Stefan Jamneck of Transkaroo is offering a special 5-course menu with wine pairing for just R295 per person as part of the Mosselbaai PROE from Thursday, Feb 28 through Saturday, March 2, 2013 (also lunch on Sunday, March 4, I believe).  Looking forward to checking it out tomorrow evening!

Interested in cycling the Fragrance Route?  As part of the excellent PROE Mosselbaai initiative, there is a free outride which departs from the Peperboom restaurant in the village at 07h00 on March 2, 2013.  The route takes you up to Friemersheim, where there will be a Dorpsfees if you feel the urge to stop for refreshments.  I suspect this will be a slightly easier route (it's in the opposite direction than I took previously), with the hills up Greenhaven and the small section from just past Yellowoods to Botlierskop being the biggest challenges, but otherwise, it should be flat or mostly downhill.  There is an updated map on the Running & Cycling section of the website.

Added this morning's route (~34 km) to the Running & Cycling page.  It extends the usual Monday/Thursday bike ride up to Glentana & around on the R102 by adding a leg out to Tergniet and back to The Island via the village loop.

Enjoyed a nice Valentine's dinner at the Transkaroo (had the Lamb Neck, of course) on Thursday, followed by a special "post-Valentine's" evening at Leila's Arms (Facebook and TripAdvisor) in George on Friday evening (had the Spinach Pie starter and Venison Pot main - both great).  Excellent vocal entertainment from Voldi George, Petronel Baard and surprise guest attraction Johnny Apple (who, word has it, is off to the States where he has a recording contract).  Johnny Apple stole the show - quite the amazing talent at just 15 years old!  Best get to Leila's Arms quick if you haven't done so already as Gabrielle has her place on the market - sad for us that it may not be around for much longer.


[Note:  Leila's subsequently moved - with Gaby and Nontosi re-opening as "Leila's Up-cycled" at Prince Vincent's Square on York Street (next to the Dros) in George on September 1, 2013.  Call 044 870 0292 for reservations or more info]

Did the Fragrance Cycling Route this afternoon - great if you like hills (I honestly thought I had reached the peak 5 different times!).  A very strong headwind on the way back (25 km/hr per the weather service - it sure felt like it), but worth it - you've got fantastic ocean vistas behind you on the way up, then various buck and raptors as you bisect the Botlierskop Private Game Reserve, followed by majestic farmland as you approach the Outeniqua Mountains before returning to that incredible Indian Ocean view on the way back.  There's tar and gravel if you're looking for that sort of variety, too (the gravel was a bit wash-boardy and a bit sandy on some of the steep uphill sections just before reaching Yellowoods).  The cattlemen just before Friemersheim gave friendly waves - and in the tiny hamlet I took on all-comers who tried to outrace me on foot as I pushed onwards and upwards.  Still no sign of the lavender that is supposed to be planted along the route, but don't let that deter you!

Photos of an octopus as well as jellyfish in the tide pools off Hersham during a low tide walk have been uploaded to our Flickr account.

Check out the Glentana Wreck photos which have been uploaded to Flickr.

The "Running & Cycling" section of the website has been updated to include the "new" Great Brak Fragrance Cycling Route - check it out!