Its weird to be away from home for a month. Part of me misses my dog and my bed. But another part of me wants wandering the globe to be our way of life. How could I make a living doing just that?
We grew and learned so much on this travel experience. Our world view was expanded and broadened. We learned about the rich history of South Africa. We learned to appreciate the things that we have much more than we did before. We were reminded that you don’t need wealth to be happy and some of the happiest people we met were the ones without. We built relationships that will endure the test of time. We created a second home in a village several thousand miles from our first home. We invested in the futures of the children of that village, which felt really good. A friend said that volunteering doesn’t feel like a sacrifice. It feels more like an indulgence because you come away feeling good about humanity and in that you gain much more than you give. I couldn’t agree more.
I clearly have the travel bug and one of my goals was to ensure that Joe got bitten by the bug as well. He did. We have agreed to make travel a part of our lives at least every couple years and I think I can live with that. We also agreed to return to Africa and the Mapoch Ndebele village to see our friends. You should go visit them too.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
A Brief History
This blog might not be for everyone because it is focused more on SA history than on travel experience. But I know there are a few people out there that will find it as interesting as I do. SA’s history is rich, complex and tumultuous. I have found that many historical stories read more like a novel than a stuffy history book. Because of that my imagination and attention have been captured.
SA is sometimes called the rainbow nation because so many nationalities call SA home. The majority at about 80% is black Africans who originated from tribes like Xhosa and Zulu. The minority is made up of white Afrikaaners, whites of British or other European decent, coloureds who are a mix of Malay/white/black, Indians and various other nationalities.
The indigenous people to South Africa are the bushmen who are very short (under 5’) and the Hottentots who lived in the mountains, both of whom are brownish in color. Black tribes moved further south into what is now South Africa to make up the black population. The Dutch developed a colony in Cape Town as a stop off point for sailors on their way to India. The French Huguenots and some Germans came to Cape Town as well and these people merged with the Dutch to form the Afrikaans people who speak a single language called Afrikaans. The whites brought in Malaysian and Indonesian slaves, many of whom the whites took as wives because there were not many white women in SA at the time. This formed the Coloured people who are only a tiny percentage of the total population, but are concentrated in Cape Town and make up a larger percent of the city’s population. Of course the British tried to get a piece of the action when gold and diamonds were discovered and there was a war. The Indians came to SA initially in Durban as skilled sugar cane farmers and now are quite numerous throughout the country.
The US and SA have many similarities in our histories. We were both colonized by Brits and Europeans, we’ve dealt with the struggles of indigenous people for land and equal rights and we’re dealing with racial inequality and racism. The biggest difference is that black Africans make up the majority in SA. The attitude and views here are also much different. It struck me from the outset that SA people talk about race, colors, racism, and the troubles of the past with ease. In the US these topics are spoken about with discomfort or not spoken at all. It was refreshing to be in culture that had this openness. The black and coloured Africans also speak of the future with an intensely and genuinely positive attitude and view of the future. This puzzled me because while the apartheid laws have been lifted, the housing and education systems were still by and large segregated by race and economic status. Several people responded to our questions with the same reason…they are happy for the opportunities that will be provided for future generations, not for themselves. This view was profound in its selflessness.
In the 1950s the Nationalist political party won the national election and put apartheid laws in effect. Apartheid translates to “separate” and these laws were designed to separate the people by color. The most impactful laws classified people by color, required blacks to register with the state and carry a pass at all times, designated where people could live by color classification, outlawed mixed marriages, prevented blacks from certain professions, and enforced inferior education curriculums for non-whites. Families were torn apart when the government labeled some people coloured or black based on the texture of their hair or slope of their shoulders. Apartheid was in effect into the 90s, which seems strange to me because it is so recent.
After years of negotiations between the Nationalist government and the other political parties there was a general election in which all skin colors could vote. Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress won. There was a peaceful transition of power from the Nationalists to the ANC. This was an amazing achievement, but what is more amazing is the minds, hearts and attitudes of virtually all the South Africans that we spoke to (of all skin colors). South Africans are focused on reconciliation, forgiveness and a bright future for their nation. It is truly amazing that these scars are only 15 years old and have already begun to heal in a way that allows all South Africans to live together peacefully.
SA is sometimes called the rainbow nation because so many nationalities call SA home. The majority at about 80% is black Africans who originated from tribes like Xhosa and Zulu. The minority is made up of white Afrikaaners, whites of British or other European decent, coloureds who are a mix of Malay/white/black, Indians and various other nationalities.
The indigenous people to South Africa are the bushmen who are very short (under 5’) and the Hottentots who lived in the mountains, both of whom are brownish in color. Black tribes moved further south into what is now South Africa to make up the black population. The Dutch developed a colony in Cape Town as a stop off point for sailors on their way to India. The French Huguenots and some Germans came to Cape Town as well and these people merged with the Dutch to form the Afrikaans people who speak a single language called Afrikaans. The whites brought in Malaysian and Indonesian slaves, many of whom the whites took as wives because there were not many white women in SA at the time. This formed the Coloured people who are only a tiny percentage of the total population, but are concentrated in Cape Town and make up a larger percent of the city’s population. Of course the British tried to get a piece of the action when gold and diamonds were discovered and there was a war. The Indians came to SA initially in Durban as skilled sugar cane farmers and now are quite numerous throughout the country.
