Saying Goodbye is Never Easy

This morning we said goodbye to La Residence in Franschhoek. Jess and I both woke up this morning threw open the blinds (the only thing you have to do yourself here!) and looked out at the view and were so sad we had to leave this beautiful place. Although La Residence is an absolutely beautiful property in the most stunning location it is really the people who make it the BEST HOTEL we have every had the pleasure of staying at. We have stayed at many very nice properties around the world and never have we felt like we were saying goodbye to family like we did today. Quite bizarre when you think we've know these people for four days.

Below is Jess and I with Chantell and Edward. Chantell, the events coordinator, arranged everything about our wedding before we arrived, all through email. I would send her an email and moments later have her response. Of course, nothing was any trouble at all. When we finally met she was the sweetest girl you could ever imagine and when the day came everything was perfection. Edward is the general manager of the hotel and I picked this photo of him because he looks like a GQ model in it and I knew he would like that. Edward was one of the witnesses at the ceremony and the nicest person you could ever meet. Edward came and sat and chatted with us each day. Our conversations revolved around such topics as how to get the hot gay cook to come out of the closet, and how he had to fire a very hot gardener but because he was so hot rehired him again to do his floorboards at his house because the view was so good, you get the idea. We loved him.

This is Jess and I with Nick. He was also a witness at our wedding, where he wore a suit! To give you an idea of the service at La Residence Nick drove from Cape Town (1 hr away) to deliver a document we needed to make our marriage legal in Canada. Today, Nick showed up looking like an Abercrombie and Fitch model, which we enjoyed!! The nicest man.

Another team member who stood out was a fellow named Evan. OMG, he could star in an American sitcom, such a character. Evan decorated for our wedding and our wedding dinner, and it was FABULOUS... and we're pissed that we either didn't get a photo with him or we can't find it on this damn computer.

Today as we drove down the driveway to depart the hotel this is what we saw......

How can you not love that!!! You would never see that at the Holiday Inn (I have never stayed at a Holiday Inn, for the record, but I am sure you wouldn't see that). Jess and I were seriously emotional as we drove away (I wanted to cry, NO JOKE!) and headed into the mountains to our next destination.

We said goodbye to the Franschhoek valley, but know we will definitely be back.