Big Game Day

   The sound of howling wind on a thatched roof must have been the perfect sedative. I slept so soundly last night! I awoke early without an alarm and went for a walk again. This time I went a different direction up the hill. I met some workers in the vineyard and they explained the pruning process in order to produce great grapes. I found a trailhead with a topographical map and would  have loved to have headed up the small path. I knew there wasn't time so I headed back to the beautiful buildings where we are staying.
 
After breakfast all 12 of us loaded up again in 3 cars to head to a game reserve. It took two hours to get there. The scenery along the way was just beautiful. I love mountains and these are unlike any in the US that I have seen. I've been to just a few locations in Europe and they remind me most of what I saw in Ireland.      

   Some of their larger vehicles were big enough to accommodate all of us. The guide immediately reminded us that he could not promise how many or what variety of animals we would see. No sooner had he made the disclaimer than we saw two elephants and two cape buffalo! Our guide, Timothy, told us that elephants do not like cape buffalo. The explanation wasn't really necessary. It was obvious by their behavior. Kind of funny to watch. The half day trip also included good close-ups of hippos, rhinos, a giraffe, lions, zebras, elands (a kind of deer) and lots of springboks (the national symbol.) We really hit the jackpot!
 

The buildings in this valley are all white and so clean and well kept. Notice the thatched roof (in the first picture) which I mentioned. Our safari party was a happy group as you can see in the second picture. I didn't have to use the zoom to get the lions up close--and there were no bars or cages. Tonight we had pizza upstairs in a cozy common area right near my room.

  I took several pictures when we returned "home" since Brian and I are leaving early tomorrow morning.