The US and SA have many similarities in our histories. We were both colonized by Brits and Europeans, we’ve dealt with the struggles of indigenous people for land and equal rights and we’re dealing with racial inequality and racism. The biggest difference is that black Africans make up the majority in SA. The attitude and views here are also much different. It struck me from the outset that SA people talk about race, colors, racism, and the troubles of the past with ease. In the US these topics are spoken about with discomfort or not spoken at all. It was refreshing to be in culture that had this openness. The black and coloured Africans also speak of the future with an intensely and genuinely positive attitude and view of the future. This puzzled me because while the apartheid laws have been lifted, the housing and education systems were still by and large segregated by race and economic status. Several people responded to our questions with the same reason…they are happy for the opportunities that will be provided for future generations, not for themselves. This view was profound in its selflessness.
In the 1950s the Nationalist political party won the national election and put apartheid laws in effect. Apartheid translates to “separate” and these laws were designed to separate the people by color. The most impactful laws classified people by color, required blacks to register with the state and carry a pass at all times, designated where people could live by color classification, outlawed mixed marriages, prevented blacks from certain professions, and enforced inferior education curriculums for non-whites. Families were torn apart when the government labeled some people coloured or black based on the texture of their hair or slope of their shoulders. Apartheid was in effect into the 90s, which seems strange to me because it is so recent.
After years of negotiations between the Nationalist government and the other political parties there was a general election in which all skin colors could vote. Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress won. There was a peaceful transition of power from the Nationalists to the ANC. This was an amazing achievement, but what is more amazing is the minds, hearts and attitudes of virtually all the South Africans that we spoke to (of all skin colors). South Africans are focused on reconciliation, forgiveness and a bright future for their nation. It is truly amazing that these scars are only 15 years old and have already begun to heal in a way that allows all South Africans to live together peacefully.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Robben Island
I started reading Nelson Mandela’s book “A Long Walk to Freedom” on the plane to SA. It is an autobiography that covers Mr. Mandela’s journey through the struggle for racial equality. It is over 600 pages…quite the commitment on holiday… and I just finished it. Ever since I cracked it open I’ve been thirsty for information on SA’s rich history, so I was very excited to go to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela spent two decades of his 28 year prison term.
Of course we were running late and almost missed the ferry. It was a serious race to the port and everyone kept telling us to go to the clock tower and we couldn’t find one. Joe came very close to turning into the right lane (wrong lane) on a six lane road, which would have been bad, but we course corrected just in time. Once we got on the ferry we both let out a big sigh of relief and enjoyed the beautiful views and informative safety video.
Looking at an empty prison is not all that special. But since I had read Mr. Mandela’s book I could envision him and his comrades in places he mentioned in the book like the courtyard and the garden he tended. His cell was remarkably small…no bigger than 6x6 and at one point he spent 22 hours a day in there. I don’t know how a person stays sane in that situation.
Our tour guide told us about the prejudices that occurred even in prison. The food was distributed based on skin color with blacks getting the least. The black prisoners were given short pants like school boys while the other prisoners wore long pants. There were many other unmentionable disgraces that were attempts to break the political prisoners minds and spirits and to divide the racial unity they had created against a common enemy, the Nationalist government.
We saw the lime quarry where Mr. Mandela and the other political prisoners worked. They developed an education curriculum that was taught in small groups working in this quarry. They would dig and teach and talk. Many prisoners went into prison with a 5th grade education and came out with multiple degrees.
It was special to hear firsthand what it was like to be on Robben Island and to be a political activist during that tumultuous time.
Of course we were running late and almost missed the ferry. It was a serious race to the port and everyone kept telling us to go to the clock tower and we couldn’t find one. Joe came very close to turning into the right lane (wrong lane) on a six lane road, which would have been bad, but we course corrected just in time. Once we got on the ferry we both let out a big sigh of relief and enjoyed the beautiful views and informative safety video.
Table Mountain from the Ferry
Looking at an empty prison is not all that special. But since I had read Mr. Mandela’s book I could envision him and his comrades in places he mentioned in the book like the courtyard and the garden he tended. His cell was remarkably small…no bigger than 6x6 and at one point he spent 22 hours a day in there. I don’t know how a person stays sane in that situation.
Nelson Mandela's Cell
Our tour guide told us about the prejudices that occurred even in prison. The food was distributed based on skin color with blacks getting the least. The black prisoners were given short pants like school boys while the other prisoners wore long pants. There were many other unmentionable disgraces that were attempts to break the political prisoners minds and spirits and to divide the racial unity they had created against a common enemy, the Nationalist government.
Food Ration
We saw the lime quarry where Mr. Mandela and the other political prisoners worked. They developed an education curriculum that was taught in small groups working in this quarry. They would dig and teach and talk. Many prisoners went into prison with a 5th grade education and came out with multiple degrees.
Our Tour Guide
Our guide was a political prisoner on Robben Island in the 80s and shared his story with us. As a student at 17 he was part of the Soweto protests against forced learning in Afrikaans instead of English or indigenous languages. The students were also fuelled by anger regarding the inferior education for black Africans that limited their opportunities. The protest was meant to be peaceful, but turned into a massacre with 23 deaths and an undetermined number of injuries. This made our guide believe that violence would not stop under the current Nationalist government. He joined Umkhonto we Sizwe, which translates to the “spear of the nation” and was the African National Congress’ military arm. Nelson Mandela was the first leader of this military organization and was leading it when he went to prison. Our guide was picked up across the border by SA police, was detained for six months, then had a trial and was sentenced to 10 years at Robben Island but served about 12 years.It was special to hear firsthand what it was like to be on Robben Island and to be a political activist during that tumultuous time.
