South Africa Bed & Breakfasts
The Bo-Kaap: A Show Piece of Cape Town Culture
One of the most picturesque quarters of a beautiful city is Cape Town’s Bo-Kaap. Once known as the Malay Quarter, the area was in fact the home of a predominately Muslim population drawn from many quarters of the eastern world, and imported to The Cape predominately as slaves or bonded workers during the 16th and 17th centuries.
Cape Malay
Most of the original inhabitants of the Bo-Kaap derived from areas of Dutch overseas influence, with the majority being Indian, but with influences also from Malaysia, Indonesia, Madagascar – itself populated largely by migrant and bonded groups from the Indian Ocean trading axis – Ceylon, Indo-China and Japan. These, in combination with the original Dutch settlers, merged and melded and in due course laid the foundations of the unique Cape/Dutch, or Cape/Malay culture that has over the years tended to be most obviously manifest in architecture and cuisine.
Date: July 8th, 2008 |
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Hot Springs and spa’s in the Cape
A friend from Germany was in town last week and desperately wanted to visit some natural hot springs. We have 4 of such that I am aware of, and there are all within 2 hours of Cape Town.
Goudini Spa: A large family resort with municipal charm and old world holiday camp appeal. This place has been a traditional family mainstay for many many years and is still going strong. The rooms are basic but cheap and the grounds are very lush and well landscaped. Not really ideal for young people, but great for families, wanting a quick getaway from Cape Town at little expense.
The Baths: It has been a while since I was here, but I remember enjoying the place greatly, the baths are steaming hot and the setting is quite remote and very much amongst nature.
Date: August 27th, 2007 |
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Garden Route: Victoria Bay
The fantastic fishing spot we found on our trip to Wilderness was the Jetty at Victoria Bay, and what lovely little place it is too.
You often hear about Vic Bay in surfing circles as they have annual comp here, but this was the first time I had been. The surf break is a killer right hander with a lovely long ride. It breaks from the point so you can basically walk along the “little promenade” to the back line (short paddle out), what a pleasure.
Date: May 3rd, 2007 |
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Du Toit’s Kloof Lodge: Good Cop Review
There is a lovely lodge just after the Huguenot tunnel on the N1, that I have always seen , but never stayed at until this weekend. With the advent of the tunnel it brings it too close to Cape Town, to be an overnight stop before heading North and I thought this may be the cause of it being so deserted of an evening…..but then we found out.
We went with friends, one of which has a penchant for giving bad news, so this will be a good cop / bad cop review. I will concentrate on the good stuff and then hand you over to Negeva to give you the not-so-nice. Should be ready tomorrow, seeping with blood and guts.
Date: April 2nd, 2007 |
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On a Magaliesberg Meanderabout? Stay at the Budmarsh Lodge
If you’re planning to visit Joburg, and find yourself with a free night or two, then this weekend’s edition of The Star newspaper has a tip for you: head over to the Magaliesberg, and take a Magaliesberg Meander to the 5-star Budmarsh Lodge. I’ve never seen the lodge myself, but it got quite a good review (particularly in the kitchen department). Have a look:
Weekend Retreat on the Road to Magaliesberg (Saturday Star)
Date: August 7th, 2006 |
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Sihle Khumalo: Dark continent, My black arse :)
This new release and first book by South African author Sihle Khumalo, details his travels from Cape to Cairo by public transport.
‘I had always wanted to write a book but I had never known what type of a book I would write. As my 30th birthday was getting closer I thought, why don’t I do the Cape to Cairo – which I had always wanted to do - and then after the trip attempt to write a book based on my travels and thus kill two birds with one stone. As they say, the rest is history.’
Read Pete “the meat” ’s review below:
From Cape to Cairo - that’s the intention, and that’s the span of the book. Shades of Kingsley Holgate and extended family, with Land Rover engines rumbling and belching, and loads of red rum around camp-fires at night! Maybe a lion roaring, or some hyenas yelping in the distance!
Well - not so, when Sihle Khumalo describes his real-life encounters. Same route, by and large, that many have traversed over the “dark continent”, but somewhat unusual, and a great deal more stamina required by the writer! Because, when the perspectives are flowing from an obviously suave, worldly-wise African graduate of Uni and sometimes life, choosing to get down and dirty on the roads and buses that span this large and complex continent we call home, this make for excellent reading, as well as some good laughs
So, sit back and travel tightly with our friend Sihle, as he buses through most of southern and eastern Africa’s states, backpacks through some very odd places, joins queues for hours at border crossings, gets mildly irritated at fruit and food vendors, becomes furious when he isn’t offered a lift in an air-conditioned 4×4 (with a license plate not far from where he started, two months prior!)………..and you find that he has crept right under your skin, whether it’s superficially black or white! Recall as you read, the personal resolutions he vows to keep, on his return to normality in SA (be worth finding out how our friend is doing on those, I suspect!). Chuckle at the ladies he tries half-heartedly to hook up with, en route, more out of curiosity, it seems, than serious intent
Date: October 16th, 2007 |
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Arniston/Waenhuiskrans Overberg
Arniston is a sleepy fishing village about 2 and a half hours from Cape Town and is a favourite retreat for families, and weekender’s. It is frequented mainly by South Africans, so if you are looking for something less touristy and with no choice of restaurants this is it.
The town is actually called Waenhuiskrans (named after its cave), but is now referred to as Arniston after H.M.S Arniston was wrecked here in 1815.
You get here on the N2 highway out of Cape Town until Caledon, then head towards Bredarsdorp through the Cape wheat and Grain basket and then towards to the Coast. Arniston is near Cape Aghulas which is the southernmost tip of Africa.
Date: July 17th, 2007 |
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Du Toit’s Kloof Lodge: Bad Cop review
This weekend we visited Du Toit’s Kloof Lodge, the place certainly has its ups and downs, but we had a great time. As such we have two reviews the good cop (me ) and bad cop (Negeva), who will concentrate on the negative aspects. You can read the good cop review here.
From resident bad cop reviewer Negeva:
Am not sure I am comfortable with being labelled as BAD cop however if bad cop means… my standards are as they should be and that I am not a ridiculously complacent customer like most other travellers …then I accept my new label.
Date: April 3rd, 2007 |
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Stunning Snow Pics from Amohela ho Spitskop
SA Logue’s friends at Amohela ho Spitskop, a country guest house in the tiny Free State village of Clocolan, have sent through these stunning photos of snow in the Drakensberg mountains - taken, more or less, from Amohela’s front porch! Feast your eyes on winter in Africa:
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Drakensberg Snow View 1
Date: August 23rd, 2006 |
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Coffee on the Rocks, De Kelders, Whale Coast: Cafe Review
Coffee on the Rocks
81 Cliff Street
De Kelders, Western Cape | Map
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View from Coffee on the Rocks
Specialty: Coffee, tea, cake, light meals.
Contact: Tel: +27 (0) 28 384 0217, Fax: N/A
SA Blog recommends a look inside? Don’t miss it!
Date: July 28th, 2006 |
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