Follow the road north from Cape Town for 2 and a half hours, travelling through some of the most spectacular scenery and you will reach the historic village of Matjiesfontein.
For some, the idea of travelling for 180 minutes before reaching their destination defeats the object, but felt that I had to include Matjiesfontein under a day trip for the sheer magnetism, breath-taking scenery, which is so different from the rest of the Western Cape and its special place in the history of the area. To miss it is to have missed something unique. The journey is so worth taking, I know you’ll be thanking me rather than chastising me for sending you on a wild goose chase!
Leaving the Franschhoek and Stellenbosch winelands behind you, climb towards the Huguenot Tunnel or the more stunning route of the unforgettable Du Toits Pass. The pass is well worth the visit, although it does add another 11 kms to your journey. The tunnel is one of the most sophisticated tunnels in the world, cutting through four kilometres of mountain. Perhaps go one way on the outward journey and the other way on the return.
Onwards into the Hex River Valley, flanked by the Hex River Mountains which rise to 2,490 meters and are often snow-capped in winter. Here lies an abundance of fertile soil, growing a huge range of crops, fruits and wine.
A number of magnificent passes link the Little Karoo with the Great Karoo and, in particular the Swartberg Pass is considered to be the most spectacular in the world after the Darjeeling Pass in Asia.
On first inspection, Matjiesfontein would appear to be apparently insignificant and remote, set as it is in a wilderness, but on further inspection, its roots are planted firmly in the history of the country and indeed in the continent itself.
1884 saw Matjiesfontein as a tiny railway halt in the depths of the Karoo. The Government Railways had reached the Kimberley diamond fields by then. As was the way, no dining cars were available on the trains and when they stopped to fill up with water and coal, the passengers went in search of their own sustenance.
Recognising the potential for creating a “watering hole”, a young Scotsman, James Logan, purchased land and set about his ideas. The happy outcome is Matjiesfontein.
Fashionable people of the time, such as Rudyard Kipling and Lord Randolph Churchill visited, to take in the “air”. It was felt beneficial for people with chest complaints, being warm, clear and dry. Logan was a cricket fan and enjoyed bringing teams to stay here. The village boasts a large grassy field, down next to the Transport Museum, which was once a cricket pitch. The first international game of cricket played in South Africa was here on this very field.
What to see on your visit? Well, arriving in Matjiesfontein is rather like stepping into a time warp! Turn of the century, that’s 20th century, Victorian splendour with the majestic Lord Milner Hotel taking centre stage.
The golden age of grace and elegance are alive and well and living here with up-to-date facilities which take nothing away. Take your pick of lunchtime venues, either at The Lord Milner, or next door in the Laird’s Arms Victorian pub. The Coffee House also provides breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea, all of which can be taken in the pretty courtyard.
Perhaps you might like to take a tour of the village on the double-decker London Bus, which makes a daily tour, complete with a bus driver who doubles as the witty narrator. John also takes you on tours of the Lord Milner Hotel.
The original Post Office is still in operation and helpfully houses the Curio shop for souvenirs, along with sundries that might have been forgotten by the hotel guests!
Take a visit to the museums and immerse yourself in a time long past
The Karoo National Park houses a terrific array of Springbok, Wildebeest, Deer, Ostrich including the magnificent Black Eagle and the shy Eagle Owl. Five tortoise species also find their home here, which is the most in any conservation area in the world. Take the Fossil Trail, or discover the Bushmen drawings.
Time seems to lazily roll by in this quiet, little backwater. Take a step off the hectic treadmill that is today’s life and spend time in an altogether more peaceful age. Soak up the atmosphere and the air and let it gently easy away your stresses and strains. You won’t be disappointed!
