Frozen lake

When I arrived in Davos, the Dovosersee was 'n clear, blue lake high up in the mountains. Today when I drove out of Davos towards Zurich, the lake was covered in a blanket of snow with the outside temperature in the double digit negative. The snow-covered country-side is really beautiful, but a bit too much for a sun-loving African, like me.

Picture pretty Davos

I walked to the Congress Center this morning. It was crisp and cold and the air stung one's nose as you breathe, but it was stunningly beautiful. The first few exposures to world leaders here at the WEF was full of inspiration. Granted; I have only been exposed to African leaders and will soon meet others too. In the meantime; I am proud to be from Africa.

Ernst and family survive carcrash

Ernst phoned me last night, informing me that he, Catherine and the two kids were in a major crash on the dirt road between Graafwater and Piketberg. Through the grace of God (and diligent use of safety belts), nobody suffered any injuries. We are so thankful for this. It seemed as if the left front wheel had a blow-out and the car rolled and cartwheeled four times.

Shanks for the weekend

A well-prepared Lamb Shank has always been one of my favourite dishes. It so happened that I (inadvertently) had shanks in two separate occasions this weekend. On Friday I had a Springbok shank at Hildebrand in the V&A and top that with a Warthog shank on Sunday at Pierneefs - supported by a brilliant La Motte Shiraz-Viognier 2008. Food for kings.

Lots of people on the beach

I suppose it was the heat, but everyone and his dog were out on the beach (and in the water) last night. Me and Annelie had a brisk walk at dusk (after hunting for a parking space for some time). It felt like a party with informal games and people running in and out of the waves.

Back at work

I elected to start work on Thursday the 12th. (Somehow Friday the 13th did not have the same ring to it). I spent most of the time reviewing the status of important initiatives. On my way home, as I stopped at a traffic light, I saw the late afternoon sunlight on the Stellenbosch mountains in the distance. It made me feel glad to be home.

Leaving "no-worries" land

We are just about to board QF63 for OR Tambo leaving Australia after a memorable two weeks. We thoroughly enjoyed the rest and the company of family. Having seen so many countries with so many challenges in the past year, it is strange to experience a country almost without any problems: a truly "no-worries" country.

Goolwa Cycling

Lots of sun, lots of hills and beautiful spots. I cycled almost everyday while on holiday close to Goolwa. The good food, lots of exercise and fresh air made me feel alive.

Celebrating Ouma's eightieth birthday

We celebrated Ouma Andre's birthday at Umuthi with a lot of gratitude in our hearts. We were blessed to have her in good health with us and to have her three children and their spouses present. She was served with breakfast in bed and we all rejoiced for the opportunity to experience this.

Swam across Horseshoe Bay

Horseshoe Bay is a great little bay in Port Elliot in South Australia. It is perfectly shielded from the waves in the open ocean, providing an ideal site to swim in protected open water. I swam across the bay a few times during our stay here and thoroughly enjoyed it.

United with family

We were united with the family in Australia after a long flight crossing the Indian Ocean. I noticed a few tears as we pushed ouma in her wheelchair to see her children waiting at the top of the ramp. Esthea and Willem picked us up in two cars to make sure that all the luggage could be catered for. We then sped off to Goolwa for our visit on Umuthi farm.

Leaving for Australia

At OR Tambo getting ready to board QF64 for Sydney. This is quite an experience for us. We are taking ouma Andre to visit her youngest daughter in South Australia and to celebrate her eightieth birthday there. This is the first time that she will be travelling abroad and we think that it will be an emotional experience.

Lunch with Bryan

We had a great lunch with Bryan and Zi at the Roundhouse. We enjoyed the tapas and other simple food (supported by exceptional wines) under a tree with a magnificent view of Campsbay. We talked about our experiences the past year and the importance to understand the purpose of one's life.

Christmas dawn

I was up at the break of dawn to go for a brisk cycle ride before the rest of the house got up. I was greeted by the most spectacular scene. With literally no cars on the road, everything was quiet except for the birds waking up. The air was still fresh and the sun painted an impressive sky from behind the horizon.

Arden's bicycle for Christmas

Arden got his first bicycle from oupa and ouma for Christmas and he just loved it. Even though the bike is still a bit big for him, he got on it promptly and soon had the knack and was cycling back and forth on the patio. Such blessings to see him learn new things and to be able to share the wonder that he sees in new things for him.

