Liz at Lancaster or Liz@Lancaster?
To all our wonderful guests, friends and family and those who are connected with Liz at Lancaster in some way
24 years ago I started Liz at Lancaster (with one room), and before communication via email was commonplace, I did not realize what confusion the ‘at’ in the establishment name would cause. The team at the guesthouse goes way beyond me, however, and they have all contributed to making Liz at Lancaster the special brand it is today.
Many returning guests say things like: “It’s my second home” and even “There is a very special energy at Liz at Lancaster”.
More than just a guesthouse: travel and hospitality is about stories and experiences
This is where Liz steps in – you name it Liz will arrange it all for you. Whether you are a twitcher or a golfer ; an art fundi or love exploring markets; an architectural historian or a paleontologist; a jazz fan or a theatre buff; whether you want to venture off the beaten track or enjoy chillaxing in the Parks: love meeting locals and experiencing everyday street life or prefer an exclusive 10 course dinner prepared in a private home.
Are you interested in community projects or urban regeneration? Is wildlife your interest, industrial heritage your passion or street photography your hobby? – if I can’t ‘sort’ it, I will connect you with inspiring and in-the-know locals and/or informed experts to give you a totally authentic experience.
And I can even hook you up with foreign language speaking tour guides: French, Italian, Greek, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Urdu, Hindi, Persian, German, Dutch, Japanese, Danish, Polish. Whether you are on business, travelling with family or solo, Liz at Lancaster caters for your needs with an amazing eye for detail.
And if any of you are local Joburgers, and are interested in any of the activities I have mentioned please don’t hesitate to contact me and I’ll arrange for you to explore and experience your own home city.
Political front
On the political front it has been a roller coaster of a year (but we take comfort that South Africa is not alone in this!). Apart from heinous acts of corruption in the Government and state-owned enterprises, the unethical role of international firms (PR consultants, auditors, bankers, lawyers, software companies) has also been shameful to say the least.
The resultant looting of a trillion (plus) rands from the economy will take a long time to recover from, but at least the shocking details of state capture are being exposed in evidence given to the various investigative commissions set up by Ramaphosa. Things are now moving in the right direction. Dogged investigative journalists from the Daily Maverick and Amabunghane, numerous honest and ethical employees and government officials, and countless poor (often unemployed and homeless) who try to get on with daily life, deserve our consideration and huge respect in all this turmoil.
Good stories: active citizenship
In the face of the larger political upheaval there are so many individuals who actively pursue a role of civic action.
James Delaney is one example only. He has managed to turn an amazing public park, the Wilds from an overgrown, dodgy no-go area into a symbol of pride, where families picnic, dog-walkers abound, citizens adopt a patch to plant and tend, and I take my little grandsons to explore secret paths and conquer grand vistas!
Liz at Lancaster continues to run the pavement bookbox which is widely used. And we have added Project Dignity to our website. Please check it out.
Alick Ncube
Some sad news: Alick Ncube whom many of you know either personally from your visits to Liz at Lancaster, or through his green fingers with our garden has been having hip problems and is now virtually bedridden. Xrays have shown the need for a total hip replacement. The first appointment he can get with a state orthopedic surgeon is the end January 2019 and then we don’t know how many months he will have to wait for his operation date. His wife is caring for him and we will visit him weekly with food and supplies.
So it’s just left for me to send you Season’s greetings, happy holidays for those who will have, and a safe happy and healthy 2019 to you all. We hope that we will connect with many of in the upcoming year. Thank you for your on-going support and if you have not stayed with us, we hope that when you next enquire we will have ‘room at the inn’ for you. May 2019 be a safe, prosperous and happy one for you all.
All the very best from Liz and the team at Liz at Lancaster:
Liz, Mr.T, Catherine and Thandie as well as Rose and Alick (from his home and via his beloved garden)