Meeting up in Hout Bay - Day 399
Today we were meeting up in Hout Bay new and old friends. As well as visiting interesting places and seeing incredible natural wonders, we also love meeting people.
When our dear friends Carol and Glyn got in touch to say that they are communicating with their friends who they met 36 years ago in Zimbabwe and suggest that we meet their friends’ lovely daughter Hannah, who lives in Cape Town, that’s what we did this morning.
Hannah actually lives in Hout Bay, which was a coincidence as that’s where we were also meeting my friend Jill and her husband today as well! Great planning eh!
We parked up and first walked into a rambling antique shop, thinking that the café was in there. The lady who worked there was delightful, asking if we were on our honeymoon and couldn’t believe that we had grown up sons. What a lovely lady, or does she need to go to Spec Savers! We found the café next door, a tiny place like a shed, with heavy wooden stools and cushions made from coffee sisal bags. Not long after we sat down, a lady with her young daughter popped her head through the window. It was Hannah with Chloe, who is 9.
Chloe busied herself with drawing and made a tiny, unique bookmark, a square which, she explained, clips onto the bottom of the page you are reading. How clever. She then made a bigger version for Tim, decorating it with a picture of Table Mountain. I know that he will treasure and use this. What a kind and a generous young girl. We chatted about our travels, I think Hannah was quite surprised that we’d travelled for so long, and heard about their life here in Hout Bay. They needed to get on as they were treating themselves to a girlie time together having their nails done. Chloe was going to have rainbow glitter. Sounds wonderful.
We said our warm goodbyes and wandered around the shops and then down to the beach. We arrived at Dunes, a restaurant facing the Bay and found seats out of the wind, so we could comfortably people watch, and dog watch. A gorgeous dappled grey Great Dane was allowing three young girls to cover him with strokes and pats. And later Jill and her husband Nick arrived. I haven’t seen Jill for some years, and she hasn’t changed a bit. Still very neatly dressed with manicured red nails. I met Jill probably about 10 years ago at Women in Business Network, where she was representing Towergate Insurance. We always got on really well, a wonderful connection.
We sat and chatted…and chatted…and chatted, so easily. They shared about their life here in South Africa, the great sense of community and the many fascinating people they have met here. I do concur with that. I remember our friend Sue saying how generous and welcoming people are here, and she is so right.
Jill and I talked about travel, life in general, our mutual interest in psychology, and mutual friends. I could hear Tim and Nick natter away, again about travel and also flying. Nick is a pilot and now trains other less experienced pilots using simulators. He had many funny stories of various people, including some famous, who he has flown with, over the years. We couldn’t believe it when we saw the time, we had been chatting for over 4 hours! It’s not only Nick that flies so does time when you’re having fun! More fond farewells, it really was so lovely to catch up and get to know Jill and Nick more. A delightful couple.
We drove back to Green Point, stopping off to admire the incredible views at Llandudno. This reminds me of when we were on holiday in Llandudno in Wales as children, playing pitch n putt on the Great Orme. Our Dad who was a keen golfer was somewhat miffed at Dawn, my sister, beat him, so we all had to play again! We drove past the Twelve Apostles, saw the Lions Head in the clouds, and eventually got back to our little Airbnb.
We have a full day tomorrow and fly out early on Friday, so needed to get a few things done; washing, sorting out and reducing our luggage, preparing for Christmas…I wonder if Santa will find us in Brazil?