Helen Palmer is the author of the website http://www.magical-cape-town-vacations.com, whose family’s love of Cape Town was spawned some 30 years ago, when her aunt moved there to live. Regular visits and a genuine love of travel persuaded Helen to share her passion. Grab a copy of the special report, “Where to Find Nelson Mandela in Cape Town” at http://www.magical-cape-town-vacations.com/palmers-cape-town-club.html
Monday morning, November 15th, 2004, 6:30 am, in a Midwest city, United States of America. Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz? I awake to the thought “it can’t be morning already, it’s still pitch black outside”. Fumbling to turn off the obnoxious alarm which I have many times threatened to exchange for something more soothing, I realize, yes, it is another November morning in Minnesota. I have prepared my morning treat of freshly roasted coffee the night before. I roast my own coffee which I buy from u-roast-em.com to ensure my special reward for crawling out of bed is as good as it can get. Golden Valley is on the outskirts of Minneapolis primarily residential and for all practical purposes a very nice community. Just a short hop to the downtown area where I work.
It has snowed a couple inches over night just enough to mess up my car which will need to be cleaned off. I go about brushing off the newly fallen snow and scraping the frost from my windshield while the engine warms up. As I back out my driveway onto Maple Street I notice my next door neighbor John returning from his mailbox with his newspaper. I wave, but he doesn’t look in my direction. In fact, he doesn’t respond other than slightly raising his hand in my direction without looking up from the newspaper he has clenched in his other hand. Three doors down Maple there is another neighbor scraping the frost off his windows with the “I hate winter” look. I don’t know him as he moved in just over a year ago. Neither he nor I make any attempt to acknowledge each other. There is a small group of kids waiting for the school bus on the corner; none of them look up or seem to notice me as I pass by.
I take a right on Normandy Boulevard after stopping at the four way stop. I have never met another car at this corner and wonder why we all have to stop every time for no apparent reason. At the fourth stop sign on Normandy I take a right onto Green Valley road. It is only about five blocks until I can get on Highway 101 but there are 2 stop lights with arrows and the whole nine yards. At the second light I prepare to take a left and go up the ramp onto Highway 101. The guy in front of me must not have noticed the green arrow and I’ll have to wait for the next green arrow. He gets it this time and we’re heading up the ramp only to run into the metering system which is supposed to regulate traffic and keep us all moving smoothly.
“Form two lanes when metering” the sign clearly states. Everyone is scrambling trying to figure out which lane will get them on the highway first. The next sign makes it clear that: ONLY ONE CAR PER GREEN LIGHT. Yes!!, I picked the correct lane and I’m next in my lane. I feel a steadily escalating anticipation of the green light like a race car driver looking for the green flag. I am gripping the steering wheel as if it were last week’s paycheck and not taking my eye off the light which will certainly turn green at any second. The other lane flashes green and away the car next to me roars?wait just a minute, the guy behind him sneaks through as well. JERK! I think as they speed away. Seconds later I get the green and I’m heading up the ramp in high hopes of cruising on the highway.
The newly fallen snow has made the roads wet and messy but not slippery as the maintenance trucks have already put salt down to melt any snow or ice. Of course this kicks all the slop up onto my windshield which requires about a gallon of window washing fluid every 15 minutes. About a quarter of a mile, just before I get to 50 miles an hour I notice the brake lights ahead and begin my slowdown. Within a minute I’m at a complete stop on a three lane highway. This is the Midwest, not Los Angeles. Can it be?
I look over at the car stopped next to me searching for someone to acknowledge our discontent. The woman in the car seems to sense I’m looking her way and pretends to check her makeup in the visor mirror in order to avoid any type of contact. Things bump along for a couple miles to the point where I start down the ramp onto an interstate highway, a main artery into the Loop.
It’s moving a little faster but I don’t quite get up to 30 miles an hour. I have to merge to the left into the right hand lane but no one is willing to give me the twenty or so feet I need to merge in. I am forced to stop or hit the bridge abutment ahead. Now it’s even harder as the traffic on the interstate is moving and I am stopped making for about a 100 foot space required to accelerate into. Things look up as the interstate is also slowing to a near stop. A space, no the guy behind me quickly grabs it up before I can make my move and doesn’t let me in ahead of him. The next car sensing some frustration allows me into the lane and away I go on the four lane highway at a blistering 10 miles an hour. As so often it is, suddenly I’m cruising at 60 and things are looking up.
I try to clean my windshield but the fluid has run out and I get only a little spray and dribble which does more harm than good. I’ll just wait until my windshield is really wet from all the slop being sprayed on it then hit the wipers quickly to clean it while it is wet.
