Biodiversity Showcase Garden – Photographs

We have been lucky enough to receive some fantastic photographs of the Biodiversity Showcase Garden, which you’ll find in the vibey suburb of Green Point. But before we get to the photographs lets find out a little bit more about these gardens. The gardens are situated in the Green Point Urban Park and allows you, the visitor, to enjoy the space that is home to flora that is endemic to Cape Town. If you’re unfamiliar with what endemic means it basically means that the flora is completely unique to the area i.e. you won’t find this anywhere else – so this garden really is something special.

You can spend hours here and it’s a place that will be both educational and fun for your children. Take your time looking at all the animal sculptures, seeing which of the more than 300 local plant species you are able to identify, learn from the interactive displays and demonstration gardens and more. The setting is something in itself with the beautiful backdrop of Table Mountain and the impressive Green Point Stadium that is adjacent to the garden. This is also a place where you can exercise your body as here are both running and cycle paths as well as a play park a perfect opportunity to discover all that the 12.5 hectares of the park offer. Continued

More Awesome Windsurfing Photographs by Charnell Timms

A few days ago we posted some awesome Windsurfing Photographs by Charnell Timms. She then told us she had even more fantastic images she would like to share with us. The majority of these images are taken at Sunset Beach which is the third best windsurfing spot in the world – first place goes to New Zealand and the runner up Hawaii. In many of the images in the gallery you can clearly see Robben Island in the backround of these.

The two images here are of Dave, he’s walking with his board into the water and the  next one of him with the mammoth swell behind him. Both of these were taken further up along the west coast inbetween Bloubergstrand and Melkbosstrand and the infamous Haakgat spot in Charnell’s words “the ocean was PUMPING this day“. Continued

Windsurfing Photographs by Charnell Timms

Charnell of Charnell Timms Photography has sent us two fantastic images of windsurfing. She took the images on Sunset Beach, the 3rd best windsurfing spot in the world she tells us. In the Summer months when Sunset Beach is at its peak the South-Easter blows and brings with it some of the most epic waves. So it’s no surprise that it is a hotspot for surfers, kitesurfers, kite boarding and boardsailing, but don’t forget that these are big waves so they should be left for the skilled and the brave. This is a fantastic day out so come and sit on the beach and enjoy the activity in the water … bring along a picnic lunch, but don’t forget the sun cream! Continued

Meet Dave Moffatt of KhakiWeed Photographic Safaris

We’d like to introduce Dave Moffatt of KhakiWeed Photographic Safaris. Dave has shared some of his amazing wildlife photographs with us and we thought they were too good not to share with all of you! Thank you for sharing your wonderful photographs with us Dave, they are incredible images.

My name is Dave Moffatt, born in Ireland I came here in my early years and love the bush and wildlife . About four years ago I went on a trip to the Kruger Park, as I have done before except this time I took a new toy with me a SLR canon Camera with a 300mm lens. I had done photography in the past with a film camera I purchased whist living in Canada. After the first day of photo opportunities I sat down and transferred my disk to my laptop and with the editing software that came with the camera I was blown away by some of the images an amateur could achieve on such equipment, I was hooked. Continued

How To Take Great Vacation Photos

Great Shot

Going on holiday is exciting for so many reasons, but the time just flies and, before you know it, you’re back to the routine of daily life. Taking photos of your holiday, no matter how short or close to home, is an essential part of remembering it. There are few things as disappointing as scrolling through your holiday pictures, only to find that that they didn’t come out well. You might feel that you look terrible in every single one (us humans are so predictably critical) or your landscapes may be a blur.

Here are some ways to ensure that you take stunning holiday photos and make the memories last: Continued

De Hoop Nature Reserve – Photographs

A really good friend, who lives in the States, came down to Cape Town for one week and one week only. We made the most of it … She lived in Cape Town for a few years but had never been to the De Hoop Nature Reserve and this was on her bucket list. We decided to head up to De Hoop for one night.

It was a very long drive and as we’d left at the crack of dawn after two of our group had been at a wedding until the wee hours of the morning and having a baby with us (who was only a few months old) it took a while to get started. We made our way to the first stop in Caledon to get supplies and then we were off. We hit the dirt road which slowed us down considerably and be warned if this is your first time there the dirt road is LONG … and just when you think you’ve reached the end you turn a corner to see more road.

The reserve itself is magical. A complete contrast of green flora, the white sandy beaches, blue sea, rocks and a myriad of animals. We felt like we’re reached a special part of the world and all of us took a moment to appreciate the beauty we found ourselves in. I think I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves … Continued

Chart Farm Photographs

My husband and I did something different on Sunday – we visited Chart Farm in Wynberg Park and picked our own roses!  I had been earlier in the year only to find that roses are seasonal and I was a few weeks to late but taking my flowering Iceberg rose at home as an indication that other roses might also be blooming we made our way to the farm.  Located near Wynberg Park, Chart Farm and its farm style environment is well worth a visit.

