Pull Up A Seat At The Beach

Time for another ‘Pull Up A Seat Challenge’ from XingfuMama. This week, let’s go to the beach and get some sand between our toes.

When we arrived at the Isle Of Palms ‘Wild Dunes’ resort near Charleston, where we were to stay the night on our drive from New Jersey to Florida, there was not a single person to be seen on the beach. In fact, the whole place seemed deserted.

The beach in Phuket which had been hit by a Tsunami just two years before our visit seemed just as unpopular.

In Umhlanga Rocks, things were a lot more lively as many spectators took a seat on the grass as well as on benches to view the annual Red Bull surfing competition.

Further along the beach, the rocks provided improvised seating for holiday makers.

What a great place to sit for a few hours, quietly reading or just watching the waves.

It seems that everyone loves to be at the beach.

It’s the most relaxing place to sit and do absolutely nothing.

I’m looking forward to going back there at the end of May.

Hope your Sunday is also very relaxing. If you would like to join in the ‘Pull Up A Seat Challenge’, just click the link.

 

 

 

 

 

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WPC: My Local Beach

Here I am back at my ‘local’ beach in South Africa for a few weeks. Since I last posted, we’ve spent time in London, then visited our daughter in Johannesburg, and now we’re happily ensconced in our beachfront apartment with a view. Umhlanga Rocks is the seaside town we called ‘local’ for fifteen years.

It seemed like we’d never been away, when on our early morning walk, the iconic red and white lighthouse came into view.

There were fisherman on the rocks and cargo ships waiting to go into port, just as there always were.

A prayer meeting of huddled worshippers was in full swing, their voices clearly audible above the sound of the crashing waves.

The familiar sight of the pier with it’s whale-bone shaped arches, really made me feel  nostalgic.

Looking down at one obviously very dedicated sunbather, was quite a ‘sight for sore eyes’ as my Granny used to say. Hubby told me that his scanty swim suit is what is known as a ‘Budgie Smuggler’, which made me laugh out loud.

As we wended our way home for breakfast, the sky had turned a gorgeous shade of blue, and my favourite lighthouse in all the world was looking its very best.

So, no Iguanas or Sammy squirrel here to show you, although I have seen a couple of local monkeys around. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get some photos if they stay still for long enough.

Wishing you all a very happy weekend. Tonight we’re meeting my sister and her husband for dinner at one of our local restaurants.

I participate in WordPress’ Weekly Photo Challenge 2016

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Thursday’s Special: With the ocean as my background

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” – Jacques Yves Cousteau

Treats for a special girl and our 50 happy years together

The WPC this week is ‘Treat’.

Two years ago when Sienna came with her dad to visit us in South Africa, it was such a treat for the family to spend time with her,

especially my darling mom who hadn’t seen her since she was a toddler.

We took her to the beach

and out to restaurants where she could have her favourite food, and she even got to design her own pizza.

Making her own hot chocolate with marshmallows was also lots of fun.

A really delicious treat to enjoy

We went to the aquarium in Durban.

On the London bus in the shopping mall.

Then we all drove up to Johannesburg to see Auntie Mandy,

who took us see the lions at the nature reserve.

She even got to feed a giraffe.

It was a really fun time, chock-full of treats, and a holiday I’m sure she’ll never forget.

Today marks 50 years since hubby and met at a Guy Fawkes night dance. Little did I know when he asked me to dance, that we’d still be ‘Happy Together’ five decades later.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Happy+together&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=happy+together+turtles

It’s been a real ‘Treat’, and we’re going out today to celebrate, so I may not be around here again until tomorrow.

PS: Can someone please explain to me why my title for this post ended up at the bottom instead of the top, and I can’t change it?

My Sunday Photo: Just Married

My Sunday Photo: Fun at the beach

It’s almost winter here in Umhlanga, but the weather is perfect for a day at the beach. Lots of activity here, and only one person seems to be relaxing.

B&W Shoes and Feet at the Beach for Cee’s Challenge

“Anything with shoes or feet as the main focus of your photo” is Cee’s B&W Challenge this week.

I’ve chosen to be nostalgic and take a look at some shots from my beach in Umhlanga Rocks.  I’m really missing those almost daily walks along the promenade, when I could do a bit of people watching.

There were many different kinds of beach attire to be seen, but bare feet were usually the order of the day.

It was a great place to relax and read the Sunday papers,

or to just veg out and do nothing.

The perfect place to take the family pets for a walk.

If your feet get tired,  just kick off your shoes and watch the waves for a while.

The more energetic would go running along the promenade,

but the majority were more than content just to have a bit of relaxation from the daily grind.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my B&W trip down memory lane, or should that be “memory beach?” 😕

Freedom to express her ‘Joie de Vivre’, for Ailsa’s Travel theme.

I just love this photo of my granddaughter running free in England, after her dad stopped the car on the South Downs, for a bit of a leg stretch.

As you can see, she loves to have the space and freedom to express her joy of living in the moment.

After the stress of studying for exams, a deserted beach is the ideal place to find freedom from the confines of everyday life.

What is your idea of freedom? Visit Ailsa’s Travel Theme post this week, and join in the fun.

