A Walk in the Park & Wine in the Mountains

The next morning, Cathy, Nala and I set off for Nala's usual morning walk in her favourite (mine too) park. It's very funny to watch them both as they really look alike, two beauties with long, wind-blown hair, and Nala in front pulling Cathy with all her might to get to a much awaited pee, Cathy bravely striding out behind her holding onto the lead with both hands. The de Waal Park is leafy and green with child, dog (and poo) -friendly lawns and hordes of benches where one can sit and watch dogs chasing squirrels which they never catch, but what the hell, they live in hope (the dogs). People are friendly and smile and dogs have sensuous, butt-smelling encounters with each other. All is well.

It rained a lot for the first few days and on a day where the skies cleared and showed their infinity, Joel treated us to a lunch and wine-tasting experience. We drove through beautiful wine country, magical, great expanses of wine growing farms nestled between mountains.

We stopped at an imposing manor house with huge doors and outsized spaces with a dining area the size of a ballroom. The lunch was from the Gods and the wine from the angels accompanying them. As we regaled ourselves, looking over verdant valleys and daunting mountains, after wine, I thought I was in heaven. There was almost heavenly music playing. Amazing what a bit of alcohol can do! We continued tasting more wine sitting outside in cool gardens to try to soothe our wine-red faces.

And after all that magic and wine, Tony had a fat asthma attack in the car coming home!