Irv and Audrey Cohen
New York; USA
9 February 2009
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I met Irv and Audrey at George airport and after becoming acquainted we immediately set off of our Garden Route adventure by travelling to Overmeer Guesthouse in Knysna
We enjoyed a great opening dinner at Zest restaurant
Day 2
Tsitsikamma Forest
We started out our first drive by stopping in at Plettenberg Bay where the above picture was taken.
We travelled on to Alje van Demeent who served us a special lunch made up of his world class cheeses at his hidden forest home
A sample of some of Alje's foods
Enjoying lunch
In Alje's garden
Some of Alje's wonderful wood furnishings
Outside Alje's rustic forest house
We travelled on to the Tsitsikamma Adventure resort so as to do the tree top canopy tour
Signing up to do the tour
Being kitted out
Ready to fly
As can be seen all look on with greet trepidation once they see the first flyover and at this stage Audrey decided not to fly while Irv insisted he wanted to go ahead.
Irv flying through the trees
We travelled back to Knysna and went to Firefly for dinner in the evening
Day 3
Knysna
We started our morning with an early morning 6km beach walk
oat Brenton on Sea.
In the picture above Irv and Audrey can be seen in the bottom left hand corner
of the picture
Ending the beach walk
Audrey signing the register at the Little Round Church on Belvedere
At the Bell Tavern on the Belvedere Estate
We followed our visit to Belvedere with a catamaran sailing journey on the Knysna Lagoon. While doing this adventure we were extremely luck to be able to go through the Knysna Heads which was an experience I have only managed to attain once in 10 years of tour guiding which shows how rare the fantastic adventure truly is. A fantastic time was had by all.
We returned to Overmeer and after a short break travelled to Serendipity restaurant where the below pictures were taken.
Outside Serendipity
Day 4
Knysna and travel to Cape Vaccas
While Irv slept in late Audrey went shopping in Knysna.
Audrey in the art complex built in the Old Gaol
We checked out of Overmeer and travelled to the Knysna Heads where we obtained an overhead view of our previous days sea adventure
We stopped in at a local supermarket where I took the above picture of Irv in front of of some South African pumpkins
Before leaving Knysna we visited the Knysna Oyster factory where we had a wonderful lunch comprising Knysna Coastal Oysters
Watching paper being made from elephant dung at the Scarab factory
Andrew explains how the printing is done on the elephant dung paper.
We arrived at Cape Vaccas at 19h30 where Katrien had prepared a home made fish dinner for us.
Day 5
Chill out day at Cape Vaccas
Irv and Audrey just after sunset at Cape Vaccas
And the world shook. JJ
Day 6
Oudtshoorn here we come!
Katrien, Audrey, Irv and Pieter outside the Cape Vaccas
cottage
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panoramic photo
Zebras seen on the Cape Vaccas nature reserve
At the top of the Robinson Pass on our way to Oudtshoorn
Irv and Selwyn before having lunch at Die Peperboom in Oudtshoorn
Going on a short safari at Buffelsdrift game farm
(A surprise visit for Audrey and Irv as I only told them about this journey 3
hours before they went on safari)
Below are some of the animals seen on safari
Springbok
African Buffalo
Hippo
Rhino
Irv and Audrey with some of the many ostriches on Mooiplaas Ostrich farm where we were staying
Fantastic ostrich dinner being enjoyed at Mooiplaas Ostrich farm.
Day 7
Ostrich farm, Oudtshoorn and Swartberge
Irv and Audrey started their day with a tour of the Mooiplaas ostrich farm with Koos one of the guesthouse managers
We moved on to the ostrich co-op where Irv and Audrey ha some fun shopping for ostrich products
We visited the CP Nel museum and spent a lot of time in the St Johns Street Synagogue exhibition
In the CP Nel courtyard
We travelled up the Swartberg Pass (1500 Metres) where the below pictures were taken
See if you can spot Irv in this picture.
