Honeymoon # 1

Roughly after 38 weeks of marriage (22,809,600 seconds) lol, loving every minute, Will and I went on our honeymoon. We waited for our honeymoon to be in South Africa so instead of Napa Valley we went to Stellenbosch.

First stop in Kareedouw - pit stop to get some coffee.  It was a great place just beyond the mountains, something like driving to Isola Fossara, Italy. 

We stopped at a great cafe that was decorated with fifties ads.  But it wasn't too kitsch, and the place was floor to ceiling with wood, which makes sense given all the pine trees along the garden route.  Even our Vetkoek (below) was served on a wooden board.

Mountain views, lavazza coffee, coke floats, and this guy!  I was already having an awesome time at stop #1. Our actual destination for the night was a backpacker stop in Wildernis (Wilderness).  This is like the middle of the coast of South Africa, part of the Western Cape, not the Eastern Cape where we live.  It has magnificent beaches that go on and on for days, and a great little town.  I had a great time at the backpackers, view from the parking lot (below).  Everywhere you turn is another gorgeous picture.

Wilderness has a winding river (Serpentine) for paddle boats, hiking trials, beaches, lagoon, really steep mountains that you drive past.  Thrilling views from the car were a continuous theme.  I will never forget how beautiful and diverse all the scenery is in South Africa.  If we were more beach people we could have stayed at Wilderness, but we had to get to our final destination Stellenbosch.  On our way back home, we stopped at two other beaches (Knysna, and Jefferys Bay).  Its only the beginning of our beach trips.  We plan to actual get in the water sometime soon too.

 Knysna (Nice-nah) continues in the opening to the ocean. Its actually a warm-water estuary with an island in the center with a few shops, restaurants, and residents.  Like Martha's Vineyard. This is the view from our hotel room.

Jefferys Bay is a surfing town. We are going to go back because it is really close to us.  This was a final pit stop on the way back home to Grahamstown.