World Cup News June 2010

Armagh Country Lodge Spa & Rafters; we are very pleased that the World Cup Tournament is going so well in our Country.

It is amazing how many lovely people we have had passing by Storms River Tsitsikamma and dropping in for breakfast, lunch coffee or accommodation.

Our very first Guests were Mexicans and we have had English, Scottish, Australians, Germans IRISH OF COURSE!! Brazilians, Swedish and Norwegians, all in the space of a very few days since Kick-off last week on Friday. They also have their Vuyezalas and are entering into the spirit of things.

This photo depicts a family from Madagascar about to set out for the game yesterday in Port Elizabeth. They really live in London but father is a Doctor who works all over the world and we were privileged to have them with us for three days. Safe travels to all our visitors !

Viva ! BAFANA BAFANA Viva !

YES! the big moment! has arrived... the excitement even in this tiny Village is palpable.

Ashley, from Storms River Adventures, has got all the flags flying at the entrance to the Village ; Johan has been practising on the VUYUZELA! Jan from the local Hotel was spotted at the Tourism Meeting yesterday wearing his Bafana Bafana regalia, and tomorrow I hope to find some Makarapas for our Staff - if they aren't all sold out!!
Maybe I can upload that pic of Jan tomorrow.

We are so immensely proud that we have got to this point in an amazing journey in our beautiful country.

Negative press overseas: it makes us spitting mad - all we want is a vibrant tournament, success for Bafana Bafana, the unity of our people and loads of visitors to our country. A huge upsurge in tourism can be the result - that will help our country to move forward as more people are employed, housed and educated.

Viva !! Bafana Bafana Viva !!

Apologies for long delay in posting new info

At last my conscience has struck and I have a quiet moment to write a little bit on this very neglected blog. Wow! the weather is absolutely perfect today in Storms River Village with that little hint of chill which heralds Autumn, and reminds us winter is not too far away.

This shows the school playground on the right hand side with Head Teacher and children and the Tsitsikamma Mountain Range in the back-ground.

The other photo shows my sister, Iris, helping two learners with a school project on our fynbos mind you that was a challenge for a person from Ireland! but she had great fun...

The third photo in the middle is just a tiny sample of the elephants we saw recently at Addo

Since November we have been very busy with first of all Christmas and now Easter. In between we have had my sister to visit from Ireland and life has gone by in a tremendous rush as always.

We had an opportunity to visit our local Primary school the other day (photo above) and were privileged to have a demonstration of Irish dancing; one of the volunteers is Irish and has taught the children an Irish jig or two!! We really had big tears in our eyes thinking of the ould days and also praising this lovely girl, Neasa, for coming to South Africa to offer much needed help at our school. Hope I have spelled her Irish name correctly! I am adding a picture of the learners out in the playground with their Head Teacher, Mr Machaka, - such a dedicated man - when one sees such conscientiousness one wants to help in every way.

The last picture I am going to display is the wonderful show of elephants we were privileged to enjoy at Addo Elephant Park recently - also as part of Iris's visit. At one stage there were 80 elephants at one watering hole (they are not all featured in this one picture!); they are huge and beautiful animals - and how fortunate we are to live in this wonderful country with such amazing experiences just up the road.

Look at our website http://www.thearmagh.com/ for the new Elvis Logo and remember that the Elvis Festival is just around the corner on the last week-end of this month ( April 2010) and going into the first few days of May.

Next Blog I shall feature some of our Art as we are getting into the painting again and need to share with you what we have been doing. Oh! and of course we are getting closer to the Soccer World Cup June /July!!

A Blogger's Tale of woe OR typo errors manifested!

My first striking of the keys resulted in an unfinished article regarding "time flying" the Latin version! I was busy with Guests and suddenly the new entry flew into cyberspace before I could check it. I have returned to try and save face!

I was saying that I had the most wonderful trip to France and Ireland with really glorious weather in both countries; such incredible days travelling in the beautiful Garden of Ireland in County Wicklow - Breathtaking scenery every where and the old Church of Ireland churches and monastic buildings just positively stunning. Of course we spent time in County Armagh, visiting the family, and now I am back with batteries re-charged and soft memories of a wonderful holiday.

Here in the Village, our roads are still being transformed, our Guest House is busy, and at home we have a new puppy called Biffo (above). Adorable, but reminiscent of the babies years ago, when everything had to be suspended from the ceiling !

