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LaMaurette - our RR-family in France,
28th - 30th of March 2008 |
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People who know Mats and me, know that we are a couple full of surprises... So when we invited some of our puppy buyers (Lena & Micke with AB Hot SIX-Pack - "Diesel" and Jennie & Micke with AB Double O SEVEN -"Shumba") they were not astonished at all when we told them to take the weekend off to come and join us on a secret journey. Early Friday morning the 28th of March we all met at Arlanda Airport and we revealed our secret "Let's go to Nice and visit our RR-relatives at Shangani Rhodesian Ridgebacks!"
I think that our puppy buyers were a little bit in a shock so to say. After a 3 hour flight I think that we all got used to the thought of sun, heat, good food/drink and true Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
After landing we went to pick up our big car that we all were glad that Mats drove!
 Driving directly from the airport to a restaurant that Mats found on the internet!
Nice view over Nice! From a cold and rainy Stockholm, and 3 hours later 22 degrees and sun. Could life be any better? Mats was very pleased with his starter. Weren't we all?! A fantastic restaurant below the sidewalk, directly on the beach.  We had a really nice lunch. Together with our marvelous puppy buyers and a couple of bottles of rosé nothing can go wrong! Or could it?! Lena & Micke, we truly love your relaxed way, but hey it is holiday, RR-holiday! The restaurant was situated just in front of the famous Hotel Negresco! After about one hour drive we arrived at LaMaurette - the place where everything started for Mats & me. We visited LaMaurette for the first time Easter 2002, it was also the first time we met our Shona. She was only 4 weeks at that time. Easter 2003 Mats & I drove back to LaMaurette with Leo, Shona & Maliki, just to stay at this fantastic place. Of course it felt excellent for Mats & me to show our puppy buyers the place where the thoughts of a Kennel of our own first started. Our RR-family in France - the Shangani Rhodesian Ridgeback's, Christine & Wolfgang Blumberg.
Shonas grandmother, Sarula Chikadzi 11 months old, to the left.
 Doesn't our own AB She's the ONE - "Shee" look a lot like her great grandmother?!
The entrance of this magic place Beautiful surroundings....
 of LaMaurette Takes your breathe away, in a way! A really nice place for a RR, or two, or why not TEN?! We were all installed in our nice rooms where we were welcomed with a bottle of wine of the house. The entrance is guarded by a big RR made of wood. Straight ahead you can see Jennie & Mickes and Lena & Mickes rooms. Mats & my room was situated next to Linda Parke's, Veldtkammer Rhodesian Ridgeback's, UK. That was another surprise for our puppy buyers, to have the oppurtunity to meet the breeder/owner of their RR´s father, Veldtkammer Get Ofa My Cloud - "Jaeger". Our room! The room that Mats, I and the dogs had 2003. With a private garden. Excellent if you want to bring your dog, sorry your RR! It was so nice to see Linda again, we've missed you so. Linda was really busy feeding part of the Shangani pack. When our puppy buyers saw the Shangani pack for the first time, they were quiet for about a minute, and then they said "Now we totally understand what you mean when you are talking about "your bloodlines", that they are a little bit different comparing to the ones we are used to". The only thing Mats & I could do, was to smile and say..."Told you so!"
 Linda found a favourite directly in beautiful Shangani Pansa Dafina - "Pansa", soon 9 years old.
Not strange at all, as he is Shonas uncle! We keep our fingers crossed, since Pansa is going to mate 3 X Crufts winning, UK CAC record holder Veldtkammer Lady Done a Bunk - "Hassle".
This will be a very interesting combination with these 2 stunning RR's. Wolfgang giving out the Swedish pig ears that we brought! They were extremely popular, Shonas fantastic grandfather Umvutcha Matobo - "Matobo" almost 11 years had 2 big ones! This stunning bitch I saw for the first time when we were visiting LaMaurette the first time in 2002, Shangani Sarula Gani "Sarula", an aunt to Shona.  Sweet Sarula is one of my top 5 RR´s in the world! So nice to be able to spend some time together with her again.  After we all were installed in our rooms and had met some of the RR´s it was time for some mingle and pitchers of LaMaurette´s own fantastic rosé wine. So nice to be arround fantastic friends!
We had so much to talk about, and time past by quickly.
 We were a happy gang rolling down, literally, from the big mountain that LaMaurette is located on. We had a marvelous dinner, even though the waiters could not speak a word of English and neither of us could speak a word of French. But with body language and a lot of big smiles you can fix everything! When we came back to LaMaurette, we occupied the fantastic living room, with the big, lovely fireplace. Some of the trophys that the Shangani family has won! We are a little bit behind a think.... We all loved this painting, and Christine & Wolfgang had more of them. Got to get us at least one of these, now! Good, good friends, me (African Braveheart) and Linda Parke (Veldtkammer Ridgebacks)! Loved Linda's piece of jewellery. Maybe you get one if you win Crufts 3 times in a row?! (That Linda has). After a long, long but satisfying day we all went to bed. And I think I wasn't the only one dreaming about RR´s, true Rhodesian Ridgebacks.  Breakfast time! Linda happy as always and "Shumba-Micke" a little bit tired, or?! Me, outside our room, brushing my teeth with...... an amazing view over the big mountain - Roquebrune (The brown mountain)! Another nice view! Exclusive brands go well together.... Don't they?! After the superb breakfast we decided to go to the market in S:t Tropez while Christine & Wolfgang went with some dogs to Italy to a "small" dog show.  The whole gang! There were a lot of stops since they sold everything from raw pigeons to sunglasses, and we were 7 persons with different things we wanted to look at..... Me and "Shumba-Micke" trying trousers in a back of a car, their way of a dressing room! After some nice shopping at the market we took a stroll down to the beautiful harbour in
S:t Tropez. Everything was just the way you imagined it would be, the artists were playing chess in the sun with a glass of chilled wine and in the background luxurious yachts.
