Return to the Motherland: Soccer, beaches and the farm

Happy Days - special times.

The biggest reason for our trip to Cape Town was that Ryan was participating in an u15 Soccer Tournament in Kensington along with George United Soccer Club. After months of hard training, fund raising and much excitement the 'Kensington Tour' became a reality and we found ourselves soaking in the beauty that surrounds Cape Town.

(Friends we've only met once offered for us to stay in their home for 2 weeks while they went away on holiday - we've been so spoiled!)

Do remember that we're amateur photographers, so forgive a couple of blurred photos!

The MAIN photographer - Jed!

Ryan in is famous 'help the umpire' position - off-sides Ref!

Let's clear it lads!

Bring it on! I'm ready!

Playing football with a view of Table Mountain really is a sight for sore eyes!

Ryan and his team mates - in his element!

Ryan worked hard and saved many more shots at goal that he missed - probably 3 or 4 times more!

Another good save!

And another one! Well done goalie!

I'll get it guys!

Ryan's team lost all the games they played against very strong teams that have played together in academies for years. They worked very hard and lost by small margins.

Ryan's goal record looked like this:

Game 2

Shots at goal - 17

Saves - 8

Goals - 5

Final Score 1-5

Game 3

Shots at goal - 15

Saves - 4

Goals - 8

Final Score 0-8

Game 4 (Quarter Finals)

Shots at goal - 34

Saves - 20

Goals - 6

Final Score 0-6

After the tournament we drove up the West Coast of South Africa, stopping at all the small towns on a business trip and then to Clanwilliam where we spent the week with the le Rouxs, very special friends from our teaching days in Butterworth, Transkei in 1995/6. They now have 2 delightful children and we all had a very relaxing and fun time together. We ate to much, explored too little but rested in overdose! Just what the doctor ordered!

The citrus plantations (farm house top-left)

It's hard to imagine ANYTHING would grow in a region that's so arid (semi-desert).

After a swim in the Orange River (or a small pool thereof!) we head out on a bakkie ride to see explore the vineyards

Silly fun!

The le Roux ...... special, special people .... precious, precious friends!

One big, happy Family!

After our week in Clanwilliam we drove back to Table View on the northern side of Table Bay to spend 5 more nights in Cape Town. The home we stayed in was just one block back from the beach so we tried to walk down daily and stroll on the beach. The Atlantic Ocean is MUCH colder than the Indian Ocean we have swim in here near George, so we just dipped our toes (and sometimes knees!)