I had to attend a Pretoria launch for a music event that will be taking place at the end of April. As I did not know what time the event, which was taking place in a suburb I had never visited before, would finish, I was uncertain of how long it would take me to get home.
It was with that in mind that I fired off a couple of emails to guesthouses that I found online and that were within 5km of the pub that I would be going to.
It took just a few minutes for Linda, the owner of White Linen Guesthouse, to get back to me to say that she had a room available. (As an aside, the other guesthouse has still not responded.)
Given that I had sent out the emails less than 24 hours before I was to attend the launch, I was grateful to accept the offer to stay the night and have breakfast the following morning, before heading back home to Johannesburg where a meeting awaited before I could return home.
The largest tea cup and the best rusks were my ‘reward’ for arriving at the guesthouse with plenty of time to spare.
Although I had checked the website, the accommodation that awaited me was unexpectedly delightful.
I was accommodated in the Garden Room which has access, as the name suggests, to the garden and is situated in a quiet corner of the property.
Not that the property is noisy at all. The only sounds that I could discern were the crowing of a nearby rooster and the neighing of horses on an adjoining property.
The room was clean and the comfortable bed, covered in a linen that was crisp and white as the name of the guesthouse implied.
The website did say refer to the fact that there was a closet in each room and there certainly was one in mine, however, given the short duration of my stay, I decided to ‘live’ out of my suitcase.
An interesting use of chairs that have been repurposed as bedside tables. Not something I have seen before, hence 100% for them being unique.
This corner might seem like nothing special, but it is where I spent much of my time while I was in the room. Both before I left for the event (which was only 4 minutes away) and in the morning before breakfast. It was the view of the garden that kept me seated here, with a cup of tea and a biscuit.
Although the room had a desk, a recycled Singer sewing machine, it faced a wall and the chair in the corner(as previously mentioned) gave me a view out over the garden. Hence the choice of where to work was a no-brainer.
The bird theme on the walls in the bedroom was continued into the bathroom.
The room has a full bathroom with a bath and shower as well as a basin and toilet.
THIS was my view…now you understand why I did not want to sit at the desk and face a wall.
There are fish in this pond, but Linda no longer feeds them as they have to come to the surface for food, where THEY become food for the resident heron. There is enough natural growth to keep them healthy AND out of the reach of predator bird species.
The devil is in the detail.
I don’t usually close curtains when I am in a guesthouse or other accommodation, but in this instance I did.They worked like blackout curtains and made the room so dark that I missed the sunrise. Not that I am complaining as the extra hours of sleep were most welcome.
“Morning has broken”…
The sun had already risen when I opened the curtains, but the light on this Yukka attracted my attention.
I have looked at clouds from both sides now. From both Johannesburg and Pretoria.
The Strelitzia,also known as the Crane flower or Bird of Paradise, together with the King Protea, is recognised as a national flower of South Africa.
Both endemic to our country, the protea won the contest, but the crane flower is honoured on the reverse side of the 50c coin.
I am uncertain if this is meant to represent a King Protea which is the joint National flower of South Africa or not
Did you know? Proteas date back 300 million years, making them one of the oldest flowers on the planet. The King Protea is pollinated by insects, birds, bats, and small mammals, making it essential in many ecosystems. In the 1800s, nectar from the Protea was used medicinally as a cough syrup.
Do you know the answers to the following questions?
The national bird of South Africa: The Blue Crane. Loved for their beauty and seen by some tribes as a symbol of bravery. Called Indwe by the isiXhosa, they honour their brave warriors with Blue Crane feathers to display in their hair, and it is these these who are called on act to restore order when troubles arise.
The National animal of South Africa: The Springbok. Known for its ‘springing’ jumps and striking appearance, holds a special place in the heart of South Africans. It’s a symbol of national pride, resilience, and unity.
The National Fish of South Africa: The Galjoen. Also known as black bream, or blackfish is a species of marine fish found only along the coast of South Africa. South Africa’s national fish is the galjoen (Dichistius capensis). The galjoen is endemic to South Africa found only along the coastline from Namibia to Durban, and nowhere else in the world. The fish is also known for its fighting qualities, abundance and popularity.
White orchids are often seen as symbols of purity and innocence. They can be given as a sign of appreciation, respect, or reverence. White orchids can also be used to convey a message of hope or new beginnings, or in this case, a fresh pot of coffee.
Breakfast is served. In the morning I discovered that there was a large dining room on the ground floor overlooking the garden and this is where I sat down to eat.
People might look at this and ask if this is all I was served as the hot breakfast and I would be lying if I said that it was.
This was just part of a platter of food that was delivered to the table and was far too much for me to eat. So be aware, Linda likes to F.E.E.D her guests.
The afternoon sun playing hide-and-seek through the branches of this tree.
Would I recommend this guesthouse? Unreservedly! Linda was a perfect host and both the accommodation and breakfast met and exceeded my expectations.
If you are a birder or a nature lover, this is the ideal property to stay over at when visiting the Rietvlei Dam Nature Reserve which is only 23km away.
To find out more about this property, click on the logo above.
Travel is the proud winner of this prestigious award from the digital British lifestyle magazine Luxlife. The award is in the category Best Travel & Experiences Blog 2024 – South Africa
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