Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - May 19, 1973, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press saturday May 19. 1978 15 travel Page Cape Peninsula glows with color by Charles Parr Cape town South Africa special one result of dash ing around the Globe at Short intervals is that my Garden gets into More of a mess than most. On a recent visit to Cape province it was frustrating to say the least to see mauve Watsonia and yellow me sem Bryan theum on which i Lav ish tender care with very Little result growing wild by the acre at every Roadside. The Friend from Cape town who took me around the prov Ince is a wild Flower enthusiast and she assured me there Are Over species of blossoms on the Caps Peninsula alone. I could Well believe her. The whole area was alive with color. Even so i missed the Best display which occurs Dur ing september and october when the Spring Flowers Are Al their most spectacular. But there Are blooms in plenty the whole year round. The Best buildup to the Cape if the visitor has the time to spare is to follow the 500-mile Garden route running South from. Port Elizabeth. This is available As an unhurried three Day coach trip with Driver guide and with Over night stays at comfortable hotels in route it also operates in the opposite direct lion coming up North from Cape the first Day s run hugs the coast with the wooded Tsitsi Kama mountains to the North and skirts beaches far surpass ing in natural Beauty anything that Durban and port Eliza Beth have to offer. The trip i taken at a gentle Pace will frequent stops to Admire Thi outstanding Beauty spots. W had time for a walk into the Tsitsi Kama Forest Sjirk thick with stink Wood Trees so Callei because they give off an Aro Matic odor when sawn or Cut and the wild Vine called Mon key on the second Day the coach headed Inland for the Shor Section North to Oudshoorn i eluding a slow but Scenic Craw around the hairpin bends of the pass. A Little later we were coasting Down through some rather Ari Farmland i noted in the it distance what looked like Here of Black and White frisian Ca tie but moving in an Odd Jerky manner. Then i had Long stare and suddenly n Mem ered that Oudshoorn the Only place in the Wori where ostriches Are reared an plucked. A visit to one of the Ostic farms is included in the Stine i shown the open enc d wooden shelters under a Fitch the female Birds sat on heir clutches of enormous Gas. We saw How ostriches re rounded up and tied Down or plucking in a Strong Wood n harness. I was then invited o stand on a newly Laid Ostrich go. I m no lightweight and i id this with some hesitation a expecting to get a shoe Ful egg Yolk but the Shell seemed As Tough As steel. Stops for photography be ame even More frequent on he third Day As we drove by Ween flowering Gums and Yel of gorse on our Way from la Ismith not to be confused Vith Ladysmith in Natal to Montagu with the jagged Langeberg mountains As an imposing backdrop. For the last hour tie Road wound Between peach Groves vineyards and then be saw table Mountain with he while Clouds pouring Over and Down the slopes h be a Waterfall and we knew or journey was finished. Cape town is easily the mos attractive of the Large South african cities with wide Well Aid out boulevards elegant shops and Well tended Parks. It s the natural Centre for excursions throughout Cape prov nce and has its own nature Reserve just below the South Ern suburbs. Also incidentally t has the mount Nelson which stands High on my Short list of really comfortable Well run in Tell. Food and service Are excellent and there is t de rightfully period atmosphere in the dining room with its courteous Indian waiters Pink Middle aged English faces Blossom at every Bula like overblown there is even a pianist daintily tinkling the hits 25 years ago. Don t miss it. Hotels throughout the prov Ince have a Good Standard of food service and friendliness. The Only Black spot was the Lanz Erac a country hotel near Stelle Bosch which Curtly re fused lunch to your perspiring correspondent who was without formal dress on a very hot Day. If your route to South Africa is to be via an air sea return is Worth considering. I flew out to Johannesburg by Boac and tailed Back from Cape town to Southampton on the Windsor Castle. This ii a Good combination with 11 Day cruise forming a restful conclusion to tour the re Public. It also allows the tourist to follow the Garden route without doubling Back on his tracks to return from Johannesburg. So altogether there s much to recommend it. New hotel rises on Baltic Beach by Hubert j. Erb Warnemuende East Germany a the hotel Neptun rises White and modern on a Fina strand of Baltic sea Beach. It is East Germany s finest and newest hotel. A danish ferry runs Between Warnemuende and go user in Denmark hauling trains and passengers. As the ferry sails in two slate Gray East German patrol boats head out to sea. Their Mission is to protect against incursions and see to it that no East German makes Bis Way to the West by Way of the sea without permission. This contrast in purposes reflects present Day East Germany. On the one hand the communist state is becoming increasingly outward looking particularly in Trade and other dealings with the scandinavian countries to the North. On the other it is its own people who want Assim Boine travel service special Wiik Frankfurt chapter departing july 5 returning August Price charter 1 non Stop 2 guaranteed departure 3 complimentary meal and bar government absolutely require that All too kinds be made be fore4une5th. For information and reservations Call Assim Boine travel 219-811 Portage 7i8-7bh 775-9953 badly to be Able to visit the West. The hotel Neptun was built by swedish Money then sold to the