The Giraffe Adventure
Our first morning was not beach weather, so we decided to go on the hunt for the wooden giraffes that we wanted to take home with us. This trip turned into a real adventure. We went up the coast to a market in Hoeff Bay that we had visited on our first trip to Cape Town, but none of the merchants had what we wanted. We met a nice girl named Hazel running one of the shops and she said that she could take us to her warehouse where she had what we wanted. We agreed and said we would follow her, but she didn’t have a car and would need to ride with us. In an instant we weighed the risk. She could sense our uneasiness and immediately said she didn’t want us to feel pressured or uneasy. She was clearly educated, spoke perfect English, was not high pressure, and had a fixed store in Hoeff Bay, so we decided to go for it. Of course a mile down the road we saw a ton of the exact giraffes that we wanted and now we were on our way to Cape Town. The ride took much longer than we thought and when we got there the warehouse looked like a high security prison. Not super scary, but I wouldn’t want to be there without Hazel. When she opened the door her mother Unis was shining the giraffe she selected for us and it was a beauty. She was 1/3 the price of the other shops and even less expensive than the other markets. So we got two and named them Unis and Hazel. The shipping was five times as much as the giraffes. Grrr.
Unis
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Long Beach
We left Kynsna early in the morning to catch some beach time at Long Beach. I’m sure our Villa Afrikana hosts thought we were crazy New Yorkers leaving before 8am on vacation. Maybe we are. The drive along the Garden Route was uneventful and we arrived at Long Beach by mid afternoon.
We LOVED The Long Beach Retreat (www.thelongbeach.com) from the first moment we arrived. Elvis (yes, Elvis) greeted us at the door and insisted that we sit and enjoy a cold beverage. We sat and took it all in. The main room and all the guest rooms have a balcony overlooking the longest (hence the name) white sand beach only interrupted by rock formations and washed up seaweed that looks like palm trees. I usually hate seaweed, but this was quite elegant looking.
When we got to our room we were overwhelmed. It was a beautiful room with a patio leading to green grass a pool and a pathway to the beach. On top of all this there were rose petals everywhere…and I mean everywhere…in the room. We never wanted to leave.
We spent our days relaxing on the beach, wondering through markets, touring Cape Town, and sadly counting down the final days of our trip. It was very relaxing.
The first night we stayed in for a seafood braai (bbq), including lobster, calamari, prawns, kingclip, and salad. It was really good seafood and they topped it off with a traditional dessert called malva pudding, which looked weird, but after the first bite it was gone in record time. It was amazing. I didn’t even get a picture. When we got back to our room the hotel staff had transformed our room into a magical romantic haven. The lights were dim, lit candles were scattered throughout the room, our bed was covered in even more rose petals, and champagne was chilling. It was so unexpected and such a treat. We enjoyed it very much.
Our final night we went to a fish restaurant in Camp Bay called The Codfather. While that is a cheesy name, it was so delicious that it captured the final “Best Meal in Africa” title and had great views of the ocean as well. Our waiter showed us to the rotating sushi bar (love it!) and the fish counter. He coached us through the ordering process and we ended up with a feast of sushi, several types of fish grilled yellow tail and several other types of fish, seared ahi tuna, prawns, grilled calamari, rice, and the best greens just warmed and still crispy. The fish was really fresh and simply grilled with some great spices. It was sooooooooooooo good it still makes my mouth water. We topped it off with a warm brownie and ice cream. How am I going to go back to no appetizer and dessert at lunch and dinner?
Every night we were greeted with a romantic surprise. That last night the staff made us a warm bubble bath and left us cool glasses of Amarula, which is like Baileys. It was awesome. They really know how to pamper guests.
We LOVED The Long Beach Retreat (www.thelongbeach.com) from the first moment we arrived. Elvis (yes, Elvis) greeted us at the door and insisted that we sit and enjoy a cold beverage. We sat and took it all in. The main room and all the guest rooms have a balcony overlooking the longest (hence the name) white sand beach only interrupted by rock formations and washed up seaweed that looks like palm trees. I usually hate seaweed, but this was quite elegant looking.
Long Beach View
Seaweed
Long Beach Sunset
Rose Petals Everywhere
We spent our days relaxing on the beach, wondering through markets, touring Cape Town, and sadly counting down the final days of our trip. It was very relaxing.
The first night we stayed in for a seafood braai (bbq), including lobster, calamari, prawns, kingclip, and salad. It was really good seafood and they topped it off with a traditional dessert called malva pudding, which looked weird, but after the first bite it was gone in record time. It was amazing. I didn’t even get a picture. When we got back to our room the hotel staff had transformed our room into a magical romantic haven. The lights were dim, lit candles were scattered throughout the room, our bed was covered in even more rose petals, and champagne was chilling. It was so unexpected and such a treat. We enjoyed it very much.
