix-fixe dinner at The Test Kitchen was about half what it was at comparable restaurants in Spain last year.  The steak dinner with wine plus 20% tip: about $65 usd.   Good for us; not so good for this country.  Off we go exploring the Cape winelands, to be covered in the next post.

CRASHING A SEDER IN CAPE TOWN

Question of the moment:  Is one technically crashing a seder (or any other gathering) if one asks to be invited?  In other words, if one solicits an invitation to something, is that considered crashing? You be the judge, but that is how we ended up at the Cape Town home of phenomenal hosts and brand-new acquaintances Adele & Raymond Klitzner.  

 

From the moment our dates were set for this our African journey, I became somewhat of a pest by asking everyone I thought could be of help:  Can you help me find a home in Cape Town where we can have first seder? Going to a synagogue would not be the same; it is hardly an intimate experience when one KNOWS the community, so walking in as strangers was not appealing. Plus the opportunity to interact with a small group to experience our Jewish traditions half a world away was something we knew we would savor.  

With our amazing hosts

Ever since I took over the reins of my family's Seder, I have always included "strays" -- people who want to observe but have no where to go, plus many non-Jews interested in the holiday (they always ask to come back). The fact that Passover is our most widely-observed holiday might come as a surprise to some.  Suffice it to say, a good guess would be Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), or certainly Hanukkah. But it is Passover where more people come together to celebrate the Jews' liberation out of Eqypt into freedom.

The path that led us to this home was the result of Jewish geography at its best:  our clergy's wife/wonderful friend connected us with an LA resident/Cape Town transplant (their sons are great friends and schoolmates) who connected us with her dear Cape Town friend/now host.  We immediately began emailing.  She:  "Take a cab or Uber from your hotel (15 minutes away) and my sister will give you a ride back!"  At that point we hadn't even met ...

My biggest concern was the fact that we were arriving the morning of the Seder after 36 hours of travel.  What if I fell asleep at the table or, worse yet, the hubby did and started snoring?  Turns out he wasn't the only one prone to occasional head nodding during the four-hour evening. Nevertheless, after arriving, unwinding, cleaning up and armed with See's Candies packed from home (what else does one bring??), we were off to the Camps Bay area of Cape Town.

One of the family doggies -- just a love!

The evening exceeded all expectations.  Yes, four hours is about twice the length of our own seder, including the time it takes us to eat.  But this experience was so much fun, complete with wonderful table decorations:  frogs (everywhere), masks, sunglasses and a variety of the traditional Haggadah -- the prayer booked used for this occasion.  Since I was not able to be with my own sisters, I was happy that Adele's were there plus her beautiful mom with whom our daughter Hannah shares the same name (and spelling). This was among the many reasons to feel at home. We were warmly welcomed into this very lively group of 22 and host Raymond did a phenomenal job of leading the seder. If I could import him one time to LA, it would be an honor. Neither the hubby nor I read or speak Hebrew, but we were able to follow along and participate quite well. I especially appreciated their allowing me to take photos to be able to remember it all.

	Traditional chicken soup with matzoh balls; flattened and fried matzoh balls (above); dinner is served at left, including chicken, brisket, potatoes and atypical (for our home) -- roasted pumpkin and the meat at front is tongue.

Our takeaway can simply be put this way:  it is a remarkable thing to be so very far away from home and yet feel a kinship and common thread by virtue of traditions observed and passed along through the generations.  Thank you to the Klitzners from the bottom of our respective hearts for sharing their home, friends and family with a couple of wandering Jews.

OPENING DAY, BABY!

Baseball is back! Yes, I know the season started a week ago, but the Boys in Blue had away games until yesterday.  I haven't missed an Opening Day at Dodger Stadium for years and years.  Remarkable? Only if you consider I paid ZERO attention to the sport until I met the hubby .. in fact, when he "informed" me baseball would be a big part of our life together, my response was likely "ugh" or "seriously??"  I am a true convert; in fact, I watch games even when he is not around.  I have been to a total of 35 MLB stadiums (counting both old and new parks) -- PLUS attended games in both Tokyo and Seoul! How is that for a seriously converted fan???

