COVID-19

[BritinBritain]

I'm really glad to hear that it wasn't COVID-19, and that you're ok now! :smil:

Thanks Redleg, I'm glad too :smile:

The sale of alcohol increased here during the outbreak. We can see an increase of reported cases of domestic violence.

It seems we have the beginning of the second wave when there is a spike of COVID-19 in Europe and elsewhere.

According to the news, we too are heading for a new wave of the virus, we can only do what we can to stay safe.

What happened after the implementation of the 18th Amendment, the rise of the mafia in the US. Here in SA, gangs are already smuggling cigarettes and booze with the result of quite a bit of violence between gangs. It seems that my earlier post regarding a drop in crime was out of date.

There's an old saying, ""If you want to know the future, look to the past""

 

[I3BrigPvSk]

Thanks Redleg, I'm glad too :smile:



According to the news, we too are heading for a new wave of the virus, we can only do what we can to stay safe.

What happened after the implementation of the 18th Amendment, the rise of the mafia in the US. Here in SA, gangs are already smuggling cigarettes and booze with the result of quite a bit of violence between gangs. It seems that my earlier post regarding a drop in crime was out of date.

There's an old saying, ""If you want to know the future, look to the past""

SA is famous for the wine, how does that go with a prohibition? The prohibition in the US was quite interesting. I imagine the US contain more Americans born elsewhere back then and trying to force the Irish, the Germans, the Italians and many others to quit drinking.....good luck with that.

I think Sweden will handle the second wave quite good when we screwed up everything in the beginning. We aren't allowed to go anywhere (they begin to change it now)

 

[BritinBritain]

SA is famous for the wine, how does that go with a prohibition? The prohibition in the US was quite interesting. I imagine the US contain more Americans born elsewhere back then and trying to force the Irish, the Germans, the Italians and many others to quit drinking.....good luck with that.

I think Sweden will handle the second wave quite good when we screwed up everything in the beginning. We aren't allowed to go anywhere (they begin to change it now)

As far as I am aware all SA wine and spirits are for export only. I live in the wine and spirit region of SA, some of our local wines were quite good. A friend of mine owned a distillery, a few years ago he blended a special brandy for me after doing him a favour, it was like nectar. Needless to say it didn't last long.

 

[I3BrigPvSk]

As far as I am aware all SA wine and spirits are for export only. I live in the wine and spirit region of SA, some of our local wines were quite goo. A friend of mine owned a distillery, a few years ago he blended a special brandy for me after doing him a favour, it was like nectar. Needless to say it didn't last long.

I'm not a huge wine drinker, I prefer beer and whisky, but my stomach doesn't like whisky. I associate SA with white wine and some of them are really good. I can drink it to fish dishes. What kind of spirits are they producing in SA?

 

[BritinBritain]

I'm not a huge wine drinker, I prefer beer and whisky, but my stomach doesn't like whisky.

Only whisky I can drink is a Bourbon

I associate SA with white wine and some of them are really good. I can drink it to fish dishes. What kind of spirits are they producing in SA?

SA white wine is very good especially the Stellenbosch labels, I cannot get on with red, it gives me a massive headache.

Brandy is the main spirit distilled in SA, the main one is klipdrift, but its not a patch on German Asbach brandy. Here brandy is usually drank with coke (sacrilege) and ice (more sacrilege). The Boers havent got the finesse to drink it how it should be drunk

 

[I3BrigPvSk]

Only whisky I can drink is a Bourbon



SA white wine is very good especially the Stellenbosch labels, I cannot get on with red, it gives me a massive headache.

Brandy is the main spirit distilled in SA, the main one is klipdrift, but its not a patch on German Asbach brandy. Here brandy is usually drank with coke (sacrilege) and ice (more sacrilege). The Boers havent got the finesse to drink it how it should be drunk

I watched the Wine Show last night. A show on our food channel and they were exploring wines from SA. They were tasting a wine from the late 18th century, a sweet white wine.

I can drink red wines, but they give me a severe hungover. Beer is much better, how's the SA beer?

 

[BritinBritain]

I watched the Wine Show last night. A show on our food channel and they were exploring wines from SA. They were tasting a wine from the late 18th century, a sweet white wine.

I quite like the dry white wines, sweet is far too sweet for me

I can drink red wines, but they give me a severe hungover. Beer is much better, how's the SA beer?

The beer brewed here are:-

Castle Lager. ...
Castle Lite. ...
Castle Milk Stout. ...
Hansa. ...
Carling Black Label. ...
Miller Genuine Draft. ...
Pilsner Urquell. ...
Peroni Nastro Azzurro.

I don't like lager type beers I prefer Guiness which is sold here on draught and bottled. The problem with Guiness is, its very difficult to keep, if a barrel is knocked for example its got to be taken off line until it settles down. I was assistant steward for a Royal British Legion club a few years ago in Essex, part of my job was sorting out the various beers.

 

[MontyB]

I quite like the dry white wines, sweet is far too sweet for me



The beer brewed here are:-

Castle Lager. ...
Castle Lite. ...
Castle Milk Stout. ...
Hansa. ...
Carling Black Label. ...
Miller Genuine Draft. ...
Pilsner Urquell. ...
Peroni Nastro Azzurro.

