Ado and his girls in the Cape

My brother, Ado, and two of his daughters: Angelique and Cheree, stayed over at de Wijnlanden for the weekend. The girls competed in a fencing competition and it created an opportunity for me to see my brother. We shared a few meals, talked, watched rugby together and checked out the environment. Me and Annelie also drove out to the venue and experienced some of the fencing action.

Huge tree in Oburi Gardens

While on a business trip to Ghana, me and Gavin took a few hours, hired a car and driver to visit the Oburi Botanical Gardens. The gardens is about 30km outside the city on the hills inland, and it took us about an hour to get there. Central in the garden is a massive Silk Cotton Tree - the last remaining tree of the original forest.

A dead sparrow at a funeral

I got out of the car at tannie Dot's funeral and noticed the dead sparrow on the pavement. I could not help thinking of Matthew 10:29. "...Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will." Amazing how He speaks to us in so many ways.

Work planning session

One thing about the Cape that always surprises me, is the new spots to be discovered. We had a planning session at the Crystal Towers hotel Century City. Afterwards we had dinner at Knife - the local restaurant. I looked around a bit and was pleasantly surprised by the infrastructure and facilities in and around this venue.

Tri-nations wine tasting

George prepared an amazing wine tasting with wines from rugby-playing nations pitted against the best that South Africa could offer. Wines from Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and France were tasted blind. In the end all of us agreed that the Australian wines was the best of the night. We realised again how fortunate we are to have opportunities like this to share experiences with friends.

Lunch at Uitsig

I had a great lunch with colleagues and business partners from the US at one of my favourite restaurants: Constantia Uitsig. The weather was perfect, the food was brilliant and the wine complimented the fare well. It was a proud moment to see foreigners enjoying what South Africa had to offer.

Cousins visit

Theuns and Martin visited us at de Wijnlanden while waiting to attend to their mom who is in the Paarl hospital. I enjoyed it so much to get to know them anew and talk about our shared family and what each person is doing. Why do we have to wait for family crisis to find time to get together?

Heathrow in the late afternoon sun

I am strolling to the gate to board for Johannesburg and I notice the last rays of the sun on the opposite terminal building and the parked jets. It is starkly beautiful - a mix of nature with a celebration of technological design. And I know it is the same sun that is now also setting on Africa.

Meeting Clinton at the CGI

I had the opportunity to meet President Clinton at a cocktail reception in New York. This was part of a program where I met with representatives of partners, the media and NGO's. It was humbling to meet famous and special people.

Special time with Izak in Boston

It was a special day for me to be blessed to see my son in Boston. Izak is enrolled for a post-grad program at MIT, and I spent the afternoon tracing a route through campus with him. We walked past the Sloan business school, sat down in one of the lecture halls and looked at all the famous landmarks. We watched a replay of the Boks game in his Res and had a good dinner at a local fishery. But what I enjoyed most was to listen to my son's opinions, his views on life and his dreams for the future.

Oriental London

I am walking to a meeting in a hotel on the Thames and I cannot help to notice all the Oriental restaurants. At this specific spot, there is no English fare for sale, but a lot of sushi, chinese food and other oriental menus. Interesting.

Annelie next to hospital bed

Me and Annelie visited tannie Dot, who is recovering from an operation at Paarl hospital. I sat on the other side of the bed and could see how much Annelie care. I am so fortunate to share my life with such a compassionate person.

Early mist

Got up early this morning to go to gym. The mist was thick and visibility limited when I pulled out of the driveway. The silhouette of the trees against the mist and lights glowing in the distance was very beautiful.

The geriatrics invasion

As I am booking out of the Crown Plaza to go home, I looked around me and the whole place was filled with senior citizens. It must be some convention that booked the hotel for the labour day weekend. Small groups were gathered talking to each other, while others shuffled behind walking aids. It felt like a giant old age home so I rushed to call a cab to take me to the airport.

Candlestick Park on a cold day

It is pre-season football time in the US... so tickets were easier to get. Me and a few of my Fundamo colleagues decided to see the 49ers take on the Texans. We arrived, dressed in our new red gear, walked past all the tailgating and bought a beer and a dog. We really had a lot of fun, but also almost froze, with an icy wind blowing into the stadium.

Max the mutt

Me and Adriaan had dinner at the home of Bill. As usual the food was exceptional (smoked leg of pork) accompanied by brilliant wines. We enjoyed the company and the opportunity to get out of our hotel. But we also had a lot of fun to experience the antics of Max; Bill's dog.

Fairview Beryl Back tasting

Returning from Vredendal, me and Annelie stopped at Fairview for lunch. This popular eatery was fully booked, so we filled up our waiting time with a master tasting in the Beryl Back room: eight wines paired with local cheeses. We enjoyed it so much and ended up tasting about twelve wines. The tasting room, the wines and the experience was as good as it gets - absolute world class. The late lunch was also good.

