I have to apologize for the extremely long break from writing anything! But I have to admit – I’ve been extremely busy. First off we continued with our travels and the last two weeks of my stay in Belgium was crammed with packing, visiting a few last places I’ve wanted to see in Brussels (and I didn’t even get to half of them) and of course touring a last few European countries. Luckily, my long absence has left me with several stories to tell and more photos to share!

Kleinmond

Upon our return we took to the road and headed to Kleinmond, which has become synonymous with “family holidays”. We have been going on holidays in Kleinmond for the past 4 years. Kleinmond is situated in the Western Cape (which is a 16 hours’ drive from Pretoria!). Needless to say we were completely exhausted by the time we got there and New Year’s Eve was celebrated sound asleep. (Well, we argued that it’s already long past midnight in Japan, so New Year’s has already been celebrated by our Japanese friends.)

But our time in Kleinmond was well spent. Not only was it so nice to spend time with my parents after three months of only Skype video calls but we were also soaking up the warm South African sun (which was definitely something I’ve really missed during my stay in Europe).

A Beautiful Sunset in Kleinmond, Western Cape

Our holidays in Kleinmond are always filled with days out in the sun, long walks among the fynbos and the coast, hiking, going to the beach, sleeping in and midday naps as well as preparing and eating delicious meals. The photos below are of our Grecian inspired meal, consisting of fresh pita, dolmades, freshly made tzatziki, olives, orange flavoured hummus, different souvlaki and a delicious salad (I will soon post the recipes!)

Greek inspired Dinner

We had a nice day out on the ocean where we caught some crayfish. It was a long process but time flew by while I soaked in the sun, taking in the beautiful scenery, cocktail in hand. After we’ve caught 20 big crayfish we returned to shore – more than 3 hours later (which, to me, felt like an hour)!

Getting ready to go out on the boat

Look! We caugt crayfish!

Hangklip beach 

So this past weekend we finally had our crayfish braai where we prepared  some delicious food to complement the delicate taste of the crayfish. I will soon post photos and details about our Kingly feast.

So, I am back and ready to tackle my blog head on. Be prepared to expect some more travelling memories and experiences, what my home country has to offer as well as several food-related posts!

Have you ever caught your own crayfish? And do you have a favourite family holiday destination?

Today is the first time in a very long and cold winter that I finally feel spring is almost here! Ahh, how beautiful Pretoria becomes in spring! Especially with the Jacaranda blossoms in full bloom!

Jacarandas on the University of Pretoria's campus

 Pretoria boasts some of the most beautiful Jacarandas and it's known as the "purple city" or "Jacaranda city". How beautiful the city looks in its purple tapestry! It is always worth the drive into the city centre (Brooklyn, Waterkloof and surrounds), marvelling at the beautiful trees. Usually, just afterr it rained, you can hear a popping noise when you drive over the fallen blossoms. It really does sound like the "snap, crackle and pop" sounds of Rice Krispies!

Jacarandas on the University of Pretoria's Campus

Unlike the Japanese Sakura, Jacarandas bloom for at least a month, sometimes even longer! And the trees are much bigger than the Sakura.

Unfortunately I won't be in South Africa by the time the Jacarandas are blooming. But I thought that I'd like to share some of the photos I took last year of the Jacarandas.

There is only 1 street in Pretoria with white Jacarandas.

There are many Jacaranda-lined streets around and in the University of Pretoria. There is a superstitious belief that if a Jacaranda flower falls onto your head, you will do well in the examinations!

What makes your city unique? Or what is the most beautiful season in your city?