On to Africa!

2011-09-23T05:53:00.000-07:00

August 26, Arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa and stayed at the Protea "Fire and Ice Hotel - a very modern hotel in an art deco theme. I had dinner with John Suffolk, Nigel's dad (Nigel was a long time dive master at PPR). The next day we departed for Soweto, to visit the home of Nelson Mandela and had a native lunch of mystery meat and local greens, interesting?

The following day we flew to Victoria Falls and departed immediately for Botswana to stay at the Chobe Safari Lodge. It was a super room and great food and very early morning drives. We saw a lot of wildlife - great herds of elephants, cape buffalo and Hippopotamus enjoying the Chobe river. It was very dry but we did see the elephants in very large groups swimming the river. They were swimming to get to a small island for some fresh grass!. A family of warthogs were grazing on the lawn by my front door!

A few days later we departed for Victoria Falls where we enjoyed a walk along the edge of the cliff. A rainbow was visible the entire time above the spectacular falls. The following morning we boarded a helicopter for the "Flight of Angels" over the falls and the river. I had a front seat view with glass under my feet and all around!!! I have a video if you wish to see the wonderful scenery, so when you are at the resort, Ask Me!! Then a tour of the local market to buy, buy, buy! That evening, we had a lovely 5 course meal with matching wines at the Livingstone Room at the Victoria Fall Hotel. This hotel was a grand ole hotel built in the 1800. We were also staying at this hotel and my room had such a high sided bathtub that one would need a pole vault to enter.

The next day we went in search of the black rhino and took an elephant ride. Harriet Anderson was my riding buddy and we had a very fat wide ride!!(also have a video of this event!!) That evening we had our evening meal in a private home that had 16 family members staying in what appeared to be a 2 bedroom house. However, the meal was very well served and we did get a sample of the native diet ! No jelly belly yet!!!!

We then had a visit to a local school where we were entertained with native dancing by a group of students from grades 1 to 6th level. I was so impressed that I gave the teacher my hat that I bought especially for the trip!!

We traveled to Zambia to the Livingstone Airport to catch our flight to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport. We seemed to be doing a lot of flying around but Africa is a BIG place and lots of area to cover. Kruger National Park we had several game drives. I actually opted out one day and had a full day at the spa!!!

Following we flew to Capetown to a wonderful hotel, the Village, a Spier Hotel. My room was complete with a fireplace and a pool right outside my back door. Had a wonderful tour of the wine region with a wine tasting at Dieu Donne, and lunch at their restaurant in Franshchoek. Perhaps the best meal of the entire tour!!.

Arriving back at the hotel, it was time to pat the cheetahs in the rehabilitation center, have a wine tasting, and dinner!!!

Next morning we journeyed to Capetown, and did the cable car ride to Table Mountain. Got a great computer generated picture of me being in the cable car all by myself when really there like a couple of dozen other people in the car that revolved 360 degrees before it reached the top!

The Cullinan Hotel was definitely a 5 star and had a Green Globe rating. I did not see how they earned it when they would not honor reuse of towels and changed the sheets every day!!! We missed out our first attempt to go to Robben Island because of rough seas and clouded conditions, so did a tour of their aquarium, which had the biggest moray eel I have ever seen!!! It had mostly indo-Pacific fish but a cute colony of jackass penguins, and lots of sharks. Luckily we were there for the afternoon feeding of both!! The next day we had a tour of the Cape of Good Horn, complete with a funicular ride to the top for a fantastic view of the entire cape. Back to Capetown for a taxi ride out to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens where the national flower which is the Protea was in full bloom but little else as it was the end of their winter. Last day in South Africa was spent on a whale watching expedition. The southern Wright Whale come into the area of where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic - the water is quite warm considering how close it is to Antarctic area. These giant whales spend from June to November in this area mating and having their calves, which weigh like 400 lbs when born!. A smooth ride the next day to Istanbul and then to Madrid to see the Prado museum with its wonderful art. Arrived back to the USA too late to catch a flight to Grand Cayman, stayed at the Mia Hotel in the Miami airport, surprising a very quiet place!!! Back home to 56 inbox items, lots of dirty clothes and a new dining room.!!!! Come see!!!

Gladys Travels to Turkey

2011-08-25T07:03:00.000-07:00

In the middle of August Gladys headed off on her adventure to Turkey and South Africa. She has now completed her trip to Turkey and sent along these pictures for all to enjoy. Gladys was joined on the Turkey portion of the trip by two companions - Rosie Sharp from Texas and Myra Cowan. Myra is a friend from Little Cayman and Rosie was her assistant editor when she wrote the cookbook "Cook Em Horns" for the University of Texas 30 years ago. The trip was a cultural and cuisine trip lead by Joan Peterson, author of "Eat Smart in Turkey". It started in Istanbul on Wednesday August 17 with a cooking class at the Istanbul Culinary Institute. Then Gladys headed off to see the Blue Mosque Hagia Sophia, followed the next day by visits to the Spice Market, the Baklava Factory and Topkapi Palace. On Friday they took a ferry to the Prince Islands, where carriages drawn by donkeys and bikes are the only means of transportation. The ferry also took them to the Asia side of Istanbul. The city is located in both Europe and Asia!!! There they had a wonderful dinner in the Kadikay region at the Ciya restaurant. The following day they went to the city of Troy with dinner at the wonderful seafood restaurant - Yaloava. At the restaurant they were given a cooking demo on an ugly bottom dwelling fish and a beautiful salt encrusted sea bass. After about a dozen courses, they were joined by the chef and received tastings of about a dozen desserts!!!! That evening Gladys ended up at the hospital with very swollen legs and feet!!! The following day the group took a cable card ride to ancient Pergamum. This was followed by a super lunch where the owner sat at their table and sang ballads in Turkish, of course. A visit to Ephesus followed. That evening there was a visit to a winery property where they had very old olive trees. The owner couple had a super spread of local dishes and their own wines!!! The next day they flew to Kayseri, in the region where the lunar landscape is located, and visited local rug making and pottery establishments and took an exciting balloon ride.They were able to enjoy a local specialty - lamb stew cooked in a pot that has to have the neck cleavered off to be able to enjoy the contents. Gladys' got a little heavy handed in removing the neck of her jug and took off more than necessary! The Turkey portion of the trip ended by flying back to Istanbul. This was 10 days of wonderful cuisine. Gladys will be using the recipes at Pirates Point this fall and winter!! Come join us and learn more details. Now onto Johannesburg.

Gladys' Travels to Turkey and South Africa 2011

On to Africa!

Gladys Travels to Turkey