  

What's that you say??? Boring ... zzzzzzzz.  I will let you in on my secret to sitting through about 18 Dodger games each year, plus whatever post season there might be (hey, anything's possible!).  Ready? Bring reading. That is my saving grace.  I can watch the game but still get a lot done between innings or pitching changes. Unless we are entertaining guests and that might be construed as rudeness, I show up with books, magazines, sometimes a tablet plus my cell phone (with back-up battery).  Even if I am immersed in something, the minute I hear the crack of the bat I can instantly look up and not miss anything.  It is a beautiful system.

     

My other secret weapon is having EDIBLE food at the game, which usually requires bringing my own. The Dodger organization is pretty good, but the hot dogs just stink -- even though they outsell every other MLB park.  Ugh.  At least last season, we got Jeff's Gourmet Sausage way out in right field.  Hot, snappy, fresh grilled and Kosher (which means a lot to many at the park), plus downright delicious.  But you could easily miss a full inning making the trip there and back.  I just find somewhere to sit by a monitor and enjoy my dog before heading back to my seat..

For this year's home opener, the Dodgers began what will most certainly be their year-long tribute to the great Vin Scully who retires at the end of the season. Instead of the traditional first pitch, the pre-game festivities announced Dodger royalty who proceeded to the plate, including Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hersheiser, Don Newcombe, Hank Aaron (Vinny called his record-setting home run), the inimitable Sandy Koufax along with the current-day Sandy, aka Clayton Kershaw, Maury Wills, Tommy Lasorda, and, of course, Vinny.  Sandy and Vinny hugging in the photo below is an image for the ages.  A memorable day, save for the final score ... but it's a very long season.

         

I've written before about not traveling during the summer when everything is crowded, with prices higher and the hot weather, but seeing various stadiums would require setting those challenges aside.  A few of the stadiums I've yet to see:  St. Louis, Detroit, Cleveland, the new Cincinnati and Pittsburgh could all be done on a strategic driving trip.        

 

Starting at St. Louis (1), then Cincinnati (2),                    Detroit (3),   Cleveland (4) and Pittsburgh (5)

Also synonymous with April?  The Final Four, Easter and Passover (usually), the end of tax season, a big trip somewhere, spring flowers, and baseball ... what a great time of year all around!

PLANNING A TRIP TO AFRICA

I am an adept travel planner -- both for myself and for clients -- and likewise undaunted by it.  The hubby and I tackle fairly ambitious itineraries for three weeks each spring, and I do all the planning.  None of these trips are with groups nor are they via cruise ships, and many involve driving wherever we go.  But when it came to planning the upcoming trip to Africa, I'll admit I needed to call in the heavy artillery.  How does one even begin to decide where to go on this massive continent with 54 countries?  Obviously one can rule out those on the travel advisory/warning lists, but that still leaves a huge number of countries offering safaris and destinations friendly to tourists.   Alas, what to do.  Forthwith, my step-by-step ...  First, who do you know that's been to Africa who travels in a similar manner to yours?  Whenever I encountered someone I knew who had been, I did some brain-picking:  Where did you go?  How long?  What time of year?  Did you use a travel company?  Likes and dislikes? How did you fly there?  But - and this is a big but - as with anything you can spend all your time collecting information that does nothing more than serve to be confusing.  Outline a basic framework and stick to it!  Don't be susceptible to constantly changing your mind by adding yet another piece of info.  Through trusted contacts (beginning in 2014) I was referred to three invaluable resources:  DK Grand Safaris, African Travel Resources and the company ultimately chosen: andBeyond.  From there I was on my way.  Note, like getting to Africa itself from Los Angeles (28 to 30+ hours or more), this is not a short process ..  Once you decide on who you are going to work with, narrow down your choice of countries to a few and then go deep into finding out which work best for your particular goals.  A big one is the time of year you want to or can travel, because heavy rains can play a big part.  Obviously cost is another big one ... and this is not a budget destination for sure.   Another key point is determining how to get to where you are going.  I am a strategic, long-range planner regarding award seats with a pretty great track record.  Many times the itinerary is planned based on the best air and then settling on the ground game, so to speak.  We are flying through London and then south to Cape Town as our starting point; coming home is from Johannesburg to Hong Kong for a completely different experience.  Options are key and I must give kudos to the folks at American Airlines for their help.   The potential downside to booking far in advance are the schedule changes. About six weeks out, I was reviewing our seat assignments (about which I am admittedly obsessed).  I couldn't access some info online so I called American and spent a good hour on the phone.  One flight had been changed, and I was concerned that any delay from our departure (not exactly a long-shot) would result in a missed connection with a domino effect.  I had them change us to an earlier flight which added a good connection cushion.  Had I not called ...! The takeaway is to reconfirm all your booking details!  Well worth the investment of time. In a little over two weeks, the hubby and I will be heading to Africa having been vaccinated, equipped with copious amounts bug repellent, stocked with extra camera batteries, neutral colored clothing, duffel bags, no jewelry, and a sense of adventure. Every person I spoke to who has been to this part of the world absolutely raved about the experience.  So I look forward to sharing my stories with you ...  Are you thinking about going somewhere but are stuck getting started? Do you need some ideas and/or expertise in planning your next adventure?   Instead of spending your valuable time, send me an email (travelwithterib@gmail.com) and let's see how I can help you!