I don't like lager type beers I prefer Guiness which is sold here on draught and bottled. The problem with Guiness is, its very difficult to keep, if a barrel is knocked for example its got to be taken off line until it settles down. I was assistant steward for a Royal British Legion club a few years ago in Essex, part of my job was sorting out the various beers.

My sweet tooth makes me more of a Riesling drinker although I am developing a taste for American Chardonnay, still cant drink reds, they all taste like they crushed the grape leaves instead of the fruit.

 

[BritinBritain]

My sweet tooth makes me more of a Riesling drinker although I am developing a taste for American Chardonnay, still cant drink reds, they all taste like they crushed the grape leaves instead of the fruit.

Did you try any wines when you were here in SA Monty?

 

[MontyB]

Did you try any wines when you were here in SA Monty?

We did a tour that included Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl, the only winery I remember was Glenwood wines.
I liked South African Chardonnay but much like New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc they all tasted like old damp socks.

The highlight of the tour was Sabi Sands and Victoria Falls.

One day I would like to go back and go up the west coast to Namibia.

 

[BritinBritain]

We did a tour that included Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl, the only winery I remember was Glenwood wines.
I liked South African Chardonnay but much like New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc they all tasted like old damp socks..

i'm not much of a wine drinker and therefore my palate cant tell the difference between good, bad or indifferent

The highlight of the tour was Sabi Sands and Victoria Falls..

I was up in Vic Falls many years ago on the Zimbawe side if the falls, it was stunning. A good place to visit would have been the ADDO Elephant Reserve at Port Elizabeth, I never tire of going there

One day I would like to go back and go up the west coast to Namibia.

I dont know how you intend to get up the west coast, it can be very desolate, if you are taking 4x4's you would need at least three trucks ton ensure safety. There is the skeleton coast where quite a few ships came to grief

 

[MontyB]

i'm not much of a wine drinker and therefore my palate cant tell the difference between good, bad or indifferent

Me either, I work on the principle that if it tastes ok it is good if it doesn't it's not, my eyes usually glaze over when they talk about subtle flavours and notes because in reality it all tastes like sour grapes to me.
Unfortunately, the wife gets a bit miffed when I tell them that savs taste like damp week old socks and I would sooner eat grape leaves than a red wine but I will take a hazy IPA if they have one, so for the most part I smile and say "mmmm very nice".

I dont know how you intend to get up the west coast, it can be very desolate, if you are taking 4x4's you would need at least three trucks ton ensure safety. There is the skeleton coast where quite a few ships came to grief

We were looking at a tour similar to this...u
(Hope the link works)

https://www.tourradar.com/t/4015#p=1_

 

[BritinBritain]

We were looking at a tour similar to this...u
(Hope the link works)

https://www.tourradar.com/t/4015#p=1_

I checked the site out, the itinerary is excellent, many places listed I've visited over the years.

Etosha is superb, it the largest salt pan in the world, there are three rest camps, the middle one is the best, herd after herd of elephant takes turn to drink at the water hole, the rest of the itinerary is just as stunning. You will have a brilliant time if you go on the tour:thumb:

 

[MontyB]

I checked the site out, the itinerary is excellent, many places listed I've visited over the years.

Etosha is superb, it the largest salt pan in the world, there are three rest camps, the middle one is the best, herd after herd of elephant takes turn to drink at the water hole, the rest of the itinerary is just as stunning. You will have a brilliant time if you go on the tour:thumb:

We were hoping to do it in 2022, 2021 was set aside for Greece and Crete as it is the 80th anniversary of the German invasion and I had two uncle's who took part in the defense.
It would have been the last of my family related WW2 tours, I have completed my father's journey through North Africa, Italy and Japan.

Unfortunately C-19 has changed everything and I expect international travel will be on hold for about 3-5 years.

 

[BritinBritain]

We were hoping to do it in 2022, 2021 was set aside for Greece and Crete as it is the 80th anniversary of the German invasion and I had two uncle's who took part in the defense.
It would have been the last of my family related WW2 tours, I have completed my father's journey through North Africa, Italy and Japan.

Unfortunately C-19 has changed everything and I expect international travel will be on hold for about 3-5 years.

My uncle Charlie was a member of the LRDG, from North Africa he went onto Italy then into Austria a stunning tow called Fuschal, I took my missus and son there around 1985.

I have investigated that possibly we might be able to travel to UK (I want to meet my Grandson) after February next year, I'll just wait and see.

 

[MontyB]

My uncle Charlie was a member of the LRDG, from North Africa he went onto Italy then into Austria a stunning tow called Fuschal, I took my missus and son there around 1985.

I have investigated that possibly we might be able to travel to UK (I want to meet my Grandson) after February next year, I'll just wait and see.

I expect that it will be about 12 months before the ability to travel starts to return to normal but I think it will take years for the restrictions and precautions put in place begin to return to normal and I have no desire to spend 20+ hours in a mask or 2 weeks isolating and call it a vacation.