Virgin beach

The wind from the east must be blowing at more than twenty knots. The waves are angry and choppy with sea-spray thrown in the air as the waves break. The rolling sand has covered all footmarks and nobody is out on the beach. It is quite an experience to see this virgin beach and to feel the force of the wind.

Mannie's birthday

We celebrated Mannie's birthday at Harbour Rock in Hermanus. As always the view was spectacular and the food good. We enjoyed Mannie's company with his abundance of jokes and views on life. It is a privilege to have friends that want to share their birthdays with you.

Book-sale to raise money

We have such caring people at work. I noticed the boxes in the foyer asking for book donations that will be sold to raise money for a worthy cause. Last month we had a cake sale to raise money. What will we do in a Kindle-enabled world with eBooks and so forth to raise money?

Beautiful Oman

It is fair to say that many people would not be able to find Oman on a map. This special little country occupies the most eastern part of the Arabian peninsula. Me and Annelie had a taste of Oman's rugged mountains, crystal clear seas, its culture and rich history. We were impressed with the well-developed tourist infrastructure (good airport, roads, worldclass hotels and good restaurants). The few days in Oman was over quickly.

Watching the sun set from Jebel Hafeet

Jebel Hafeet is the highest mountain in the UAE. It is close to Al Ain and the summit can easily be reached by car. Me and Annelie drove to the Mercure hotel very close to the summit. We enjoyed a late buffet lunch on the terrace and watched the sun set over the desert landscape. The dust-filled air, spread the orange over a wide area on the horizon and we watched in awe.

Dinner under the Burj Khalifa

Me and Annelie had dinner at Rivington's Grill in Souk al Bahar, downtown Dubai. We were entertained by the majestic fountains and their performance every half an hour. The tallest building in the world twinkled with lights synchronized to the fountains. The food, complemented by Massaya Red, a Lebanese red wine, was not too bad either. We had a special time.

Immigration frustrations

Dubai is developing into an even better destination. Unfortunately, completing the formalities at immigrations is just not in line with the first world city that Dubai is. Standing in long lines to complete the iris-scan (not sign-posted) at 03:00 in the morning is exasperated by officials that seems not to care and do not even respond to friendly greetings.

A perfect picture

Sometimes at night, the lake can be at it's most enchanting, like tonight late when the clouds opened and the moon reflected off the water's small waves. A few solitary lights still on at the Arabella hotel could be seen on the opposite shore embraced by majestic clouds. I could hear the sea in the background and quiet nocturnal sounds carrying on the northerly breeze. It is impossible not to experience God in this perfect picture.

La Pineta to celebrate

I visited one of my favourite restaurants, La Pineta, with my favourite person, to celebrate our wedding anniversary. (We have now been married for 31 years). I had the Venison Loin (Gemsbok) with the 2008 Anura Pinotage, while Annelie enjoyed the duck with a good chardonnay. A satisfying meal triggering such sweet memories.

Burger done

I always loved "The Burger", a 92 km cycle race in a circle route from Stellenbosch and back. I entered some time ago, not realising that I will be returning from California the day before. Not wanting to waste a good entry, I tackled the race with some jet-lag and not enough sleep. I surprised myself by completing the race in an acceptable time of three and a half hours. I was pretty satisfied.

Plastic knives in departures

Me and Richard sat down for a "not-too-bad" mexican lunch at San Francisco International Departures. We were forced to attack the food with a pathetic plastic knife and a large, metal fork. If you look objectively at the security-measures in US airports it does fringe on the absurd.

Sunset over the Pacific

There is beauty next to the ocean, does not matter where. Me and Richard arrived in San Francisco Sunday midday, freshened up and then drove to Halfmoon Bay. I had a New England chowder with a lobster sandwich, washed down with a Anchor Steam draft, while watching the sun set.

Praise for a year of blessings

A small group of circle leaders gathered at the church tonight to praise the Lord for a year of blessings. We gave thanks for all that we received in abundance in the smaller groups. It is important, sometimes for a moment, to stop worrying about our tribulations and to count our blessings.

Weather-influenced weekend

The weekend started off with immaculate weather: not too hot; very little wind... a perfect day. During Saturday night one could hear spells of wind and Sunday morning, it started raining intermittently. The wind swept up swells on the lake and the clouds tumbling over the mountains had a special beauty to them.

Hanging around the Airport

Waiting for MN452 to Lanseria. The flight is delayed and this messes with everything. I will be late in Johannesburg; missing an important teleconference. Interesting how everyone queues in expectation for the gate to open. If the airline got the scheduled time wrong, how can we believe the new estimated time?

