Part 2 #HOT - More than a whale of a time

Hermanus, a coastal town in the southern part of the Western Cape is situated a mere 140 km / less than 2 hrs. drive from Cape Town between mountain and sea. Mostly known as a land based whale watching destination, yep the Southern Right. The truth, however, is that it has so much to offer to any visitor.  The mammals only visit between July- November and in my opinion, Hermanus will have to rethink how they brand themselves. In the meantime, I am one of many ambassadors of #HOT (Hermanus on Tour).  

 On our, i.e. #travellingmedia's,  latest  #HOT visit,  we rushed off early from the Old Madam, Windsor Hotel to Stanford, another village in the Overberg region and only 30 minutes’ drive to Panthera Africa, a 40 hectare piece of land and what a beauty she is.

She surrounds you with trees and mountains and forms a magnificent picture.  Panthera Africa is a welfare reserve or haven for captive bred big cats where the focus is on enriching their lives. I know that many people are against captivity but the education that takes place there is different to many others, with welfare and conservation at the forefront. The emphasis is on giving these animals the best life they possibly can have.

Here you can expect to see the king of the jungle, leopards, Bengal tigers and caracals. The tour gives you an overview of each of the animals, their journey and what makes them unique. Our tour guides was Lizaene Cornwall and Cathrine Nyquist, who also founded this non-profit organization.

Their heart, more than their mouth tells you that they know what their destiny is. Some of the tales they tell strikes a real emotional cord, but they preach a message that everyone can make a difference and clearly from our experience, they already have.

There are many plans they have to expand the space where the future aspiration is rehabilitation and releasing suitable captive bred lions to roam free and hunt for themselves. I am looking forward to see this.

In addition, they want to be a catalyst of awareness about the conditions these animals face in captivity and how their project can be just that. Lizaene and Cathrine believe that if we all try to do something, there is strength in our unity and for this we salute them.

Building Africa means we need to do it together.

This was a humbling experience for me.

                                                                                                               

                                   Our next soccer star - Bafana Bafana watch out!                  

The Old Madam, Windsor Hotel beckoned us a good rest for the night and the next day we met for breakfast with Mary and Frieda who co-ordinated the Hermanus FynArts.  This all-embracing arts festival includes visual arts, literature, music and award-winning food and wine.

These vibrant females do their bit for Hermanus to attract more tourists to the town and may I add, they do it voluntary. Check out their programme they had this year and make sure to book your seat for next year.

                      

Opposite the Old Madam along the Old Harbour Park, famous artists exhibited their collections in a unique manner as part of the festival.

People like these inspire me and make me glad to be part of such a vibrant South Africa.

 

After viewing the art pieces along our walk in the Old Habour, Walker way, it started raining and we had to make our way to The South African Shark Conservancy (SASC). They are situated mere metres from the sea in a beautiful brick building. This is a non-profit institution that has dedicated its research to the long-term sustainability of marine resources.

 

We were met by mostly volunteers and I could see that they were very enthusiastic hosts who were going to ensure we had a great  time.                                                                                                

For the team it was really  an educational awareness. The focus is on marine ecology where they focus on collecting data that can be used for various groups with generating adequate marine conservation and management recommendations.

They also specialize in marine biodiversity conservation, development, impact assessments, education, etc.

One of the main aims is to improve the rapid decline of Bull Sharks in Southern Africa.  It would be great to get visitors to this venue where they can have an opportunity to view a pyjama shark, even touch it. Children will love it.

So here I am at the end of part two, a truly #HOT place and given the activities you can partake in, I think it’s worth saying you can have more than a whale of a time in Hermanus.

What have you done with your 67 minutes? Part 1 - HERMANUS MORE THAN JUST WHALES

A few weeks ago we were invited by Hermanus FynArts festival and tourism partners, as part of “HERMANUS MORE THAN JUST WHALES”. The Travelling Media group (@Winelands @evan1985 @choosytraveller @MariusSoU @DeirdreGower @MarindaSou @D7events) was hosted by the Old Madam, @WindsorHotel1. 

 She dates back to the 19th-century, built in 1896 with an ocean view and lives up to its value to host the ordinary man discovering the wonders of Hermanus. She is the oldest and largest hotel there and looks forward to welcoming you to be part of her history, listening                                                         to her stories and just to enjoy her. 

Its very easy to get around in Hermanus and our first stop was a performance by SELAELO Selota. He takes you on a journey through his music and I was privileged to be in his presence. He is a natural storyteller and songs just seem to flow from within. As you listen to him you realize that his life and its influences resonate with him and that bears witness to the rhythms that captured my attention.

So who is he? Born and raised in a rural village in the northern region of South Africa near Pietersburg, he was enthused by the traditional music that surrounded him. This guy knows hardship and struggling from a very young age but determination pays off. After matriculating there were no financial resources available to explore his God given talent, music. Since he and his family needed income, he supported by finding employment in the gold mines. This environment further exposed him to traditional songs and dances from the migrant workers. This too would form part of his rainbow story.   

In 1994 he enrolled at the University of Cape Town towards studying for a Jazz Degree. Selaelo formed his band “Taola" in 1996 as a vehicle for his imaginative and original compositions of Limpopo, sePedi music, coupled with modern elements and the traditional African musical experiences of his youth. This was not an easy time for him while in Cape Town, what made it easier was the people who came to his aid. One such couple was the Gluckman’s and Friends of the college at UCT. It is then that I realize that people need people. This is how we will echo the message of Tata Madiba. 

