Cape Winelands - Stellenbosch and Franschhoek

This photo of Lion's Head Mountain was taken yesterday afternoon from our hotel. Today was cloudy with intermittent fog over the hillside and not conducive to good photography. But the clouds didn't dampen our spirits(mood not alcohol!) as we had a delightful day in the Cape Winelands.

Leaving the hotel we drove along some of the same beaches we saw yesterday but were soon leaving behind the multi-million rand (SA currency)seaside homes and passing miles of some of the poorest shanties I've ever seen. New subsidized housing is slowly replacing these stark symbols of poverty. South Africa has a goal of eliminating all these shanties and is making progress but there is a long road ahead. Many of the poor from small villages still migrate to Capetown in hopes of a better life. Tomorrow we will visit some of these areas and learn more about what is being done.

But, for today, our first stop is the second oldest township in South Africa, Stellenbach. Founded in 1652, Stellenbach's initial purpose was to provide more farmland for crops to replenish supplies on the Dutch East Indies ships sailing from Holland around the Cape of Good Hope to the Far East. It's a lovely university town in the middle of the wine country and looked like an Ivy League school in the fall as the leaves are now falling in the Southern Hemisphere.
Our first stop was the Delaire Graf Estate, a fairly new winery with a fabulous art collection. The décor of the estate was lovely, and we tasted several whites and reds from their cellar.

Next on the agenda was Franschhoek, a charming little village with a distinctive French character. Founded by French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution in France, the area soon became known for its excellent wines. Since one of the major purposes of a fam trip is to became acquainted with various options for future travellers, we did a site inspection at a lovely boutique property known as Le Quartier Francais. Having won numerous awards, the property is well-known in South Africa for it's gourmet food and outstanding wines. Needless to say, we had a delightful lunch. This village is a wonderful getaway with numerous small shops in town and activities in the nearby area.

From here we were off to a totally different property, La Residence, located on a 30-acre estate in the Franschhoek Valley. Each suite here is decorated differently with Persian carpets and numerous art objects It had to be one of the most elegant resorts I've ever seen. No one was really hungry as it had only an hour since lunch but couldn't offend our courteous hosts so we were treated to afternoon tea and fresh scones.

The last stop on our way back to the city was a brief stop at the prison from which Nelson Mandela walked to freedom in 1990.

Tonight is a special dinner hosted by a prominent Capetown couple in their home and will be an interesting change from our hotel venues. And tomorrow brings a totally different experience. Entitled “Cultural Tour of the City,” it will immerse us into life in a local township.

From a VERY bumpy bus ride back to Capetown, I'll say goodby!.
Linda