HAMBA KAHLE MADIBA

Gosh so that's the news that greeted us this morning when we woke up, everyone expecting it to happen but nobody knowing what to do now that it has.  So to me the most humble, forgiving and natural born leader - Mandela - it was an honor to be a child of Africa when he came into power and learn all he had given up for THE PEOPLE.  So because of that I had to show you my photo of Nobel Square in the waterfront.

The square is a tribute to four South African Nobel Peace Prize laureates. The late Nkosi Albert Luthuli, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, former State President F. W. de Klerk and former President Nelson Mandela.

I hope that the future leaders of South Africa will take a page out of Madiba's book and lead with integrity, honesty and above all else put THE PEOPLE first, but I am very sad to say I very much doubt it.

Hamba kahle Mandela.

BEING TOURISTS

So we had the best fun being tourists.  We visited Table Mountain.  The last time I went up Table Mountain I was 7 and it was in the old cable car with open windows, actually it had no windows.  It is really beautiful up there, I love the way it is unspoilt well as unspoilt as it can be with thousands of tourists walking all over her daily.  The big shock was paying R20 for a coke, and not even a can in a cup.  Shew South Africa are you ripping off the tourists????

So en route to Table Mountain we did the touristic route via Chapman's Peak, it is so beautiful I forgot how amazing it is.  I loved that the locals would ride up or run up and also haaaaaaa in awe.

The old cable car

The new cable car - these have a floor that turns so you do 180 degree turn whilst going up.

 You  can see the soccer stadium used in the Fifi World Cup in 2010

 A Dassie or Rock Hyrax - they bite

Then we trundled of to the Waterfront for lunch and onto the aquarium which the kids just love.

A great shot of Table Mountain.

 How cool are these unborn baby sharks

 The aquarium - my childrens' happy place.

GOING HOME.......

.....only on holiday that is.  We haven't been home for over three years so it was clearly time.  We pulled the kids from school and off we set.  Sounds easy but there was some begging and groveling involved with the teachers.  Samuel has had a particularly difficult year so a holiday in the sunshine was just what the doctor ordered.

Big sky country - simple beautiful.

BRITTANY CONTINUED

Our final week in Brittany was taken up visiting friends and family.  We started of with the cider farm owned by friends of the family.  It's such a lovely farm run by lovely people.  Kids love it with all the animals around.
Came home clutching Cider, Apple butter and Apple juice.  Best Apple juice ever, it tastes like apples obviously but without all the sugar of the shop bought ones.  Delicious. 

The week came to an end and it was time to head home.  Nine hours by car but we always stop in Burgandy, this time we dropped in on Manu's sister at Chateau Pommard, where she works, seriously lovely place. 

 The entrance

 The old wine press

Beautiful dinning room

BRITTANY

The kids are on holiday for what is known as Toussaint in France, and as we thought Manu might be working, he works at a moments notice, we didn't plan a holiday, but when his Grandmother started falling really ill we decided to visit just for the weekend.  It's a 9 hour drive from us to Brittany and unfortunately and very sadly we didn't make it in time to see 'Meme'.  She passed away peacefully in her sleep whilst we were on en-route.  We missed her by 6 hours.  Will post a photo of lovely Meme when I find one.

So everyone was here for the funeral which was a good distraction for Manu's mom.  We are heading back on Friday, 9 hours of - are we there yet - and then to get packing for South Africa, rather more like, washing, ironing, packing and re-packing.  Decided to buy myself a new wardrobe when I'm there as it's so pricey here to buy clothes.  So I don't need much.  The idea of clothes here are the more you spend on them the more popular they are and the less material they use so most of the t-shirts are completely see-through and of poor quality.  Anyway enough of the blah blah blah.

 

 We had lovely sunsets on our way, we broke the journey at my sister-in-laws house, three hours from Praz so then there was only 6 hours left for the next day.

 Dinner at Chagny

 Almost there, this is the football stadium in Rennes and Manu and Benjamin are proud supporters.
As there was now a funeral in our midst, all the family came to stay, so the cousins were all together which happens so rarely as one lives in the United States.  It was great for them to be together although a sad time, we had some laughs never-the-less.

 Romain, Samuel, Mackenzie and Benjamin vegging out in front of a movie

 

Supper time

 

The family = Manu, Me, Chris, Tilak

Fifi, Pierrette, Claire

Samuel, Benjamin, Mackenzie and Romain

After the funeral, the girls headed home to their respective jobs and Manu and I stayed on with Chris and Mackenzie for a week.  We visited Cancale on the coast and St Malo. It's getting cooler and the day was overshadowed by rain and wind but we had fun anyway.  It was an entire day of seafood, eating Moule Frite for lunch and Oysters for dinner.  Mmmmmmm

First Cancale.........................................

 

Then St Malo.............................

 St Malo is a walled city, so we walked along the ramparts before heading for the beach, it was freezing with a howling wind, the port was closed to ferries due to storm warnings in the UK, this is the main port from Brittany to Jersey, Guernsey and the UK.

And then home for dinner..........................

WINTER SPORTS

I say winter because it seems we've missed Autumn this year with two days of snow already and only the beginning of October.  I am becoming quiet scared of what's to come that's for sure. 

 

 We did however manage to have Samuel's cross country race in the Autumn weather last week, it was cold though.  The kids had to run around the lake.  Samuel did very well for his new school, 16th out of 40 kids. 

 

Benjamin has now joined jujitsu with Samuel.  We had to get permission from Samuel first of course.