There are a wide variety of roses and they are available for pick-your-own (a bucket and secateurs are provided) or alternatively you can purchase the blooms ready picked.  It is lovely though to wander the terraces, admiring the gorgeous colours on display and taking in the views of the Constantia Valley.  The cost to pick your own is R4 per stem Monday to Saturday.  Sunday picking is half price; R2 per stem.  Already picked roses are R5.50 per stem.

Being a farm, the farm stall offers fresh, seasonal farm produce which include lemons, limes, grapes, veges and chestnuts.  For the keen gardeners compost and mulch are available to purchase per bag. If you need larger quantities a bulk delivery could be arranged.

The views are there to be enjoyed and what better way to do that than by stopping for tea at The Terrace Coffee Shop.  Home-made cakes as well as breakfast and lunch are served between 9am to 4.30pm (with last orders at 4.00pm) daily.

We really enjoyed our trip to Chart Farm and will definitely go back again. Continued

Slow Food Flick, Pick & Mix – Photographs

Last week I had a fantastic evening out at the Fugard Theatre in District 6, Cape Town. I attended a screening of the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, which was made in 1971. The evening was organised by Slow Food Mother City and they had arranged a sweet market before the movie began.

Were we in for a treat, local producers set up stalls to entices us at every corner. If you have a sweet tooth you would have been in heaven because this market offered you every treat imaginable. From vanilla treats to macaroons, raw chocolate to homemade ice-cream, chocolate brownies to lemon curd cupcakes. The list goes on … Included in our ticket price was R25 worth of vouchers to spend at the market, mine were gone almost instantly. The event was booked out and there was such a festive atmosphere for the entire evening. I relived a part of my childhood by opening up my imagination and reminding myself it’s ok to have sweet treats as your dinner once in a while … Continued

Napier Photographs

Napier is a pretty town surrounded by fields of barley and wheat and was named after the Governor of the Cape at the time; Sir George Napier.  Interesting shops and eateries line the streets of the town and if you are in town you must make sure you visit The Farm Stall which is located directly through the town.  The interior is a quirky collection of enamel signs (unfortunately not for sale) and other memorabilia.  Other interesting objects hang on the walls outside – it makes for interesting conversation as you wait for your delicious meal to arrive!

As like most of the towns in this area, the Dutch Reformed Church is a mightily impressive building – look out for its unusual architecture and if you visit, admire the teak interior.  Napier hosts the Patatfees (Sweet Potato Festival) in June each year and the route of the Voet van Afrika Marathon goes through the town when it’s held in October.

I’ve been to Napier twice now and always enjoying stopping – whether it’s for an overnight stay or just for lunch at The Farm Stall!

Continued

Elim Photographs

Id heard about Elim and seeing as we were in the area over the weekend we stopped off for a wander around on Sunday.  Elim dates back to 1824 when it was founded by Moravian monks and became the third Moravian mission station in the Cape.  Today it is one of the few surviving mission stations in the country.  Most of the cute, thatched cottages date back to the 19^th century and are made of mud-brick, plastered with lime plaster and thatched with restio grass.  Many of the 2000 current Elim residents are sought-after thatchers.

Worth visiting is the watermill which is still working after being built in 1824!  The same is to be said for the church clock – it’s been counting time since 1824 and is the oldest working clock in the country.  I can vouch for the clock; it struck 1pm when I was there! Elim proudly has South Africa’s only memorial to the emancipation of slaves.

Elim is an important part of the wine producing industry with four producing partners: Black Oystercatcher, the Berrio, Zoetendal and First Sighting creating Elim Winegrowers, a self-sustaining farming community.  The fruit produced in Elim is slightly different to other fruit; the cool south west and south east winds restrict upward growth which means that the vine produces a concentrated fruit.

Continued

L’Agulhas Photographs

The relatively small village of L’Agulhas is situated in the Cape Agulhas region of the Western Cape, a mere two hour drive from Cape Town and is famously known as the place where the two oceans; the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean meet.  Discovered in the 15^th century by the Portuguese, Agulhas was originally known as Cabo das Agulhas (Cape of Needles) because no variation between true north and magnetic north was shown on compasses.

Many ships have ended their sea-going journey on the jagged rock formations found along this coastline; hence the construction of the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse which was built in 1840 (the 3^rd to be built in South Africa).  The famous red and white building was restored in 1968 and after being declared unsafe is now a National Monument.  The lighthouse is open to visitors and has an interesting museum and a quaint coffee shop should you need light refreshment!

