So - today I have photos.
Last night I had dinner with the owners of La Residence - Phil & Liz Biden - who I have known for a decade. They are among the sweetest & kindest people in the world - very genuine and excellent hosts. They also own The Royal Malewane - the finest safari lodge in the world. I have had the best holidays of my life there ... it's not about the lodge itself (which is amazing) but the animals you get to see ... the big 5 ... I remember waking up to an elephant drinking out of my plunge pool. I digress - dinner was lovely and I finally got to meet Nicole (their daughter) who I have "known" for 10 years but had yet to meet ...
SO - up early to film La Residence. It was opened in August 2007 and has just 11 suites. My suite is superb. There are porcelain tiles (with undefl00r heating) throughout ... even the steps that lead to the bed are tiled. The furniture is either antique or "collectible" ... leather chairs from Argentina ... lead cut crystal glass chandeliers ... a bathroom with free-standing roll-top bath and balconies with unspoilt views of the valley (slightly lit up tonight!). It is called the Maharani Suite ...
The hotel has an infinity pool. The chef Wayne is fabulous. Last night it was haute-cuisine ... tonight pizza!
There are 30 odd acres of land attached to the property filled with vines and olive groves ... there's a pond with black geese and excitable ducks.
The service here is hard to fault.
After reviewing the property and interviewing Liz, we headed into Franschhoek to explore. We were joined by Glen Christie who gave us a tour of the area. Franschhoek is "the gourmet capital of South Africa" ... there are 46 restaurants ... a few of which are in the Top 10 of the country's restaurants. There is the wine, the cheese, the olive oil ... the chocolate and then the shopping! The town's population is - at it's peak - 45,000 ... not that big ... and it strangely reminds of Santa Barbara. Glen knows everything about the area and took us to the Huguenot Museum for a history lesson ...
Basically, the Huguenots were Protestants from France who were persecuted heavily by the Catholics in the 16 - 18th centuries. They first fled to Holland but then moved down to South Africa in 1688. The area was then called Olifantshoek (or Elephant Corner as herds of elephants used to live here) but the name was changed to Franschhoek (French Corner) when the Huguenots were given this land by the Dutch government. The town is one of the oldest in South Africa and this is visible in the buildings and the styles of architecture.
We then filmed in & around the town ... very colourful.
Our evening has been wonderful - good food, good wine, good whisky, good cigar and GREAT pizza! Need sleep ...
Song of the Day: Starry Eyed Suprise - Paul Oakenfold
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Msef24JErmU
Weather: Smoking
phil, liz, nicole & ...
morning view of the franschhoek mountains
the entrance
a naked lady! yum!
liz biden .. post-interview
the maharani suite (fit for a queen! haha)
no tim! don't do it!
our guide - glen