The Best Turndown Service Ever
Our final night we went to a fish restaurant in Camp Bay called The Codfather. While that is a cheesy name, it was so delicious that it captured the final “Best Meal in Africa” title and had great views of the ocean as well. Our waiter showed us to the rotating sushi bar (love it!) and the fish counter. He coached us through the ordering process and we ended up with a feast of sushi, several types of fish grilled yellow tail and several other types of fish, seared ahi tuna, prawns, grilled calamari, rice, and the best greens just warmed and still crispy. The fish was really fresh and simply grilled with some great spices. It was sooooooooooooo good it still makes my mouth water. We topped it off with a warm brownie and ice cream. How am I going to go back to no appetizer and dessert at lunch and dinner?
Camps Bay
Fish Bar
Best Meal in Africa
Every night we were greeted with a romantic surprise. That last night the staff made us a warm bubble bath and left us cool glasses of Amarula, which is like Baileys. It was awesome. They really know how to pamper guests.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Garden Route & Knysna
We hired a car and drove from Franschhoek to Knysna via the Mountain and Garden Routes. Joe did the driving and had to quickly adjust to driving on the left side of the road while sitting on the right side of the car. It was difficult for me to remember to go to the left/passenger side of the car, so I’m duly impressed that he picked it up so quickly without any major incidents. As we headed out of Franschhoek we went through a mountain pass with really dramatic and lovely views. We reached a high point above Franschhoek and saw the perfect patchwork quilt of vineyards.
We literally drove through a mountain to reach the Mountain Route. The Mountain Route (Route 62) follows a long line of mountains and has unbelievable views. We meandered along and stopped at several beautiful wine farms along the way, which broke up the drive. We lucked upon one wine farm that had the best chocolate cake ever.
We followed the route from Worcester to Barrydale then switched through a mountain pass to get to the Garden Route, which had the best views of all. The Garden Route wasn’t nearly as picturesque, but we caught a glimpse of the ocean every now and then.
We were really happy to arrive at our guest house Villa Afrikana (www.villaafrikana.com) after a long day of driving. The host couple was super nice. They showed us around and made us delicious cappuccinos with heart shaped cinnamon sprinkles and chocolate covered strawberries. I was in heaven. We enjoyed sitting in our room soaking in the perfect view of the Heads and the bay.
We celebrated Joe’s birthday in Knysna and spent the day wondering around town. We went to see the Heads, which are two tall land masses that create a causeway and a protected bay. The ocean crashed hard into the heads and through the small opening to the bay. Then we went to Leisure Island in the bay and Joe went for a barefoot run while I enjoyed the white sand beach. He just finished a book called Born to Run that noted the benefits of barefoot running and is giving it a try. He only got 6 blisters on his toes and considers that a success (he's a little crazy). We had an excellent pub lunch and a locally brewed beer called Mitchells and spent the rest of the day by our pool.
That evening we went to the only Italian place in town and it was really good. Joe had Osso Buco and I had Penne Bolognese (because that was Joe’s second choice). I surprised him with chocolate cake for dessert with a sparkler in it…luckily they didn’t sing to us.
After a short stay in Knysna it was time to move on to our final destination Long Beach back toward Cape Town.
Franschhoek
We literally drove through a mountain to reach the Mountain Route. The Mountain Route (Route 62) follows a long line of mountains and has unbelievable views. We meandered along and stopped at several beautiful wine farms along the way, which broke up the drive. We lucked upon one wine farm that had the best chocolate cake ever.
Through the Mountain
Best Chocolate Cake Ever
We followed the route from Worcester to Barrydale then switched through a mountain pass to get to the Garden Route, which had the best views of all. The Garden Route wasn’t nearly as picturesque, but we caught a glimpse of the ocean every now and then.
Beautiful Mountain Pass
We were really happy to arrive at our guest house Villa Afrikana (www.villaafrikana.com) after a long day of driving. The host couple was super nice. They showed us around and made us delicious cappuccinos with heart shaped cinnamon sprinkles and chocolate covered strawberries. I was in heaven. We enjoyed sitting in our room soaking in the perfect view of the Heads and the bay.
Villa Afrikana
Heaven
Room with a View
We celebrated Joe’s birthday in Knysna and spent the day wondering around town. We went to see the Heads, which are two tall land masses that create a causeway and a protected bay. The ocean crashed hard into the heads and through the small opening to the bay. Then we went to Leisure Island in the bay and Joe went for a barefoot run while I enjoyed the white sand beach. He just finished a book called Born to Run that noted the benefits of barefoot running and is giving it a try. He only got 6 blisters on his toes and considers that a success (he's a little crazy). We had an excellent pub lunch and a locally brewed beer called Mitchells and spent the rest of the day by our pool.
One of The Heads
I was standing on the other one
S+J at The Heads
Leisure Island
That evening we went to the only Italian place in town and it was really good. Joe had Osso Buco and I had Penne Bolognese (because that was Joe’s second choice). I surprised him with chocolate cake for dessert with a sparkler in it…luckily they didn’t sing to us.
Joe's Birthday
After a short stay in Knysna it was time to move on to our final destination Long Beach back toward Cape Town.
S+J
Monday, January 18, 2010
The Winelands
We spent several days in the South African winelands, including Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Some of the best SA wine comes from this region and it is amazingly inexpensive. We started off with a full day of tasting with a guide named Keith. Keith learned our taste in wine and then drove us to specially selected wine farms for tastings. Being the designated driver was only one of the benefits Keith brought to the table. He is also quite knowledgeable about wine and shared that with us throughout the day.
