Graaff- Reinet Weekend Trip

January 25th- January 27th

Now that I have informed you all about the FreeWalkers lets jump right into what we did this weekend! Where on Earth do I begin.  

Friday: We left Port Elizabeth around 2:30 and heading about two hours slightly northwest to Graaff- Reinet. The drive there was actually not bad. Murray turned on some "African Beats" and we watched out our windows looking for animals! We saw monkeys, Kudu, Blue Cranes, Springbok and Ostriches!  We stayed at Murray's sisters lodge: KingFisher Lodge!  Every detail of the house was beautiful!

After we snacked around and got the tour of the house, we cleaned up and headed up to the Camdeboo National Game Reserve that surrounds Graaff- Reinert! We were able to hike up the mountains of the Camdebdoo Game Reserve to watch the sunset over the Valley of Desolation. The views were absolutely breathtaking! My photos do not do justice for how pretty it was on top of the mountain! If you were to look down it was slightly nerve-wrecking! Regardless, it was a great time up there! After watching the sunset we went down to a restaurant called "The Gentlemens Club". The restaurant was originally built for ONLY men to enter. The wives would have to wait in the car while they shot pool and hung out with the guys! Women have only been going there for about 10 years or so.  The food was delicious! I split a meat trio with one of my roommates and still didn't finish it! It was a platter composed of three fillets: one springbok, one beef and one ostrich fillet.  The ostrich fillet was better than any other fancy piece of steak I've eaten anywhere in America! Yum! Oh and the cream soda here is even better than anywhere in the states, and its GREEN!

Saturday: We started the morning out right by waking up to some fresh fruit and bush tea before beginning our long day outside. Murray and Jordy took us to a small little town called Nieu Bestheda and it was too cute! It felt as if you were walking back into time. Everything was simple, quiet and all around peaceful.  After a little tour we took a donkey carriage over to a little restaurant called The Brewery where one of Murray's friend decided he was tried of the busy lifestyle he used to live and decided to move. He moved onto some land and built a restaurant where he creates his own goat cheese spreads, homemade breads and hand crafted beers. The goat cheese, Kudu salami and homemade bread is served on a rather large platter and put in the middle of tables to share! Our table shared three :) Yummmmy! After lunch we went on a boat tour through Camdeboo National Park! I was a little afraid to get into the water but I was assured that the only thing in the water were catfish!

After the boat tour and showering we headed out to see the township that many people live it! It was a great thing to see but at the same time very hard to see how people lived. It was heart-wrenching to see the children in such rough living quarters and to think only a few miles up the road we were staying in such a beautiful home.The people were all very happy though, no one looked miserable. We noticed many dogs and cats running around that we obviously not taken care of and they were referred to as "township animals" and we weren't allowed to touch them.   

  

We ended the night off right down at Miemies. Miemie's is a restaurant that is based in a family home inside of a township. The owner of the house: Miemie and her husband Richard used to work on Murray's family farm and when they lost the farm, Miemie and Richard moved to the township.  When Murray created the FreeWalkers he wanted to build a restaurant for Miemie because she used to cook on the farm! He and some of the volunteers created a restaurant in her backyard! It was literally tin shacks with African cultured decorations inside.  The food was again amazing and we were surrounded by friends and laughter! Miemie and her family were very welcoming into their home and we really enjoyed learning about the South African culture as well as eating true South African food! We finished the night off dancing with everyone and bringing the night in with many laughs, mostly at my poor dance skills!

One of the tables in the backyard! 

Other Cost Students Emily and Liz. 

Homemade rolls that were baked in funnel cake batter and others were put on the grill! YUM! 

Miemie is camera shy!  

Miemie's grandson Sean! He did not speak English! He was my buddy for the evening!   

I dont even know what everything was, but it was all amazing!

Miemie!

Sunday: For breakfast we had ostrich eggs and to get the egg open you must hit the top of it with a spoon and then flip it over and do the other side. Then you are to "blow" out the yolk! I volunteered to blow out the yolk! It was a disgusting sound but after it was cooked it was good to eat! I wasnt a huge fan of the ostrich egg, but only because it was spicy! Im such a big spice baby! After breakfast we said our goodbyes and went back towards Port Elizabeth and stopped at Daniels Cheetah Breeding Farm and Spotted Cat Conservatory. The farm is used to breed wild cats and to healthy raise them and then release them into their natural habitat! We were fortunate enough to be able to pet one of the tamed cheetahs! Her name was Ola and was 8 years old. 

Whew! It was quite a weekend but such a great one at that!  

I also wanted to give a heads up on my grandfathers surgery! The surgery went smoothly and he was joking around with the nurses shortly after. True to his sweet, loving Pop-Pop spirits! Thanks for the many prayers, I have no doubt that each and every one of them was heard!  

Here in South Africa, they say "See you just now" instead of goodbye or see you later. I think I will start using that phrase often! :)