Day 6 – The Dutch, The French & The Cape’s Wine Region

We had to move our visit to the botanical gardens to today’s schedule. I’m looking forward to seeing a King Protea which is the national flower of South Africa and looks impressive.

Thanks for all the well wishes. My digestion is back on track and just in time for lunch and wine tasting in Stellenbosch.

Franschhoek

But first, we drive through the town of Franschhoek translated, French Corner. It is located in the Western Cape Province and is well known for its food and wine culture. The town is very pretty with sculptures everywhere.

The bus drops us off at at the Huguenot Monument but for some reason we are unable to find the entrance.

French Huguenots, now known as French Protestants, fled Europe to escape persecution and settled in the Western Cape Province. The monument looks impressive.

I was jonesing for a coffee so we headed to Bootlegger Coffee, similar to Starbucks,for a major dose of caffeine and continued to stroll along the pretty Main Street. You can see the French influence in the signage and architecture.

I spoke with a volunteer at the Dutch Reformed Church who enthusiastically gave me a run down on the protea flower and its many varieties. They were in bloom and the garden has many varieties. The church was built in 1847.

Click this link to learn more about the Dutch Reformed Church and its history in South Africa.

https://sahistory.org.za/article/dutch-reformed-church-drc

I learned that when the French Huguenots settled in this location, they also brought with them their knowledge of winemaking.

Gotta love the French Vive la France! 💕🇫🇷

Stellenbosch

This bustling university town is very pretty and is the second oldest town in South Africa after Cape Town and Johannesburg.

We wander up and around the pretty streets and into the Dutch Reformed Church where I meet an another volunteer who used to live in Mississauga. We had a lovely chat before heading back to the bus and off to the winery. The church is beautiful.

Blaauwkippen Winery

This is the oldest wine estate in Stellenbosch and was established in 1682.

Blaauwklippen

We are seated at a beautifully set long table on an outside veranda. I order the seafood linguine and it was one of the best I’ve eaten. Maybe it was the fact it was perfectly seasoned with an abundance of shrimp, mussels and calamari or the fact I haven’t been in the mood for food for the last few days and was ready for a nice meal.

I’m relieved to be back on track. I also tried two different types of biltong, which is similar to beef jerky. It was a little too fatty for my liking but gave it a try.

Saw Egyptian geese with their mother. I have never seen one before. Interesting to look at.

Wine Tasting

After that meal, I waddle over to the tasting area where we are seated in a beautiful room with long tables and sparkling clean wine glasses.

Our hostess proceeds to explain the types of grapes used in their wines. We start with the whites, then reds and finish off with a dessert wine.

The gang is beginning to gel and the voices are starting to raise in laughter with every sip of wine.

Margaret and Ted (pictured above) are a feisty, cute couple who make me smile. They are so open to adventure. Margaret hands out Canadian pins to the locals, and the two of them have a habit of wandering off by themselves. My uncle was Edward (Ted) and my aunt was Marge. Shannon and I connected with them right away.

It’s cousin Sean’s (Shannon’s brother) 50th birthday today. Shannon and I call him from the courtyard. He is at work and can’t talk long, but appreciated the call.

After a quick visit through the gift shop/wine store we are back on the bus and heading towards Cape Town.

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

This excursion was moved from an earlier day but I wish we had had more time. It was very rushed but what I did see was lush, fragrant and beautiful.

(I can’t seem to locate my photos, so will add later)

We did a brief tree canopy walk, a fragrance garden and part of a sculpture garden. You would need a full day or longer to see it all.

Heading Back to Cape Town

On the way back to the hotel we drive past a shanty town for the underprivileged. It goes on for many kilometres. Many homes have satellite dishes provided by government grants. It’s hard to wrap your head around the poverty especially when I am so fortunate to be able to take this trip.

There are middle income homes in certain areas but it is like a lottery system where people, including our guide, wait many years from application submission to receive news of availability.

Last Night in Cape Town

It’s time to organize our belongings, grab dinner at the hotel and get to bed early as we are flying to Durban tomorrow and travelling into Zulu country.

Stay tuned …