This takes me to Creations Wines, situated high on the Hemel and Aarde Ridge; it truly is a piece of Gods best to Hermanus. They are innovation trendsetters with their food and wine parings, but what stands out are the team and Carolyn Martin, they create an environment that draws you in.       When you visit, you will agree with                                                 me that it does not want to let you                                                   go and you hold on for dear life. 

You will soon discover that it takes much research for the secrets of flavour and texture to create taste responsiveness. It’s that combination of the two which is the deciding factor for the wine you drink.

Canapés are specially selected with a Creation Wine to bring forth an adventure in your mouth. “EDUCATION IS KEY’.  A must taste is their cauliflower garcon soup, recipe found on the website.   

Creation spends a huge amount of time and resources into sustainable community building and it here that Carolyn introduced the team to Anthea van der Pluym. She has a remarkable story to tell of abuse and a victim of pain but amidst the rain have seen the rainbow. She has been innovative with an idea of building houses made out of plastic bottles in Hermanus. Yes you heard right, plastic bottles. How cool is that. These houses will be fire and bulletproof and a safe option for the Zwelihle Informal settlement. The process is that it takes 2 litre plastic cooldrink bottles filled with sand, in place of bricks to build the 3m x 3m houses. It’s the sand that supplies the muscle to be bulletproof. The community, family members etc. get their hands dirty and build these new pioneering inventive. 

Here is a list of what is needed – shoestring budget: 1 Door ; 2 Windows ; About 10 000 plastic 2 litre cooldrink bottles filled with sand and their tops in place ; 15 cement bags and 2 m³ building/plaster sand ; tin sheeting for the roof and wooden trusses ; Volunteers to build. 

If you want to view those that have donated, please visit her facebook page or to make a donation contact her.                                                                     

Anthea van der Pluym and Kathy Mulock-Bentley can be contacted on 082 696 4608 and 083 581 7219, or email:anthea@antheavanderpluym.com or www. antheavanderpluym.com

So while it seems that Creations are a great farm, with such warm hearts and great pairings, they believe in BUILDING society. 

My 67 minutes was to pay tribute to those in our country that make a difference in enriching the lives of our people in South Africa, I found a few in Hermanus, more than just a place with whales. 

Celebrating the heroes – RICHARD'S SUPPER STAGE & BISTRO

This theatre venue is situated in Sea Point main Road, Cape Town and calls their production, Kaapse Stories from the Mother City. The show is a musical and dinner is included to round off the culture captivated in the story, celebrating the spirit of the people of Cape Town , its cuisine and history. This is what you can look forward to and believes you me it was so delicious, a meal that took me back in time. My mom use to make some of these dishes on a Sunday for us. 

Starter: Smoked Snoek Pate, Samoosa & Grilled Vegetables

Main Course Buffet:  Cape Malay Chicken & Prawn Curry  served alongside white basmati rice, Baked Linefish in a light lemon and parsley sauce, Sliced Roast Beef Fillet sliced and served with a choice of Madagascar Green Peppercorn Sauce or Sauce Bèarnaise,  oven-Baked Butternut with Honey and Toasted Almonds, Chunky Potato Bake with Caramelised Onions and Parmesan Cheese, Rustic Tomato & Onion Relish grilled with fresh herbs Fresh Green Beans & Carrots , Sweet Potato with ground sea salt and black pepper, Cape Malay Vegetable Breyani  with the Korma Chicken and Prawn Curry, Cauliflower & Broccoli in a creamy cheese sauce.

Dessert: Plated, Cape Dessert Medley Malva Pudding, Milk Tart, Koeksister and skewer of fruit

Before you come to watch the show, don’t eat at home; also ensure you don’t indulge too much in the starter as you won’t be able to enjoy the buffet, save space.

The story depicts part of the experiences during the Apartheid regime of the Kleintjies family, who lived in District Six. Pa Joe is one of the main characters who take us along a journey. It speaks to the cosmopolitan lifestyle and its people of this township, based at the foot of Table Mountain.  

The musical has a variety of songs covering different genres for the entire audience. Tribute is paid to Mariam Makeba, Dawid Kramer, Taliep Petersen, Shirley Bassey and many others who contributed not only to the struggle but to the music industry as a whole. 

While it is entertaining and interactive, I did miss the connections between each of the songs and the story line. I wanted Pappa Joe to share more                                               memories and experiences of District Six and                                             where we are now in our democracy.

I do applaud them for celebrating the 3^rd Birthday of the show this year, 70 000 people have seen it culminating into 850 shows.  What I appreciated about the production was the fact that the cast are mostly middle age and most of them never had any formal training in theatre.  Directed by the award winning director Basil Appollis and produced by Richard Loring of internationally acclaimed “African Footprint” fame, I realized that they are the true heroes of RICHARD’S SUPPER STAGE & BISTRO.

Basil hails from Paarl and studied at UCT in their drama department. He has worked with the likes of David Kramer and Taliep Petersen success story, District Six the Musical. His works celebrates South Africa and its beautiful Rainbow Nation. For him it’s all about inclusivity, he looks at pockets of talent and wants to create that platform. Even as he pays tribute to District Six he emphasis that “you can destroy buildings but you cannot destroy the spirit of the people”. He believes that the lives of people are important and her tries to portray. He is very modest of his achievements and contributions. Basil is a legend in my eyes and I look forward in anticipation to what he still has to create.

This is why you have to go, just to wet your appetite! Enjoy !