Villas and Ghosts.

On the Monday we ate breakfast, had a swim, finished packing and headed to the airport. Gloria took us there in her car. We were sad to leave. We had really loved Zambia. We would return to Johannesburg for two nights then leave Africa for Hong Kong.

For every airport transfer in Johannesburg we had used e.z. shuttle, but this time we couldn’t. Our phones could not pick up a signal in Livingstone so we could not get a one time password to use our credit cards. Instead we had contacted the hotel we were going to and got the extremely helpful receptionist, Pauline, to organize a transfer for us. It cost us a bit more, but we were picked up by a very pleasant Malawian man, Collins, who in addition to taking us to our new accommodation also took us around some nearby sights. He stopped outside the house that Nelson Mandela moved to after he was released from prison and became president. We were able to get out and take photos of it. He also showed us a lovely white mosque right next door to a Jewish building. The mosque is called West Street Mosque and the Jewish building is West Street Schul. The buildings are symbolic of harmony in a city that was once totally divided along racial lines.

The house Nelson Mandela lived in as president. He also died here.

Tributes to Mandela.

Our new accommodation was very special. It was called Foxwood House and it was located in the very wealthy suburb of Houghton. Foxwood House was built in 1924. It was once the home of Bert and Pearl Oates. At that time the house was called Burra-Burra. Bert made a lot of money in the car manufacturing industry. Bert and Pearl lived in Burra-Burra with their son, John and their two daughters. When he was still very young, John became a fighter pilot during World War II. He was killed in the fighting. His family, especially his mother, were devastated by his death. Apparently even nowadays his sisters and former fiance return to foxwood House to place flowers there on John's death day anniversary. When Bert died, he wanted the house sold and for his wife who was getting on in years to live somewhere smaller and more manageable. Pearl who was always extremely strong-willed bought the house herself and refused to live anywhere else. Being old the house is supposed to be haunted. We loved it. We did not find it creepy at all. It is filled with antiques, just like a museum, but unlike a museum you can sit on things and touch things and nothing is roped off.

Foxwood House.

Foxwood House.

Foxwood House.

Foxwood House.

Foxwood House.

Foxwood House.

Foxwood House.

Foxwood House

Foxwood House.

As well as the main house the villa has beautiful gardens filled with statues, a swimming pool, ponds, trees and flowers.

The Gardens.

The Gardens.

The Gardens.

The Gardens.

The Gardens.

The Gardens.

The Gardens.

The Gardens.

Foxwood House even has a small theatre. Apparently it puts on some very good shows. Outside the theatre there is a Walk of Fame. Apparently famous people have stayed here such as Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson and Prince Harry.

Foxwood House Theatre.

Walk of Fame.

There are several places to stay in the grounds of the villa. We were in the stables block – stables 2. Apparently it is one of their smallest suites, but we were perfectly happy with it. It was very comfortable. For our second night Pauline the receptionist offered us a free upgrade to a bigger room, but we did not take it.

On our first night, we went for a swim which caused much amusement as it was raining and the water was pretty cold. We had to come out when it started thunder and lightning.

Swimming pool.

Swimming pool.

Swimming pool.

Swimming pool.

We decided to have dinner in the villa dining room. When we asked about booking dinner we were told Dominic, the Zimbabwean chef, would come to our room and take our order. We had, of course, no idea how much anything would cost. We both ordered steak and later at dinner time had a bottle of wine and some beers with it. The food was lovely and we ate it in our own little private room with a lovely fireplace and old photos and paintings all around. We were dreading the part where we would be presented with the bill. To our astonishment the whole meal plus drinks cost around thirty-three pounds. In Hong Kong we would have been lucky to get the bottle of wine for that in a fancy restaurant.

Dinner.

Dinner.

Dinner.

Dinner.

Dinner.

Next day we had a lovely breakfast sitting at the same table which we had adopted as ours. We then went for a walk to the nearby shopping centre, Killarney Mall. On the walk there we past the a golf course. On the far side was the mosque we had seen the day before. All the buildings in this area were very into security. They were covered in high walls, electric fences, barbed wire. We returned and had another cold swim then went off on a pre-booked afternoon tour to Pretoria, which I will write about in my next blog. In the evening we ate in Foxwood House again. We had chicken, sweet potaoes and vegetables plus a bottle of white wine from Stellenbosch.

The mosque.

The mosque.