When the interstate approaches the downtown area, where I work, it narrows to one lane for the traffic heading south. The traffic backs up in the far right lane pretty darn far and moves very slowly because those speeding by in the next two lanes to the left are cutting into that right lane as far up as they can and still accept themselves with their actions. I know the drill and pass about 30 cars, ok maybe more like 40 or even 50, before I pretend to have not known how the system works. I have to kind of force my way into the right lane because by this time, those who have played by the rules are not too happy with us cheaters. I try to rationalize it by thinking I’m late for work and will, no doubt, receive the wrath of co-workers for my tardiness. If only I had a license plate from a neighboring state I could have easily taken another 30 or 40 cars.
There are still cars zipping past me in the immediate left lane with their right turn signals blinking away. Moving at zero to five miles an hour I near the point of no entry for the cheaters who have even less scruples than me. Sure enough one last guy literally sticks his front right bumper between my car and the one about seven feet in front of me. I jam on the breaks and he is in, however, either too embarrassed or non-caring to make ANY type of gesture of appreciation for me not being party to destroying our cars. By this time in my commute I have felt most every negative emotion: neglect, anger, fear, frustration, embarrassment, aggression and guilt as well as humility.
As I head to the 11th street exit I wonder why we all have to go through this every day. I’ve been on the road for forty minutes now and the 11th street exit is backed up at least a quarter of a mile. Stop and go, stop and go, stop and go, I’ll certainly make the next arrow, oh yeah no problem, what? “you idiot!!” I scream at the guy in front of me who seems to have less guts than a jelly fish as he jumps on his brakes to avoid any possibility of catching a little red arrow glow in the corner of his right eye as he rounds the corner. At this point I’m only about 15 minutes late for work. I catch the next green arrow easily and reach my parking garage with no further frustration.
I circle down to my assigned parking space as if the rush hour world going on outside no longer existed. Upon arriving I wonder if the person who parks to the right of me knows the person who parks to the left of me. Perhaps they are on a quest to see who can own the biggest SUV. The parking spaces are clearly marked with painted lines on the cement floor and neither of them is over the line but another inch and they both would be. I am able to squeeze my little Honda Accord in but cannot open the door enough to get both me and my briefcase out at the same time. I think to myself: “I could be making a payment on a Motorcycle, Snowmobile, Boat or 4 wheeler for the $240.00 per month I pay for this space. It is about the furthest space from the elevator and the ramp is not heated. I approach the elevator only to watch the door close even though there is plenty of room for me. Perhaps I’m invisible as no one makes any effort to hold the door for me and away it goes. Seemingly for ever but actually maybe 4 minutes later the elevator remembers me and returns. Not bad, I enter the office a mere 25 minutes late.
No one and I mean no one smiles, says hello or misses the chance to give me “The Look”. The look says: I made it on time even with a little snow, how come you’re late. You rode the freak’n bus, you couldn’t be late, I think as I walk silently to my office. I sit in my chair and look out the window on the 17th floor. It is still grey out and basically void of color. Time to get to work.
COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!!!, COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!!!
PLEASE SEE PART TWO
Jim Cameron is a 30 year veteran in the specialty coffee industry. His coffee related travels brought him to Costa Rica many times where he fell in love with a country and it’s people. Jim now spends half the year in Costa Rica and the other half in Wisconsin where he sells green coffee beans to the home roasting trade.
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Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of Sketchandtravel and Bookpleasures welcomes as a guest, Francisca Matteoli.
Francisca has written several books pertaining to hotels around the world:
*Hotel Stories: Legendary Hideaways Of The World:
*Adventure Guide Hotel Stories:
*Island Hotel Stories:
After living in Brazil, Francisca now makes her home in Paris. In addition to her books, she has also contributed articles to National Geographic France, Cond? Nast Traveller, Air France Hommes and The Tribune of San Luis Obispo.
Bonjour Francisca and thank you for agreeing to participate in our interview.
Bonjour vous, Norm ! C’est un plaisir.
Norm:
Francisca, could you tell us a little about yourself, and when did you passion for travel begin? What keeps you going?
