to April 4^th, 2008

Upon arrival into Cape Town, we were met by our Thompson’s Tour guide, Mohammed Ali (yes, that’s his real name). After our long journey to South Africa, his assistance with our luggage, and the drive to our hotel, the Twelve Apostles Hotel, was most welcome. We checked into our luxurious comfortable rooms and fell into a nice slumber. The Twelve Apostles Hotel lies just outside of Cape Town, right on the coast and directly underneath the Towering Twelve Apostles, an internationally known, stunning, geographical landmark. The rooms and the grounds of this hotel are beautiful and very comfortable. After a delicious dinner, we were able to retire for drinks to the seaside veranda for a stunning South African sunset.

The next day, after a seaside breakfast, we set off for a tour of Cape Town. Our guide, Mohammed, was a fountain of great information and interesting anecdotes. Our first stop (while we waited for the weather to clear from Table Mountain) was The Castle of Good Hope, the oldest building/fortress in South Africa. On our way to The Castle of Good Hope, we stopped along Camp’s Bay, where we were rewarded with stunning views of the Twelve Apostles. Upon arrival at The Castle of Good Hope, we watched the Changing of the Guard, complete with a humorous little cannon with a big bang! We received word that the weather had cleared on Table Mountain, so off we set for the Gondola that would take us to the top of Table Mountain. We couldn’t have ordered more perfect weather. The views from Table Mountain in every direction were simply stunning! – A “must see” destination (weather permitting) for every visitor to Cape Town. After Table Mountain, we set off for a site inspection of the historic Mount Nelson Hotel - A 5-star luxury accommodation with beautiful grounds and gardens.  The Mount Nelson Hotel’s pink stucco façade brings the Beverly Hills Hotel to mind. After touring the Mount Nelson, we made our way to The Vineyard Hotel for a site inspection. The Vineyard Hotel was off the beaten path a bit, and has stunning mountain vistas, as well as beautiful gardens and grounds, and great dining. Food is very important at The Vineyard Hotel, and will not disappoint culinary fans! On our way back to the Twelve Apostles, we drove through the historic, colorful Malay Quarter, where we stopped at a shop called “Monkey Business” which sells crafts made by the residents of the “townships.” Dinner was at The Twelve Apostles Hotel, where we were joined by our gracious host, general manager, Jeremy Flowerday.

The following day we set off for a full day of exploring the Cape Peninsula. We drove through the seaside villages of Camps Bay, Clifton and Llandudno, through Hout Bay, and the stunning Chapman’s Peak Ocean drive, one of the most beautiful coastal drives in the world. We visited the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, visited the Cape of Good Hope (the southernmost point on the African continent), as well as the lighthouse there. We also explored the Penguin colony at Boulder’s Beach, near Simon’s Town, where the South African Navy is based. When we returned to Cape Town, we checked into the elegant Cape Grace hotel, located on the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. The following morning we did a site inspection of  our hotel, the Cape Grace, which was followed by site inspections of the Portswood Hotel, The Commodore Hotel, and last but not least, The Table Bay Hotel, where we had a beautiful, delicious lunch. The afternoon was ours to explore the shopping along the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, followed by dinner that evening at The Africa Café, which was probably my favorite meal of the whole trip! The Africa Café serves up authentic African cuisine, served by beautiful African women wearing African dress. The food was very yummy!!!

Early the next morning, we departed Cape Town and drove to the lovely coastal town of Hermanus. Hermanus is a town  famous for it’s whale watching. Apparently the whales come very close to shore there during their migration. We stopped there for coffee, and walked around their African flea market before we headed on to Grootbos Nature Reserve, where we spent the following day exploring their diverse ecosystem, and then went on a botanical/wildlife safari. Grootbos Nature Reserve is the home of Green Futures Horticultural and Life Skills College, and a delightful young man named Sabelo, who is from the school, was our guide.

After departing Grootbos Nature Reserve, we headed for The Cape Winelands Region, specifically the town of Franschoek. Our first stop was Grande Provence, where we did a site inspection, and then tasted several of their delicious wines, followed by lunch there. Next up, was a site inspection at Le Quartier Francais, and more yummy appetizers and wine. We finished up our day by checking into the stunning property, La Residence. La Residence is unlike any property that I have seen, or stayed at, before. The service was impeccable, yet friendly and low key at the same time. Many famous superstars stay at this property, which is only open to the guests staying there. I really enjoyed my stay there - not just because it was one of the most beautiful, tasteful, luxury properties I’ve seen or stayed in, but also because the staff was warm, gracious and friendly, while providing the utmost of professional service. We did a site inspection of each of La Residence’s individually decorated suites.

After departing Franschoek, we drove to the wine country/college town of Stellenbosch, stopping along the way to do site inspections of Lanzerac, The River Manor and the Spier Hotel. We then checked in to D’Ouwe Werf, and did a site inspection. This hotel recently changed ownership and will be undergoing renovation in the near future. We had lunch in their garden court and then in the afternoon, we were free to peruse the local shops, or grab a bicycle and take a ride out amongst the vineyards of Stellenbosch. We also stopped at the Cheetah Breeding project/Birds of Prey sanctuary where we could get up front and personal with the Cheetahs, as well as pet them. Dinner that evening was under the stars, and tents, at the Moyo Restaurant where we were treated to an African buffet feast, African music, Tribal dances and face painting. A very enjoyable evening and something that I would recommend to anyone going to the area!

The next morning, after an early breakfast, we departed for Bushman’s Kloof Wilderness Reserve, stopping on the way in the wine country town of Paarl for a site inspection at the beautiful Relais and Chateaux property, Grande Roche. After arriving at Bushman’s Kloof, we did a site inspection, had afternoon tea, and then went on an evening, sunset game drive. On our game drive, led by our amazing eagle-eyed guide, Londi, we saw zebra, springbok, hartebeest, eland, wild ostrich, etc., as well as a stunning African sunset. Dinner was a unique experience, as we were transported to a remote outpost in the wilderness where an African feast, including springbok and ostrich, was prepared for us, and served by candlelight in this beautiful remote outpost. After dinner, we gazed at the stars of the southern skies, where our lovely host used a laser pointer and pointed out the constellations, including the Southern Cross.   The following day was spent exploring some of the 130 San Bushman rock art sites. Bushman’s Kloof is one of South Africa’s precious National Heritage Sites because of the ecological diversity and the rock art of the San Bushmen, one of the oldest known civilizations who lived in this region during the stone age. The afternoon left us free to take a swim, hike, (or in my case) have a massage in their spa.  Dinner was planned under the stars in their beautifully appointed outdoor natural rock amphitheater, but nature had other plans, as a thunderstorm moved in. Dinner was then moved to The Homestead, which is the main lodge. We had one last evening game drive, followed by “sundowners” (cocktails) served by Londi, as we watched one last beautiful African sunset over the lake. Bushman’s Kloof is also a lovely Chateaux and Relais property, and was a wonderful way to end our trip. The following day, we were transported back to Cape Town International airport where we started our journey back to the U.S.