SA day 3: rain, more rain, and pudding

Yesterday evening, we all decided (while half asleep) that we should rent an additional car that Eric and I could drive.  There is the small fact that they drive on the wrong side of the road here, and that the cheapest cars have manual transmissions. The manual transmission isn’t an issue, as we drive a manual at home, however absolutely everything, including the location of the gears is flipped. And unless you’ve done it, you have no idea how unnerving it is to turn left on a red light. 

(here we all are packed into one car!)

This morning, Eric headed out to rent our very own VW Polo (like a VW golf, but smaller… lots smaller).  Eric wouldn’t allow me to ride with him in the car until he finished hitting pedestrians more practiced, so I got to ride around with our hosts and tour guides.  Our first stop was Table Mountain, which was closed because of the rain.  Our second stop was a vineyard, which was closed because of the rain.  Our third stop was the beach, which was closed because of the rain (noticing a trend here?).  The sun finally came out long enough for us to lunch on the patio at a place called Michelle’s where I had a croquet monsieur, which reminded me of France.  And at their shop, I saw this…

…Which is not quite what I expected of a margarita. Things are definitely different in South Africa. 

Afterward, we tried to go to Kirstenbosch Gardens.  This is what it should look like

And this is what it looked like instead

Womp womp. We briefly visited the Waterfront shopping area, before heading home to whip up a curry for dinner.  Afterward we indulged in a south African dessert, Malva Pudding, which is a sort of sponge baked pudding with a caramel cream and butter sauce on top…

Verk lekker is what one of our hosts family members calls it.  It’s Afrikaans for “to die for,” and they are right.  The closest thing I’ve had to it in America is like a sticky toffee pudding.  Mmmmmmmmm…. Post dessert we headed right off for bed.

Apologies for the lack of photos today, the weather was dismal but the company was delightful and one of those definitely comes across better via blog.  Tomorrow I shall make up for it, though.  Tune in to hear about how we are now cheese experts (as if I wasn’t before!), how we scored the VERY LAST bottle of a 2001 Shiraz that was voted the best red wine in South Africa, how Eric and I now know every word to Gangham Style and are fluent in Korean (not really, but it feels that way), and how I am incapable of ordering anything but coffee flavored gelato.

Goodnight for now!