Our first stop was the town of Stellenbosch, which was as picturesque little town with rows of cape Dutch style architecture. We walked down the main road checking out the shops and ended up in the open air village market at the end. We found a tall giraffe that we had been coveting for some time and began negotiations with a charismatic and eager villager who referred to the giraffe as “this guy”. When he discovered we are from the US he said, “Whoooo….this guy is going home to the land of Barack!!!” We got equally enthusiastic responses from many South Africans in response to our president. The villager was a smooth talker and came down on the price, but the poor giraffe looked like it had seen better days and we feared that he would be sawdust by the time he made the journey across the Atlantic, so we passed.
Now that 10am had passed, it was time to hit the bottle. We hit several wineries between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek...here are the highlights:
• L’Avenier – liked the Chenin Blanc and Pinotage, which is a blend of pinot noir and hermitage varietals.
• Rustenberg – liked the white dessert wine…not too sweet.
• Dieu Donne – delicious wines, food and even better views of the valley.
• Grand Provence – We LOVED the award winning chardonnay. Keith bought fine chocolates at a shop called Huguenot and instructed us to chew a whole chocolate and finish it with the cabernet sauvignon...OMG…ridiculous. The medley of flavors was heaven in our mouths.
• La Motte – This is one of three farms owned by the famous Rupert family and it did not disappoint. The tasting presentation was impeccable and they served hot bread as a pallet cleanser. After four wine farms this was absolutely necessary. We enjoyed all the wines but the shiraz was our favorite.
We enjoyed Keith’s company and highly recommend his tours (www.redwoodtours.co.za). Keith delivered us to our guest house late afternoon to submerge ourselves in the pool and cool off. La Cabriere Country House is a small guest house at the end of town in Franschhoek set among rows of vines over rolling hills (www.lacabriere.co.za). Sitting at the pool was with this view was just what the doctor ordered after a day of wine tasting. Each day at 4:00pm they served tea and cakes, which was very English. This was fitting because the owners are a Brit couple who had escaped the grey for the eternal sunshine.
Our second day we wanted to continue with tastings and organized a driver so we could both enjoy the libations. Best not to learn how to drive on the “wrong” side of the road while drinking. Our driver turned out to be an Afrikaans woman named Jaci. She was different from Keith in that she drank with us…just a dab so she could discuss the nose and palette of the wines. We aren’t really wine connoisseurs, so we would have struggled to smell the fresh cut grass in the sauvignon blancs or the ripe berries in the cabs without her help. It was really interesting, but I must admit that most of the time the only thing I could smell in the wine was wine. We hit some great farms on day two, mostly recommended by our Joberg friends. Here are the highlights:
• Stonybrook – Beautiful wine farm with a cute little farm house that was recommended by Hoboken friends Jared and Kim. We sat on picnic tables on the patio and chatted with a very nice lady who gave great information about the wines. We loved the cab called Ghost Gum named after the tree that towers over the back of the farm house. Also loved the farm’s dog who came right up to me and put his head under my hand and demanded that I pet him. Cutie.
• Chamonix – Loved the chardonnay and pinotage and the atmosphere.
• Boschendal – This wine farm packed us a picnic basket full of cheeses, breads, meats, salad and we found a picnic table in a field of green grass across from the vines. We enjoyed a bottle of chenin blanc, relaxed and laid in the grass under the sun for a bit.
We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the pool. The sun was intense and the pool was just cool enough.
Like Napa and Sonoma, Franschhoek is known for its exquisite restaurants. Our hosts had taken the liberty of booking us into two of the top rated restaurants in Franschhoek, which was very lucky because we were living day to day and had arrived unprepared. The first dinner was at Ruben’s which was a bit of a disappointment given the hype. The second dinner was at Grand Provence and stole the title of “best meal in Africa”. The chef had about 10 selections that could be selected for any of three courses. We didn’t really know what we were ordering, but took a shot and we were not disappointed. We had corn and shrimp soup, eggplant with mozz and tomatoes, yellow tail fish in a frothy yellow curry sauce, veal, and for dessert a cheese plate and a whiskey sponge cake that was ridiculous. We got in the habit of asking our waitperson their favorite dishes. This resulted in awesome dishes every time.
In the end, we left the winelands with about 15 bottles of wine. Most restaurants are byob with a small corking fee so we will drink several bottles over the next couple weeks and check the rest as baggage. I think the average price of a bottle was about 75 Rand or 10 USD. Bargain.
Next up the Garden Route…
Our first stop was the town of Stellenbosch, which was as picturesque little town with rows of cape Dutch style architecture. We walked down the main road checking out the shops and ended up in the open air village market at the end. We found a tall giraffe that we had been coveting for some time and began negotiations with a charismatic and eager villager who referred to the giraffe as “this guy”. When he discovered we are from the US he said, “Whoooo….this guy is going home to the land of Barack!!!” We got equally enthusiastic responses from many South Africans in response to our president. The villager was a smooth talker and came down on the price, but the poor giraffe looked like it had seen better days and we feared that he would be sawdust by the time he made the journey across the Atlantic, so we passed.
This Guy
Now that 10am had passed, it was time to hit the bottle. We hit several wineries between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek...here are the highlights:
• L’Avenier – liked the Chenin Blanc and Pinotage, which is a blend of pinot noir and hermitage varietals.