East germans to run. Its swedish fixtures Promise continued influence in its management. The luxury of Many of its appointments seems almost unreal when viewed against the backdrop of needed general rehabilitation for the town of Warnemuende a gathering of privately owned Homes now badly in need of repair. Rostock just to the South fits somewhere in Between. It is one of East Germany s most attractive cities much has been done to remake the old City Centre into a picturesque grouping of red Brick seacoast houses and shopping streets. As the country s Only deep sea port constructed because of the loss of setting to Poland eos lock is still in a stau of flux. On a weekend a Neptun employee disclosed that 80 per cent of a full House was made up of people from the communist controlled free German Trade Union association. These included a number of elderly people Given an Outing in apparent Reward for past services. Evidently the tariffs paid for such guests Are different from those paid by outsiders but everyone in the hotel pays the same for food drink and entertain ment. These prices can be Steep. A dance club atop the 20th floor a 6v4 Mark or cover charge. It serves mostly wine. Two brandies Cost in contrast a Good Steak potatoes and Beer served in downstairs Grill room attractively appointed in a rustic style Cost for two. A double room was 88v4 Marks or about including breakfast. The hotel 715 room to serve meals to people and convention facilities for persons. Each room has a Balcony and a View of the open sea. Let someone like Harry introduce you to Alfred the great Thomas Hardy Lorna Doone Ben Nevis and a Bunch of other friends. Far from the madding crowd in a Village in Dorset you can walk round the Small timbered cot Tage where Thomas Hardy wrote his name into history. If you mind your head on the Low beams you can see it All without getting a bump. Thomas Hardy is just one of the famous names and his cottage one of the famous places you la learn about when Harry takes you on the grand coach tour of Britain. Eighteen Days visiting 26 cities 9 castles 12 cathedrals and dozens of villages pubs and cottages like Thomas Hardy s. And you can do it All for less than a Day for land arrangements. That s 3 meals every Day a. Hotel with Bath sightseeing a Host and eighteen hts hired years of British history. The grand tour is just one of air Canada s Friendship holidays where you leave the hotels the meals the arrangements and the driving to us. If you like the sound of it follow it up in our new Holiday guide. It s full of Friendship holidays. In Devon and Cornwall Wales and the Lake District or the High lands and lowlands of Scotland. And dozens of other equally exciting vacation values All in one big Colour Ful guide. Free from your travel agent. Or us air Canada. When you take the grand coach tour of Britain you la be driven guided and befriended by a Man like Harry. Harry s More than just a Char Acter. He s full of stories fun and facts. Hell take you and talk you through eighteen Hundred years of history the length and breadth of Britain in eighteen Days. You la meet poets playwrights and Prin Ces. You la see Kings castles and cathedrals. You la Marvel at the Lochs in Lake District and the locals at every Stop you make. And knowing Harry hell know the name of the landlord which Beer to order and the measurements of the barmaid. In fact Harry s equally at Home anywhere or he s introducing you to Alfred the great in Winchester sir fran Cis Drake in Plymouth the Black mountains of South Burgh Castle or the historic col Leges of Oxford. Harry knows them All like the Palm of his hand and better than any guide Book to Boot. And while you soak up Britain and stay in handsome hotels from Dorchester to Dunfermline you la be making friends with your 31 travelling compan ions. And Long after you be tried remembering the name of Thomas Hardy s wife or the height of Ben Nevi you u remember the friends you made. And of course Harry. He reckons he s made More than 300 new friends this year too air Canada s Friendship holi Ckys-18 Days for Only that s just a Day with private Harry and 31 new a ride you can t afford to miss. Mind you if you d like to try something a Little Shorter we be lots of 7 Day Tours so perhaps you could even Combine them. We be Only quoted prices for land arrangements Here. So now let s look at the Best Way to get you there. Our Economy excursion fare remains die Best buy. The. Round trip Day fare shown Here is for april May september and october. For the higher mid sum Mer rate Check with your travel agent or air Canada. 943-9361. Whenever you Fly our varied schedules offer you real flexibility. You can Fly to any of our eleven european destinations and return from any one of the others. And of course children under 12 Fly half fare. You can Fly when you feel like if you Fly at weekends there s a Small and you Don t have to Book or pay in Advance. And you can use our Fly now pay later plan or your credit card. Whichever Way you look at it from fares to ground packages we be covered All the ways to give you the finest most flexible holi Day for your Money. And it s All explained in our Holiday guide. Why not pick up a copy it s free from your travel agent or us. Or mail the Coupon and Well Send you a copy. to Britain this summer. London return air can please Send me your free Holiday guide. Name address City prov. For full details Eaton s 8th floor downtown 943-2591 lower level Polo Park 786-6861 atm Ltd Spido living in Holiday vacations. The Holiday makers 190 Smith St. Main floor place Louis Riel member phone 942-8424 Tuxedo shopping Centre world wide experienced travel arrangements Tuxedo travel Centre Ltd. Offs Retra or of town Ciu hts Cau Cottier phone 452-7707 ;