National Art Gallery, Cape Town

Posted on 27th February 2014 by Amy

27/2/2014

This art gallery was built in the early 20^th century. As one walks up the stairs, it kind of looms up in front of one. To ones right there is a pay kiosk which you have pay an entrance fee for adults is R30 and students are R15 as well as for pensioners. This is for the up keep of the museum and the upkeep of the art that is permanently shown at the gallery.

So on Saturday morning I decided to go to the National Art Gallery, which happens to be in town. I think the last time I went there I was in High School.

Going through the gallery is like walking from one cave of wonders to another in one huge magnificent cave. For me the world opens up to me, because I know every piece of art has a meaning.

I love the old paintings with their huge wooden frames and painted with oil paint or even acrylic paint. These paintings look so real like they had been photographed instead of artists taking hours to paint them.

Then there is the modern art, which I must admit some of it I personally wouldn’t call art at all. The thing is that if ones think about it art is a freedom of expression.

This is definitely a must see for everyone on educating themselves on Cape Town’s new and old art.

Llandudno

Posted on 20th January 2014 by Amy

17/1/2014

There are many stunning beaches in Cape Town and there are fantastic to watch the sunset on a beautiful clear evening in Cape Town.

So I decided to head out to Llandudno beach for a picnic supper on the boulders to watch the sun set. The sand was smooth, water seemed rough and the tide was coming in with the spray bashing on the rocks. It was actually beautiful, even though it was a bit windy.

So when the sun sets above the sea, which sets in colours of yellow, orange and pink, behind a few clouds. This magnificent beach is home to the rich, but also to the sun bathers, surfers, walkers and body borders. Children are running around playing sports and building sand castles and playing at the water’s edge.

So as the sun sets and people pack up their processions, ready to go back home or to their accommodation. Now the beach is appositely still, except for the crashing of waves against the shore as the tide comes in.

This is the end of the day of the many magnificent beaches and it’s goers in this stunning city called Cape Town.

Sea spray Llundudno

Slow Sun Set

Sea Spray

Beginning of the sun set

Sun set

Going down

Peninsula Tour

Posted on 14th January 2014 by Amy

Looking on to Muzienberg

Viewing

Muzienberg

Looking over to Fish Hoek

29/12/2013

This morning around 10:00 am, Kieron came to pick me up. Then we headed to pick up his mom and brother-in-law around the Peninsula.

We headed to Muzinberg, Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek, Simon’s Town. The seaside towns which are full of surf shops, arts and crafts, antique shops and restaurants and hotels.

The sea was crystal clear blue and the sky was a perfect blue. Bee another tourist in our own city can be totally awesome!

We decided to to drop by Mineral Restaurant, but it was fully booked. So we decided to head some where else. All the way past Cape Point, Scarborough, Noordhoek, Misty Cliffs, Chapman’s Peak, then Hout Bay for now a late lunch around 4:00 pm.

Just driving around the Peninsula makes one realise what a beautiful city Cape Town is.The clear blue sea, the mountains, the perfect blue sky. Basically Cape Town is tourist heaven.

Kalk Bay

Posted on 18th December 2013 by Amy

18/12/2013

Today my friends and I decided to be tourists in our own city and headed for Kalk Bay. I have been down there many time before, but this time I had my camera.

We arrived in Kalk Bay and managed to find parking.

Decided to walk to Fish Hoek and back, so it was about 3-4 km. It was beauitful, having mountains and old houses on ones right and blue sea on ones left. It was quite windy down in Kalk Bay and worse it Fish Hoek. Then the 3 of us walked back to Kalky’s for lunch. Kaly’s was getting busy by the time we where in the line. We ordered a plate of chips to share and 1l coke for the 3 of us.

After lunch we walked around a bit. Kalky’s is at the harbour. While walking back to the car. We looked at all the different shops, they are so many crafty shops there as well as a few surf shops and of course restaurants. Once we got back to my car, we drove to Muizenberg.

Went for hot chocolate at Kneads and shared a apple pastry. It’s a bit expensive but it has fantastic foods. Kneads is right by the beach so it is beautiful watching the waves.

That side of the world is definitely a place to go and explore.

Kalk Bay main road

Glance back at Kalk Bay

Harbour

View

View from a distance

Walking down the street.

Langebaan

Posted on 17th December 2013 by Amy

Beach

15/12/2013

So for our next adventure we drove to Langebaan for the day. Beach time.

The day was cloudy at first, but become nicer later on during the day and there was a bit of wind and then the sun came out.

The lagoon was beautiful with crystal

Ron

clear blue, but it was a bit chilly. We both went to check out the water, before dumping ourselves on the sand.

It’s a very nice touristy spot with restaurants along the beach front, as well as small shops. It is a pretty small town.

After an hour or so laying on the beach, we went to find some lunch. After debating we found a restaurant called Kontiki, which makes the most awesome pizzas and milkshakes!:) Definitely worth a visit.

Next stop was to explore the town after lunch on foot. Kieron and I came across a small play parked called “Sunny Park”. One always thinks these places are for kids, but this one seemed to be for both. Kids and young adults, who where kids at heart.