• Rustenberg – liked the white dessert wine…not too sweet.
• Dieu Donne – delicious wines, food and even better views of the valley.
• Grand Provence – We LOVED the award winning chardonnay. Keith bought fine chocolates at a shop called Huguenot and instructed us to chew a whole chocolate and finish it with the cabernet sauvignon...OMG…ridiculous. The medley of flavors was heaven in our mouths.
• La Motte – This is one of three farms owned by the famous Rupert family and it did not disappoint. The tasting presentation was impeccable and they served hot bread as a pallet cleanser. After four wine farms this was absolutely necessary. We enjoyed all the wines but the shiraz was our favorite.
J+S at La Motte
We enjoyed Keith’s company and highly recommend his tours (www.redwoodtours.co.za). Keith delivered us to our guest house late afternoon to submerge ourselves in the pool and cool off. La Cabriere Country House is a small guest house at the end of town in Franschhoek set among rows of vines over rolling hills (www.lacabriere.co.za). Sitting at the pool was with this view was just what the doctor ordered after a day of wine tasting. Each day at 4:00pm they served tea and cakes, which was very English. This was fitting because the owners are a Brit couple who had escaped the grey for the eternal sunshine.
La Cab Pool View
Afternoon Tea
La Cab View
Our second day we wanted to continue with tastings and organized a driver so we could both enjoy the libations. Best not to learn how to drive on the “wrong” side of the road while drinking. Our driver turned out to be an Afrikaans woman named Jaci. She was different from Keith in that she drank with us…just a dab so she could discuss the nose and palette of the wines. We aren’t really wine connoisseurs, so we would have struggled to smell the fresh cut grass in the sauvignon blancs or the ripe berries in the cabs without her help. It was really interesting, but I must admit that most of the time the only thing I could smell in the wine was wine. We hit some great farms on day two, mostly recommended by our Joberg friends. Here are the highlights:
• Stonybrook – Beautiful wine farm with a cute little farm house that was recommended by Hoboken friends Jared and Kim. We sat on picnic tables on the patio and chatted with a very nice lady who gave great information about the wines. We loved the cab called Ghost Gum named after the tree that towers over the back of the farm house. Also loved the farm’s dog who came right up to me and put his head under my hand and demanded that I pet him. Cutie.
Ghost Gum
• Chamonix – Loved the chardonnay and pinotage and the atmosphere.
Chamonix Wine Farm
• L’Ormarins – Another Rupert family farm and it was even grander than La Motte. We took a golf cart through the rolling hills and vines of the farm. Loved the Terra del Capo Pinot Grigio and Sangiovese and the Anthonij Rupert sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and port. We liked it all.
L’Ormarins
• Boschendal – This wine farm packed us a picnic basket full of cheeses, breads, meats, salad and we found a picnic table in a field of green grass across from the vines. We enjoyed a bottle of chenin blanc, relaxed and laid in the grass under the sun for a bit.
The Picnic
S+J Relaxing on the Grass
We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the pool. The sun was intense and the pool was just cool enough.
Like Napa and Sonoma, Franschhoek is known for its exquisite restaurants. Our hosts had taken the liberty of booking us into two of the top rated restaurants in Franschhoek, which was very lucky because we were living day to day and had arrived unprepared. The first dinner was at Ruben’s which was a bit of a disappointment given the hype. The second dinner was at Grand Provence and stole the title of “best meal in Africa”. The chef had about 10 selections that could be selected for any of three courses. We didn’t really know what we were ordering, but took a shot and we were not disappointed. We had corn and shrimp soup, eggplant with mozz and tomatoes, yellow tail fish in a frothy yellow curry sauce, veal, and for dessert a cheese plate and a whiskey sponge cake that was ridiculous. We got in the habit of asking our waitperson their favorite dishes. This resulted in awesome dishes every time.
S+J at Grand Provence
In the end, we left the winelands with about 15 bottles of wine. Most restaurants are byob with a small corking fee so we will drink several bottles over the next couple weeks and check the rest as baggage. I think the average price of a bottle was about 75 Rand or 10 USD. Bargain.
Next up the Garden Route…
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Shark Diving
I’m not quite sure why I’m consistently attracted to activities that push the limits. I’m meant to be risk adverse. I mitigate risk for a living. That’s my job. But I think there’s something in the Hester blood that my dad passed down that draws me to the extreme and the exciting. I watched my Dad push the limits on the motocross track and my brother on the BMX track and always tried to keep up with the boys…it must have had a lasting impact on me.
So we willingly allowed a sailor to put us in a cage and dump us into a shark infested ocean. It sounded like a good idea until I saw the first shark circling the boat and I my tummy flipped over. We watched several groups go down and everyone came out alive, so I decided I should get my money’s worth and go for it. I put on the wetsuit, listened to the instructions carefully (for the 6th time because I listened to every group before me…that must be the risk adverse side coming out), and approached the side of the boat. I was the last one to enter and was not looking forward to being submerged in the ice cold Atlantic Ocean. As I sat on the edge of the boat praying and negotiating the jump the sailor yelled, “Shark! Get down!” and I slipped into the cage and under water faster than a speeding bullet. The skipper also mentioned that he could get rid of Joe for me right before I went in. I wasn’t in a jokey mood and must have given him a weird look because he said “OK, I get it, too soon. Come back and see me in a few years.”