Olifantsrivier region winetasting

We drove the five-hundred odd kilometers up the west coast to taste and evaluate wines of this region. We stayed at the Melkboomsdrif lodge close to Lutzville and traveled to taste wines at some of the massive cellars in the area. (it is not common knowledge that these cellars - Klawer, Namaqua - are far bigger than most). I enjoyed the food, wine and company that I experienced during the weekend.

Overture dinner

Not only is the Overture location one of the most spectacular in the Cape, but the food is also sooo good. I had a special meal with the previous Fundamo board of directors. We recalled some of the good times during the past ten years and closed a chapter with a lot of thankfulness.

I hate gearshift cars

I collected my Avis rental car when in Johannesburg for a business meeting - some type of Renault. It was equipped with a manual gearshift. In a modern world when many technical problems have been solved, why is it still necessary to push a clutch when shifting a gear. I cannot understand why we still make manual gearshift cars. It was with a lot of relief that I slipped behind the Merc's steering wheel when I returned to the Cape.

Attending Hein's fiftieth

It was great to celebrate Hein's fiftieth birthday with friends at Simonsig's Cuvee restaurant - one of the best in Stellenbosch. I enjoyed seeing old friends and making new ones. The food was good (as usual) accompanied by Simonsig wines. (The Gewurtz being one of my favourites).

Splash of orange

Next to the main highway south I noticed one specific, solitary, seasonal flower. In a few days, this plant and the single flower will be gone, forever. While thousands of vehicles passes here everyday, it struck me that the flower will probably meet its purpose: to create lots of seeds for next season.

Bloem's city center metamorphosis

While waiting for the replacement of my cracked windscreen at a very friendly PG Glass in Bloemfontein's city center, I strolled around a bit. I could not find a bookshop in the old FVB center - not sure what is called now. Only budget clothing stores and many micro-lending establishments. It was somewhat nostalgic to think back to the academic bookstores and the student-catering eateries that occupied this shopping center twenty-five years ago.

The big five...twice

It was a great six days in the Kruger Park. We were really very lucky to spot samples of the big five, sometimes in dramatic fashion. But it was also sightings of other species (other, less well-known cats, two species of jackal, a honey badger and various bird species) that made the week even more special.

The mighty Olifants

The Olifantsriver roll through the bushveld towards the Mozambican Indian ocean broken into many different rivulets, rapids and small waterfalls. Given the high density of Hippopotamus, it should probably have been called Hipporiver. We are enjoying the days in the Kruger Park, with lots of rest - experiencing the peace and serenity of nature. The routine of early out of bed to be at the gates when they open, lots of sleep, good food, time together and experiencing different animals and birds is proving to be very wholesome.

It's tough to be old

My parents are both eighty-six and live in a retirement village in Centurion. I was privileged to visit for a few days and just again realised how time is marching on relentlessly. My dad, especially, is showing the scars of his ripe age.... and while it is good to sit next to him while he reminisce of a distant past, it does make me sad to see how little remain of the man I remember.

Overnight in a cold Karoo

On the way north me and Annelie booked into the Transkaroo Country Lodge situated in the sleepy Britstown... and did we enjoy it? Inside the old building we noticed a stylish touch and the meals that we enjoyed was served with a unique approach. We were particularly impressed with a winelist that boasted a wide variety and some cleverly selected wines too.

Ice cold cycle ride

I got on my road bike at the office this morning for a quick run. Richard Price arranged for us to have a group bicycle ride every Tuesday, but it was only me and him mad enough to brave the cold. and cold it was. Afterwards I had difficulty walking because of the lack of feeling in my toes, but it was nevertheless very satisfying in a strange way.

Wet MeerenBos

We spent the night at MeerenBos and heard the cold front pass over the house as the wind intensified. In the morning, it was heartwarming to see the wet trees and undergrowth glistening in the filtered light. At the edge of the lake, a solitary coot was swimming purposefully against the light rain and the swirling wind towards an unknown destination.

The great Bosman

We attended a great winetasting of the products of Bosman family vineyards, ably presented by Heinie Nel, the viticulturist. The wines were excellent, both in terms of quality and wine-making philosophy, but it was the information about vineyards, cultivars and winemaking that was really special.

Egyptian Geese feeding

It is such a beautiful day in the Cape. The sun is shining and just a light breeze from the west. Even the Egyptian Geese seems to enjoy the weather. I counted ninety right in front of the house feeding on the green sprouts.

Proudly flying the flag

I am standing on the 30th floor of an office building in San Francisco and look out over the city. The "stars and stripes" are waving on flagpoles on many of the buildings. Where I am standing, I can count at least seven flags. One can say many things about the US, but I respect the pride that they have for their country.

Attended Grace Church in St Helena

I am meeting a business associate here in St Helena, California today, so I booked into a lodge close by. This morning on the spur of the moment, I attended mass at a nearby church: Grace Church. It was gratifying to experience the blessings of the Lord with other believers.

