A Traveler's Photo Journal

A Very Warm “Welcome to Sweden!”

Posted on August 23, 2013 by volovecto

You couldn’t have asked for a nicer way to be welcomed to Sweden than what I was treated to today. After arriving in Stockholm at 7 am, friends Jan and Dawne picked me and my brother up from our Gamla Stan hotel and drove us out to their lovely place in the archipelago.

Jan and Dawne have been here in Sweden all summer, enjoying what some say has been the warmest summer in years. They have a truly spectacular place in the archipelago, secluded and quiet, with thier own boat dock. The casually elegant spot belies the amount of labor it takes to keep the grass mown and nature at bay. It is lovely beyond words.

Jan and Dawne’s place in the Swedish archipelago

Jan and Dawne

Jan and Dawne treated us to very tasty lunch, including shrimp, smoked salmon, brie, a wonderful salad and fresh veggies. Simple and elegant.

After lunch Jan and Dawne played tour guide as we cruised the local waterways. You could easily get lost among these islands, but Jan grew up boating in this area and knows it well. We marveled at the beautiful summer homes and boats along the shoreline. The season is starting wind down at the end of August. Many Swedes have the entire month of July off from work and spend it in the archipelago. The end of August finds many people shutting the houses up for the winter. NIghts begin to get very cool with daytime highs in the 70s.

We stopped in for a quick visit with Jan’s boyhood friend Stephan, and his wife Anne. They also have a lovely summer house on the water.

Stephan on the dock of his archipelago summer house.

It was wonderful to have such a lovely start to a vacation. I’ve been to Stockholm before, but never to the archipelago. Being invited into people’s homes, meeting new friends and experiencing a warm and friendly welcome was the best part. Everything seems so clean and orderly.

With jetlag beginning to take its toll on me, we headed back to Gamla Stan and the RIca Hotel before sunset. A very quick stroll around the old town proved I had not forgotten the streets and squares and sites of this part of Stockholm, the “city between the bridges.” Gamla Stan is quite a popular place, with about a dozen restautrants per block, if not more. There are shops, museums, churches and the Royal Palace on this small island in the city. The most recognizeable and most photographed buildings are in Stortorget square, where I stopped for this photo just before sunset.

The most photographed square in Gamla Stan at twilight.

A Gamla Stan shop window.

Posted in Sweden | 5 Comments

Lighter-Than-Air

Posted on August 12, 2013 by volovecto

Lighter-Than-Air: A Bird’s eye view of the Willamette Valley Wine Country

The air is cool and still in the predawn hours at the Newberg Sportsman Airpark. 41 guests are gathered here to participate in a unique kind of flight experience. It is precisely this still air that is required for these towering yet fragile flying machines. The instructions were to meet ½ hour prior to sunrise at the airpark. Hot air ballooning is a labor intensive operation, and as the guests check in, the ground crews gather in preparation for the mammoth task of unrolling the bags of colorful balloon material and dragging out the large wicker baskets.

Unrolling the balloon from the bag.

Due to the wind direction, this morning we must move the launch site from the airpark to a field a few miles away. The wind speed and direction is the deciding factor in everything to do with ballooning. Guests and crew are shuttled in the chase vans to the new launch site. It takes a ground crew of 4 to 5 people for each balloon. You are more than welcome to help with the set up if you are so inclined, and quite a few guests step in to lend a hand. At one point, two “volunteers” are required.

We are all here to experience first hand the amazing feat of flight without wings: Physics in action, warm air rises. Vista Balloon Adventures has 6 such machines, each holding up to 10 passengers. The entire experience lasts 3 ½ hours, including the set up time, the flight, and the brunch.

Although the air may be still and most of the land quiet, preparation for lighter-than-air flight is anything but peaceful. First, the wicker baskets (yes they are wicker) are dragged off the trailer. Not an easy task. Second, the very heavy bag full of the balloon cloth (the same material as parachutes) is also dragged out and then carefully unrolled. The next big task is to attach the balloon material to the basket and fill the balloon with cool air. As this is done, the rigging is attached to the top of the balloon. This is where the passenger volunteers come into play. My sister holds one side of the business end of the balloon open as two fans blow cool air into the interior.

Using two large fans, the balloon is filled with cool air.

Once the balloon is inflated with cool air and the rigging is set, it is time to heat the air. Now is when it really gets noisy. The two propane tanks are lit and blasts of flame are directed into the inflated balloon. The heat from the propane blasts is intense.