As soon as I went under I saw a shark pass a couple feet away and I swear he looked me right in the eye. The next shark came at us with unbelievable speed and hit the cage so hard it jarred to the right and my heart almost jumped right out of my chest. I could see his beady little eyes, his razor sharp teeth and the force of his movement as he charged toward the cage. It was so surreal. It was even more exhilarating than the lions almost eating us for dinner. The sharks charged us a few more times and then it was time to get out and I was very ready. Getting out was the scariest part because I was sure the shark was going to jump out of the water and bite off my leg off while I was very awkwardly heaving myself back into the boat. My limbs were numb and shaking from the freezing water and I was almost fully reliant on the sailor to pull me in. Not my finest moment. Luckily it was Joe behind me watching the struggle and not a stranger.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the horrendous young American girls with whom we shared the very long ride on the very small boat. They were unavoidable. These girls are exactly who give Americans a bad name in the international community. They were clearly still drunk from the night before, giggling and hollering while they hurled off the side of the boat, then serenaded the captain, and generally acted like they were the only people on the boat. They were badly modifying popular songs to fit the shark theme, like “don’t stop, shark diving, hold on to that booooaaatt” and singing the same verse over and over and over. At one point they yelled a sexual proposition to a guy on another boat that pulled up to say hello. At the end one of the sailors said to them “Are you American? Only Americans could be as loud as you.” I was embarrassed for our country.
So we willingly allowed a sailor to put us in a cage and dump us into a shark infested ocean. It sounded like a good idea until I saw the first shark circling the boat and I my tummy flipped over. We watched several groups go down and everyone came out alive, so I decided I should get my money’s worth and go for it. I put on the wetsuit, listened to the instructions carefully (for the 6th time because I listened to every group before me…that must be the risk adverse side coming out), and approached the side of the boat. I was the last one to enter and was not looking forward to being submerged in the ice cold Atlantic Ocean. As I sat on the edge of the boat praying and negotiating the jump the sailor yelled, “Shark! Get down!” and I slipped into the cage and under water faster than a speeding bullet. The skipper also mentioned that he could get rid of Joe for me right before I went in. I wasn’t in a jokey mood and must have given him a weird look because he said “OK, I get it, too soon. Come back and see me in a few years.”
This was a small one
As soon as I went under I saw a shark pass a couple feet away and I swear he looked me right in the eye. The next shark came at us with unbelievable speed and hit the cage so hard it jarred to the right and my heart almost jumped right out of my chest. I could see his beady little eyes, his razor sharp teeth and the force of his movement as he charged toward the cage. It was so surreal. It was even more exhilarating than the lions almost eating us for dinner. The sharks charged us a few more times and then it was time to get out and I was very ready. Getting out was the scariest part because I was sure the shark was going to jump out of the water and bite off my leg off while I was very awkwardly heaving myself back into the boat. My limbs were numb and shaking from the freezing water and I was almost fully reliant on the sailor to pull me in. Not my finest moment. Luckily it was Joe behind me watching the struggle and not a stranger.
Here fishy fishy...
I would be remiss if I did not mention the horrendous young American girls with whom we shared the very long ride on the very small boat. They were unavoidable. These girls are exactly who give Americans a bad name in the international community. They were clearly still drunk from the night before, giggling and hollering while they hurled off the side of the boat, then serenaded the captain, and generally acted like they were the only people on the boat. They were badly modifying popular songs to fit the shark theme, like “don’t stop, shark diving, hold on to that booooaaatt” and singing the same verse over and over and over. At one point they yelled a sexual proposition to a guy on another boat that pulled up to say hello. At the end one of the sailors said to them “Are you American? Only Americans could be as loud as you.” I was embarrassed for our country.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Cape Town
After two weeks in the village and the bush, re-entry into civilization was interesting. There were so many people, cars and city noises that we had a bit of sensory overload. We quickly recovered because Cape Town must be one of the most beautiful places on earth. As you drive down the shoreline you can see the Atlantic Ocean crashing into the pristine white beach, which is surrounded by mountains covered in green bush and a beautiful blue sunny sky. The houses are stacked up a steep incline leading up to the sea, which reminded me of a cross between the Greek Islands and San Francisco.
Our guest house was absolutely stunning. 51 on Kloofnek (www.51onkloofnek.co.za) is situated high on mountainside, so the back patio had a great view of Table Mountain, which is completely flat like a table and lit up beautifully at night. The décor was a cross between modern Nordic white and clean lines with a few antique pieces thrown in to soften it up. Our room had a white fluffy bed, which is really all I care about in a room. We loved the patio…beautiful views, a garden and a pool. It was the kind of place you want to sit and read with a glass of wine all night. So that’s what we did the first night. We needed a break, so we stayed in, ordered pizza, had a couple beers and rested.
The first day we took a tour around the cape with Henry. Henry drove us by the V&A Waterfront, new world cup soccer stadium, and down the coast through all the little bay towns along the cape…all cute, quaint and situated around a pretty white sand beach. The coastal drive along Chapman’s Peak was the most dramatic coast line I’ve ever seen. The road is cut right into the steep slope of the mountainside and it felt like we could drive right off the edge at any moment. When we got out to take photos the sound of the waves crashing sounded like claps of thunder and created a spray several meters high (when in Rome…measure in meters).