Boerbeskuit

As I walked into the kitchen, I immediately knew it. The aroma was still hanging in the air: Annelie produced another batch of "boerebeskuit" - I suppose the best translation would be homemade rusks. I can see myself munching through this batch during the next month with a lot of enjoyment.

Healthy green stuff

At a breakfast meeting at Melrose Arch, I joined the rest of the party to order freshly squeezed pear juice. When it arrived, it looked quite suspicious: green fluid with foam on the top and chunks floating in it. Luckily, it was delicious.

Izak on his way to Boston

My youngest son has been admitted to a post-grad at MIT. He left for the US last weekend and is currently making arrangements to be able to start his studies in August. I am proud and thankful at the same time.

Home routine

I was up early this morning. With a steaming mug of coffee and a bowl of oats. I sat down to read a chapter from scripture and then for time in prayer. Outside the day was dawning on a green Cape (after the recent rains) and inside the dogs started moving in their warm cot. After a long trip, I feel so much at home.

Stayed at the impressive Marina Sands

While in Singapore for the MMU conference, I stayed at the Marina Sands. This is an architectural miracle built on reclaimed land. A 240 meter balcony is pearched on top of three skyscrapers reaching 57 stories into the air. With all this opulance, "having your feet on the ground" got a new meaning for me.

First Class Loire

I got upgraded to first class from Cape Town to Dubai. I must say the whole experience is a bit pretentious for me. Fancy having a Suite rather than a Seat and your own mini-bar! What made it worthwhile and a privilege though, was the Loire wine that I could savour: Clos de la Coulee de Serrant 2008; in a (first) class of its own.

My Grandson is two

I attended Arden's second birthday party. Lots of small boys running around, cupcakes, sweets and popcorn - complete with a green crocodile birthday cake. The little man even spent time with his oupa exploring the road-layout carpet that mom and dad got him for his birthday. No wonder that this event is so high on my importance list.

My friend Hendrik

I have known my friend, Hendrik, for more than thirty years. We and our families have had wonderful times together. Last night he celebrated 53 summers with a group of friends at his home. We enjoyed home-made chicken-pie (with Hermit on the Hill's Shiraz and later some rare sweet wine from Boekenhoutskloof), we talked about the past, our kids, our careers and what we wish for the future. It was a very special time. Previous blogs about Hendrik is here, here and here.

Annelie's birthday

We celebrated my wifes birthday with the boys and Catherine with a special dinner at one of Cape Town's classic restaurants: Magica Roma. The company and the food was in a class of its own. We enjoyed a special Amarone from Valpolicella and talked about things close to our heart. At the end of the evening, as I reflected on everything, I just realised how much God has blessed me.

Father's day with both boys

I am so blessed today to have both Ernst and Izak with me. We are at Club Mykanos in Langebaan for the weekend and enjoyed the weather and the company. I am so lucky that I have a good relationship with the boys. We talked a lot, played Wii, watched rugby and enjoyed multiple meals (and quite a few great wines) during the weekend.

Wet parking lot

I left work later than usual, after dark. It had stopped raining, but everything was still wet. Dark rain clouds drifted across the sky. The streetlights reflected on the paving in multi-coloured patterns. I felt a strange sense of satisfaction to be back in Cape Town.

A more mature Dubai

Arrived this morning in Dubai. After a quick breakfast and a shower, I was off to my first meeting. I was never really fond of this city that rose out of the desert - as I feel it lacks a personality and style. This morning, though, it felt as if the city is starting to settle in a comfortable stride. Maybe hardship breeds maturity?

Arden stayed with us for the night

My grandson slept here last night. We had an uneventful night and Arden had a good night sleep. In the morning, we could hear him awaking and then we were greeted with his sunny smile. He is such a special little boy.

I am now a Visa employee

We announced today that Fundamo was acquired by Visa. I am super-excited about the possibilities that this transaction open up. During the process, I was extremely impressed with my now new employer. Visa is a very special company with a solid vision and a culture that I am happy to be associated with.

Enjoyable Wacky Wine Weekend

Had a most enjoyable weekend with George, Francois and Johan and our spouses. I specifically enjoyed discovering some of the smaller producers, like Kleinhoekkloof and Kingsriver. We had Chicken pita and prawns with Chinen, savored Esteanna at Rietrivier. We enjoyed a boisterous four course dinner with fire dancing and saxophones. During the night I committed to cycle the 26 day Founders challenge. At 2 am on Sunday we lit a fire for boerewors rolls with red muskadel. A weekend to truly remember.

Ernst and Catherine is back

Ernst and his family returned today from Hong Kong via Dubai. We picked them up at Cape Town International and afterwards hosted them for a custom-grilled sirloin and a Kanonkop Cab. They shared their experiences with us and we enjoyed the contributions from a much older Arden. We are so blessed.

Unique competitive advantage

I do not shop at grocery outlets frequently. Yesterday I was standing in the queue at a local Woolworths when I noticed this poster on the wall claiming that the store is equipted with a generator and will keep on trading even during power outages. I thought that this was interesting.