Heating the air in the balloon.

It doesn’t take long for the air to heat, and as the balloon moves from a horizontal to vertical position, the guests are instructed to climb into the basket.

The balloon is starting to rise.

Going vertical.

Things are moving fast now, and there is no time to hesitate.

My mother, my two sisters, Joe, me, and pilot Chris, ready to go.

With passengers loaded and the balloon vertical, Chris blasts more heat into the balloon interior and we lift off.

One by one the five balloons rise and take flight like so many dandelions drifting in the breeze.

Once airborne, the only noise is the occasional blast from the propane tanks. It is quiet now and you feel no breeze because we are moving with the wind. The flight is both exhilarating and calming at the same time. The balloons drift apart as the pilots look for air currents by testing different altitudes. This is the quiet flight part that most people think of as ballooning. It has taken quite a bit of preparation to get to this point. Chris patiently answers our questions and occasionally adds heat to the balloon to control our altitude.

We drift with the breeze enjoying the view and the peaceful atmosphere. All of the Willamette Valley with its fields of crops and ringed with hills of grape vines is laid out below us. We watch the other balloons and soak up the beauty of it.

The first balloon in the air was piloted by Vista Balloon Adventures owner Roger Anderson, who is now, as radio communications between the pilots reveal, making a decision on the landing site. Roger decides on a large field just upwind of the town of Newberg. We are at the highest altitude when that decision is made, and it proves to be an issue.

Three of the balloons near the open field landing site.

Some of the balloons touch down in the field.

We watch as the balloons one by one touch down in the field. It is obvious that we are too high. We descend as quickly as possible, but it just isn’t going to work. We touch down at the far end of the field, but the spot isn’t right (too close to wires). Our pilot abandons the landing attempt and we shoot back into the air as both propane tanks are opened fully and two flames blast hot air into our balloon. We rise quickly, and the chase van is told “We’re going over the river.” The air current drifts us past the river and directly over the small town of Newberg. There are far fewer options now and this landing is getting interesting.

Tree top level, looking for a spot to land in Newberg.

We drift at tree top level over houses, roads and parking lots. People in bathrobes come out to wave, cars pull over to watch, and barking dogs run in circles in their back yards. Several possible sites are abandoned, and we see how much we are at the mercy of the wind.

Our shadow on the trees

This type of landing, in a downtown parking lot surrounded by wires, looks to be much more difficult than touching down in an open field. Chris has spotted a parking lot next to a coffee stand and the chase van is directed to the location. Our ground crew jumps out, rapid fire radio communications fly back and forth between the balloon and the chase crew. I’m slightly apprehensive and thinking to myself that this is an awfully small area close to a lot of electrical wires, but the wind is blowing us away from the wires, and I’m not the pilot here, just a passenger, so my role is just as an observer and I keep my thoughts to myself.

The coffee barn parking lot/landing zone

The ground crew hold the anchor line as Chris lowers the balloon to the asphalt.

An anchor line is dropped and the five ground crew hold us over the spot. The experience of the pilot and the ground crew are evident as the balloon and basket are jockeyed into a safe position and we slowly lower to the asphalt of the Coffee Barn parking lot.

One by one we exit the basket and told to hold the balloon steady and keep our weight on the basket exterior. We are all clear of the basket except the pilot as the balloon deflates and the basket is pulled over on its side. The intense labor factor kicks in again as the balloon is disassembled and rolled back into the bag and the basket and gear are once again stowed on the trailer. We are close to the airpark and brunch, the last to arrive, having had the longest ride and most exciting landing.

Back at the airpark with all accounted for, Roger gives his traditional champagne toast; “The winds have welcomed you with softness. The sun has blessed you with its warm hands. You have flown so high and so well, God has joined you in your laughter and set you gently back again into the loving arms of Mother Earth.”

Roger gives his traditional toast to the guests.

Guests and crew dig into the buffet breakfast and discuss the morning’s adventure. There was one surprise engagement and many birthdays and anniversaries celebrated during the flights. Ascension certificates and autographed balloon posters are handed out.

It was a memorable morning.

IF YOU GO:

Vista Balloon Adventures is based at the Newberg Sportsman Airpark in Newberg, Oregon, 35 miles southwest of downtown Portland. 1-800-622-2309. http://www.vistaballoon.com.

We made it a weekend getaway and stayed at the very lovely Crawford Crest cabin, rented through Vacation Rentals By Owner, http://www.vrbo.com. The cabin was 10 minutes from the launch site. http://www.vrbo.com/398465, 503-538-9594.

