Tag Archives: Portugal

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 62 of Level 1, 1 December 2021

 

Wednesday 1 December 2021, Day 62 of Level 1 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#grateful for a well-organized busy day, meeting all my deadlines; for preparing for my meeting this afternoon, for two Discovery Gameboard plays; for a meeting with Ward Councillor Nicola Jowell – Ward 54 and City of Cape Town’s Ricardo Thompson to discuss litter cleaning on the high days and holidays coming soon, and on weekend days during summer; for an earlier Status meeting than usual at newkings boutique hotel, so that we could get to Blowfish Restaurant for a Fedhasa end-of-year event, with City of Cape Town Alderman James Vos addressing us, being in charge of Tourism; and for being happy, healthy, and free. 🙏💙

My Blogpost today is about the 12 SA restaurants which have made the 2022 global La Liste 1000 Top Restaurant List, and for Restaurant Klein JAN receiving a special accolade.

Alderman James Vos thanked the hotels which helped to accommodate close to 300 passengers who were stranded at the airport last Friday, when the Travel Bans were implemented at short notice by foreign countries. It showed how well the accommodation industry is networked, and how quickly it is able to react to a crisis, when the world was turned upside down in such a short time.

He said that SA should be rewarded and not punished for having identified the new variant. The City’s Marketing focus will return to the Domestic Market, new marketing campaigns to be launched on Monday 6 December. He confirmed that the first United Airlines flight from the USA is still scheduled to arrive tomorrow. The first cruise liner arrived in Cape Town yesterday. All its passengers have flown back. Out of 37 scheduled cruise liner arrivals in Cape Town, 5 have been cancelled to date. Die Burger reported today that the loss to our local tourism industry is estimated at R225 million per day.

He said our industry performs best under pressure. We must continue to market and showcase Cape Town. He announced that direct flights between Cape Town and Portugal are planned for next year.

I was disgusted that ‘comedian’ Keenan Cerff was invited to ‘entertain’ us at the Fedhasa function. I was not impressed with his crassness and jokes in bad taste, joking about the Travel Ban, about people with strokes, and more. He then decided to pick on me, calling me ‘Auntie’. I wanted to get up and klap him. I did give him a mouthful afterwards. 😡😡😡

SA Corona Status: 2,976,613 cases 89871 deaths  25,782,259 vaccinations

FitBit 7000 steps 5 km 👣

LovemylifeandloveGaryslife 💙❤️

The Corona Virus Lockdown (Level 5), announced by our President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier to commence on 27 March 2020 and to continue until 16 April, subsequently extended to 30 April, lowered to Level 4 from 1 May, lowered to Level 3 from 1 June, lowered to Level 2 from 18 August, lowered to Level 1 from 21 September, and moved back to Adjusted Level 3 from 29 December,  extended to 15 February on 11 January 2021, extended but relaxed on 1 February, and relaxed back to Level 1 on 1 March 2021, moved back to Adjusted Level 2 on 31 May, moved back to level 3 on 16 June, and moved back to Adjusted Level 4 on 28 June, extended by two weeks on 11 July,  returned to Level 3 on 26 July, returned to Level 2 on 13 September, and returned to Level 1 on 1 October is an unprecedented event in my lifetime. I am posting my daily Facebook post to journal this Corona Lockdown Journey, perhaps to serve as material for a future Book.

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whaletalesblog.com www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide

 

SA Winners of 2022 Great Wine Capitals Global Network Best of Wine Tourism and Ambassadors Awards announced!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The winners of the South African leg of the 2022 Great Wine Capitals have just been announced by Wesgro. Two wine estates won in two categories each.

Added to the local Awards are Tourism Ambassador Awards, not an official category in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network annual awards, but added to the South African awards only.

South Africa is one of 11 wine-producing regions of the Great Wine Capitals network. The regions are Adelaide in Australia, Bilbao and Rioja in Spain, Bordeaux in France, Cape Town and Cape Winelands in South Africa, Lausanne in Switzerland, Mainz and Rheinhessen in Germany, Mendoza in Argentina, Porto in Portugal, San Francisco and Napa Valley in the USA, Valparaiso and Casablanca Valley in Chile, and Verona in Italy.  Awards are presented annually in a number of categories pertaining to Best of Wine Tourism.

The 2022 winners of the South African Great Wine Capitals Global Network Best of Wine Tourism Awards are the following:

#   Accommodation: Delaire Graff in Stellenbosch – the accommodation offers opulence, views of the Banhoek Valley, a relaxing stay, a private patio, and a pillow menu.

#.  Wine Tourism Restaurants : Creation in Hermanus  – wine is paired to food, instead of the other way around at Creation, its latest pairing being a CanapĂŠ Pairing Menu. It also offers a Brunch Pairing, a Wine and Chocolate Pairing as well as an aromatic tea and food pairing.

#.  Architecture & Landscape: Vergelegen in Somerset West – recognised for its Octagonal Garden, the Camphor Forest, the Reflection Garden, the Sundial Garden, and the Fynbos Garden.

#.  Arts & Culture : La Motte in Franschhoek – recognised for its history and curated art shows, and Cape Dutch architecture.

#   Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences : Babylonstoren in Franschhoek – recognised for its wine tasting offered to visitors arriving with the Franschhoek Wine Tram, going on a cellar tour, and visit the new wine tunnel, representing centuries of wine making and storage.

#.  Wine Tourism Services : Creation in Hermanus – recognised for their Voormanhuis accommodation, local art, commitment to sustainability, and sourcing locally.

#   Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices : Vergelegen in Somerset West – recognised for the 20 year journey of its commitment to sustainability and rehabilitation, presented as an Environmental Tour to visitors. It is self-sufficient in water, and the meat and seafood used in its restaurants are locally sourced and ethically raised.

#   Ambassador Awards, celebrating ongoing Transformation:  AA Badenhorst, Paardenkloof Estate, and Dewetshof Estate.

 

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide

 

 

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 20 of Level 1, 20 October 2021

 

Wednesday 20 October 2021, Day 20 of Level 1 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#grateful for a beautiful 29C summer day, without any wind; for an early Bakoven walk to avoid the heat of the day; for 2 Discovery Gameboard plays, allowing me to cash in on a Woolworths R100 shopping voucher; for getting my work done in preparation of the Status meetings today; for bumping into Leslie Back at Woolworths Piazza da Luz, she recognizing me, Facebook friends but we have never met ❤️; for excellent meetings at newkings boutique hotel and at Zest; for meeting two Zest diners, Rui of Portuguese descent and Marcello of Chilean descent, Rui most impressed that I Continue reading →

‘SA’s most experienced Restaurant Reviewer : accolade from IconicZA magazine!

 

In my ‘career’ as a writer I have been called many things by not so nice persons in the restaurant industry. It has been a wonderful experience to have new descriptors added to the collection describing me: ‘indomitable’, meaning impossible to subdue or defeat, and  ‘most experienced restaurant reviewer’, both accolades by the new IconicZA digital magazine in an article in its October issue.

For readers who have not seen the article, and would like to learn more about me, warts and all, I am sharing the content of the article: Continue reading →