Bikes, dogs and horses

Another busy weekend for the Lambregts family. First the dogs of the neighbours arrived, for a weekend of dog sitting (see also post of 13 May 2013). They definitely like it (lots of attention!), but have to suffer a little bit due to the much longer walks they have to make. Especially since we bought a "dog ball thrower", a very popular device of Dutch dog owners. Perfect for the beach, as we can throw a tennis ball much further than normal, and let Britt run a bit. This is something we have to take easy, otherwise we risk having to carry a pretty heavy dog home. Piet and Mary took Britt and little Fleur to the beach twice, the second time under the enjoyment of a heavy rain shower (with a beautiful rainbow!).

On Saturday Piet participated in the Rabo Beach Challenge for the fourth time; two loops on the beach, from Scheveningen to Katwijk and back. This time the weather was perfect, 5 degrees, little wind and even some sunshine. There were 1300 other cyclists, and Piet finished his 44 km in a little more than 2 hours.

On Sunday the girls did their first dressage exams with Beau, after nearly 2 years of ownership. They practiced during the week, and passed the F6 (Dorien) and F8 tests (Paula) without too many problems, for Beau this level is still a piece of cake. His limit is the rider on his back! Next time Mary will have a go as well.

Fleur, Piet and Britt and the "dog ball thrower"

Impression of the Rabo Beach Challenge

Piet finishing on Scheveningen boulevard

Bonus picture: Beau and the 3 ladies at sunset

Cape Town revisited

Piet made his fourth trip to Cape Town this year, for the project in South Africa he is working on. This time a number of meetings were scheduled: with the South African authorities, an environmental contractor, and two public participation sessions. The latter is a requirement for every project in South Africa and comprises of an open house where people can come to view project information and ask questions, which is followed by a presentation and Q&A session. Piet even had to do media training for this, to learn how to answer difficult questions. As his project is very far offshore there was little interest in these sessions, only a few people turned up, mainly oil & gas contractors looking for work and some fisheries representatives.

As he had to stay over the weekend this presented an opportunity for some sightseeing. He rented a car on Saturday drove to Cape of Good Hope, some 30 km to the south of Cape Town. He was joined by a teammate, and they made many stops on the way. The landscape on the Cape Peninsula is stunning, and it is clear why this is a popular tourist destination. After the Cape they stopped at Boulders (penguins), Muizenberg (surfers beach) and Buitenverwachting wine estate (closed). The day ended up at a colleague’s house for an afternoon beer. On the Sunday Piet went out by himself, to Hout Bay, meeting up with two colleagues from the Shell Cape Town office. He borrowed a bike, and went out on a 60 km cycle along the Cape Peninsula roads. This is a true cyclists heaven, with rolling climbs (not too steep) and stunning views. Piet will be back! In the afternoon he visited Groot Constantia wine estate and Kirstenbosch Gardens, thus completing a 2-day tour of the Cape. Hopefully Mary can come over as well on one of the future “business” trips.

Noordhoek Beach

Piet at Cape of Good Hope

Pinguins at Boulders

Muizenberg Beach, a surfers paradise

Andrew, Peter and Piet at Chapman's Peak

Constantia wineries, in the southern suburbs of Cape Town

A rig in Saldanha Bay harbour