Hazyview to Pilgrims Rest

Day 3: in the Morning we had our continental breakfast which was delivered to us the afternoon before and placed in the fridge...a basket with yoghurts, 2 sandwiches, 2 croissants, jam, butter, 2 breakfast bars, apples, banana and nartjies.....we ate outside in sun...what a great start to the day....

Eating breakfast

We decided to drive back towards Sabie, then to Graskop, then God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes and back past Ohrigstad to Pilgrims Rest......of course when we reached Graskop i spotted the chocolate shop and Kim saw Harrie's pancakes...so we had to stop....we bought two choc shot glasses and a small Amarula liquor, one chilli coco truffle and one marzipan truffle....i guess i dont need to say whose was whose.....we shared a pancake (cinnamon,sugar and apple pie).....yummie...filling was cold, which kim loves, i would have prefered warm....

Truffles delicious, chocolate for shot glasses, not really...idea nice though

Menu at Harrie's pancakes

Ready to head to God's window

God's window is about a 7km ride from Graskop....very close....there were 2 attractions to see....the rain forest and God's Window....God's window (short walk), nice view.....(oh, i forgot to mention entrance per car is R5)....but definitely only go there if it is a nice day, otherwise will not see anything.....

God's Wiindow

Then was the walk through the rain forest...wow...it was hot...it was uphill....we were carrying our leather jackets...and wearing our heavy pants....yes, it was not easy at all...but walking through the rain forest...well worth it...
Kim in the rain forest

View when we reached the end of the rain forest

Next stop was Bourke's Luck Potholes.....R25 entrance per adult and R5 for the car....and oh my word....so beautiful....so well worth a visit...kim and i took a lot of pics cause it was just wow....really incredible...

Small waterfalls

The potholes

River by the potholes
I just thought it was an amazing site....after that we continued and stopped at a view point from which we could see the damn from a distance (the Lisbon falls and Three Rondavles we were keeping for tomorrow)....and again..the views were so beautiful....

The damn in the far distance

Me...in my biker jacket....

Then it was time, we thought, to head to Pilgrim's Rest...we found this quaint little coffee shop....it was so cute...that i said to Kim i have to try a cappuccino there.....we each ordered a coffee and when it came, i was speechless....i didnt care what the coffee tasted like...it was jst so cute and beautifully presented...i loved it...couldnt stop grinning....marshmallow...gold sprinkles (how clever...first gold was discovered in Pilgrim's Rest).....

Cappuccin and Affogato

We also had the home-made trout quiche...perfect size...divine...the coffee wasnt very strong in the cappuccino...too much milk...but i would def go back and order it again...cause it was such a cool experience...so amazing...loved it...and the lady who runs it so friendly....she said "oh...you guys came with that bike over there (and pointed at the Harley), is that a BMW?".....kim almost had a heart-attack...hahaha....

Now....off to find the hotel...Royal Hotel...established in 1894....and you know what...that is what the architecture looked like...so cool though...amazing....and our room...so old fashioned...but so cool...loved it...kim immediatley said he will definitely have to have a bath.....

The bath

The accomodation

After the bath it was happy hour time....

Of course Kim wanted to do it....

Then we walked to info and asked about which Restaurants will be open for dinner...only the Royal Hotel and it is buffet R120pp.....oh hell.......in dont even wanna write about it...the food was shocking...terrible...revolting...and no im not exaggerating...kim was even like...what the.....the starters were all deep fried things (mushrooms,chicken etc) and it was all COLD, mains...potatoes....rice....cold beans and cold butternut and very fatty and cold roast...dessert.....milk tart which looked like a dog had chewed off the edges, dry brandy pudding, melon and cold apple pie.....so we took some apple pie and asked for ice cream....oh my...the ice cream must have been frozen and re-frozen cause the vanilla tasted like ice cublicles rather than vanilla ice cream....horror...Then kim took some coffee from the thermos...it was cold...so we asked for fresh one....new warm coffee came...kim poured in milk...and guess what....it curdled cause the milk was off....what the hell....i was so disappointed...this is a heritage site, tourists come here...and this is what they serve....shocking...absoloutely shocking...so so disappointing...and so embaressing....i defintely will tell people NOT to stay overnight...rather drive through and have a coffee and a light lunch at....

Our coffee spot in lower Pilgrim's Rest

After that we went to bed...had our Amarula shot in our chocolate shot glass....yummie....and goodnite...tomorrow off to Hans Merensky.....so today....all in all we drove 180km.....lots of fun.....

 

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