 Mats absolute favourite..... with a very suitable name I liked this one.... and translated (or reading it) to Swedish, I think that this one also had a suitable name This yacht was waiting for AnnMarie Hilding at Kennel Djungelkatten and me.....
African Braveheart + Djungelkatten (The Jungle Cat) = African Cat! You get really hungry looking at loads of fancy yachts. So we found a really nice place in the harbour, and they had really, really good chilled white wine and also some good food.
After some homemade ice cream, we took a walk back to our car and drove to our favourite store, Carrefour. I found some really nice show shoes in gold, but there were only in Linda's size, arghhh.
 Back at LaMaurette we plundered the refigerator of all pitchers of chilled rosé wine. At Carrefour we had found fresh strawberries and dainty sandwiches that we ate around the pool.
 HAPPY B-DAY "Shumba-Micke" that had his birthday this Saturday!
We hope you liked the way we celebrated your big day?!
We also made some new acquaintances, Svea and Jörn from Mahfudha Rhodesian Ridgeback along with their sweet RR bitch Ilanga. 
We also met this sweet Djungelkattens Wasco da Persbrandt offspring, usually living in Germany. Mats & I went to LaMaurette, fell in love with Shona, bought her and came back one year later to the place were it all started, LaMaurette. By then we had 3 RR's and had started a Kennel,
African Braveheart's. Shona - our one and only, +1 year old.
 The bitch of the bitches, me...stacked! While Linda immortalizing this moment, someone (?) is immortalizing her, hehehe When we had drank all the pitchers, Christine & Wolfgang invited all the guests staying at LaMaurette to a fantastic dinner. First we all had the possibility to spend some time with parts of the Shangani pack. The family member that both Mats & I appreciated the most to see was the father to our Maliki, the grandfather to both Shona & Dandy, Umvutcha Matobo of Shangani, almost 11 years. Wolfgang imported this mighty RR directly from Zimbabwe.
 Pansa beeing cuddled by Jennie Parts of the pack wanted to follow us inside, and of course they all lay around our tables later on.
 Stunning Shangani Pansa Dafina, a super stud! A true Rhodesian Ridgeback pack!
 A happy Linda and an ever so happy Wolfgang!
 Linda (you can tell by her shoes) stacking beautiful uncle Pansa!
 Dinner set in the nice living room. I could live like this, I really could! A marvelous house in south of France with 10 RR's around me! I, Lena and the tasty buffé! Sweet Christine & me There were RR's spread all over the place! Mats - I really want a bigger house..and more RR's, please... Gorgeous Ufalme sitting and.....
 laying in the armchair. Sweet Bamuthi, a lot like...... our Dandy!
Chilling in the sofa! I had tears in my eyes when I sat and had "my moment" with Matobo! THE most impressive RR we ever met. We are so glad and proud that we finally got a "son of Matobo", our special Maliki.
 Me and my favourite girl, aunt Sarula. I hope it will not be another 3 years (last time was in Madrid 2005) until I see you again. The last night together. Early next day Christine, Wolfgang, some of the dogs and most of the other guests were going to the International Dog Show in San Remo, Italy. Wolfgang really talked us into staying a little while longer, to come along. Linda was succesful in rebooking her flight, unfortunately there were no tickets available back to Sweden, but at least we tried. Lucky Linda...... was able to go to the Dog Show and showed wonderful Pansa, 2nd Best Dog. (One week later 9 year old Pansa gained his Champion title in Monaco, way 2 go Pansa!) The night fell, and we all went to bed, with a big smile on our face. A couple of hours later it was time to wake up and say good bye to LaMaurette, for this time. Pool side
 Roquebrune
 "Diesel-Micke" & Lena owner of African Braveheart's Hot SIX-Pack - "Diesel" "Shumba-Micke" & Jennie owner of African Braveheart's Double O SEVEN - "Shumba" Mats, Linda & I proud owners/breeders of Rhodesian Ridgebacks
 The Shangani family from above and left; Askari, Ranzi (half sister to Maliki), Ufalme, Bamuthi, Pacha (half brother to Maliki), Matobo (Maliki's father, Shona/Dandy grandfather, imp Zimbabwe), Chikadzi (Shona/Dandy/Maliki grandmother, imp Zimbabwe) Sarula (half sister to Maliki, Shona/Dandy aunt), Chinaka, Qhawe, Pea (half sister to Maliki, Shona/Dandy aunt) and Pansa (half brother to Maliki, Shona/Dandy uncle). All the RR's are related to Shona/Maliki/Dandy in some way After Mats & I had visited LaMaurette for the first time we got this sign that says
"Before & After LaMaurette". And it is so true. I think that our puppy buyers and all the people that ever set their foot at LaMaurette can confirm it is a special place, for special RR's -
Shangani Rhodesian Ridgebacks! Thank you so much Christine & Wolfgang for keeping the RR true to it's extraction. We are proud to have Rhodesian Ridgebacks out of your bloodlines!
Also a BIG thank you for having us and our puppy buyers at LaMaurette, we all had such a great time, let's do this again soon!
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