My smokey journey to Johannesburg

Yesterday was a very full day indeed. The new occupants of the apartment we were renting, arrived much earlier than expected. By the time we left,  there was a a mass of furniture and boxes outside on the patio. They were moving from another apartment in the same complex, and wanted to swap out their own stuff for what was already there. We loaded up our car, and were soon heading out of  Umhlanga, away from the beauty of the beach and the Indian Ocean.

It’s a long drive up to Johannesburg, and we expected to be at our daughter’s about 4pm. The roads weren’t too busy, and after stopping for lunch, we were driving through the Free State Province, when we noticed plumes of smoke in the distance.

At the end of a dry winter, the grass is always tinder-dry and veld fires are very common. As we drove towards the smoke, we saw in the distance, many trucks stopped at the side of the road and a traffic cop standing in the middle of the road, waving his arms around. We were told that there had been an accident involving four trucks and several other vehicles, and it would take many hours to clear the road. There was nothing for it but to turn around and drive several kms back to the last junction and take another route down one of the back roads. Why the traffic police couldn’t have had someone there in the first place, to divert the traffic, is a total mystery. We were bombing along this much pot-holed road, quite merrily, when we saw more smoke and vehicles ahead. Once again the road was blocked, and a truck was on fire. There was too much smoke for me to open the window to take this shot, hence the reflection of my arm.

We sat waiting for what seemed like ages, and eventually the road was opened, but from the other direction, and dozens and dozens of trucks came slowly driving through.

After a very long wait, we were once again on our way, and finally were passing the industrial outskirts of Johannesburg, which as you can see, isn’t a very pretty sight.

We battled through the rush hour traffic, and when we arrived at our daughter’s lovely house, the family were all there to greet us, and so was my piano. It was great to see it again. It looked very happy in its new home.  It’s very out of tune after the shaking up it must have suffered on the long  journey up here, but today the piano tuner is coming.

It’s a most gorgeous spring day here, and the garden is looking so pretty.

I’ve been glued to the TV this morning, watching the judgement in the Oscar Pistorius murder trial. I really hope that justice will be seen to be done for Reeva and her family.

One last nostalgic walk before we leave this paradise.

Today we took our last walk along the beach promenade. It was a beautiful spring morning, and there were already so many fishermen at the water’s edge.

We set off towards the lighthouse, which is something I’m really going to miss seeing, as our little lake in Florida doesn’t warrant one. The birds there seem to know exactly where they want come ashore, and without any help.

The Candelabra Aloes are looking rather sorry for themselves at this time of year. Their beautiful orange flowers have been picked off by the birds, and all that is left are the seeds.

The huge rocks along the shoreline look sombre in the sun’s first rays, as the beach cleaners arrive to start their day’s work.

This morning was the only time I’ve seen the pier totally deserted.

The ‘Pearls’ luxury tower block will soon be overshadowed by more highrise condos and a shopping mall which is due to be built right behind it. This once small village-like seaside resort is now getting far too crowded, especially at holiday time.

The ever present ‘Dinky Donut’ stand was closed for breakfast. Hubby and I have always managed to resist buying a tray of these calorific  deep-fried morsels. I wonder who forgot to paint the second ‘D’ on the side. 😕

This little girl looks to be having fun, whilst her dad plays with his laptop, but I’m sure she’d have even more fun if they could build a sandcastle together.

This one is luckier, as she races after her daddy, down to the sea in the safety area between the two lifeguard flags.

The sun makes the sea really sparkle, as these two runners pound the sand.

Here’s that wizened and twisted tree which shades the path so well on a hot sunny day.

We reach the bench at the end of the path, where I sit and watch the waves for a while, wondering how long it will be before we return here.

The wind is starting to blow quite hard now, so we head back for a shower and coffee. The guy with his metal detector is a regular along the beach. I’d love to know what his success rate is.

There is little progress on the new lifeguard tower, which was scheduled to be completed by October. Today the workmen look to be drilling holes in the old concrete base. Maybe they’re going to pack them with explosives and blow it up!

This sign is definitely worth a photo. We’ve eaten some really great fresh fish caught by various members of our family over the years.

The two of us walk along in companiable silence, and then I notice our ‘fat’ shadows linked together on the pathway. Must be all the good food we’ve eaten recently.

There across the water, is a hazy view of the city of Durban.

Then it’s up the hill behind these two walkers, one of whom appears to have a red tail.

The bright red, matches the lighthouse and the umbrellas outside The Oyster Box Hotel.

Then there’s just one lone fisherman and a single boat on the horizon, before we bid the beach and ocean goodbye and turn back into the road.

Tomorrow is going to be quite hectic as we pack all our belongings into our cases, and other stuff which we’re not taking with us, into boxes for one of our friend’s young married kids. We are driving up to Johannesburg to stay with our daughter for a few days, before flying to England. I’ll pop in on you when I can, and maybe even do a post or two if the internet access allows. Have a great week.

I’m linking this post to Restless Jo’s Monday Walk Challenge. She’s gallivanting in the The Algarve at the moment, but welcomes us to submit our entries whilst she’s away. Just click on the badge below.