The Sweet Service Award goes to Alle’e Bleue in Franschhoek.  The Food & Beverage Manager Desmond Spangenberg and the friendly and accommodating chef Dane Newton walk the extra mile for their customers.  A same-day request to organize a picnic for a farewell French class party at the Alliance Francaise in Cape Town was handled without hesitation, and the basket stocked with the most incredible treats, including a prawn and avo salad, a Caprese salad, fruit kebabs, sandwiches, a baguette, and pate’s.   When the basket was returned and payment wanted to be made, Desmond would not accept payment.   This is not the first Sweet Award that Alle’e Bleue has won, in fact it is the third Sweet Award in one year.

The Sour Service Award goes to the Provincial Roads department, for their widespread roadworks everywhere in Cape Town and in a 100 km radius of the city.  Whilst the major roadworks on the N1 and N2 are understandable, given the 2010 World Cup, with a resultant benefit of reduced traffic congestion in future, the extensive roadworks around the R45 turn-off from the N1 highway, the continued closure of the off-ramp from Paarl and to Cape Town, necessitating all traffic from Franschhoek and Stellenbosch to use the old Paarl Road, which is carrying an unusually heavy traffic load, on a road which is in poor condition, is no longer bearable to regular users.    A further frustration is the R 301 between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch, alongside Boschendal and stretching to the foot of the Helshoogte Pass, which has been closed for months already, and is to be worked on for a full year!  The road has three 10-minute stops, adding at least 15 minutes driving time to this route.  There is no alternative way to drive between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.   The roadworks are bad for tourism to both Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, and to Boschendal specifically, as they are a major turn-off.   What is even more frustrating is that progress on this stretch of road is slow, and one wonders why three sections should be worked on, instead of one section being finished and then a next one tackled.  

The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog.  Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at info@whalecottage.com.   Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTales newsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website.