Tasted some great red wines at Topiary in Franschhoek today. Especially liked the 2007 Shiraz and was sorry to have missed the 2009 MCC which is Sold Out! Jacqui Braunlich being warmed from the inside on a rainy Cape day!

Young White Lions a Delight to Behold

These two young white lion siblings are sleeping in the shade during the heat of the day at Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in the Little Karoo. Their whiteness does not mean they are albinos, but happens due to a recessive gene.   

Spoons for School Feeding

On a recent visit to Siyabulela Primary school in Langa, we discovered that many of the 700 pupils who go to that school depend on the one meal a day they get at school. It is lovingly prepared by the ladies in this photo. The pupils eat in relays of 10 minutes with no dining room or chairs to sit on. Sadly, their budget does not stretch to include spoons for the learners to use. Some of our kind visitors from Canada donated 80 spoons so that there would be enough for each relay. In this pic, the ladies who cook the 700 plus meals per day are showing how happy they are to have received some new SPOONS! 

Walking on Ostrich Egg Shells

Actually it's fine to stand on ostrich eggs as the shells are 2-3 mm thick and they are really large.(equal to 24 hens eggs!)
These are unfertilised eggs, so not to worry - Ma and Pa ostrich were concentrating on looking after the fertilised eggs. Though ostriches are such tough creatures as adults, their babies are very sensitive in the wild up to the age of three months. So, in ostrich farming, the eggs get taken away, hatched in incubators and the chicks get reared away from their parents, in a sheltered environment.

Ostriches Can Swallow Stones

Ostriches have incredibly elastic necks so they can swallow stones. Ricardo is demonstrating this at Safari Ostrich Farm in Oudtshoorn by pulling forward the gullet of Sakkie, the kissable flightless wonder bird. Eating stones helps them digest their food which is mostly lucern pellets but can sometimes include interesting items like nuts, bolts and pieces of plastic.
Ostriches are truly fascinating creatures!

GREAT WHITE SHARKS ARE PLENTIFUL IN FALSE BAY CAPE TOWN

But they do not prey on humans. They sample bite .

The recent Shark attack in Fish Hoek in which a swimmer lost his leg, has highlighted the need to observe the rules and in so doing, remain safe.

The gentleman who was bitten did NOT follow the rules. He ignored all the warning systems and swam in the sea. No one else was swimming in the sea at the time and no one else got bitten.

Our Shark Spotters are doing a great job. If you’re coming to the Cape on holiday, enjoy our beaches and seas. Follow the rules, so these beautiful creatures do not get more bad press!

It's Nice ne in Knysna

A trip to Featherbed Nature Reserve on the Knysna Lagoon is always great; stunning views, beautiful nature, a breathtaking hike and a delicious lunch under milkwood trees.

Many a boat has gone down in the treacherous Heads, but this catamaran did not venture that far, instead rocked on the Featherbed...