Francisca:
I suppose it all started when I left Chile for France on board Le Pasteur. I was very young but I remember it well. It was quite an adventure ! Such an adventure in fact, that I start my last book Adventure Hotel Stories with this incredible story. Besides, my mother who is Scottish, and my father, who is Chilean, used to travel a lot and tell me fabulous stories. I always wanted to travel like them.
Norm:
Why did you choose to write about hotels?
Francisca:
As my life in France began at the Hotel du Louvre in Paris, in front of the Comedie Francaise, it was natural for me to write about hotels. It was my destiny !
Norm:
Could you recommend to our readers six of the most romantic and unique hotels in the world, and why do you consider them to be so unique and romantic?
Francisca: Well!
**The Soneva Fushi Resort in the Maldives. For the sun, the white beaches, the fabulous food and divine sunsets.
**Le Hameau Albert 1er in Chamonix-France. Part of the famous Relais & Chteau chain. It’s lovely to spend the day outside, walking or skiing, and to enjoy finally a warm wood fire and a good glass of wine. And here, the wine and everything else is perfect ! They have 20 000 bottles in their cellar !
**The Dorchester-London. A must in London. British style and elegance all the way.
**The Mission Ranch, Carmel. I love the cosy atmosphere, the soup of the day !, the unpretentious style and the charming town of Carmel. It’s reminds me of Chile.
**Hotel Janelas Verdes-Lisbon. A literary haunt. A well-kept secret. I felt in love with the place the first time I climbed the stone steps hidden among the plants and flowers.
Norm:
What does travel mean to you?
Francisca:
Freedom, curiosity, open mind, adaptability and& Everything can happen !
Norm:
How much time do you travel each year? How do you go about choosing the hotels you wish to write about? What challenges and obstacles have you encountered while covering these hotels?
Francisca:
I travel more or less 4 or 5 months each year, then I write my stories, prepare my books, work on other projects.
I choose places that I really want to see before I die ! It can be in France or in the Amazon. And the Amazon means trouble, believe me- but that’s also part of the fun!
Norm:
Which country and city have you enjoyed the most and why?
Francisca:
Lately, I was home in Patagonia, and it was great to ride horse like mad in a wild landscape. I was stunned by the harmony between men and nature.
Norm:
How do you come up with ideas for what you write? What methods do you use to flesh out your idea to determine if it’s salable?
Francisca:
I always think : What do I want to see ? Who do I want to meet? People are very important to me. They are the soul of a country or place. I also like to mix past and present. The salad has to be interesting, human and fun.
Norm:
How have you used the Internet to boost your writing career?
Francisca:
I have my own a web site: http://www.franciscamatteoli.com.
I think the Internet is great. It saves time. It’s totaly international. People all over the world have access to internet.
Norm:
Is there anything you wish to add that we have not covered?
Francisca:
What about : how you get your hair done in the jungle ? In another interview maybe?
That would be great Francisca bientt et merci pour votre participation.
Bon chance with all of your future endeavours.
Norm Goldman is the Editor of the travel site, http://www.sketchandtravel.com and the book reviewing site, http://www.bookpleasures.com
Norm is also a travel writer and together with his artist wife Lily, they meld words with art focusing on romantic destinations.
You can view their articles and art work on sketchandtravel.com
Bookpleasures is a book reviewing site comprising over 25 international reviewers from all walks of life who review all genre.
The new phone launched by LG is not only a phone but the great thing is the LG Prada II is a watch that’s included with it known as the LG Prada Link. This Bluetooth watch has a lot of new features and its totally on a watch. The Prada Link can show caller ID, Preview text messages and you no longer have to take your phone out of your pocket every time you get a call or text message.
The watch has a tiny OLED screen that will not only show you all the options previously mentioned but also give you a call rejection option. The watch will also, of course, display the time. There is only one downside to this wonderful new invention. The battery for the Prada Link only has a 48-hour battery life.
There is no details on whether the watch will be included with the phone for free. Considering there have been similar watches on the market retailing for sometimes over $400, this is a deal because it is included with the LG Prada II.
The new USB powered vacuum cleaner from Dirt Devil called the “KWIK” is a great tool for cleanup jobs. This is totally designed to live in your work area or entertainment system and cleanup crumbs from keyboards, pet fur, dust in gaming equipment, entertainment centers, and other expensive electronic equipment.
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