How precious

My ride on the Gautrain

My first time on the Gautrain was quite an experience. I caught the train with my mom, sister and little daughter. 

Gautrain Platform

The Stations are user friendly and there is always someone to assist you if you get lost or not sure what to do. 

Once you have out money on your Gautrain Card, you swipe and walk to the Platform where you will catch the train. Throughout your trip, there is always information on where you going, where the train is stopping and if you swopping over to the train to the OR Tambo International Airport.

My trip started at the Gautrain Hatfield Station.

Once the train arrived the excitement was incredible.

We boarded the train and took our seats and off we go.

Inside the Gautrain

We stopped by Pretoria, Centurion, Midrand, Marlboro and my stop was Sandton.Once we stopped in Sandton, you go up the escalators and exit the station. 

Midrand Station

Nelson Mandela is not even a 5minute walk from the station. There are several taxi services outside which offer assistance and transport in and around Sandton.

If you visit the Gauteng area make sure to catch the train, its a definite must.

Visit their website: www.gautrain.co.za

Drakensberg Cave Accommodation

Did you know that you can actually sleep in a cave while visiting the Drakensberg?

Yes you read correctly. You can book your cave for the night and experience the scenic beauty in a new way. 

How awesome must that be to spend the night in a cave while listening to the crickets outside. Truly a once in a lifetime experience.

Drakensberg Mountains

 

Would you do it?

Recipe: Beer Bread

Another perfect addition to the typical South African braai (BBQ) would be Beer Bread. 

Beer Bread

Beer Bread

Ingredients:

750 ml flour
5 ml salt
15ml Baking Powder
2 ml Bicarbonate of Soda
30 ml brown sugar
340 ml bottle of beer (your favourite beer)

Method:

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
Mix dry ingredients
Pour in the beer
Mix to form a stiff dough – Do not over mix!
Put the dough into a well greased loaf tin.
Bake for 60 minutes

 Try it out and let me know how it tastes :) 

Picture source: http://travelblog.portfoliocollection.com/FeaturedImage/beer-bread31.jpg

Recipe source: http://www.south-african-homeschool-curriculum.com/south-african-bread-recipes.html

Congratulations Cape Town!!!

New York Times has voted Cape Town as one of the Top Ten Hippest Cities in the World.Not only has Table Mountain been added to the 7 Wonders of the World but Cape Town was voted as Design Capital of The World 2014. Pretty impressive!

Cape Town, Western Cape

Cape Town at Night

Recipe: South African Queen drink

I think the name says it all....

South African Queen Recipe

Ingredients:

250ml Coconut Cream

2 litre Ice cream (preferably vanilla)

1 litre Pineapple Juice

500ml Malibu Rum

  

 Directions:

1. Blend vanilla ice-cream and pineapple juice. 

2. Add coconut cream and Malibu Rum, blend well, then poor into tall glasses. 

3. Serve with a sprig of mint.

 

Let me know how it goes!!!

Source: http://www.idrink.com/v.html?id=38390

Hello weekend!!!!

After a long week there is nothing better than waking up on Friday and knowing its the WEEKEND!!!!!!

Enjoy it

Source: http://ilovecoffee.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Bring-on-the-weekend.jpg

White Shark Projects

Great White Shark

I'm sure everyone will agree with me... When you look at the beautiful waves and clear blue water of the Ocean somewhere in you mind the horrific image of Jaws pops up. That's exactly my thought pattern.


The White Shark Project came and paid us a visit. We learnt all about Shark Cage Diving and honestly I think I will be jumping into the cage if given the opportunity. 

They offer magnificent opportunities to cage dive with the beasts of the sea. 

Visit their website: www.whitesharkprojects.co.za


The reason it is called The Great White Shark is the white underbelly with the grey top.It is the perfect disguise as the white underbelly blends with the sky and the dark grey blends in with the rocks and water. 

Great White Shark leaping out of water

Did you know?


They can grow up to 6m (18ft). Can you imagine how huge that is?

The Great White Shark does not feed off humans. They mistake humans for Seals that's the reason once it bites, they do not continue to feed as we do not taste good to them.



The Great White Shark has a fingerprint? The Dorsal Fin is unique in each shark. 

My honest opinion when it comes to Sharks, sure they scary and huge but it is a wild animal and should be treated as such.

Would love to be sitting here right now

Paarl, Western Cape

Source: http://www.curiouswines.ie/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/paarl-south-africa.jpg

Baby Giraffe smiling

Recipe: Milk Tart

Nothing screams South African like the delicious melktert (Milk Tart). A definite favourite in the South African cuisine.

