suemtravels

Hermanus Wine and Food Festival + Botriver Wild Horses South Africa

By: suemtravels September 29, 2019October 10, 2019

Africa, Hermanus, Overberg, South AfricaAfrican Marimba Band, African Queen Hops, Angelica., Anglo Boer War, Blue Pea Flower, Blue Pea Plant, Botriver Lagoon, Botriver Wild Horses, Botriver Wild Horses South Africa, Breede River Valley, Cape Floral Region, Coriander, Elgin, Fisherhaven, Franschhoek, Hemel en Aarde, Heritage Day South Africa, Hermanus Whale Festival, Hermanus Wine and Food Festival, Hex River Valley, HMS Birkenhead Shipwreck, Humpback Whale, Juniper, Karoo, Kleinmond, La Vierge Nymphomane Bordeaux, La Vierge Seduction Pinot Noir, La Vierge Wine Estate, Moltenos Restaurant, Naartjie, Rose Pelargonium, Sandbaai, Silkie Chickens, Six Dogs Distillery, Southern Right Whale, Stellenbosch, Sumaridge Wine Estate, Valley of De Wet, Walker Bay1 Comment

It was a festive week in Hermanus. Enthusiastic Heritage Day celebrations continued into the weekend and annual Whale and Wine and Food Festivals. September is peak whale season, when visitors and locals watch the glorious creatures carousing in Walker Bay. Wine and Food Festival I spent Saturday hanging out with locals at festivals and enjoying…

De Kelders Overberg South Africa

De Kelders is a nearby fishing village in Walker Bay Nature Reserve. It’s one of the best locations for whale watching and too gorgeous for words! I visited De Kelders in the past but returned to spend more time exploring. The seaside village escaped the chaos of tourism and remains a quiet, peaceful place known…

First Fridays Artwalk Hermanus South Africa

By: suemtravels September 7, 2019October 10, 2019

Africa, Hermanus, South AfricaABALONE GALLERY, ART THIRST, BELLINI GALLERY, BELLINI GALLERY & CAPPUCCINO-BAR, Blue Buck Bar, CANVAS OF LIFE GALLERY, Cecil Skotnes, Christine Henderson, Erna Dry, First Fridays, First Fridays Artwalk, FORTY X 40 GALLERY, GALLERY 19, GALLERY CHARMAINE DE JONGH GELDERBLOM, Harbour Road Hermanus, Hermanus, HERMANUS ART CIRCLE, Jeandre Marinier, Jenny Jackson, Judith Mason, KUNSKANTOOR, LEMBU GALLERY, Leon Muller, Liz Coates, Lize Van Der Walt, Lynette ten Krooden, MALCOLM BOWLING ART, ORIGINALS ART GALLERY, Phillip Badenhorst, Pure South, Raymond Andrews, Reinet de Jager, ROSSOUW MODERN, ROSSOUW MODERN SPACE, Susanna Swart, THE ART GALLERY HERMANUS, Walker Bay, WALKER BAY MODERN ART GALLERY, Zwelihle TownshipLeave a Comment

First Fridays Artwalk was a fun and lively evening! Hermanus weather has been warm and fantastic, forcing people out and about. The galleries were packed, and the crowd was overwhelmingly local. It’s late winter and peak whale watching season, but a series of protests at Zwelihle Township have deterred some would-be tourists.It was great to…

Stony Point Nature Reserve Betty’s Bay South Africa

By: suemtravels August 25, 2019October 10, 2019

Africa, Overberg, South AfricaAfrican Black Oystercatcher, African Penguin, African Penguin Colony, Atlantic Ocean, Bank Cormorant, Betty's Bay, Betty’s Bay Whaling Station, Buffelsvallei Farm, Cape Cormorant, Cape Nature, Cape Whale Coast, Cormorants, Dassie, Dyer Island Conservation Trust, Egyptian Goose, Gansbaai, Grey Herons, Guano Harvesting, Hangklip Beach Estates, Hangklip-Kleinmond, Harold Porter, Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, Hartlaub Gull, Hartlaub’s Gull, Hermanus History Society, Irvin & Johnson, Jack Clarence, Jackass Penguin, John and William Walsh, John Welsh, Kelp Gull, Kleinmond, Kogelberg Mountains, Leiden Conservation Foundation, Marine Protected Area (MPA), Overberg Coast, Overstrand, Papenskuilsfontein Farm, Pringle Bay, rberg Region, Rock Hyrax, Roode Els Rivier Farm, Sandstone Fynbos, Seabird Sanctuary, Shepstone Whaling and Fishing Company, South Africa’s Whale Coast, Southern Cross Whaling Company Ltd., Stony Point, Stony Point Nature Reserve, Table Bay, Theewaterskloof, Una Steam Trawler, Waaygaat Farm, Waaygat Whaling Station, White-Breasted CormorantLeave a Comment

Stony Point Nature Reserve, formerly an infamous whaling station, is home to African penguins, Egyptian geese, seabirds, dassies, and shipwrecks. A rocky outcrop along the Atlantic Ocean Whale Coast, it’s situated below the Kogelberg Mountains and has fascinating history! It’s no secret that I think South Africa’s nature reserves are special, but Stony Point has…

Hermanus South Africa Animal Welfare Society

By: suemtravels August 3, 2019August 23, 2019

Africa, Hermanus, South AfricaHermanus Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) South Africa, South African National Space Agency (SANSA)1 Comment