Posted in Oregon | 2 Comments

Picnic Traditions

Posted on June 17, 2013 by volovecto

One of our picnics, taken in 1965. From left are me, my sister Katy, my sister Rebecca, my grandmother and my sister Kris.

Many of my fondest childhood memories include picnics. My mother was a great picnic maker, and we had many growing up. I don’t know how she did it, packing up 5 kids and food, and usually a chocolate cake in one of those portable cake carriers. My mother still laughs when she sees the photo above, taken in 1965 when I was two. In the photo are my grandmother, my three sisters, and that is me on the far left, holding my hotdog at least two feet above the fire. I can’t believe I used to eat those things.

One of my sister’s birthday falls right in the middle of summer, and I must confess that I was always a bit envious. Every year for her birthday we packed a great picnic and headed to the Oregon beaches. (My birthday is in the winter and were always spent indoors with awful weather).

The trail down to Hug Point beach, Oregon.

During this last visit home, I asked my mother to take a picnic with me to the beach, recreating those wonderful childhood memories. I requested the traditional picnic fare, which for us was; potato salad, beans, hotdogs and chocolate cake. It has been decades since I ate a hotdog, so we substituted brie with bread for the hotdog.

My mom’s traditional potato salad, baked beans, and bread with brie.

The must have chocolate cake, complete with strawberries and real home-made whipped cream.

For this picnic, we headed to Hug Point. We brought Rupert and the usual accoutrements for an Oregon day at the beach; jackets and scarves, even in June.

Rupert enjoying the beach.

Hug Point, Oregon

It turned out to be a beautiful day, but a little windy. We arrived at 10 am, and were the second people there. Dogs are welcome on Oregon beaches, and Rupert had fun exploring.

Posted in Childhood memories, Family, Oregon | 2 Comments

Back In The Day

Posted on June 13, 2013 by volovecto

My mother’s house, photo taken in 1967 just after the hay was baled.

When I go home to visit my mother, I stay in her house, which was passed down to her from her parents who purchased it in 1926. We consider this old farm house our homestead.

The house as it looks today.

I’m starting to pay closer attention to details when my parents reminisce about the old days and recall personal experiences. Digging through boxes of old black and white photos produces evidence to substantiate the stories, so my love of old photos keeps me busy for hours.

My grandparents on the front porch steps of the house. These steps are no longer there.

My mother, as a child, on the same steps holding a cat.

During this last visit, my mother recalled memories from her childhood, specifically from when she was 8 or 9 and spent one week with her father, my grandfather, at his job as a fish receiver.

Fish nets at the dock, on the Columbia River.

My grandfather, Oney Oja, was born in 1902. He was a logger and a fisherman. When my mother stayed with him as a fish receiver, he worked for a company called Kaboth Sands Seining Ground, one of many horse seining fishing companies.

A fisherman standing behind the horses (from my mother’s collection)

Horse seining on the Columbia River (from my mother’s collection)

Large nets were played out in the river, creating a giant circle. Teams of draft horses, standing chest deep in the river, pulled in the purse seine nets full of salmon, either to the shore or to the sandbar. My mother only recalls the horses in the water and the sandbar. She rode with my grandfather in a boat, nicknamed a “slimey”, out to the sandbar where they used a gaff to pull the salmon onto the boat. Back on shore at the fish receivers scow, they used another gaff and threw the salmon (commonly as much as 40 pounds) onto the dock.

This photo is from the book Astoria 1811 – 2011 An Adventure In History

This photo is from the book Columbia River, The Astoria Odyssey

My grandfather had a private room above the scow, so my mother was permitted to stay with him and slept on a cot in his room. She remembers eating with the fishermen in the cook house, and being watched over by the cooks.

Pulling in the nets, (from my mother’s collection)

The fish camp cooks who watched over my mother (from my mother’s collection)

It must have been quite a sight for an 8 year old to see the huge draft horses standing in the river, sometimes with only their backs above the water line. It was hard work for the horses and my mother remembers that they would get pneumonia. The horses stayed in a barn out in the middle of the river when they weren’t working. One of my mother’s friends father was the head man attending the horses and keeper of the horse barn.

Here is an excerpt from Astoria 1811 – 2011 An Adventure In History:

Most of the sites were a mile or more from either shore and wholly submerged by the flood tide, so as the water advanced, both humans and horses would retreat to their camp built high atop piling. On these stilted little islands the horse seining crews, usually consisting of about 30 hands, and the five to seven teams of horses spent the season.

