WhaleTale News
Dear Friends, whalecome to 2021?
Let it be the year that we will wear our braveheart jackets and continue to be strong on our journey where the order and familiarity of our daily lives can change in the blink of an eye.
On the 29th of December, our beautiful Overstrand coast abruptly went into lockdown due to the new Covid-19 level 3 restrictions put in place by Oom Cyril. No more Vaalies are soaking up the summer sun with sea sand in their shoes and giggling toddlers splashing away in shallow waves. The disappointment and sadness due to this decision were tangible, but most visitors and locals welcomed the added safety precautions.
Since our Chicklet arrived, we had the foresight to lay hold of every sunny day to spend it on the beach before the untimely lockdown overtook us. After that we composed our holidays with leisure walks, art galleries, village strolls, fish and chips at quayside cabins, wine estates, day trips, and my birthday celebration took place at a fancy establishment in red vintage stilettos.? Moments spent together, sharing our hearts on special occasions are priceless to me. We also connected with our Vaalie friends at Stanford, and life remains beautiful.
During a day trip, we visited one of SA’s oldest towns. Nestled between towering blue mountains in the beautiful Cape Winelands lies the magnificent Franschhoek Valley. Its history goes back to 1688 when French Huguenot refugees started settling down in the valley, bringing their tradition of growing grapes, making wine and excellent food culture. Spectacular vineyards established more than 300 years ago by the Huguenots cover these mountain slopes. Franschhoek is rich in history. Its French heritage is everywhere on display with names such as Chamonix Wine Farm, Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate, La Motte Winery, Allée Bleue Estate, and La Rochelle Tours, just to mention a few. This area also produces some of the country’s extraordinary Méthode Cap Classiques – (Champagne).
The Museums and Huguenot Memorial Monument stand tall in honour of the French settlers, who arrived in the 17th and 18th centuries. The complex also sports the first Perfume Museum in SA and Africa for that matter. It was utter magic when Chicklet and I stepped into a “perfume wonderland” surrounded by every kind of exotic and vintage bottle you can imagine. The oldest perfume bottle excavated from a pyramid tomb belonged to an Egyptian princess buried thousands of years ago. In contrast to the latest celebrity brand fragrance blended yesterday at the Grasse Fragrance company in France. Since childhood, I have a love affair and fascination for perfume, and I cherish my perfume collection. It was a famous french lady designer, Coco Chanel, who once said, “A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future”, and I agree!
Did you know that 2021 is the year of the ox on the Chinese calendar, but on mine, it’s the year of the red stiletto, tongue in cheek!? What will it be on your calendar?
May the good Lord bless and keep us all. May His Face continue to shine upon us and may we have hope, peace, health, joy, courage, and a sound mind in Jesus’ name.
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