It really is difficult to believe that we have now been together for four weeks. It seems like four minutes and we can't really work out exactly where the time has gone.
Yes, we've made them do all the touristy things - Table Mountain, V and A Waterfront, Kirstenbosch, Boulders Beach and Cape Peninsula, to name but a few. We even said au revoir as they headed off on their own for a few days to explore the Garden Route. But, there is one big mystery! We've only had four Bbqs!
Now this is very strange, almost X-Files like, because Cape Town in January and February is the perfect place for outside eating. Plan a Bbq four days hence and you know damned well it's going to be sunny and warm. If it isn't then you must have been a very bad person! This is the perfect scenario for chargrilled food, washed down with ice cold Castle beer or highly chilled Sauvignon Blanc. A winner on all counts and of course the added benefit of no driving worries because the feast is cooked up in your own back garden. A win, win. Oh, and I mustn't forget that every ingredient you buy is superb - incredible steaks, tasty kebabs, mouthwatering sausages and my own personal favourite, fish in the form of Kingclip. I'm salivating as I write!
So what is the reason? It's easy to explain. Superb, plentiful restaurants, all of them without exception, serving food of the highest quality in great surroundings and at prices, five weeks in, that we have still not come to terms with!
Every time we are presented with a bill, we all get each other to check it because we simply cannot believe that it is correct! Yesterday lunchtime typified what happens, this time at La Pineta who were kind enough to squeeze us in on a fully booked Valentine's Day. I think my previous Trip Advisor reviews and regular visits there over the last six years helped just a tad.
In fairness, service was a little slower than normal but did nothing to detract from the occasion. In fact it added to our very leisurely lunch consisting of us all having different mains and desserts (Paul was the only one who could manage a starter as well). Add to that two great bottles of wine and two bottles of water and we were presented with a bill for R1200. In old money that is just £52! This has been repeated at every place we have eaten and we decided that this was the reason for the lack of Bbqs.
The predominance of great restaurants here makes the decision to eat out a very easy one. It's so different to the UK where restaurant dining at places similar to the ones we have been frequenting in South Africa would sometimes cost an arm and a leg but certainly double the price of what we have been paying here.
Tonight we ate at a place called De Brasserie in Strand - again we booked four days ago and had to plead for a table. Fantastic food, service and atmosphere and even better, Ann and Paul picked up the bill so I have no idea how much it cost. Thank you for that you two. I do know however that Paul was still smiling as he came out of the restaurant so it can't have been too bad.
We are blessed to have friends like these who, together with Sarah, for a portion of the time, have made this a fun filled holiday and one that I hope we will repeat in the future. We take them to the airport in the morning at 0630 and whilst it is always nice to head home, I am sure that they will be a little sad but will also be taking home some nice memories of this wonderful country.
Safe flying to them both and see you next week.
Two Happy Travellers
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