Road tripping: Eastern Cape

I'm writing now from Bantry Bay; the doors are open to let the sea air through and there is still sand between my toes from Glen Beach.

The sea was as cold as slush puppy but we stayed in, soldiers.

Beach bats.

Good friends.

Ice cold coke.

Paragliders suspended in the blue sky; Table Mountain grand behind us.

I feel rested and smug. My skin is browner.  My hair curlier from the sea. My brain has rebooted.  December has been a most beautiful month. 

It started in the Eastern Cape, with a Nanaga Pie that was confirmed to be the best pie ever (By a man who doesn't normally like pies) .Then Grahamstown: The rain had finally cleared, it smelled of dust and the stench of exams had finally been erased. We celebrated the holidays with wine at the Monument, and pizza at the Rat and Parrot, which is just as it should be. 

Bathurst toposcope.

Then Bathurst. We ate breakfast at The Pig and Whistle  (the oldest pub in the country, they say). They also say there's no thirst like Bathurst, but hey that's down to personal experience. Then we stopped over to visit Richard Pullen's  pottery studio, where three magical no- moisture-yet-beautiful-and-smart- salt cellars left with us as Christmas gifts.

On Sunday I visited the bustling Bathurst Market , a treat. The Grahamstown bread man is now selling his loaves there. I bought some yummy pesto too, and a bag of beautiful tomatoes. They made a tasty brunch when we got to Storm's River after a lovely stay in Port Alfred.

On the way to Storm's, we took my little Tazz on some back roads, between Boknes and Alexandria. A herd of cattle blocked our path, and herded us for a while. So beautiful, so typically Eastern Cape Summer: Lush greenery, deep blue sea, mottled cattle; and the freshest air in and out of our lungs.