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2019 Europe & Africa Trip – Day 10 – Cape Town Wine Tour

Today was our Bacchus day – full day wine tasting in South Africa’s wine region. Started the day at Fairview Farms (SA wineries are not just for grapes – they grow fruits and vegetables as well as cattle sheep and goats) in Paarl. Then to Boschendal in Franschhock and to Stellenbosch to tour the university and taste at Neethlingshof farms. South African wines are not necessarily 100% South African – in 1886 a wine blight (phylloxera) killed off the vines and to rebuild the industry vines from the US were imported as the base and South African varietals were grafted to revitalize the industry.

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2019 Europe & Africa Trip – Day 9 – Cape Peninsula Tour

Today’s journey covered a tour of the Cape Peninsula. Starting with stop at Camps Bay for view of Table Mountain which looms over the bay and a mountain range called the 12 Apostles. Continuing along Victoria Drive with its high end housing then along Chapman’s Peak Drive with great views of the Atlantic. A quick stop at the Cape Point Ostrich Farm. On to one of today’s highlights The Cape of Good Hope (which is not the meeting point of the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans but the meeting point with False Bay). After a photo stop we headed to Cape Point Lighthouse
with a funicular ride to the base of the lighthouse and a 200 step climb to the top were we  encountered a baboon rifling through a lady’s handbag for food. Great views of the Atlantic and False Bay. We hiked down the mountain enjoying the views and saw a whale in the nearby bay (too far out for a clear picture). Our second highlight was a stop at The Boulders Penguin Colony. Then finishing up a long day at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden and drive back to our hotel through  Old Town Cape Town.

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2019 Europe & Africa Trip – Day 6,7,8 – Cape Town

On our 6th day we flew to Amsterdam, the 7th from Amsterdam to Cape Town and here on the 8th our first day in Cape Town. In the AM we meet out tour group and then bused to Table Mountain over looking the  city – we traveled by cable car to the top of the mountain at 3300 ft above the city. Interesting cable car  which help 65 people and the floor rotated so everyone got a complete view of the trip. The mountain top was at one time a sea floor bed and was raise by igneous and glacial action 529 million years ago. Table Mountain is at least 6 times older then the Himalayas making it one of the oldest mountains in the world. After a brief driving tour to see the the mountain from sea level we headed to Victoria and Alfred Waterfront a major mall and dining area multiples the size of Baltimore’s inner harbor. After lunch at a local brewery we headed back to hotel for a much needed nap to recover from jet lag. A group dinner tonight at a elegant restaurant Beluga (https://beluga.co.za ) and a fine meal.

Off to the Cape of Good Hope tomorrow.
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2019 Europe & Africa Trip – Day 5 – Malaga Second Day

We returned to Malaga to visit the Picasso Museum and the Alcazaba de Malaga. I thought that by visiting the museum I would finally understand the thinking behind Picasso’s drawings, painting and sculptures – not so – the so called experts talking about Picasso’s works seemed to be providing their views and not any real insight into Picasso’s. No pic’s here cameras restricted.

The Museo Picasso Málaga is a museum in Málaga, Andalusia, Spain, the city where artist Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born. It opened in 2003 in the Buenavista Palace, and has 285 works donated by members of Picasso’s family.   (see  https://www.museopicassomalaga.org/  for more info).
Alcazaba de Malaga

Constructed on the ruins of a Roman fortification during the reign of Abd-al-Rahman I, the first Emir of Cordoba, in around 756-780AD, the Alcazaba’s original purpose was as a defense against pirates, thanks its commanding position with views over the city, down to the sea and across to Africa. The fortress was rebuilt by the Sultan of Granada, Badis Al-Ziri, from 1057-1063AD, while the fortified double walls that connect the Alcazaba to the neighbouring Castillo de Gibralfaro, over the Coracha ridge, were built by the Nasrid ruler Yusuf I in the 14th century, when most of the inner palace was also refurbished. As a palace, it was home to a number of Moorish rulers. For more info:    http://www.malagaturismo.com/es/recursos-turisticos/detalle/alcazaba/6

Our Spanish adventure ends tomorrow – we fly to Amsterdam, spend the night and fly to Cape Town on Thursday — see you then.

BTW – the colors on the Cathedral were much different this morning then on our last afternoon visit.

 

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2019 Europe & Africa Trip – Day 4 – Mijas Pueblo Spain

Today was a relaxing day – hung out by the pool this morning and toured the town of Mijas Pueblo in the afternoon and diner in the seaside town of Fuengirola (at an Argentina steakhouse — seafood was getting a little repetitive).

The little village of Mijas nestles in the mountainside 400 meters above sea level and 10km from the coast.  Of the ten thousand population, there are so many foreign and English speaking residents in and around the village that the Town Hall has a very helpful Foreigner’s Department, which caters for the needs of those residents who do not speak Spanish.   Mijas Pueblo has  managed to retain much of its traditional Andalucian way of life, the locals displaying their passion for all things festive and an unmistakable relaxed outlook.  As we walked the streets we watch the town begin decorating for their annual festival which starts on the 6th.
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2019 Trip to Europe and Africa – Day 3 – Gibraltar – The Rock

Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory and headland, on Spain’s south coast. It’s dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar, a 426m-high limestone ridge. First settled by the Moors in the Middle Ages and later ruled by Spain, the outpost was ceded to the British in 1713. Layers of fortifications include the remains of a 14th-century Moorish Castle and the 18th century Great Siege Tunnels, which were expanded in WWII.