We paid an entrance fee of R5 each and we paid to play an 18 hole putt putt for R7 each. Putt putt was hilarious and guess what? Kieron thrashed me. He won by 47 and mine was 67. Then came the foosball, which was a lot of fun but I also lost to that. I am not a sore looser at all. And I haven’t played foosball for years. This place had many activities such as trampolines, water slide and pool tables.

So it is a much needed visit to the area and needless to say we had fun.

Stellenbosch for 1/2 day

Posted on 12th December 2013 by Amy

Bosendal Wine Estate

8/12/2013

My boyfriend and I volunteered to pick up o

Old cars

ur friends and take them to Stellenbosch to a church youth camp. We decided to take this opportunity to at lest to take a drive through Stellenbosch.

We went to have lunch at Spur and then afterwards we had to drop our friends off at Paul Roos. This school is really quite old and among the oak trees which makes it beautiful. In between getting lost trying to find the school.

After dropping them off we took a drive to Boschendal Wine Estate (Unfortunately we couldn’t stay long because of church in the evening), so we only walked around for a while.

There was a bit of excitement there were about 10 or so old Royal Roces, Jaguars and even a BMW. There were amazing with the Manner House in the back round. I had to take a couple of photos.

Day 3 Matjiesfontein

Posted on 2nd December 2013 by Amy

1/12/2013

The next day dawned interesting. So Ron runs out of the room just before 8:00 am to see if Rovos rail is there on the platform, so I quickly followed him. I wasn’t too impressed since the train was late and I was kind of hungry, but it was so worth the wait.

I have seen Rovos Rail in pictures in magazines, but actually in real life. This train is amazing, straight from a by gone area.

The manager of the train said we could go into the dinning car and take some photos and then afterwards he took us to see a suite. Of course we couldn’t take photos since some one was staying in there. It is really worth the money to travel by this train and there are so many routes for example Cape Town to Cairo looks totally amazing.

After taking more photos we went off to breakfast and I must say there omelettes are delicious. Then once breakfast was finish, we went off to our room to pack up.

Any way we had to check out at 11:00 am and the train was leaving at 11:00 am. Deciding to go back to our childhood Kieron put a 5c coin on the railway track at the crossing. We packed the car and took last minute photos, which included my boyfriend walking across the railway line to take photos. This freaked me out a bit since walking across a railway line is so dangerous. Then we put the 5c coin on the track at the railway line crossing and just had to wait for the train to go. Just as there said that the train will leave at 11:00 am, it left at 11:00 am sharp. So now we have a disfigured 5c coin.

Then unfortunately we had to drive back to Cape Town, though we should have gone in the opposite direction!

We arrived back in Cape Town around 3:00 pm. I must admit that was one awesome adventure with one amazing boyfriend!:D

Matjiesfontein is a small historical town which development hasn’t touched. It is a town is a small town in the middle of no where were time has stood still. This town is definitely worth a visit, to stay or stop for a drink in a bar or a meal on the way to another destination.

Here is to another of many more adventures to come!!

Inside the dinning carriage

Observation car.

Rovos Rail

Trained stationed.

A road to no where.

A feather friend.

Small town with one main road.

Day 2 of Matjiesfontein

Posted on 2nd December 2013 by Amy

30/11/2013

This Saturday morning, we only got to breakfast at 8:00 am. The scrambled eggs are amazing.

After we had eaten, we went to grab my camera and went exploring the old but small town.

Our first stop was the Station Museum, which doesn’t look big, but it is with a basement as well. I must admit those times where scary.

Then the Motor Museum, which I have personally never been into so it was new for both Kieron Thwaites and I. This houses old cars, the steam train and carriages, which we got to explore these and they are really dark. Kind of spooky really.

Then after a mid morning nap we went to have lunch at the coffee shop and afterwards walked around a bit and talked Basically we went exploring the gardens. Also went to check out the duck pond and we saw baby ducks and then onto explore the hotel itself.

We went up the main flight of stairs which leads to more hotel rooms (some of these are meant to be haunted). I was actually brave enough to walk up the stairs to an attic room (pity it was locked). This room is called Katie’s card room and if you go into the room one can feel it is haunted. Apparently at night one can hear someone playing cards in the room when there is actually no one there.

We also came across this one room in the hotel which looked like it was used as a small lounge , reading room or even a parlor. But Kieron and I could feel it just didn’t feel right, it had that airy ghost feeling. So we quickly left the room in a hurry.

At around 6:00 pm we went on a bus rid in one of those old fashion buses from London. The guide/entertainer gave the history and haunting of the town and made it more entertaining.

After dinner we decided to go back to our room and ea chocolate on our balcony over looking the semi dried up river. It was windy and the trees decided to make ghostly creaking noises, so we agreed to go back inside. Since my beloved boyfriend Kieron found out the times when Rovos Rail was going to pull into the station the next morning, we at least had to be at the station at that time.

P:S: I have never seen Rovos Rail in person only in photos so it was awesome me who studied travel and tourism.