JJ
In the little village of Prince Albert we visited the bush golf course and the Prince of Tides mohair shop
On our way back to Oudtshoorn we stopped at Klaarstroom and visited Estelle Gavin who showed us her house and shop which took us back many years
Sunset pictures at Mooiplaas (Our farm of stay)
Please use your browser keys to view this panoramic photo taken at Mooiplaas
We enjoyed dinner at Jemimas in the evening
Day 8
Travel to Cathbert Country House - Cape Winelands
Enjoying tea at Ladismith
The deal is struck outside of Barrydale at Ronnies! JJ
Inside Ronnies Sex shop
Dinner at Cathbert Country House where we stayed for 2 nights
Day 9
Winelands, Stellenbosch and Kayamandi
Irv admiring the grapes in Vrede en Lust's vineyards
At the Afrikaans Language Monument
Winetasting Kosher wines at Klein Draken
Enjoying the glassware on Seidelberg Winefarm
The view from Seidelberg wine farm
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panoramic photo
We visited Kayamandi for the afternnon
At the Isibane Sempomolelo creche in Kayamandi
Audrey finds a young friend. JJ
With Tembekazi who joined us for lunch
Shopping in Stellenbosch
AT the Ikamva Lethu Centre watching the ballroom dancing
Joining in with the dancers
Talking to the Ikamva kids
Walking in Zone J
Walking away from a local church service in Zone J
Having fun with the kids in Zone J
SHARP!!! JJ
Dinner at Lily's home
Day 10
Drive to Cape Town
We drove to Cape Town and stopped in at the Waterfront where Audrey had some fun shopping
At the Cape Town Waterfront
Doing the Table Mountain shuffle atop of Table Mountain
Audrey enjoying her dinner meal at the Savoy Cabbage.
Day 11
Peninsula Tour - Gold Restaurant
We started our day with Breakfast at The Gardeners Cottage - Jacob we thought of you. JJ
Pictures taken at the Montebello craft village in Newlands
At the penguin colony on Boulders Beach
Enjoying a pie lunch while
overlooking False Bay
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panoramic photo
At Cape Point with the Cape of Good Hope in the background
At the most south western point of Africa
We visited the Statue Garden on our way back to Cape Town
On Long Beach near to Kommetjie
Please
click on the above picture to watch a video of the dancing at Gold Restaurant
Please do not open the above video file unless
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Please
click here to watch a video of Audrey dancing at Gold Restaurant
Please do not open the above video file
unless you have a broadband connection
Enjoying the dancing at Gold Restaurant
Audrey clapping her hands for the Gold dancers; She could well have been clapping her hands for a wonderful tour.
After our visit to Gold we returned to 70 Loader Street where Audrey and Irv were staying and where we unfortunately had to bade each other farewell.
Touring just does not become any better than this tour for a tourguide like myself. This was mainly because of the Cohens. They were such easy people to tour with and most important to me understood all the complexities of South Africa and its wonderful peoples. Wherever we went we had a great time not only because the Garden Route and Cape Town offered this facility but because Audrey and Irv wanted to make all happen succesfully and enjoyably. For me this was a fabulous tour which will always stay with me as one of the best I have experienced.
THANK YOU SO VERY VERY MUCH
AUDREY AND IRV.
You're the greatest!
Received 28 February 2009
Hi Selwyn,
We had a marvelous time at Jackalberry and a long but not very unpleasant
trip home. Went on our last safari Wednesday at 5:30 am (10:30 pm Tuesday,
NY time) and got home Thursday at noon. Still managed to go to the NY
Botanical Gardens this morning for a special orchid exhibition. Auds and i enjoyed our SA tour very much and have raved about it to our friends and family.
Thank you so much for the lovely note you sent; we too felt very connected.
We also agree that Kayamandi was the highlight of the trip. Whatever
happened with the boys who were supposed to show up for the dancing? Did
they?
ps - enjoyed the photos on your web site but we cannot see quite a few of
them - they appear as narrow horizontal strips. One was totally blank.
Tried refresh button, but to no avail. Others have the same problem. Any
suggestions?
Our very best,
Audrey and Irv
*
pss - Neither Audrey nor I have lost/misplaced anything since we left you. J