Taking the Dutch to Oude Molen

Xperience 18

I have a strange soft spot for museums. One of my earliest memories was dragging my poor dad to the museum in Hartenbos. To me a magical place caught in a time bubble, now that I think back, not exactly what my dad had envisioned when they booked our seaside vacation.

So new town means new museum too and off I went. Swellendam has an interesting history and museum to go with it, but this was not the new xperience.

Something I didn’t know was that there’s a blueberry farm just outside the town. I know it’s not season, but after I saw the sign, I had to follow. I found a little farm called Wildebraam. They do not only grow blueberries, but make jam and liqueurs from all kinds of fruit which they buy in. Here comes the best part – tasting! I tasted Pineapple & Granadilla Jam, Sundried Tomato Mustard, Hazelnut Liqueur, Sweet Pepper Jam and I’m sure there was a Chili Chocolate Liqueur. For a change, these weren’t my new xperiences either.

Back at the backpackers I started talking to a Dutch guest touring our country for 4 months. I couldn’t help to mention he must have the best boss in the world, taking leave for 4 months? Jasper confessed he resigned his job to travel. During this whole conversation I invited him to join me for dinner at the Oude Molen, a small restaurant that came highly recommended by a friend.

Now I thought this was going to be my new xperience for the day. While having dinner at this wonderful little place just outside the town, Jasper threw a spanner in the works. My new xperience was not the restaurant, no. My new xperience was inviting a total stranger out for dinner. We only introduced ourselves after the first glass of wine. I know, I know, but it was only while we were ordering we realized we don’t even know each other’s names.

Looking back now, it seems Jasper and Natasha both pointed out a very important point. Every new xperience might have more than one dimension. Thanks to a stranger and a trusted friend, I’m now looking out for 2D (or maybe even 3D) xperiences.

 

Number 1, here we go!

Xperience 1

So today was the BIG day, day one of 365 ones to come. I have to admit, this morning I had a daunting feeling that this might be a bit bigger (quite a bit actually) than I anticipated.

I drove back from town, as I slept over at friends’ house (too much red wine on their lovely patio) and it was a beautiful golden morning, the mountain was crisp (something I didn’t feel) and suddenly it was a bit overwhelming. I felt a bit lonely and missed my family, plus I made this stupid pledge…and I told everyone about it, so I can’t pull out now.

At home I threw myself back in bed for an hour or two.
I was woken by messages, texts and FB messages from friends and family. Even though my family was far away, I was blessed with the most amazing friends, right here.

After a good hearty breakfast, some coffee, the Sunday paper and a (somewhat) loving cat, I got excited, really excited…

A while ago I ran into an old friend. I’m sure all of us have a friend like this. Someone you always see at parties, have an awesome time with and promise to have dinner some time, but it never happens. This is Marianne and me, it took us about 8 years to do dinner and boy what a dinner it was, yummmm.
However, back to the story. At the last party I saw Marianne, she mentioned her new job as a manager at a restaurant in the Durbanville hills.

So when I was thinking of something to do for my birthday and xperience 1, I did consider something more action packed, more active, but wisely (I think) decided to rather do a civilised lunch. Marianne’s restaurant (Ke-Monate) was perfect.
I’ve never been there, in fact I’ve done none of the Durbanville Hills wine farms yet, perfect to start a new year.

What a lunch it was…
My closest friends, a bunch of crazy, great and downright adventurous ideas for the next 364 days to go, wonderful food- like the swordfish (pronounced with a silent w), a savignon blanc straight from heaven, phone calls from my parents and sister and I had a perfect birthday.

Thank you to everyone who was there today, in person and spirit.

(Please note I’m writing this on my BlackBerry, no spell check and with a good share of that sav blanc, I take no responsibility for vocab and general editing…)