The Cape of Good Hope was one of the main attractions, which is the southern most point of the cape. The cape got its name from the European sailors who had been sailing a long distance on their way to India and hoped to be fed and cured of disease on the cape. We walked up hundreds of stairs to reach the light house and were rewarded with an amazing panoramic of sea meeting mountains and cliffs. It is impossible to do it justice in words and I fear that I didn’t even capture the beauty adequately on film.
We had lunch at a seaside restaurant. We ate delicious Kingclip fish, which has a lobster consistency, and lamb curry. Then we hit a penguin colony, which I absolutely loved. The penguins are adorable and curious little creatures. They either sit by the shoreline or up on the beach in what looks like a sun bathing position with their beaks open to ventilate cool air into their bodies. They were nesting over little mini penguins, which was really cute. I took about a hundred pictures of them that will have to be narrowed down a bit. I recognize that is excessive. But they are really cute.
On the ride home we stumbled upon a troop of baboons who looked cute and friendly. However Henry told us that these creatures were a real nuisance because they rob the locals and tourists of food. They are very smart...they will watch how you open the car, front door or fridge and then mimick your actions to steal your food. They are also aggressive and protected by law, so you must just let them take what they want and leave.
The final stop was Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, which had beautiful green rolling hills and pretty local plants and flowers. I saw the most curious thing…they had a section on medical ailments and had plants that they claimed help everything from gas to cancer to HIV. I hope they are used as a supplement to scientific medicine and not as a replacement.
Cape Town is also known for its excellent restaurants. Our favorite was an Italian joint called 95 Keerom (www.95keerom.com) recommended by our Joberg friends. It was insanely good even compared to the best spots in New York. We had fresh baked bread, fresh buffalo mozz (flown in from Italy daily), handmade gnocchi, tender Mediterranean style pork, Groote Post Chardonnay (excellent), melt-in-your-mouth-warm chocolate cake and port. It earned the title of “best meal in Africa” thus far.
We were sad to leave Cape Town after only such a short stay, but we will come through again at the end of our journey.
Our guest house was absolutely stunning. 51 on Kloofnek (www.51onkloofnek.co.za) is situated high on mountainside, so the back patio had a great view of Table Mountain, which is completely flat like a table and lit up beautifully at night. The décor was a cross between modern Nordic white and clean lines with a few antique pieces thrown in to soften it up. Our room had a white fluffy bed, which is really all I care about in a room. We loved the patio…beautiful views, a garden and a pool. It was the kind of place you want to sit and read with a glass of wine all night. So that’s what we did the first night. We needed a break, so we stayed in, ordered pizza, had a couple beers and rested.
51 on Kloofnek
The first day we took a tour around the cape with Henry. Henry drove us by the V&A Waterfront, new world cup soccer stadium, and down the coast through all the little bay towns along the cape…all cute, quaint and situated around a pretty white sand beach. The coastal drive along Chapman’s Peak was the most dramatic coast line I’ve ever seen. The road is cut right into the steep slope of the mountainside and it felt like we could drive right off the edge at any moment. When we got out to take photos the sound of the waves crashing sounded like claps of thunder and created a spray several meters high (when in Rome…measure in meters).
Chapman Peak Road
The Cape of Good Hope was one of the main attractions, which is the southern most point of the cape. The cape got its name from the European sailors who had been sailing a long distance on their way to India and hoped to be fed and cured of disease on the cape. We walked up hundreds of stairs to reach the light house and were rewarded with an amazing panoramic of sea meeting mountains and cliffs. It is impossible to do it justice in words and I fear that I didn’t even capture the beauty adequately on film.
S+J at Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
We had lunch at a seaside restaurant. We ate delicious Kingclip fish, which has a lobster consistency, and lamb curry. Then we hit a penguin colony, which I absolutely loved. The penguins are adorable and curious little creatures. They either sit by the shoreline or up on the beach in what looks like a sun bathing position with their beaks open to ventilate cool air into their bodies. They were nesting over little mini penguins, which was really cute. I took about a hundred pictures of them that will have to be narrowed down a bit. I recognize that is excessive. But they are really cute.
Mini Penguin
Sunning
Penguin Hangin Out
Baboon
The final stop was Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, which had beautiful green rolling hills and pretty local plants and flowers. I saw the most curious thing…they had a section on medical ailments and had plants that they claimed help everything from gas to cancer to HIV. I hope they are used as a supplement to scientific medicine and not as a replacement.
S+J at the Gardens
J+S at Table Mountain
Table Mountain Sunset
We spotted a guy with a classic 35mm that was taking great pains to capture the sunset and asked him to take our picture. When he looked up from the camera we saw the spitting image of Ronnie Barker our wedding photographer. For the rest of the trip we referred to him as South African Ronnie.
SA Ronnie
Cape Town is also known for its excellent restaurants. Our favorite was an Italian joint called 95 Keerom (www.95keerom.com) recommended by our Joberg friends. It was insanely good even compared to the best spots in New York. We had fresh baked bread, fresh buffalo mozz (flown in from Italy daily), handmade gnocchi, tender Mediterranean style pork, Groote Post Chardonnay (excellent), melt-in-your-mouth-warm chocolate cake and port. It earned the title of “best meal in Africa” thus far.
We were sad to leave Cape Town after only such a short stay, but we will come through again at the end of our journey.
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