And lastly - Elvis fans ATTENTION! I remarked that there was, perhaps, an Elvis festival in the pipeline for next year -well! today Johan got confirmation of this exciting event at the Tsitsikamma Tourism Association Meeting; it will definitely take place in our Storms River Village, and surrounding Tsitsikamma area, and be hosted and coordinated by Jan du Rand of the Protea Village Inn, and his wife, Ann. So if you're lonesome tonight it's time to get out those blue suede shoes and join us for the time of your life at our Heartbreak Hotel (not) on the Garden Route. Your blue eyes will be crying in the rain if you miss out as we'll be all shook up making new bridges over troubled waters where we can be the greatest of great pretenders gaining back that loving feelin' OH! PLEASE STOP MARION! ENOUGH ALREADY!! apologies to all you genuine fans out there already booking those airline tickets. When must you arrive ?? April 29 30 31 and May 01 2010. Viva Las Vegas!

WOW! - Tempus fugit!!

I am so sorry that it has been such an absolute lifetime since I have updated my Armagh Blog.

Since that Spring day when we were all tripping lightly aroun the Maypole (or the African equivalent) life has just been a hamster ride but with better scenery!

On the left, case in point, I have featured my son, Stephen - you remember that he built the Armagh back in 1994 - with his wife Charlotte in teh beaufiul narrow streets of Annecy.

We were out for lunch in Annecy where they now live. They bought the Hotel Chappet, Bout du Lac some years ago. This Inn-keeping sure does run in the blood! My sister and I stayed on the shores of Lake Annecy and visited the precious grandchildren Hubert, Rufus and Ferdi who have become quite fluent in French.

Meanwhile, Johan was busy keeping the wheels of the Guest House running smoothly in my absence. I think he was quite relieved when I returned after gadding around Ireland also.

Spring Day! Sept 01 2009

Suddenly they emerged!!.. after much frantic work behind the scenes our two Spa Therapists Elzette and Tanya were ready to greet the Spring. As I write this they are setting out on a marketing mission around the Guest Houses, Hotel, Adventure Centre, Supermarket and Backpackers in our Village.

With very special discounts and prizes to be won there is definitely an air of excitement. One would expect to see a pink rabbit or, at the very least, a baby lamb cavorting (or should one say gambolling?) on the lawns. Wafting over the Armagh, from the car-park to the guest rooms, the fragrance of jasmine heralds the arrival of spring. Johan is so excited he is having a hair-cut today!

Our organic vegetable grower, David, is swinging by later on his bicycle to deliver our fresh broccoli and cauliflower, Estelle is holding a party to celebrate the full moon, International Year of Astronomy and the lining up for the first time in 14 years of Saturn's rings, and to cap it all 400 years since the discovery of the telescope.

If that were not enough, our roads in the Storms River Village are being upgraded with beautiful paving blocks. AND lastly there are whispers of an Elvis Festival to be hosted by our local Inn keeper Jan (of the immaculate Cadillacs) in April next year.

Isn't it just great to be alive!

May your Spring also be bright and happy and full of iridescent colours.

ARMAGH/15th Birthday today!!

We are celebrating our 15th Birthday today! We cannot believe how the years have flown by and how our business has grown from 2 rooms initially, when Johan and I did absolutely everything, to the 6 room and 2 Cottage portfolio of today!

Rafters has been a huge success serving as we do traditional South African cuisine such as boboties and bredies (all we could cook initially) and evolving into such exotics as crocodile, warthog carpaccio, venison and of course the extremely healthy low fat ostrich meat. Seafood evenings will also be a twice monthly feature in the new Season commencing mid September.

We are also featuring our lovely Spa Therapists, Elzette and Tanya (See picture at the very top) Now that we have two young ladies permanently in place, we can offer the very popular Couples Massages which are particulary wonderful for the Honeymooners - increasing numbers of which we are getting. Where do they stay? - in our Candlewood or Oak Cottages, of course, which are as romantic as can be.

Lastly, lest Johan be forgotten!!, one of his winter projects (among several) was to revitalise the ponds in front of the Guest House and restore the koi, who were sadly eaten one late supper evening by a Cape Clawless Otter! Imagine! It is not easy in Africa!! So below is the result and what a feat!

Reminiscing over the past 15 years OH! how much we have learned, we have laughed and cried, we have been hurt and misunderstood, we have been praised and we have continued to work.

I think the most important aspect is to know one never arrives; one strives always to improve, to be better, to think laterally, to continue to dream, and to build literally on those dreams.

One of the most beautiful affirming aspects is how many of our initial Guests, way back in the days when there was no lawn and no trees and not even a ceiling in those first two rooms, have just returned and returned to us. That is why it is so rewarding and still a pleasure to come to work to greet our many loyal Staff for another day in paradise!!

We want to see you here again soon!