The area has many walking and hiking trails; perhaps try a walk along the sandy beaches all the way to Struisbaai?

Continued

Elgin Open Gardens Photographs

We spent the night in Elgin on Saturday and on the way home used the opportunity to pop into one of the open gardens.  For those who don’t know, gardens are opened to the public every year (this year over the weekends of October 29^th and 30^th and November 5^th and 6^th) in the Elgin, Vyeboom and Bot River Districts.  The gardens range from country gardens that are well established (some are over 50 years old) to smaller gardens in villages that have been recently planted but most are no more than a sixty minute drive from Cape Town and are so worth visiting. Many gardens have plants for sale and also offer tea and light meals.  There are also art and sculpture events on in the district and some local wine cellars are offering tastings.

There are five different routes.  Route 1 incorporates Grabouw and its environs, Route 2 is the Viljoenshoop Road, Route 3 covers the Highlands and Valley Road while Route 4 involves Villersdorp Road and Vyeboom and finally Route 5 looks after Houw Hoek and Bot River.  The different farms and properties are located along the various routes so you just need to decide on your route of choice and follow the map!

We visited Boesmansrug which was part of Route 4. The gardens incorporated rose and herb gardens, a secret garden, gorgeous green pastures and majestic oaks.  Plants and tea were on sale and money went to the chosen charity which was Kirstenbosch Environmental Education. Although some of the gardens offer free entry, some charge an entry fee of between R5 to R20 (entry to Oak Valley is R50 but pre-booking is essential) so make sure you have cash on you.

It really is a lovely day out – I wish we’d planned the day better and spent more time visiting more gardens.  Continued

Arniston Photographs

This picturesque little fishing village on the shores of Marcus Bay is also known as Waenhuiskrans (‘wagon shelter cliff’).  The name comes from a large sea-cave, which although only visible during low-tide resembles the structures used by settlers to house their wagons and cattle.  The village itself got the name ‘Arniston’ from the Arniston ship which wrecked off the in 1815.  After cutting away three of its anchors the vessel ran ashore and broke up on the sharp rocks off the Arniston Reef.  Sadly, only six of the 378 passengers survived to tell the tale.

Arniston however is a pretty village, with sparkling blue water and gorgeous beaches, perfect for lazing away sunny summer days.  Artists and photographers are attracted to the seaside location; the white-washed cottages, rolling sand dunes, steep cliffs and blue ocean make for picture perfect photographs and paintings!  The cottages are Kassiebaai are more than 200 years old and are a National Monument.

De Hoop and De Mond Nature Reserves neighbour Arniston; a bird watcher and hikers delight.

Continued

Struisbaai Photographs

Although a bit windy on the day we visited Struisbaai and not being during ‘season’ just yet we could still get a vibe for this pretty seaside town located in the Cape Agulhas region of the Western Cape.  Colourful fishing boats bobbed in the harbour and children swam and boogie-boarded in the waves (don’t children ever feel the cold?!). A boardwalk through part of the dunes makes for easy walking and the views of the beaches are worth seeing – whether it’s windy or not!

During the summer months Struisbaai enjoys a healthy amount of visitors who come to the town to enjoy the water sports on offer.  It’s easy to launch a kayak or small boat from the beach while kite-surfing and boarding are also popular.  Struisbaai, like many of the coastal villages in this region boasts quaint white-washed fishermen’s houses and newer houses must follow the design of the original cottages.  If in the town make sure you visit the Anglican church which is now a National Monument. Continued

Bredasdorp Photographs

We had the opportunity to visit the town of Bredasdorp when we took part in the Voet van Afrika Marathon this past weekend.  The town is situated in the Cape Agulhas region of the Western Cape and claims to be the first town or dorp to be established in South Africa.  Apart from being a big producer of wheat and protea flowers, Bredasdorp is also well known for having South Africa’s only Shipwreck Museum (which was sadly closed on this weekend).  The museum has an extensive collection of artefacts from ships wrecked along this coastline … one can see cannons, coins, chinaware and ship bells.  One of the rooms at the museum is a tribute to Audrey Blignaut, a South African author born in Bredasdorp.

The wheat fields that surround the town attract many different birds; we were lucky enough to see 13 Blue Cranes in one field alone and although not avid birders ticked off our first ‘lifer’; a Cape Teal duck merrily paddling around a farm pond! Hueningberg Nature Reserve is a must if you enjoy the great outdoors – there are lots of walks available.  Bredasdorp and the area around it is a wonderful place to visit and at just over two hours from Cape Town, it’s the perfect distance for a weekend getaway. Continued