From a historic perspective it was a worth while visit that being said the Rock national reserve was dirty, poorly marked for trails and points of interest.
We challenged ourselves by hiking the Mediterranean Steps – probably one of the most strenuous hikes we have done since Angles Landing in Zion – great views. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Step s ) Check it out!
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2019 Trip to Europe and Africa – Day 2 – Nerja and Malaga Spain

Our road trip through the Costa del Sol continues with a 100km drive north of our villa to the town of Nerja on the coast. Its seafront promenade, Balcón de Europa, tops a promontory with views of the Mediterranean and surrounding mountains. Below it lie sandy beaches and cliffside coves. The town is noted for it caves with stalagmites and stalactites – however we passed previously visiting caves in the US and other European countries. We walked the old town passing many shops and restraunts and visiting a couple of churches. Tapas for lunch and a stop at Frigiliana a white washed village in the hills above Nerja on our way to the main city of Costa del Sol – Malaga.
In Malaga we climbed (very steep) walk ways to the Castle Gibrafaro – The castle was built in 929AD by Abd-al-Rahman III, Caliph of Cordoba, on a former Phoenician enclosure and lighthouse, from which its name was derived – gebel-faro (Arabic and Greek, meaning rock of the lighthouse). Yusef 1, Sultan of Granada, enlarged it at the beginning of the 14th century. Figure that out. The castle is famous for its three-month siege by the Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, which ended only when hunger forced the Malagueños to surrender. Afterwards Ferdinand occupied the site, while his queen took up residence in the town. Interesting historic fact: this was the first conflict in which gunpowder was used by both sides. We completed today’s visit to Malaga viewing the cathedral touring both the inside and climbing to the roof for excellent views of the town and sea. Malaga´s cathedral was built between 1528 and 1782 on or near the site of a former mosque. While original plans had allowed for two towers, both lack of funds those donated to American Independence resulted in the completion of only one, giving rise to the name by which the cathedral is affectionately referred to, La Manquita, loosely interpreted as “one armed woman”. We will return to Malaga later in the seek to visit museumes and the Alcazaba fort.
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2019 Trip to Europe and Africa – Day 1 – Ronda & Marabella Spain

Our journey begins in the Costa del Sol, Spain for a week of sight seeing then proceeds to South Africa for a safari and Victoria Falls for two weeks finishing up in Tuscany, Italy for more sight seeing and wine tasting.

We arrive at the Marriott in Costa del Sol after 23 hours of travelling and had a much needed long nights sleep. Today’s journey started with a 45km winding ride north through the white mountains to the town of Ronda. Ronda is a mountaintop city in Spain’s Malaga province that’s set dramatically above a deep gorge. This gorge (El Tajo) separates the city’s circa-15th-century new town from its old town, dating to Moorish rule. Puente Nuevo, a stone bridge spanning the gorge, has a lookout offering views. New town’s Plaza de Toros, a legendary 18th-century bullring.   After a leisurely lunch we headed to Marabella a sea side town with an ill defined city center.  Marbella is a city and resort area on southern Spain’s Costa del Sol, part of the Andalusia region. The Sierra Blanca Mountains are the backdrop to 27 km of sandy Mediterranean beaches, villas, hotels, and golf courses.

Ronda

Marabella

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Route 66 – Oklahoma City to Miami OK – my last day on the Mother Road

With an early morning start I motored out of OKC and headed to Arcadia OK to see Pops Arcadia (a landmark diner & gas station with hundreds of sodas, a shop & a 66-ft.-tall soda bottle out front) and the Arcadia Round Barn (It was built by local farmer William Harrison Odor in 1898 using native bur oak boards soaked while green and forced into the curves needed for the walls and roof rafters).

Continuing on to Chandler OK to see – Seaba Filing Station — now a motorcycle museum, the Museum of Pioneer History, Lincoln Motel and Chandler Philips Station.

In Stroud OK we have the Skyliner Motel sign – the motel is still in business but a little iffy.IMG_0954

It was like travelling  back to the 1890s, when Bristow OK originated near a railroad track between Sapulpa and Oklahoma City. At the recently restored Bristow Historical Depot and Town Square, I saw how the small town functioned back when cotton was king and the railroad was the main event. Gene Autry,  once served as a telegrapher in this  depot, formerly known as the Frisco Railway depot. Too bad the Trump organization is in such a decline here!

In Sapulpa OK I was able to drive over the Rock Creek Bridge. Of the great number of bridges built on Route 66, Bridge #18 at Rock Creek is one of the better examples of the remaining steel-truss bridges in Oklahoma. Truss bridges were developed in the mid-1800s and used extensively until World War II, when technology changed and more standardized concrete designs were developed. Right around the bend from the bridge is the Worlds Largest Gas Pump.

The Highlights of Tulsa OK – Route 66 Village, Route 66 Numbers 1,2,3, Meadow Gold Sign and The Blue Dome.

In Catoosa OK –The Blue WhaleIMG_0999

For one of the strangest attractions on the trip I diverted from 66 to Chelsea OK and The Ed Galloway Totem Pole Park.IMG_4637

An finally, Miami OK and my last stop on the Mother Road – at least for this trip. The Gateway Sign and the Coleman Theater (The theater is a historic performance venue and movie house. Built in 1929 for George Coleman, a local mining magnate, it has a distinctive Mission Revival exterior, and an elaborate Louis XV interior – too bad it was closed and I could not view the interior).

On to Arkansas for the night – hopefully mid Tennessee Friday and Raleigh Saturday.

 

 

 

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