My mother was 8 or 9 when she stayed a week with her father so it would have been 1942 or 1943.

My mother, a friend, her dog Rusty and thier workhorse Nig.

My mother, a friend, her dog Rusty and their workhorse Nig.

Posted in Childhood memories, Family, Oregon | 1 Comment

Tough Decisions in the Oregon Wine Country

Posted on June 13, 2013 by volovecto

The Willamette Valley Wineries Association (www.willamettewines.com) lists over 180 wineries in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The first tough decision is where to start, the second, which ones to visit?

To celebrate my sister’s birthday, my mother and I escorted her to three tastings and lunch in the valley. June 1st dawned with blue skies, and promised to be a sunny and warm day. For Oregonians who had suffered through a very cool and rainy May, this was a welcome sight. From Portland, we drove west towards Forest Grove and then headed south on county road 47. Our first stop was Montinore Estate (montinore.com), on our way to our lunch destination in Carlton.

A map of the Oregon wine country

Montinore is a favorite of mine in a lovely setting. The entrance through massive gates and vineyards is a wonderful introduction to the beauty of the Oregon wine country. We were the first to arrive at the tasting room, which opened at 11 am. It is a beautiful setting and the women who poured our flights were informative and friendly.

The view from the Montinore Vineyards

Montinore’s Flight menu

Our flight consisted of 6 tastes for $10. We started with a 2012 Pinot Gris described as having “green apple & pineapple characteristics”. Because I am not a fan of Gewurztraminer, they graciously substituted a reserve Pinot Gris for my second taste. We all agreed that the 2009 Parson’s Ridge Pinot Noir, “earthly overtones & a touch of spice”, was our favorite. I purchased a 2012 Pinot Gris for consumption in the coming week, and a tasting glass with the attractive Montinore logo. My mother purchased one of the Pinot Noirs.

My sister and me at the Montinore tasting room

Montinore Pinot Noir

My mother and sister at the Montinore tasting room

My mother and sister outside Montinore’s tasting room

We left Montinore and headed south on 47, following the winding two lane road through the small towns of Gaston and Yamhill. Nearly every mile you pass vineyard signs pointing up yet another tree lined gravel road leading to a tasting room with wonderful views and excellent wines. Our destination for lunch was Cuvee, a French restaurant in the small town of Carlton (www.cuveedining.com).

Cuvee, French dining in the Oregon Wine Country

Cuvee. French dining in the Oregon wine country

It was my sister’s choice, having previously patronized this restaurant for dinner. The owner/chef, from Alsace France, was also our waiter. We started with clams for an appetizer, accompanied by fresh bread. They were perfectly seasoned and mouth wateringly delicious. For lunch I had a poached salmon salad, my sister had a seafood crepe (fruits de mer), and my mother had a delightfully spiced tart, a flatbread pizza with smoked bacon, goat cheese and onion. We enjoyed a local Savignon Blanc with lunch. For dessert we savored the best chocolate mousse I have ever tasted. The chef told us it was made with Grand Marnier and orange zest, topped with cream. It was delightful, and I would highly recommend Cuvee for anyone visiting Carlton and the Willamette Valley.

The poached salmon salad at Cuvee

The best chocolate mousse I have ever had, at Cuvee

After lunch we drove the short distance to Penner-Ash Wine Cellars (www.pennerash.com). This was my choice, based upon a recent experience back home in Tampa. I had attended a food and wine pairing at The Capital Grille and asked the Sommelier for his favorite Oregon Pinot Noir. He answered with Penner-Ash. I was unfamiliar with that name, so he brought a bottle for inspection. I noted the origin, Newburg, Oregon, and vowed to visit the estate on my next trip to Oregon, just days away. We kept that vow.

Penner-Ash was at the end of a long, winding, shaded drive, with a commanding view of the valley. The tasting room was surrounded by lovely gardens of native lupines and many other beautiful flowers. Our flight here consisted of 6 tastes for $15. There were some pricey bottles with both blends and estate Pinot Noirs. I chose a Penner-Ash Pinot Noir blend for $45, and a pretty wine glass with their logo. After our tasting we relaxed in the sun on the grass and appreciated the views from this most lovely of hill tops.

