So for some of you who have been away from home for many years, there are things in life that you used to dislike for which you would today literally kill to have again.
And I have many!! So I could list all the weird food I would kill for (like confit duck gizzards and haribo rolls) but there is something yet more silly I've been missing for many years.
That burning feeling on my hands, face, and legs... That crispy deep noise when you walk on it and the painful feeling when you slip and fall ass first on it : SNOW!
Rumor has it, you can see snow close to CT, and where there is rumor, I just have to see it to believe it.
So my bf organized for this long week end to secretly take me away on a romantic trip by the sea, but I had other plans...
After an exhausting search for the perfect and available place, reflections has actually found us!
Not a broken car, nor any other mystical last minute horror misadventure would have stopped me on my hunt for that feeling... We'll be going to Tulbagh, just past Ceres where it says to snow sometimes...
While France is finally hitting summer temperatures, and Cape Town is drowning in rains, I have decided to pack my bags and see the snow for myself. Couple of days earlier, there were snow reports close to Durban and Jhb where it just never is likely to snow. I was officially jealous!!
So after getting slightly lost, finally made it to the small town of Tulbagh.
We have found our week end home and settle in nicely.
Only problem : too warm and sunny! So, we decided to take advantage and went on the small lake and enjoy the sunshine. The week end had just started, I was still hopeful for a cold front!
Unfortunately, another sunny day the following day so we decided to visit the neighboring farms and go horse ridding with Antoinette and her daughter on her huuuuge farm ... While still trying to get hold of Ceres Tourist information center! (no response and last recorded message was from 14th July! Like hello! We are nearly in mid august people!)
Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and decided to just give it a go, drive to Ceres and find some snow! And how lucky was I, as just when arrived, the hail started followed by snow! So we drove as high as we could up the Matroosberg mountain..and snow there was! Oh Joy!!!!
There I was like a 5 year old child being told Christmas is coming early, and Yes, Christmas did come in August!!!!
In order to make it to the top of the mountain, you will need a 4x4 or 4x2 vehicle! But do not despair, as the reserve also organizes (for well behaved people as they told us) a ride to the top on this army like enormous 4x2 vehicle! So tourist or prepared, everyone can make a snow man!
Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did and way more than my poor bf whose feet froze after an entire 5 minutes! So come prepared!!!
And I have many!! So I could list all the weird food I would kill for (like confit duck gizzards and haribo rolls) but there is something yet more silly I've been missing for many years.
That burning feeling on my hands, face, and legs... That crispy deep noise when you walk on it and the painful feeling when you slip and fall ass first on it : SNOW!
Rumor has it, you can see snow close to CT, and where there is rumor, I just have to see it to believe it.
So my bf organized for this long week end to secretly take me away on a romantic trip by the sea, but I had other plans...
After an exhausting search for the perfect and available place, reflections has actually found us!
Not a broken car, nor any other mystical last minute horror misadventure would have stopped me on my hunt for that feeling... We'll be going to Tulbagh, just past Ceres where it says to snow sometimes...
While France is finally hitting summer temperatures, and Cape Town is drowning in rains, I have decided to pack my bags and see the snow for myself. Couple of days earlier, there were snow reports close to Durban and Jhb where it just never is likely to snow. I was officially jealous!!
So after getting slightly lost, finally made it to the small town of Tulbagh.
We have found our week end home and settle in nicely.
Only problem : too warm and sunny! So, we decided to take advantage and went on the small lake and enjoy the sunshine. The week end had just started, I was still hopeful for a cold front!
Unfortunately, another sunny day the following day so we decided to visit the neighboring farms and go horse ridding with Antoinette and her daughter on her huuuuge farm ... While still trying to get hold of Ceres Tourist information center! (no response and last recorded message was from 14th July! Like hello! We are nearly in mid august people!)
Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and decided to just give it a go, drive to Ceres and find some snow! And how lucky was I, as just when arrived, the hail started followed by snow! So we drove as high as we could up the Matroosberg mountain..and snow there was! Oh Joy!!!!
In order to make it to the top of the mountain, you will need a 4x4 or 4x2 vehicle! But do not despair, as the reserve also organizes (for well behaved people as they told us) a ride to the top on this army like enormous 4x2 vehicle! So tourist or prepared, everyone can make a snow man!
Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did and way more than my poor bf whose feet froze after an entire 5 minutes! So come prepared!!!
You are right. There are things we will always miss. After 18 years, I also still miss my Haribo rolls. I guess you mean the rouleaux de reglisse? Well, good news! I found some. Checkers stocks them on a very IRregular basis. They have some at the moment, I bought all the packets at my branch (you never know when it will happen again!!!). Dischem also has them, more regularly. They even have Fraises Tagada... miam miam!!
ReplyDeleteCan you give the details of the farm you stayed at? looks really nice. Thanks. Marie
Hi Marie!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your comment.
We stayed at the Reflections guest farm - You can click on the actual "reflections" name on the post or go straight to www.reflectionsguestfarm.com
I have as a matter of fact emptied the Spar in Hout bay recently of all their Reglisse wheels, but have also found them at the Pick n pay in Gardens also, as well as Fraise tagada and the bananas too! :) little things that make us very happy!
I was also able to make a "blanquette de veau" recently, also by getting some veal from pick n pay in gardens! :) please do let me know of any other place where to get yummy things from! thank you
I hate going to town, but you just gave me 2 excellent reasons to go to Gardens... the veal and the bananas, which I still haven't found anywhere! There is something else we crave... rabbit. I used to have 2 sources: a Portuguese woman who raised them in her garden but soon got overwhelmed by the numbers (she couldn't eat them as fast as they bred, and I was her only client...), and a friend of mine who also bred them for civet but has since moved to a house with a smaller garden. I heard that this famous Gardens butcher sometimes stocks rabbit, but at a ridiculous price. I am not prepared to pay something like R 150 a Kg for rabbit... There is one place where we sometimes find nice stuff: at Joostenberg. There is a nice nursery and Ludwig Roses, but also a Deli where a French guy makes Rillettes. They also sometimes have a few imported things, like Confit de Canard etc... but you have to get lucky. But the Rillettes are quite nice. He also bakes, you can find pains au chocolat, croissants, BRIOCHES (les vraies avec la boule dessus), and real bread (by "real" I mean baguettes that haven't gone all soggy and chewy by the time you get home). Joostenberg is a nice outing, you can have lunch, kids can play and they have pony rides. You can also buy from the Deli and picnic on the grass there. Best in summer though... Thanks for this blog, I will follow it from now on. Marie
ReplyDeleteahhh Joostenberg, Yes, I know them well! They make their own rillette at a reasonable price too..
DeleteFor french Cheese, you can also get everything at "Fromages de France", in the same area I think, but you can mail them for price list : info@lacotte.co.za
Suzanne also stock some cheese and imports patés etc... (on fridays at Alliance on loop) on sat at the biscuit mill in Woodstock.
I have seen rabbit at the same Pick and Pay in Gardens in the frozen section too! not very often though...
But please ask for any info and missions and I will gladly look for whatever the peeps desire! (I love food so will gladly hunt anything down)