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Greetings from a beautiful day in Cape Town,
My dear members of CTC Marketing and friends, how we
missed hearing from you in the last 6 months although
the lockdown has been much longer. Luckily my online marketing has kept
us going and alive during these hard days we have had. So many
people have had such a difficult time and we must just keep going as they
say and have faith.
I was fortunate enough to be invited for an educational to
the lovely Garden Route town of George and surroundings by one of our
Tour Operators. There were many places I had not been to, as I normally
tour in Kwa Zulu Natal, and then Mpumalanga, Limpopo and of course
Gauteng for the airport. Now and then I have an odd Dutch tour that
will take me to the Garden Route, so a visit was very inviting. The
George Tourism Office also did an educational to the Montagu Pass which
was most enjoyable. We have been working hard under lockdown to find
different ways of changing our Marketing planning, and decided to
concentrate on self-drive tours, where we can put tailor-made tours together
and visit various members, and clients who would be interested. We can
now offer you 4x4 double cab fully fitted vehicles, to hire for a
weekend or for your camping holiday traveling through South Africa or
further.
 
Cradock railway bridge on Montagu
Pass
U Drive double Cab for touring
Our first visit on our tour/educational, was to Oudtshoorn
to visit “De Denne Country Guest House” where we stayed over one evening,
and had a wonderful dinner in their Ma Belle Restaurant, the next day we
visited “Highgate Ostrich Show Farm” and then “Mooiplaas Guest House”
where we also stayed over one evening. All three these places are
members of CTC Marketing, and are highly recommended for a visit when you
are in the area. The cuisine and accommodation was outstanding at these
Guest House.
The next trip was driving to the Swartberg Pass which I
had only been on years ago, so was lovely to see how beautiful it still
was. A Few kilometers up the pass you come to the turn off to “The
Hel” which is down a very twisty gravel road, suitable for high raised
vehicle or 4x4 vehicles. (See my Blog on our website for more info) We
did not proceed to go that way this time, but continued towards Prince
Albert, a lovely Karoo town. We were met on route by many vehicles
and film crew shooting a local movie here and as well as in Prince Albert.
So of course the town was teaming with people everywhere. We stayed two
nights with friends and had some time to visit some of the lovely places
to see. Prince Albert is a quaint town dating back to 1866 named for
Queen Victoria’s consort, it developed as a lumbering centre in the
early 1900s. More will be said about the towns and places in my next
newsletter.
 
The
Swartberg Hotel in Prince
Albert
A local Guest House in Prince Albert
After our interesting visit we set off, and had a
stopover in the little hamlet of Klaarstroom, where we had tea and
chatted to the owner of “Klaarstroom Guest House”, as they are members of
CTC Marketing. It was great seeing them, as I have not been round to see
them for ages. We were staying over for two nights in De Rust, a
small town at the other end of Meiringspoort that we will have to travel
through. This gorge is so beautiful and winds its way over 25
drifts crossing the Groot Rivier. The poort is also part of the Swartberg
mountain range from Klaarstroom to De Rust. It was the only way the
farmers bringing their wool through from the Groot Karoo could get to
Port Elizabeth for the exporting of their wool. Klaarstroom was well
known in those old days, as the wool was washed there before traveling
further in the 1800s. We arrived safely after a fascinating drive over
the drifts which have their own name printed on a sign post.
We were staying in a beautiful historical home renovated
as a self-catering establishment, and furnished with many art deco and
modern furnishings. Absolutely fabulous and is called “Rus in De
Rust”, which was so appropriate as it was quiet and had magnificent views
right around the house. In the morning you could sit on the
L-shaped veranda and follow the sun in the winter. Here we also saw
interesting places and quaint little shops with antiques in De Rust.
 
Main
Road of De Rust
Meiringspoort
Pass
Back to George after our visit, to meet with George
Toursim for our visit to “The Old Montagu Pass” just outside
George. We set off early in the morning to meet the Local Guides
that were joining us. The Pass is off the Outeniqua Pass going to
Oudtshoorn, about 2 km down to the Old Toll House where we met Gerda
Stols who was the curator of this lovely renovated Toll House that was
built in 1844 - 1647. Here we had a delightful morning hearing all about
the history of the mountain and the Toll House. After having a fabulous
cup of coffee and enjoying some lovely hot pancakes we set off for the
next place to visit.
This happened to be the only wine farm on this mountain pass
and was “Herold Wines”. Here we met Nico Fourie who is the owner
and vinter, and what an amazing time we had. They also serve cheese
and meat platters, and many other kinds of eats and treats. Besides
being a wine farm they also provide self-catering cottages, where you can
stay over and hike or walk around Herold, the little Hamlet where they
have their farm. After taking endless photographs and much talking we
took off for “Over the Mountain” that is a Guest farm and is known for
their wonderful Scones, cakes, and other eats, in their restaurant.
This guest house was located in the original Post Office and South
African Police Station buildings, dating back to 1844. They cater for
functions, weddings, tea parties and also have B & B accommodation
plus self-catering cottages for families. A delightful holiday farm
for the family to visit with children. After enjoying our scones and
coffee we set off to visit the “Kaukou” Honeybush Tea farm. This was very
interesting, as coming from Cape Town, we only know of honey tea and
rooibos tea on the West coast and never realized that they also grew it
in Herold, near George in the Garden Route. Here we tasted their
tea and had a wonderful presentation by Theo Adams, and left there with
great smiles and beautiful Proteas that are also grown on the farm and
even white ones, that were beautiful, plus each having a small box of tea
to try at home. So we ended our lovely day on the Montagu Pass,
which you should add to your bucket list if you have not been here
before. In my following newsletter I will give you more information about
some of these amazing places I visit while being in the George area, as
there is much more to tell.
 
Our
group of Guides on tour from
George
KauKou Honeybush Tea
We thank you for your loyalty, friendship and fabulous
Guest Houses, Lodges and Activities and Adventure that we have been able
to share with so many people all over the world. Because, without your
support and presence we would not have been able to run our Tourism
and Marketing business. We appreciate all your confidence in us,
and hope that you will also be staying with us for many more years to
come, as we all will be growing again, in the near future.
We wish to send you wonderful Blessings and Good
Health for the coming year of 2022, and hope that the world will be a
better place for everyone, and that we will all be able to do business and travel
again, may it be in a different way, but enjoyable and bring us much joy
and happiness.
Warm Regards from Chris and myself, and may you have a
wonderful Christmas Holiday, God Bless.
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