In the tasting room at Penner-Ash

Penner-Ash

Penner-Ash gardens and view

Enjoying the sun and view at Penner-Ash

Penner-Ash Pinot Noir

Our last stop was an impromptu choice. We passed a nice looking tasting room on our way to Ghost Hills Cellars, and decided to pull in and give it a try. The vineyard was Solena Estate. It was a beautiful tasting room with the requisite friendly staff. Our 6 tastes here were also $15. We were slowing down, and did not purchase any bottles, but we did take note of the vintners dinners that Solena hosts. $75 for food and wine in their lovely tasting room. We tucked that idea away for future use.

The pourer at Solena Vineyards

Solena

It was nearly 4 o’clock at this point and we headed back to Portland. The three different estates and lunch made for a nicely paced day in the valley. With over 180 vineyards to choose from, it is difficult to narrow it down to three. We missed one of my favorites, Erath Winery, but there are many more days in the valley to come. For more information and an interactive map, please visit http://www.willamettewines.com.

Posted in Food and Wine, Oregon, U.S.A. | 1 Comment

Going Home

Posted on March 18, 2013 by volovecto

The gauntlet of crabs

On our last morning at White Pearl, with a departure time of 11:30, we had our morning beach combing walk at 7 am and discovered an unusual sight. Over the past four days, we had come across evidence of turtles hatching, the shells broken and discarded along the high water mark in the sand where the hatchlings had broken through and made their run for the sea. We knew there were nests, but were told that most hatch in the night and are rarely seen. We were also told that the season for hatchlings was over.

The tired baby turtle attempting to make it to the Indian Ocean.

As we walked south from the resort along the shore line, my sister was a few hundred feet ahead of me. I saw her wave her arms and motion for us to come quickly, which we did. She was standing over a single turtle hatchling slowly making its way to the water. I have seen this before in Australia, hundreds of turtles racing towards the water, but this little guy didn’t look anything like that, and wasn’t in very good shape. He was moving slowly, had flies on his back and looked pretty dried out. We surmised that the nest had hatched during the night, and following his tracks, we saw he had crawled out of one of the crab holes. Either he had not made a successful run of the crab gauntlet, or had fallen down a hole, but either way, he was fading fast. My sister scooped him up with a handful of sand, and helped him the last few yards to the water, an outgoing tide. As soon as he felt the cool ocean water, his flippers began to move and he perked up and sped off. We wished him good luck and hoped that he would survive.

After another fantastic breakfast, we reluctantly bid farewell to the people at White Pearl and ended our beach stay. The birthday celebration was over, much champagne had been consumed, and now it was time to make our long way home. The return trip to the states started with a 30 minute drive to an old overgrown air strip where we boarded a Piper Cherokee for the 40 minute flight up to Maputo.

The road to the airport

The takeoff roll

I sat in the co-pilots seat and watched as we took off downwind with no flaps, a surprise to me. I had pointed to the flaps and motioned to the non-English speaking pilot whether he might want them, but he shook his head. We lifted off at the far end of the airstrip, just in time. The flight was uneventful and we had a great view of Maputo and the ferry as we came in to land.

The small airport we took off from near White Pearl, headed to Maputo

The short ferry route in Maputo from the air

Maputo, Mozambique from the air.

Coming in to land at the Maputo Airport, Mozambique.

The short private flight was followed by a one hour Airbus flight on SAA from Maputo to Johannesburg, South Africa. We had little time to shop (maybe that was a good thing) before our 6:15 pm flight on SAA from JNB to IAD. We landed on time in Washington DC after a long but uneventful flight from Johannesburg, South Africa on South African Airways.

All the flights and transfers through Mozambique and South Africa went off without a hitch. It wasn’t until we landed in Washington DC and discovered that United had canceled all our conneting flights did things turn bad. (The storm never did hit DC and the cancellations were unwarranted. We did hit snow further south during our drive to Florida). United had kindly “protected” us on flights home two days later out of Washington DC, an option we found unacceptable. We opted instead to rent a car and drive from DC to Florida, this coming after having already traveled for more than 24 hours. The drive was long, 940 miles, but it got me home two days before United could, and my sister one day ealier. This is just one of many times United Airlines has let me down.

It is quicker to drive from DC to Florida than to wait for United Airlines to rebook you.

Posted in Mozambique | Leave a comment

Monday March 4th

Posted on March 11, 2013 by volovecto

Mozambique sunrise March 4th

My birthday dawned sunny and bright. It would be our best beach day yet. I went out onto the deck of our room to look at the beach, and there were Augie and Teresa down on the beach writing a message for me in the sand.

