Wanting to get away for a quick break I left Hermanus and headed for Langebaan on the West Coast.  With a place to stay on the beachfront this was a easy decision and three hours later I arrived in time to see the sun dipping spectacularly into the Atlantic leaving only a golden glow.

The next morning we walked the Park Run in the Langebaan Country Estate before heading over to the Saturday market in Hopefield.  Starved for a cup of decent coffee I got exactly what I was hoping for at The Mill Country Fair and possibly the best pancakes I have ever tasted.  Juicy, syrup and spice sheets that were absolutely finger licking good.  We hooked up unexpectedly with some locals including Pippa from the West Coast Fossil Park.  With beeswax and honey gifts from the Simply Bee shop situated close to the market in Church Street we said goodbye to Hopefield.

Then, a trip down memory lane taking the Berg River road in the direction of Velddrif, reminising about weekend breaks on a family farm.  Before sentiment had the better of us we arrived at Port Owen where another neighbourhood market was starting to pack up.  In no hurry to leave the picturebook yacht mooring setting we walked over to Russells on the Port for a Darling beer and crusty thin-based pizza while baking in the sun and swaying to Russell singing covers in the background.  Tempted to stay longer we took some holiday pictures and made plans to return.  Arriving back in Langebaan it was time for another coffee and this time it was going to be a DIY effort.  We stocked up with a blend of roasted beans from Wings Coffee Roasters and headed home glimpsing at the last of the day’s kitesurfers riding the West Coast waves.

Staring Sunday on the right note included a breakfast at Windtown in close proximity to the beachfront.  From here we had only one thing on the agenda – to relax and daze at sea views.  Time does not stand still, not even on the West Coast where things are a little slower, and before long it was time to make the journey back to Hermanus where the whales were waiting.