food, food and coffee

Hermanus is very well known and is mostly mentioned in connection with nature reserves, natural beauty, stunning beaches and whales. It is spoken of as the base of the Southern Right whales who arrive into Walkerbay every year, like clockwork. As it is surrounded by nature reserves, it is often described as the place with"champagne air". All of the aforementioned is very true. Today, however, I want to talk about Hermanus in connection with food. I think that Hermanus is unique in its profusion of eating spots and possibly has more restaurnats than any other coastal town in South Africa. We have about 40 restaurants/coffee shops/bistros, not to count take aways. Coming to Hermanus for 4 to 5 days opens a pandora box of all of the above thus- food, food, food. There are many unique eateris in many interesting little spots in our little town. I will devote many a blog to rummaging through the panodora box of food and those places I found interesting. Where to start a good discusson? With Coffee, of course. So let us talk about coffee in Hermanus, specifically about the "Latte" . "Latte" has become my addiction since tasting it for the first time in Perugia, Italy. Since then I have tried drinking cafe latte all over the world. And as if often happens in life,I have found two of the best just here, on the door step of my own guest house, House on Westcliff on Westcliff in the suburb of Westcliff. The one is in a little health shop just up the road .Being a health shop they serve only organic coffee. With it comes the best "latte"- the best foamy milk which feels like cream and tastes like milk and when mixed with coffee resembles "mother's milk" -the one and only. The second place is a little Italian deli where the "latte" is made just right :fluffy and creamy and when mixed with coffee tastes like heaven.
Come to Hermanus, try it and let me know. Am I right or am I right ??

Summer 2009

Blue skies, blue seas, balmy breeze - this is Hermanus. This is our champagne air. What a beautiful day we are experiencing today. One of the first heralding the beginning of real summer. These warm days inform us that the whale families are about to leave us. So then, it is time to focus on sun, sand and sea. Nevertheless,it is sad to say goodbye to the whales. Even more so now as this year they came later than usual but so did summer. As always we remember the show that they put on for us. We will remain in awe of their presence. Till next time. It is such a privilege for us mere mortals to witness those feats of nature right on our doorstep. We will miss them and will await their visit same time next year. They never fail to come and they never fail to amaze us.

A Dog called Max

Maxie came to us via our daughter Tali, via the internet and via SAA all on his own from Johannesburg. He landed at CT International airport, slightly jet-lagged and surprised at all the commotion around him.
At this stage we still call him Maxie. How else. It all happened three weeks ago. A 6 weeks old miniature Daschund. He is still so small that there is no alternative to the diminution of his name. "Max" belongs to great big barking hound whereas "Maxie" just pops out whenever one sees him, as much from instant love and affection as from feeling slightly ill at ease by calling this tiny animal "Max".
He happened to us here at House on Westcliff rather unexpectedly. It's not that were looking to replace Yuppie after he died sadly during the latter part of 2008. In fact we never imagined we could ever have another dog. Tali, living in London realised that the gap left by Yuppie would have to be filled. She could not imagine House on Westcliff being without a four-legged "George of the Manor".

Morning jog -Hermanus style

Many of us choose jogging as our favourite exercise. There is no better place to jog that the cliff path nature reserve in Hermanus . Just few meters down the road , infront of you a path opens the like of which it is difficult to match. Bordered by lush and aromatic flora the path wiggles and turns following the coastal line. As you run your nose and your lungs are full with the most beautiful air and smell. Your eyes lookout onto the blue/green hues of the Atlantic. Your ears are full of the music of nature as the ocean hits the cliff in rythym with your running giving tempo to your pace. And there are the dassies . They sit in the crevices of the cliffs watching you with the cutest faces imaginable. They are just the bonus. This is the real thing. This run which fills you with energy for the rest of the holiday. Try it, if you do not believe me.

Hermanus and its architecture

A typical style of the houses in Hermanus is a thatched roof house. Ours is one of those, with a brick coloured wall,just to create a difference. Now, the thatch roof is a whole old ball game. IT NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED, COSETED, LOVED AND NURTURED. It is an old art, thatching .Even we did not realise how old until we called our local thatcher to nurture our roof and to replenish the reed . He arrived with all his bushels of reed, a very, very long step ladder and an assistant. The assistand must have been about 100 years old. We did not say anything as we did not want to be age prejudiced. It is so important today to be politicallyand socially correct. We stood and watched. Even Yuppie, our dog , was curious : how is the assistant getting on the ladder and how is he going to stay on the roof ???? He did both. Very slowly. Once on the roof he seemed to be asleep for a while. Never theless, at the end of the day the spot to be mended was mended. The roof looked nurtured and the assistant still alive. Hurray to the thatcher of Hermanus

Hermanus - Heart of the Whale Coast

Hermanus is situated on a coastal strip between two nature reserves: The majestic mountains in the north and Walker Bay on the Atlantic Ocean in the south. This South African holiday village offers the world's finest land-based whale viewing, lush golf courses, pristine beaches and unparalleled natural beauty.

In my blog I will show you special places to visit and interesting things to do in Hermanus and keep you up to date with what is going on in our glorious village.