Winter Blues

Winter Sunshine on Kirstenbosch's Boomslang

So, if you know me even a tiny bit you will know that I am not a fan of Winter... not even a tiny bit. Friends of mine have been trying to convince me that there are good things about the change in season, and while I remain unconvinced, I have decided to embrace optimism and positive thinking in the hope that it will get me through the next couple of months. (This is largely to make me feel better about the fact that I am in Winter while so many of my friends are jetting North and missing part of this season while I have a temporary job OUTSIDE for the next two months!) 

Winter in Cape Town is cold, wet and windy so people are less likely to brave the out doors for eating out. This means, Winter specials! Some years are better than others, and some of my favourite specials don't seem to be running any more but a quick Google search did find some hope for the bank account of the PhD student...(You have to sift through the "classy" specials of course) (Check out GetAway site or Cape Town Magazine or Food24)

The best Winter days don't feel like Winter at all! 

There are pubs, with fire places and cozy spots to drink rich, complex red wines, or cheap red wines that have been jazzed up with spices and gently heated to make yummy mulled wine. You can also feel a little less guilty about the chocolate you snuck in on Friday afternoon because no one can tell what your body looks like under all those clothes (not a complete truth because, Summer will come...) It is the perfect season to curl up with a book under the blankets (although not while writing a PhD) or snuggle up with someone in front of a movie (although not helpful when you are single). OK, those weren't good ones. But, there is tea, Old Brown Sherry, fires, hot baths that make your toes tingle, boots, hot chocolate, unexpected sunshine and appreciating warm days so much more (and thinking 20 degrees C is warm!) and, once every four years, the Football World Cup! 

Best of all, the Winter solstice has come and gone, so now the days will get longer and SUMMER IS COMING....