Montagu - South Africa/Day 3

South Africa/Day 3 - August 24, 2016

Today, we woke up again before 6 am because we fell asleep too early. It was winter-like 3 degrees outside on the terrace, but it didn't matter. I had packed my winter jacket just in case, so we were already sitting on the terrace shortly before sunrise, drinking coffee and listening to the birds singing. They sound different from the ones at home. Of course, because they are different birds, like sparrow-sized yellow-green birds that hang their ball-shaped nests on ropes in the trees. After a delicious breakfast in the dining room, which was decorated with many pictures and paintings by local artists and heated by a heater, we met the owner of the house.
He, the father of the head chef, a 75-year-old Swiss man who always dresses in work clothes and wears a Swiss cap, told us that after his training in 1965, he wanted to stay abroad for two years with his wife. Somewhere. Because at that time, South Africa paid for the flight for skilled workers, they decided to choose this country. They first lived in Johannesburg and have been living in Montagu for 12 years since their son started working here as a chef.
It wasn't until lunchtime that it started to get really warm. And even though the sun was shining, I wore a down vest and sometimes a winter jacket.
You know what I find strange? Although it's so cold at night and the sun shines early in the morning, the cushions on the terrace don't get damp overnight. hardly any dew in the morning. The air here is probably extremely dry. That's why my skin looks wrinkled, everything isn't perfect.
Furthermore, in some places outside, it smells like a coffee shop early in the morning. We smelled all the plants in the area that could cause this scent of stale hashish, but we didn't find anything.
Also, when we strolled through the town, I noticed again how it is common here to greet everyone. "Hello!" or "Morning!" can be heard from everywhere. From the black street sweeper with a bobble hat, the retired people drinking coffee on the terrace of the nursing home, the passing female driver...everyone greets. The employees of our hotel overdo it, they greet and step to the side of the road when we pass by, stop until we have passed, and JC always mumbles, "I feel soooo uncomfortable about that!"
At the end of the town, a nature reserve begins. The shortest hiking trail is the Loverswalk, which we of course walked. My goodness, it was beautiful! It's really a pity that you can't see that properly in photos.
Anyway, the hike went along the river, next to steep cliffs, tall reeds, in bright sunshine and 25 degrees. The nature, the colorful birds, the large white stones in the riverbed, the red mountains - a dream.
Later, we crossed a fancy white bridge into the better part of Montagu, which you could recognize by the sign with the watchful eye of the neighbors and the very elegant houses. South Africans have their weekend houses here, and Europeans also winter here, as the woman in the café told us.
In general, you always get into conversation with South Africans. Keith Heidenreich, a shop owner who only spoke English despite having German ancestors, told us his life story and gave us tips for the rest of our tour, as well as a phone number for a guide in Port Elizabeth. "The best of all!"
In the afternoon, we went to the Avalon Springs, the largest hot spring in South Africa, which is recommended in every travel guide. They have created several pools there, as well as barbecue areas and sunbeds on artificial lawns. The spring water bubbles out at about 40 degrees Celsius every minute. It can be very crowded there on weekends, but not today, luckily. There are also prohibition signs here. For example, women wearing burkinis are only allowed to use one of the four pools. The women who came to the pool area wearing headscarves simply took them off and bathed everywhere. The audience here was mixed. Children of all colors.
Oh, there was also a water slide. JC tried it out. When a group of rather overweight women headed for this slide, the majority of the bathers present that afternoon gathered at the pool where the slide ended and waited for the wave.
After the bathing afternoon, our skin was as soft as spring water. In the parking lot, we encountered a small furry animal under the car that I had never seen in my life before. I took a photo and posted it in my WhatsApp family vacation group and was informed by my daughter: That's a rock dassie. These cute animals are widespread in South Africa, and we will encounter them more often.
Back at the hotel, we had coffee on the terrace, read, and looked forward to the four-course menu.
See you soon...
Tatjana

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