Teresa holding a very large writing tool.

We did our customary early morning beach walk which was very productive. We found many small cowries, limpets, colorful scallops and more. The best find came on my birthday morning beach combing, a Paper Nautilus, a treasure deposited by the sea for me.

Me and my sister on the south beach, March 4th.

Me and Teresa

The Paper Nautilus I found while walking the beach the morning of March 4th

We enjoyed the breakfast and our waiter Sergio, a soft spoken and kind young man who was very patient with my attempts at Potuguese.

My sister and I were schedule for a swim with wild dolphins and snorkeling excursion that left the resort at 11:30. Mozambique is one of only 7 countries in the world where you can swim with wild dolphins. Our skipper told us that his company was in the process of filming a BBC documentary, BBC having chosen Mozambique for the filming site.

We watched as the zodiac type boat ran ashore through the waves. We needed help to push it back out when we left. The rules are very strict and the skipper was knowledgeable. We sped up and down the coast in search of a pod of dolphins. If we found them, the skipper would decide if they were friendly or not, and whether or not we would get into the water with them. Not having much luck up and down the shore, he took us to Pique Benine, a bay where he often found the dolphins resting with their babies.

Looking for dolphins.

Sure enough, we saw three juvenile dolphins swimming in the bay. We were instructed on the appropriate behavior, not to touch them, to allow the dolphins to approach us, etc. We jumped into the water with flippers and snorkels and discovered a pod of about 20 to 30 dolphins resting on the bottom. Only the three juveniles were on the surface, a common occurrence. You would never guess that so many were under the surface resting. The dolphins, we were told, can rest from 7 minutes to 7 hours on the bottom like that, with half their brains shut down and eyes closed. The dolphins moved off, the skipper called us back into the boat and we were told that they were exhibiting avoidance behavior, not playful behavior. Once again the skipper moved the boat about 30 feet in front of the dolphins, in the direction of their movement. We jumped back into the water to see if they wanted to play. Two of the juveniles swam towards us, getting within about two feet of our snorkel guide Jasse. I swam on my side as instructed, an invitation to play, as one of the dolphins got closer. Another moved away from the resting pod on the bottom, swimming up in our direction. They swam within about 10 feet of me, but then the pod called them back. The skipper said they were in rest mode and we would not disturb them, so we moved to a reef for snorkeling, seeing many colorful fish, a large ray, and a sea turtle cruising the bottom.

Indicating the size of the sea turtle I had seen while snorkeling.

Happy snorkeler.

Skipper Sasha.

Back at White Pearl there was more bubbly on the beach and then prep for the evening. Augie, Teresa, my sister and I met near the pool for another bottle of South Africa’s Gramm Beck’s sparkling wine and birthday toasting.

50!!

A drum and dance demonstration took place in the boma area at 630. It was a lot of fun, and they even sang a Mozambique version of Happy Birthday. The outdoor deck was set for dinner under a clear and beautiful sky. Following our dinner a birthday cake appeared with more singing. It was clear and gorgeous night, our last night in Africa.

birthday cake

Posted in Mozambique | 1 Comment

White Pearl Resort, Ponta Mamoli, Mozambique

Posted on March 9, 2013 by volovecto

White Pearl Resort, Mozambique

We had four nights at White Pearl along the coastline, situated in a protective bay. The first day the winds were strong out of the south as we walked around the point, but the resort was protected from the wind. Our days followed a predictable routine; an early morning walk on the beach at 6 or 7 am, breakfast, more beach combing, lounging in the shade during the heat of the day, sundowners, and dinner. It was just the sort of routine I was looking for after our busy days of game drives and sight-seeing.

breakfast tray

breakfast with a view

The resort was beautiful, the staff subtle. We had our own butler, Aboo, who would set up the beach cabana or bring us champagne, or whatever else we needed. Augie was told he was welcome to play the beautiful white baby grand, and he took full advantage of it.

We had a great day on Saturday with partly cloudy skies and warm temps. It was nice to have a few days with nothing scheduled and only relaxation on the menu. The beach was nearly deserted and stretched as far as you could see. We walked north and south, finding the best shells on the southern beach. There seemed to be thousands of beach crabs scurrying down the beach as the ocean receded, then were washed back up onto the sand with the inbound waves.