A very easy recipe and the end product will be mouth-watering - promise.

Milk Tart

Ingredients

• 45 g butter, melted
• 200 g white sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 145 g cake flour
• 5 g baking powder
• 2 g salt
• 5 ml vanilla extract
• 950 ml milk
• 3 egg white
• 10 g cinnamon sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Coat a 9 inch deep dish pie plate with vegetable oil cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg yolks and beat until light and fluffy. Sift in the cake flour, baking powder and salt, and stir until well blended. Mix in the vanilla and milk. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks using an electric mixer. Fold into the batter. Pour into the prepared pie plate, and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top.
3. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Continue to bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center is set when you gently jiggle the pie. Serve hot or cold. 

 

Recipe source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/south-african-melktert-milk-tart/detail.aspx 

Image source: http://browniegirlblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/milk-tart-41.jpg  

Image source: http://www.100cafestreet.com/milk-tart-recipe/

Namaqualand Flowers

Purple Flowers from Namaqualand

 

The hills are covered with vibrant colours of oranges, reds, yellows and purples. The Namaqualand Flower season is beautiful, thousands of little flowers bloom in such rich colours. Over 4,000 different types of

The show of colours depend on the rainfall received early that year but the best time to see the flowers is end August and early September when South Africa enters Spring.

If you would like to experience the flowers differently, try the hiking or cycling tours through the fields.

Tip: Stop at the nearest tourism information office to find the best display as each year varies.

Namaqualand Flowers, Northern Cape

Namaqualand Flowers

 

Image source:

• http://www.saphototours.com/uploads/5/4/8/4/5484837/6978071.jpg?239
• http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-photo/rachelandmike/2/1250074210/wildflowers-of-namaqualand.jpg/tpod.html
• http://www.panoramio.com/photo/62348809

Golf in South Africa

Golf is one of the most popular activities to take part in. Here in South Africa, there are a number of beautiful golf courses to visit. 

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/1f/95/eb/giraffe-on-golf-course.jpg

All over the country no matter the Province, I promise you there is a lavish green course waiting to be explored. Even our wildlife cant resist the temptation of the green lawns stretching across hectares of land.  These gentle giants paid a visit to one of the Golf Courses in Phalaborwa, Limpopo.

While you  exploring South Africa be sure to visit some of the beautiful Golf Courses around our country.

Images speak louder than words, so I have attached some photos from the courses:

Royal Cape Golf Club Pearl Valley Golf Club

Durban Country Club

Sun City, North-West

 Picture sources:

http://www.golfdirect.co.za/specials-Golf-Special-Cape-Town-and-Garden-Route-8-nts--16.php 

http://www.embassyconferences.co.za/media/social_programme/cities_surrounds/jnb/sun%20city%20golf%20course.jpg

http://www.livethemagicofafrica.com/putt-your-way-through-south-africas-most-celebrated-golf-courses

Recipe: Malva Pudding

Malva Pudding Ingredients (serves 6)

2 large eggs room temperature
1 cup castor sugar
1 tbsp smooth apricot jam [do NOT use whole fruit]
6½ oz [185g] cake flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vinegar
½ cup [125ml] milk
A little butter for greasing

Or even vanilla ice-cream.

For the Sauce

1 cup cream
½ cup butter
½ cup soft brown sugar
½ cup water
2 tsp treacle
½ tsp Vanilla essence

To Make the Malva Pudding

Preheat oven to 350^oF [180^oC]

First make the batter

Beat the eggs and castor sugar, in a large mixing bowl, until light and fluffy. Add the apricot jam and beat well. In another bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and the salt. Melt the butter, over low heat, in a saucepan. Add the vinegar and milk. Alternating the flour and milk mixtures, fold into the egg mixture. Grease a baking tray and pour the pudding batter into it. Bake, on the middle shelf, for 45-50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean

Meanwhile make the sauce

Heat the cream, butter, brown sugar, water and treacle in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the butter melted. Do NOT let the sauce mixture boil. Remove from the heat and add the Vanilla essence. When you remove the pudding from the oven, pierce a number of times with a skewer, or the tines of a fork. Pour the hot sauce over it. The holes, previously made, enable the sauce to better permeate the Malva Pudding.

Serve the dessert hot with Custard or Whipped cream... Malva pudding is also delicious eaten cold, with cold custard, whipped cream or even vanilla ice-cream.

Picture source: http://www.hulettssugar.co.za/files/images/malva-pudding.jpg

Recipe source: http://africhef.com/South-African-Malva-Pudding-Recipe.html