SAB World of Beer。

Beer lovers absolutely are going to love this – The South African Breweries World of Beer Tour.

Together with Chen’s friend, this was another place we visited in March.  Actually it wasn’t an appropriate option as they came in a family with two very young kids.  Thinking back, I regretted because the young kids had been asking several times during the tour that why they were not allowed to drink.  It is always very difficult to explain to kids of which things that adults do but kids are not allowed to do.  As I was pregnant during that time, I used that as an opportunity to explain the harm an alcohol drink could bring to young kids.  Of course, I was not drinking back then.

While it wasn’t part of our initial plan to visit the SAB World of Beer, I found the tour to be a very informative one.  The beer tour had received good reviews on the web which was the main reason we went there.  Indeed, it was a relaxing outing to do on a weekend’s morning.

The tour costs 55 Rand for adult and 15 Rand for children below age of 17 years old.  With that price, it includes a tour guide, one half way beers, a souvenir glass, two drink vouchers redeemable at the Tap Room and some bar snacks after the tour.  The tour started off with a movie showing the background and history of beer brewing industry in South Africa.  As we proceed down the walkway, it led us to the beer stories of other countries.  Then we entered the ingredients section – the greenhouse settings section.  It is the place where they showcased the essence of beer – the malted barley, the hops and the water.  Next, the tour guide explained the different stages involved in the beer brewing process and their machineries.  Finally, the most exciting sections for the beer drinkers are the halfway beer stop and the final Tap Room.

The Draught Beer Barrel on the move.

The movie showing the history of South Africa Beer.

History of German Beer.

The Greenhouse Settings Room growing the barleys and the hops.

The essence of beer brewing – the malted barleys.

The craftsmanship of the beer barrel.

The beer car which is still in use for major events.

Welcome to the halfway beer stop.  The beer glass is the souvenir that given to visitors.  Of course, the empty glass is mine.

Different degree of roasted malt which made up to the different tastes of beer.

One of the big fancy machineries.  There are a few of these look-alike equipment but with their own functionalities.  The stand board video explained it all.

Lastly, the Tap Room that served beers and snacks.  So, go grab your beer now and enjoy !

Satisfying My Buttery Cake Craze。

I have started to download those long overdue pictures from my camera and saw this.  It makes me salivating again.  It was my first attempt in baking the marble cake to satisfy my buttery cake craving.  I have tried many cakes in South Africa.  As much as they look appealing to me, they never taste as good as they look.  Particularly those cakes selling at the supermarket or groceries shops; they are generally packed with sugar, flour and artificial flavorings.

Since after baking the raisin butter cake, I immediately fell in love with this simple yet tasty type of butter cake.  This time, the end result was not perfect.  The chocolate portion raised more compare to the butter portion.  Chen has also commented that the cake is somehow drier compare to the raisin butter cake.  While they are only for my own consumption, I am happy with the outcome.  However, I am so going to do this again and looking for room of improvement – an excuse for another round of cake craze!

Gold Mine Museum at Johannesburg。

For the past 1 year living at Johannesburg, we have not been spending much time exploring its CBD downtown area.  Nevertheless, the main reason was that we spend more time outdoor exploring the nature, the wildlife, and the scenic landscapes compared to the buildings.  However, with Chen’s friends visiting us in March; we seized the opportunities to tour around the downtown area.  One of the places that we made a quick stop is the Gold mine museum situated at the 5, Main Street, CBD Johannesburg.

Johannesburg is a city boomed by its gold mining industry, tracking its gold history back to afar of 1886.  The gold rush had brought in large number of inhabitants, and thus the development of Johannesburg town.  There are a few gold mine museums scattered around Witwatersrand area.  The one that we went was the mine showroom (I wouldn’t even call it a museum given the size and the amount of displays) located at the underground of Standard Bank.

Do these museums worth a visit?  Well, not so much for me.  In my opinion, it is sufficed for me to know the relationship between gold mining and Johannesburg.  I don’t mind it to be an extra stop along the way, but I personally won’t drive down to town merely for this.

Underground Gold Mine Showroom located at the Main Street.

Not to be missed the explanation signboard at every tourist sites.

The lift leading to the underground showroom and the interior of the showroom.

I am grounded。

I have deserted my blog for 6 weeks now and the reason being “I am grounded”.  To be more precise, my new born daughter keeps me so occupied days and nights.  Being a fully breastfeeding mum, tonne of housework to do and with my study, sometimes I really hope that I can split myself into many.  It is not about having more hours in a day but rather because my girl has been very clingy.  She is a comfort baby who needs to be carried to sleep.  Most of her waking hours were spent in my arms.  She would rather sleep in my arms or my chest than her cot.  As such, I barely have time to do anything else.  Leaving her alone with self-soothing is not an option.  She would cry her lung out if she doesn’t get the attention or comforting that she wants.  As she grows, her volume has increased to the level that it can’t be ignored.

Since after she was born, I lost the luxuries to do things with all the times I want, i.e., savour my food slowly, enjoy my cup of coffee, spending time reading every column on the newspaper, enjoy my time in the shower and have an undisturbed 8-hour of sleep.  On the contrary, very often I would need to skip meals or simply swallow my food because she needs someone to pace and cuddle her to sleep.  I can’t even go into shower/toilet with a peace of mind because I don’t know when she is going to wake up crying.  I don’t have the chance to groom myself in front of the mirror before going out because I have to carry her on one arm and packing her things with another hand while husband is rushing to go out.

I knew that being a mum is not an easy job but never had I thought that it can be so demanding.  I entered motherhood with a care free mind and least expectations.  Many people have said that “Think that pregnancy is difficult? Wait till the baby comes out.”  Oh well, now I know.  If you were to ask me, I would tell you that it is a total change of lifestyle.  It will never be the same again as when you were single.  It is a trade of freedom for a lifelong commitment.  So, never ever enter motherhood if you are not ready for the challenge.  Of course, you may consider yourself lucky if your husband is willing to pay for a nanny and you would still have some times for yourself.

So, have I regretted having a child?  Of course not, having a child is a blessing.  No doubt, there is so much hardship involved but just one smile from her will make everything worth it.

I saw this quote today in the Facebook. I thought most mother will agree on this.

Note: Though getting back to the blog has always been in my mind, it is way down my priority list now.  Needless to say, there is so much to write about, particularly the progress of my little girl.  I wish if only I have the time to do that.  While I am having a break now from my study before the next paper, I would need to constantly remind myself to start writing down before my memories start to fail on me.