TRAVEL SUMMIT -- SHARING WHAT I LEARNED

When someone with a successful blog recommended attending the Women in Travel Summit  2016 (#WITS16) -- geared for travel bloggers and entrepreneurs -- it was pretty much a no brainer for me to sign up.   This was a local event and presented an opportunity for my first "formal" look-see into this field in which I have been actively participating for more than four years. Up to now, I have been guided by reader feedback, content I think is worthy of sharing and, obviously, my travels.  But maybe there's more ...   The city of Irvine, CA, is a mere (optimistically) hour drive so the commitment of all day Saturday with overnight stay was easy.   Those coming in from out of town/state could opt for many special events offered from Friday to Monday. This is the third year for the summit, organized by Beth Santos -- the founder of Wanderful.   This organization bills itself as a network/sisterhood for women who travel, who blog and who want to connect.  For me, the part about it being women-specific is probably the least compelling reason to attend.  I just wanted to see what I might be missing and what I can learn about this process to make it better -- you know, for you my readers!   Of particular appeal was being able to narrow my session choices to the "Blogger" track.  Other track choices included "Entrepreneur," "Traveler" and "Just for Fun and Networking" -- even "How to Monetize your Blog (Without Feeling Scammy)."  That was clearly my favorite as was the presenter Brooke Roberts (@TheNewDorothy).  I'm pretty sure we'll be fast friends -- at least online -- for I had her at "Rock Chalk," my greeting to her.  Hint, you need to be a KU fan to understand.  Why was hers my favorite?  Because Brooke's presentation was articulate (nary a "you guys" when speaking to the audience), concise, personal and full of take-away's.  I look forward to utilizing my notes and her slides for further fine-tuning this process. A few of the sessions dug deep into social media -- getting followers, Google analytic stuff (important if one wants sponsors but may as well be Greek to me), finding the right social media platform and sticking to it, plus more.  Many of the attendees I encountered expressed frustration with not being able to figure out how to monetize their knowledge.  They indicated their contacts are always coming to them for travel tips and information -- for free, of course.  And it is true:  when one is a perceived "expert" in a given field, it usually follows that they will be asked questions about something. The hubby can certainly attest to this (as a CPA) -- not only during tax season but pretty much year around --as well as any physician with the misfortune of being seated next to me (orthopedists and plastic surgeons beware). Takeaways from the sojourn:  I was pleasantly surprised by many of the aspects the Hotel Irvine. Not top of the line, but impressive service, bedding, beds, towels, room size and event staff, and being well-located right off the freeway. Not so good -- water pressure and bathroom lighting (pet peeves of mine).  The nearby restaurant Bistango has been around for 25 years but this was my first visit (with O.C. family).  This is a big space -- bar area, live music/dancing, large tables -- but we had a cozy booth for much of the night, with a very enjoyable meal and good service.   Above:  photo of a typical room at the hotel.  Right are photos from Bistango's website.    Lastly, many conversations with fellow attendees reminded me of how fortunate I am to be able to travel the world in an upscale manner.  Not so for many at this summit who can only dream about some of my experiences.  The question is, what can I do for you to make your travel dreams a reality??? Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.