Sunday morning brought a Mozambique rainy season squall, but we walked the beach anyway. As the rain passed, we gathered on the beach. The clouds cleared and the sun came out, so we asked Aboo to bring us a bottle of Gramm Beck sparkling wine and we again toasted our good fortune at being in such a beautiful spot. Sunday evening was beautiful.

We enjoyed sundowners around a bonfire in the boma area. The food was excellent, mostly seafood, but they always had a vegetarian selection as well. Augie played the piano for all the guests at dinner.

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From South Africa to Mozambique

Posted on March 8, 2013 by volovecto

We departed Cybele at 7 am for the four hour drive to Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. Luckily our route took us in the opposite direction of the construction and our driver Excellent was capable and friendly. He would be our driver and handler through the Mozambique customs. Leaving Cybele took us through planned forests and banana plantations, then passing some very scenic areas with rock formations and rivers. The terrain changed to flat farm land with crops of sugar cane and tomatoes, to name just a few. We also passed another Kruger gate, the Malelane Gate. Rain plagued us the entire drive from Cybele through the border.

Thank goodness we had taken the time to get our visas in DC. The border customs routine went well, Excellent telling us it was his smoothest crossing ever. Immediately after crossing into Mozambique we saw a change in the amount of people walking along the road and litter. In South Africa the roads are clean and well maintained. There were long lines of people going into South Africa from Mozambique.

Maputo street scene

Mozambique’s civil war ended in 1992, but they have had a hard time coming back. The country needs infrastructure and much more. Excellent recited stories of his experiences driving in Mozambique, including stops by the police. As luck would have it, as he passed a truck and only momentarily exceeded the speed limit, he was clocked by roadside police and motioned to pull over.

We watched with some concern as he searched for his license then exited the vehicle to speak with the police. Eventually he returned and told us a US $20 bill allowed us to continue. He also said that the Mozambique police target cars with South African license plates and that corruption is rampant. The driving was hectic, with many cars disregarding the stop lights. It was no wonder, as Excellent had told us, that many of his colleagues refuse to drive the transfers into Mozambique.

Chaotic traffic in Maputo

Excellent’s job was to escort us to the Maputo airport, which he did. Our original plans were to take a helicopter from the airport to White Pearl Resort at Ponta Mamoli, a 30 minute flight, but we had been informed the night before that the helicopter was down for maintenance, and it would require a 5 hour ground transport. It was a disappointment to not get the helicopter ride, but our motto for the day was “Keep calm and carry on”, which is exactly what we did.

We were easily spotted by the White Pearl representative, who unfortunately spoke very little English. Portuguese is the official language of Mozambique, and our Portuguese was about as good as our drivers’ English. We all piled into the Toyota and started our slog to the resort. The trek would take us weaving through the streets of Maputo, a busy and litter filled city with ageing buildings in disrepair. We did get from our driver that the war had taken a large toll on the city, and it was evident. It was noon time as we made our way through the streets, seeing cars with their tailgates open and women selling lunch out of the back of the car. The sidewalks were full of vendors, shoes being a popular item. The local taxis, a van called a “chapa”, were stuffed with people, making many stops and more people cramming into the already full van. Embassy workers are forbidden from using the taxis due to the frequent fatal accidents they are involved in.

We got a bit of a surprise when we pulled up to a ferry dock and pulled into line. The 5 hour transport included about one hour of downtown traffic, one and a half hours of waiting in line for and then being maneuvered onto the ferry, and then 2 ½ hours of dirt road driving which was more like off-roading. The ferry was packed with people who work in Maputo, but who live on the outskirts. We saw school children returning home, vendors hawking wears and cars and trucks of all types. The tedious loading of the ferry took about 5 times the length of the ferry ride, which was quite a short distance.

Fishing boats on the other side of Maputo as we drove off the ferry

On the far shore we drove off the pier and onto rutted dirt roads. As we drove past ramshackle stalls of goods, I asked our driver to stop at a stall lined with the colorful textile sarongs or skirts called “capulana”. Married women wear them to get the respect they deserve. We got out and purchased two from the local boy. The cost was 150 meticais, approximately $6. We had changed our South African Rand for Mozambique Meticais at the airport prior to our transport. The exchange from US dollars to rand was about 8 to 1. We got 3 meticais for each rand, so we were figuring about 25 meticais per US dollar.

Road side shopping after we got off the ferry.

A 20 Meticais note

As we bounced along the dirt road we recounted our adventures and kept up a steady stream of jovial banter, everyone keeping up the good humor. The resort phoned our driver and checked on our condition several times.