I began volunteering at the Hermanus Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) this week. HAWS “cares for sick, abandoned, and abused lost cats and dogs”. I’m spending time with both dogs and cats. Walking the dogs is especially satisfying, since they’re so happy to get out of the kennels into fresh air and sunshine! It’s good exercise…

Hiking Blue Mountain Trail Elgin Valley South Africa

By: suemtravels July 20, 2019October 10, 2019

Africa, Overberg, South AfricaAgama Lizard, Aged Sauvignon Blanc, Agritourism South Africa, Almenkerk Wine Estate, Andreas Groenewald, Babilonstoring Mountain Range, Blue Mountain Trail, Bot River, Botrivier, Cape Floral Kingdom, Cape Floral Region Protected Areas, Cape Klipspringer, Cape Mountain Leopard, Cape Orchids, Cape Overberg, Cape Porcupine, Craig Fraser, Dragon’s Head, Ecotourism South Africa, Elgin Basin, Elgin Valley, Erica, Farmstay, Fiona McIntosh – Slackpacking, Fynbos Biome, Fynbos Route, Grabouw, Green Tourism, Groenberg Mountain Ranges, High Rising, Highlands Forest, Hottentot Hollands Mountain Range, Houw Hoek, Hugh Fraser, Iona Wine Farm, King Protea, Kleinmond, Kogelberg, Kogelberg Biosphere, Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve Company, Kogelberg Mountain Range, Libby Doyle, Modern Wineries of South Africa, Nguni Cattle, Overberg Region, Paardeberg, PaardenKloof Estate, Palmiet River, PardenKloof, Pinot Noir, Plant Taxonomy, puff adder, Sauvignon Blanc, Slackpacking, South African Bushveld, South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), South Hill Vineyards, The Voortrekkers, Western Cape Overberg, Wildekrans Country House2 Comments

Captivating Elgin Valley is part of the Overberg‘s Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. Kogelberg, Groenberg, and Hottentot Hollands mountain ranges surround the valley forming a cool plateau. Kogelberg is one of the most beautiful reserves I’ve experienced! A few weeks ago, I went ziplining in Grabouw and enjoyed eagle-eye views of the Elgin Basin from high above.…

Sea Kayaking Walker Bay South Africa

A special joy of South Africa is its beautiful coastline. Experiencing it from a kayak is the best, but winter sea swells are often prohibitive. For a week Walker Bay was unsafe for kayakers. This morning the weather was clear, crisp, and calm with minimal swell, so I joined a sea kayaking adventure. Our group…

Whale Watching Walker Bay South Africa

Humpback, Bryde’s, and Southern Right whales – we saw them all during a whale watching trip yesterday! It’s early season on the Whale Coast, so I was hopeful but not overly optimistic. Heavy sea swells caused cancellation of previous Southern Right charters, but this time we hit the jackpot and delighted in spectacular whale sightings!!…

Ziplining Grabouw Elgin Valley, South Africa

For years I’ve wanted to experience ziplining. Saturday was the day! The adventure didn’t disappoint and was rich with adrenaline rushes, beautiful landscapes, and good company. I discovered Cape Canopy Tours with the help of a local adventure activity company – Walker Bay Adventures. After four attempts at joining a Cape Town kayak group and…

Mandla Mlangeni – Oratorio Of A Forgotten Youth at Artscape Cape Town South Africa

I attended another Artscape performance last week. The musical “Reflection of A Forgotten Youth” focused on South African youth in 1976 and wasn’t like what I imagined. South Africa Youth Day June 16, 1976 “marked the beginning of the Soweto Uprising, a series of protests that escalated quickly around the country, especially in Cape Town”.…

Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art Cape Town South Africa

By: suemtravels June 16, 2019October 10, 2019

Africa, Cape Town, South AfricaAbdulhay Jassat, ActionAid South Africa, African Contemporary Art, Albertina Sisulu, Amina Cachalia, Ampersand Foundation, Annie Silinga, Architect Thomas Heatherwick, Arthur Goldreich, Artthrob, Bobo-Dioulasso, Brenton Maart’s curated South African Pavilion Imaginary Fact, Cape Town's V&A Waterfront, Caroline Motsoaledi, Charlotte Maxeke, Elizabeth Paul, Exhibition Polyhedra, Frances Goodman, Grain Silo V&A Waterfront, Harold Wolpe, Hââbré The Last Generation, Helen Joseph, Joana Choumali, Jochen Zeitz African Contemporary Art Collector and German Businessman, Kendell Geers, Lilian Ngoyi, MAC/VAL Museum, Maggie Magaba, Marshall Square Prison, Mary Sibande, Michaelis School of Fine Art, MOCAA Director and Chief Curator Koyo Kouoh, Mosie Moolla, Neo Matloga, Nicholas Hlobo, Nokukhanya Luthuli, Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum, Public Eye, Purple Must Govern Mary Sibande, Sue Williamson, The Order of Luthuli in Bronze to Amina Cachalia, University of Cape Town, V&A Waterfront Cape Town, Virginia Mngoma, Visual Arts Group South Africa, Volta Photo Studio, William Kentridge, Winnie Mandela, Young Urban Women Programme, Zeitz Museum Cape Town, Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA)1 Comment

During this travel adventure I’ve explored many great museums and galleries in Europe, but South Africa’s Zeitz Museum always remained near the top of my list. I missed it during past visits and made a point of popping in last week. The first and third floors are being renovated and will reopen in August. Even…