A new day dawns in Dubai

I went to bed last night with a terrible flu - headache, sore joints, tight cough. Luckily, through interventions from brother-in-law Izak and Reg, I was on strong medicines. I battled to sleep most of the night, but felt much better in the morning. As I opened the windows and saw the sun rise over the high rises on the Palm Marina, I felt a new energy.

The links at Spanish Bay

During an executive breakaway in Pebble Beach, I had an opportunity to play this links course. I managed a few good swings, lost about 12 balls, made good friends and had the most amazing time. The surroundings of the golf course is spectacular and the course is maintained in pristine condition.

IBM Bay Area Labs

I had a meeting at the IBM offices in Foster City. Websphere is enhanced and maintained out of these offices. I was given a tour through the facilities and I had to remind me that the code cut here is running mission critical systems in big corporations all over the world.

Central Peninsula Church

I attended church in California. The church that I picked was close to my hotel, mid sized, middle to upper class. I was struck by the wonderful facilities and the talent of the people that God collected in this congregation. Beautiful music, pure scripture and holy sacraments flowed forth, but I felt that an energising purpose was lacking.

Canada Road Cycling

During my last visit to California, I wanted to get onto the road, but could not. So this time I rented a bike and it was worth it. The cycling spots are spectacular (great climbs, big bike lanes, thick forests and scenic routes), but it is the way that motorists accommodate cyclists that is the most refreshing.

In a Dubai lift

As I hurtle downwards from the 26 floor of the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai, it occured to me how frequently I stand in lifts during my travels. While all lifts do the same job, they do come in many different formats; some announce arrivals in an artificial voice, others require your room-card before they move. It is also interesting to experience different people that you share the lift with... as you never meet them.

Sunday lunch at Babel

On our way back from the Klein-Karoo, we stopped at Babel - the much-talked about restaurant on Babilonstoren farm, and it is really worth a visit. The restaurant prove that simple and fresh can be molded into sophistication. This is why I just love the Cape, something new and innovative always appear from nowhere.

Brilliant Food and Wine Weekend

We spent the weekend with the Kurktrekkers wine-club in the Klein Karoo. We tasted Boplaas's Port magic and learned about the premium wines made by Karusa near Oudtshoorn. The use of Portuguese cultivars like Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira is definitely growing in importance in this warm wine region. We were also treated by an exhibition of culinary skills at Jemima's restaurant, aptly supported by the unique wines from Sijnn.

Early flight to Johannesburg

I like the view from the business lounges in Cape Town International domestic terminal in the morning. Especially if the sun just crested the mountains in the distance. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and people getting ready to fly somewhere is in contrast with the lights reflecting on the wet tarmac and aircraft being readied outside.

Our first grand-daughter born

We were immensely blessed when Nina Cherie was born to Ernst and Catherine during the early morning of the 25th October. Everything went well and mother and child is in good health. Me and Annelie made use of the grandparents' visiting hours and were able to see the new little girl hours after the birth.

Complex IT architecture

I walked past one of the meeting rooms where a number of engineers were working on the architecture of a specific solution. A complex diagram was projected on the screen and two guys were debating a specific element of the design. I stopped and enjoyed the moment. I am so busy with my day to day management responsibilities, but I once again realise, that deep inside, I am still an engineer.

The dogs at home

Later at night, when life starts slowing down, Basie and Nonnatjie like to snug up to us and find a cuddle spot to fall asleep. They climb onto us or crawl into a cranny created by a cushion and then promptly fall asleep. It looks as if they really feel safe with us around. I thought we got them as guard dogs.

My friend Gerhard passed away

It received the sad news that my friend Gerhard Coetzee passed away during the past weekend. I remember him as a dedicated administrator, but someone that who were always inspired by a dream. I have spent good times with him in Gaberone, Swellendam, Kampala and Auckland. I will remember the stuff that we planned together and I salute you. My thoughts are also with Rana and the girls.

Sunday picnic

We packed a lunch consisting of cold chicken, salads, a nice bread and something special for an afterthought. The Bon Courage White Blend was a good compliment to the food. I always wanted to show Annelie the Helderberg Farm forest and the brilliant weather afforded us an opportunity to experience this picnic venue in the middle of wine country.

Cold front in the morning sky

I had a brisk cycle ride this morning to the water-works and back. At the top of the hill, I looked back towards False Bay. The sun was turning the sky into crimson and a ridge of clouds clearly marked the edge of a cold front moving eastwards. It was magnificent to experience.

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.