The best road between Maputo and White Pearl Resort.

Typical road

What a relief it was to pull into the White Pearl Resort at around 530 pm. The staff was soft spoken and subtle, the rooms were clean and white and the beach was inviting. As we toured the facility, my friend Augie got a big grin on his face when he saw the white baby grand piano in the dining room. He was welcome to play at dinner, which he did, to all our enjoyment.

Reception at White Pearl

Lounge chairs overlooking the beach at White Pearl

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Kruger National Park, Thursday Feb. 28th

Posted on March 8, 2013 by volovecto

Early morning in Kruger National Park.

Having only three nights at Cybele, I had followed my usual habit and packed in as many activities as possible. Sitting at home planning the several days of excursions doesn’t exhaust you like actually doing all those activities. We had experienced a full day on Wed. with the scenic drive and the night dinner, and were all pretty tired. I think most of us would have appreciated a day of relaxation after getting in at 9 pm, but we mustered the energy and were up at 4:30 for our full day Kruger National Park game drive.

Edward was our guide again, and he was there at 5 am to drive us back to Kruger. We entered the park via Phabeni Gate, a location he thought would provide for more animal sightings than the gate we had used the night before. We had driven an enclosed van to the park but at the entrance switched to the usual open—air game vehicle. Cybele had packed us both a picnic breakfast and a picnic lunch for the day.

It was quite cool in the open-air vehicle as we made our way through the park. We had dressed in layers of t-shirts, sweaters and then our fleece jackets and we were still a bit chilly. Right away we were treated with lions at Nyamundwa dam. It was early, and they were further away than we had seen them at Sabi Sand, but they were there. Four lionesses were sitting and walking along the dam, sometimes playing with each other. We also saw hippos at the dam. The rules and driving in Kruger are different than that in Sabi Sand, which is a private game reserve. Kruger is a National Park, and you can self drive through the park. There are no rules regarding how long you can observe the animals or how many vehicles can stop at any sight, but you cannot drive off the road and there are roads marked no entrance.

Lions in the early morning at the dam.

The park has many Marula trees, the source of my favorite sundowner, Amarula. Edward explained that the bark of the Marula tree cures headaches, and it also given to people suspected of having malaria. The bark is boiled in water and the mixture consumed.

Waterbuck

After several hours and a lovely drive, we stopped in the town of Skukuza, a settlement within the park. It was named after James Stevenson-Hamilton, the first Kruger Park Ranger. Skukuza is a Tsonga word that means “clean sweep.” It was not an affectionate nickname. It was given to Stevenson-Hamilton because he was responsible for removing the people who had originally lived on the land that became Kruger Park. He swept them away, hence, Skukuza. These were the types of stories that Edward entertained us with throughout the drive. We had our picnic breakfast within the town’s borders.

As we continued our drive the day grew warmer and we started to peel off layers. We passed several herds of elephants and stopped to watch them. They are among my favorites to watch, and Edward endeared himself to me when he quietly remarked, almost to himself, “They walk like kings.” We crossed several rivers and easily checked off a long list of sightings. Our list included: guinea fowl, lions, hippo, tawny eagle, dwarf mongoose, kudu, white rhino, elephant, impala, wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, vervet monkeys, crocodile, wart hog, water buck, baboons, and Cape buffalo.

The day quickly began to heat up, and the animals looked for shade and a cool place to rest during the heat of the day. This is quite typical and what we encountered on all of our other drives. At the lodges, the drives are morning and evening. I had booked this excursion as an all day drive, but our eye lids were growing heavy and we were envious of the two lions we came upon at about 10 am already lounging in their shade and “flat.” At noon I asked Edward to cut it short and head back to the gate and our cool retreat at Cybele. I didn’t realize that it would be 3 hours later when we would actually arrive at our retreat, but we had to obey the park speed limit and of course stop at more sightings on our way back to the gate. We had our very close rhino encounter as we neared the exit gate.

What a relief it was to pull into the cool Cybele forest lodge. We changed into swimsuits and hit the pool, having our picnic lunch poolside. My sister had given me a CD of African music as an early birthday gift (Vusi Mahlasela, Sing To The People), so we put that into the suite’s stereo and enjoyed the music and our last evening at Cybele.

In the pool of the Forest Suite at Cybele

It was a good day for sightings, but the Wild Dogs I had hoped to see remained elusive. Another reason to return some day.

A postcard of the elusive Wild Dog

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