When the sun is setting, between dusk and darkness, there is a moment when the light turns blue. And the world stops for a heartbeat.
Cape Town faces the Atlantic, so the water is pretty chilly even in summer. Muizenberg Beach is a popular surfing destination because of the good waves it gets, but any sane surfer wears a wetsuit.
Despite the cold, Kiara and Alanna squeezed every bit of fun out of the waves, sand, and sun in the last hours before heading to the airport. Since they were soaked to the skin and covered in wet sand, we had luckily scheduled time for a shower before starting our trip.
There is just something so picturesque about the wine farms, even when the weather is not perfect. My fingers itch whenever I get near one.
Stuart and the girls are generally pretty patient with my photography, but even they had enough for this trip. Stuart packed me in a car and sent me to Constancia Wine route as we were living in the neighbourhood. He and the girls stayed at the house swimming and relaxing.
As I was driving myself, I ended up drinking more coke than wine – but I got my photos.
I love proper breakfast. Whenever I find the time, I cook different dishes even just for myself. I adore eggs in all forms, sauces, mushrooms, avo, bacon, salmon, yogurt, jams… you name it. Funnily enough, breakfast is the only meal Stuart does not cook. And rarely eats.
But there was no need to twist his arm to get him to enjoy a great breakfast in Franschhoek. The market was even on, so we spent a good few hours around town before taking a scenic drive to Vredenheim Wine Estate to meet the whole wider family for lunch.
A day of beauty and decadence.
And yes, despite visiting Franschhoek at least 15 times over the years, I still need to check the spelling every time…
Vredenheim has a park for big cats. These white tigers were not getting along…
It is tricky to explain to the girls how privileged they are. For a 7-year olds, their own problems are always the biggest in the world. And, to be fair, that is often true for us adults too.
However, after visiting one of Cape Town’s big townships – Langa – today, the differences were starkly visible even to Alanna and Kiara. As the girls said “There were a lot of kids, but not many toys”.
The explanation of the history and the social commentary of the guide (a Langa resident himself) were a bit too complicated for the girls, but they now recognize the words for Apartheid and Nelson Mandela.
The lunch at the Waterfront – a luxury area indeed – drove home the the comparison.
Alanna loves everything that is alive. Dogs, cats, cows and raindeers are obviously cuddly, but she also thinks that snakes are cute and spends evenings thinking how she could catch and release a mosquito without killing it.
Fantasy animals are even better. She started with unicorns and magical cats, but currently we are in a lenghty werewolf phase. Her howl is becoming pretty realistic.
Imhoff Farm with its petting zoo is Alanna’s happy place. Kiara agrees, as she thrives with the active interaction with the animals – and on all the playgrouds and climbing trees.
For parents, a good view, good food and a glass of wine are all that’s needed.
On the way back we also stopped in Hout Bay for ice cream.
It was hot today… 35C at highest. I am not sure if I have just forgotten what it normally feels like, or if I have lost my heat survival mode after living four years in Finland.
We battled the heat with excessive time in the pool and relaxed walk in the (shady) forest. In the evening, when it started to cool down slightly, we headed out to a nearby winery with a quirky restaurant. Cold white wine and a frozed daiquiri improve any night.
Hermanus was windy today and the waves were majestic – and loud! It is almost hypnotic to watch them crash againsg the shore and seabirds fighting the wind (or hiding from it).
The waves carry shells, pieces of coral and other interesting bits and pieces onto the shore. We had to limit both girls to four treasures per beach to ensure our clothes will still fit into the suitcases for the journey home.
A good day to get out of the hospital.
I love Cape Dutch houses. Together with the yellow and red African sunset, they are almost too picture perfect.
And if it feels too cliché, it helps to remember that the view follows another well-known South African phenomenon: the parking lot is just out of the shot
The first time Stuart visited Finland was for Christmas 2010. It was an exceptional December. Over one metre of snow blanketed Helsinki, and the city was running out of places to plough it. Parking lots and walkways disappeared under snow mountains in an attempt to keep the streets clear. The temperature dropped below –27°C the day before Christmas Eve in Asikkala, where we were spending the holidays.
Everyone kept saying how rare that winter was, but I don’t think Stuart truly understood it until we moved here. The past four winters have shown how much muddier a typical coastal winter is. Because of the sea, day temperatures rise above 0°C on more than half (sometimes two-thirds) of days in January and February. Snow melts, turns slushy and heavy, mixes with sand and dirt, and becomes cold mud. Not exactly postcard-perfect winter scenery – at least not before the next snowfall briefly covers it all again.
Therefore, even with numb fingers, a frozen-solid car, and limited time outdoors, I love these crisp, sunny, beautiful winter days. You can see the cold in the air and the way light reflects.
–10°C would be perfectly fine, though. –20°C is pushing it.
Blue Moment 