We awoke refreshed to see nice weather, much
warmer than we thought it would be. We went down to breakfast to find that
there are two options, or both combined
You can have just the buffet
breakfast, or something cooked of the menu or both. We started with some juice,
black coffee - real, from a dispenser, a little weaker than we like it - and a
very good mini croissant from the buffet
John
then chose Open Karoo Omelette
Lynne ordered scrambled egg
with smoked salmon
The dining room looks bright
and fresh in the morning
We needed to do some work on
MENU after breakfast and were shown to the lovely suite of Gold lounges in the
hotel where we both found plugs and desks and set up on our computers. John
was successful , Lynne was not as the WiFi was still very weak and wobbly
There are all the original
features and more antiques
Beautiful tiled floors
And in the music room, a harp
and a spinet
These are some of the cottages you can stay in
More rooms are available in them, with a self catering option
We then went off for a walk
around town to explore
The village Post office is now
a small gift shop
The local fire truck
And the famous red London bus.
These were shipped out from England in the 1950s Lynne used to go to school and
college on one each day from Sea Point. It was nice to see where this one has
ended up. It is used here for the shortest tour in the country which takes place
each evening at 6 pm (5.30 in winter)
More wagons outside the Museum
at the railway station
Wonderful historic petrol pumps
outside the Coffee House
The old Lodge is now a farm
stall
Inside the Coffee Shop
The courtyard at the back of the Coffee House
Matjiesfontein nestling in its
valley beneath the uplifted rolling mountains in late afternoon. We visited
Sutherland in the afternoon. See here
Waiting for the train on the
platform
And Rovos Rail Pride of Africa
arrived on time. It is a luxury train filled with wealthy overseas tourists and
some locals doing a trip from Cape Town to Johannesburg and Pretoria and
sometimes to the Kruger Game Park
Tour Guide and Pub piano player
Johnnie Theunissen was there to welcome them with a blast of his bugle and
many got off the train for about an hour to see Matjiesfontein and join the bus
tour
Upstairs, of course
Still with original
advertising?
Tour of the village over,
Johnnie summons us for a tour of the Hotel which ended in the Laird’s Arms pub
The bus heads off, back to its
parking spot, 50 metres away!
Olive Schreiners' Cottage. She
lived her in the 1890's
Early evening sing song time in
the Pub
This beautiful painting c.1900
graces the front reception area
It is by British painter
Blanche Mathewes 1860-1914
Time for dinner. We both went
for the same starter, a twice cooked cheese soufrée in a herb cream sauce
John has the steak with chips
and salad
Lynne had the Beer Battered
fish with chips.. tartar sauce and a small salsa. The batter was very golden
and crisp
John went quite mad and had
this icky gooey chocolate milkshake in a jug, called Brownie Freak Shake. Then off to bed with
our books for an early night. It's this Karoo air.
We had another great night's
sleep and then it was time for breakfast. This time we both had the David
Rawdon special: A classic egg, bacon, tomato, mushrooms, baked bean and very
good sausage, with coffee toast and marmalade hit the spot. And then it was
time to pack up and leave the Lord Milner and Matjiesfontein. What an enjoyable
way to spend two days. We do hope to come back one day
At last a sight of green. The
very welcome rain clouds were gathering over the bud breaking vineyards and
mountains at De Doorns. Those mountain ranges do look exactly like huge waves gathering
to break on the shore
We stopped at De Wet on the outskirts
of Worcester, you pass it as you come out of the mountains from De Doorns. We
had never been here before
We did a lovely tasting of
their wines, were suitable impressed and three cases of wine went into the car.
The 2015 Chenin is on special at R30 a bottle and is very good indeed
Then onwards across the valley
towards Goudini Cellars And du ToitsKloof cellars. We bought some 2015 wooded Chardonnay
at Goudini and 12 bottles of our favourite Nebbiolo from du Toits Kloof winery.
Serious rain was beginning to fall in the du ToitsKloof pass and also on Paarl
and Stellenbosch as we drove home. . So welcome
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2017
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