Dinner last night at Baia was great. It was this huge restaurant on the water. Some folks had huge fisherman's platters of lobster, lagostino and tiger shrimp. I had boullabaise, Others had a fish cooked in parchment. Suzie brought everyone blinking lion necklaces and gave them out at dinner. All of the ROARers were blinking up a storm.

Today we left at 8:30 for the wineries with our first tasting at 9:30. The weather was warm and a bit overcast, but lovely. The scenery was great. The mountains are lush and green and the vineyards are beginning to change color (fall is starting here). We had fun tasting a number of whites and reds before leaving for our next winery. This winery was beautiful and they served us a lovely selection of wines and cheeses. I am a lover of cheeses and they had brie and edam cheese with caraway, chives, or olives...delightful. I bought the chive cheese. Others bought some wine. Then, it was off to lunch. Lunch was magnificent. We had a selection of beef, chicken or pasta. I was expecting normal tour fare. Lunch was outside with a beautiful view of the mountains and vineyards. It began with a greek salad, then for the steak, it was a huge filet mignon with a pepper mushroom sauce over a delicious medley of vegetables. Dessert was creme brulee. This winery also had a glass blowing shop with lovely things. I resisted, but many bought glassware. The groups (there were 4 busses) split into two, with two going back to the hotel and two going on to another vineyard. We ended the journey with a stop at the prison Mandala stayed in.

While the scenery is great and the atmosphere very European here, with great sophistication and elegance, you travel by acres and acres of townships or shantytowns where there is communal water, little electricity and women wash there clothes in communal watering spots. We understand that many of the public schools only have one textbook per classroom and most exercises are given by handouts only. The shocker was that women try to have unprotected sex to get AIDS in order to gain extra support for their families. So much violence occurs in these townships, that few actually die of AIDS. There is such a dichotomy of rich and poor in this truly lovely country.

As far as animals, we passed by ostrich farms, some zebras, some antelope and a crocodile farm.

Tonight, some folks are going out for Indian, others to an African venue and others are having a quiet night around the hotel. Tomorrow is our tour of the Cape.

We have a wonderful group of LCTers and are all getting along so well. Lots of laughs. Wish you all were here with us, learning and enjoying it along with those who are here.