Goodbye 2024

  Goodbye 2024

Covid Vaccinations:

 October - Covid Booster with Flu Vaccine

Travel:

Criccieth - 26-30 January

Lanzarote, Puerto Calera - February 11-26

Viking Ve - Tulips & Windmills (Ams>Ams) 27 Mar - 5 April

Scenic Azure - Unforgettable Douro (Porto>Porto) 18 June - 8 July

Scenic Jasper - Romantic Rhine & Moselle (Ams>Basel) 5-19 Aug

Criccieth - 24-29 August

Viking Skaga - Paris & Heart of Normandy (Paris>Paris) 5-12 Sep

South Africa, Gordon's Bay - 11-22 November

Funerals:

4 January - Pierre Johan Loubser 29/10/1939 -22/12/2023 

22 May - Sieglinde Brigitte Wilson 05/10/1937 - 14/04/2024

10 December - Cliff Forsyth 1/11/1942-24/11/2024

Christmas Trees (?) for Sale in St Albans

 

Post Box Toppers

 

This year's pillar box toppers in St Albans have been the best so far.

But it was so cold that I passed several keeping my hands in pockets not wanting to take out a phone to get photos. Luckily Krisie was made of sterner stuff. All the following photos are by Krisie.

Krisie and Dan at Oslo Court

 

To London to Oslo Court. It's Krisie's first visit.

Toby, Emma, Jack, Dan & Krisie at Aspava

All together, first at home to exchange presents then to Aspava for our Christmas get together.

Commonplace Book 2024

I posted out copies of my fifth annual Commonplace Book. The cover shows Portugal's Douro River, taken on a Scenic River cruise on 4 July 2024, from outside the Côa Parque Museum, where the Côa River joins the Douro.

Insets on the rear cover show Jack, Toby and Emma at Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, England on 21 September 2024 and Dan and Krisie at Ernie Els Winery, Stellenbosch, South Africa on 22 November 2024.

Delheim Lunch and Homeward

 

Last day in the Cape and our tradition is a final meal at Delheim.

We had a last look at the vines,

and headed to our Garden Restaurant table at the edge overlooking Table Mountain in the far distance. I had again Cape Malay curry and we had a bottle of Vera Cruz Pinotage 2021/

With Pinotage ice-cream dessert we had a glass of Edelspatz Botrytis Riesling 2022.

Then back to the apartment to pack; we left for the airport at 16:00. In the lounge we had a glass of Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel MCC and Bonneville River Collection  Pinotage 2022.

On the plane it was a choice between Champagne and Simpsons Chalklands Classic Brut NV from Kent, and jolly good the latter was too. With dinner I had Irache Reserva 2017, a Spanish blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo, and Grahams Six Grapes Ruby Port to finish. I was disappointed there were no South African wines.

The plane arrived on time on Sunday and we'd missed the snow, but it seemed very cold and dull.

Dan had to be at work the following day so we went to bed, had lunch and Dan & Krisie drove back to Wales.