Keerbergen
Belgium
The "Aegean Jet" was skimming the waters at a fast pace. The spray of the wake thrown up by the catamaran's twin turbo diesel engines sometimes shooting as high as 10 feet into the air.
The sky was deep blue and the breeze coming from the Aegean sea cooling on the skin.
We got up at 5.30 to be at the harbour on time to catch the boat.
The trip to Rhodes was relaxing. A lovely boat with airplane-like seating and a speed to almost match it! I stood outside at the bow for most of the 50 minute trip.
We arrived in the little harbour of Rhodes at around 10.30 and were soon through customs.
Outside taxi drivers were vying for our custom. They were all offering an hour long guided tour around the town. We haggled a bit (even June is getting quite good at it!) and were soon shown the most important sights around the small town.
I did not know that this is the best preserved and fully operational medieval village in the world. Complete with walls and the original houses and buildings.
Of course the houses are now mostly occupied by tourist shops. A bit of a pity.
The trip to Rhodes Island in Greece was one of the things we promised ourselves during our trip to Turkey.
Just days before .....
We were coming from the theater and were walking down Curetes street. The afternoon sun was beating down on my capless bald patch and we were hot.
Walking down towards the library on the square at the end of the road, we passed the Memmius Monument and Domitian Place and we were talking amongst ourselves how incredible well this whole town was kept.
Just past the public lavatories on the right, were the terraced houses of the rich and famous and just ahead of us was Hadrian's temple.
We were in Ephesus the ancient town in western Turkey.
Ephesus was first heard of over 4000 years ago but the town we walked through was from the Roman time - around 30-100 AD.
I always wanted to see Ephesus because it has such an incredible history. Not only biblical but long before that as well.
We arrived there on Sunday afternoon after a harrowing journey during which June found out that our driver of our small 16 seater bus was dozing off behind the wheel. Needless to say he was fired with full support of all. A new driver was installed and although he was wide awake and did not fall asleep behind the wheel he only knew one speed up and down the mountain passes. And his hooter of course!
Even I was worried - which says a lot!!
But let me start at the beginning ....
We were on holiday in Turkey. We stayed in a little village called Icmeler, a lovely small place on a beautiful bay.
We needed to get some sun in and on our bodies and this was the place to do it.
It was quiet. The tourists had mostly left with only a few remaining. It was the middle of October and soon most holiday places would close down completely not to open again till next April.
One of the things, apart from lazing by the pool or on the tiny beach was a trip to Ephesus and Hierapolis with its beautiful terraced baths.
It turned out to be the highlight of our holiday.
I cannot even start to explain how incredible well preserved Ephesus is. And till today only 30% has been unearthed! I also cannot even start to talk about the history of the town. Artimus was their goddess and both the apostles John and Paul spent time there.
Just little away from the town is the house where Mary spent the last days of her life
To put it in a nutshell, if that is at all possible, you cannot possibly do all of this in one day . There are so many buildings to see and read up on. From the library built by Celsus (see top left, that's our little group in the front), the Grand Theater that could seat 25000 people, the terrace houses of the rich to the plague of Nike, the goddess of victory.
Can you see where Nike took their emblem from?
We left walking down harbour street with in the distance the prison [where Paul was held for three years] looking down on us from it's mountain perch.
From there we went to Hierapolis but I cannot go in to that as well unfortunately. I would need another 10 pages!
If you are interested in this type of history please click on the link for Ephesus and Hierapolis. Enjoy it!
For the rest it was a sun break.. We soaked up the sun, para-sailed, went on a trip to Rhodes Island in Greece and visited the small little markets in Icmeler and Marmaris.
We needed the break!
The last Saturday we watched South Africa win the Worldcup sitting in a small road side restaurant. We were the only South Africans amongst the dozens of England supporters!
I felt good when we won. We cheered every move, English or Bokke. Do you think for one moment that even
one of the UK supporters would cheer a good move by us?
No Sirree!
Well, winter has really hit us early. When June went to work early this morning (at 6.30) it was -4C!
When I got myself out of bed eventually and looked out of the upstairs windows, all I could see was white frost. Brrrrrr!
Sitting here looking out of the study window it looks nice and sunny but believe me, there is a bite in the air.
The gardener came this morning to clear up some of the leaves. He is standing outside right now with the leave blower.
Poor chap.
I feel sorry for him. But, he needs the work.
I think he is Albanian and does not speak a word of anything that I speak so communication is by means of showing him what to do and how to do it and through a complicated system of hand signals we have developed between the two of us!
His name is Ashok and he is the husband of our
"poetsvrouw" or cleaning lady (that's what they call them here).
I can't believe that there are just 24 days to go before it is Christmas again. June and I have decided to stay home this year.
She cannot get off this December and has to work straight through.
Even boxing day is not a holiday in Belgium! Slave drivers!
But, last year was her turn when she took three weeks off to go to Singapore. Now it's one of her colleagues!
No problem though. I cannot remember when we were on our own for Christmas!
One last little story
At the end of October it was little Caitlyn's birthday. We went to Den Haag to be at her little party. She turned four.
Towards the end of the afternoon she was quietly dressing her playmate.
One of the presents she got was a little box of a kind of rhinestone stickers. The kind that you can stick on paper or your dolly or yourself for that matter.
Very carefully she put another star on its back and then a couple of coloured buttons It crawled slowly across the table having to carry this extra load seemed a bit difficult.
The little eyes on their stalks turning around to see what is was on its back.
Eventually she was told to go and put it back in the garden which she dutifully did, complete with adornments.
Soon afterward we heard a splat and a crunch. Tony had gone outside for a smoke ........
At least it went looking beautiful!
Well, that leaves me to say cheers. If you don't hear from me before the time please have a lovely time over Christmas with your friends and family and may the New Year bring some peace and quiet in this world for a change.
We all need that!
Lo
Ever Ask the Question.........
Near Ypres (Ieper), where the fighting was at it's fiercest, the soldiers were greeted by an amazing sight as they ventured out of the trenches in early Spring.
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Wearing a poppy in November is a way of remembering those who gave their lives for their country.
I used to be a keen gardener, especially when it came to growing vegetables. Not long ago I was asked to address a garden club in the next street to where my fame as a gardener had spread. The subject: "Gardening as a therapy".
Two lovely recipes!
Over the last decade, South Africa had experienced a steady growth in the demand for electricity linked to increased economic growth.
It's Raining, It's Pouring. 
Mary had a little lamb 
If Australia were not good enough to beat England and New Zealand were not good enough to beat a weak French team, then they didn't deserve to win the World Cup, and to their credit, most Kiwis and Aussies of my acquaintance agree with this assessment.
The spices are of course imported especially from South Africa so you will get the "real" thing!
We were often asked why we don't make Biltong ourselves and then make it available to the poor and deprived ex-South Africans!
