Mother City, Cape of storms and vinelands, Julia and Horst Drosten‘s Travel to South Africa, Part III
Mother City, Cape of storms and vinelands
Julia and Horst Drosten‘s Travel to South Africa, Part III
Again, we drive along the coast, this time from George to Cape Town, about 400 km. Just west of George we enter the breadbasket of South Africa – fields of golden wheat partly harvested. It’s November and a strange sight vor Europeans.
We decide to have a break in Swellendam. The little town is the third oldest of South Africa and very charming. Old trees and white 18th century houses line the mainstreet. The roofs are reed padded, many windows have green shutters, in lovely gardens grown flowers and vegetables. In the shop of the town museum, we find nice little presents and behind an old loom sits a German lady. We talk and come to know that she has been living here for four years and loves it. Later we have lunch in La Belle Alliance, named after the freemason lodge, which is now home to the fine restaurant. We sit in the garden and eat Bobotie, a casserole made of minced meat, rice, eggs and boiled fruits, part sweet part spicy. Gertraud tells us that Indonesian immigrants created this typical South African dish back in 17th century.
Our journey continues through the fruit garden of the Cape region and near Cape Town we see vineyards.
We enter the Mother City via False Bay. It is rush hour and we are caught in a traffic jam but this is an opportunity to have a look at the townships. We have already seen several townships but around Cape Town they stretch about many kilometers. Gertraud informs us that the government builds a house for every South African who earns less than 5000 Rand a month (about 300 Euro). We see settlements with shelters the size of a garage relatively new and well cared for but as many shabby huts of sheet iron and old latches. There are satellite dishes on almost every roof and above you see entangled cables for electricity. Around many townships but not all, we see garbage and old tires. In between children are playing soccer.
On the other hand, we see the Security Homes. Other than during Apartheid today everyone regardless of the skin color is allowed to live there – if you can afford it. Walls and sometimes barbwire protect every Security Home area. Inside there are regular patrols. They also guard and the entrance area. “If I want to visit my daughter in her Security Home the guard announces me and only allows me to enter when my daughter tells him or her to do so”, tells Gertraud.
Our Cape Town hotel is close to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Until the 1990s it was Cape Town’s harbor. Than the two basins became too small for modern ships and the area became a tourist hotspot. There are hotels, shops, restaurants, the Zeitz Museum and the Two Oceans Aquarium. We visited the Aquarium to get information about the submarine world in the Cape region and had much fun there because you can experience a lot and try it out – great for kids and adults. After the fun in the Aquarium the African Trading Post was quite a contrast. On the groundfloor you can buy souvenirs but the two floors above are crowded with animal sculptures, masks, lances and stuffed animals. Especially the masks are spine chilling for people with lively fantasy like writers.
The next morning we visit the Table Mountain. Even from far away it seems dark, big and massive. There is only a slight wind and we go in the cable car to the top of the mountain. When we get out of the car, it is foggy but after a short time, the sun is shining again. A few minutes we enjoy the great view over Cape Town and the Atlantic Ocean than the next cloud of fog arrives. Later we visit the Highlights of the City – the Slave Lodge, the Company Gardens and picturesque Bo-Kaap – some of them already existed in the late 18th century – the time of our novel “Mit dem Wind Kurs Paradies”. The Castle of Good Hope is one of the sites of our novel and we notice that research on-site is important. We got details of the architecture wrong which we can adjust now.
The next day we travel through the vinelands. The landscape is breathtaking. Blue skies, green hills, vineyards and olive trees. White wine is cultivated close to the coast and red wine more in the inland. First, we visit a farmers market in Stellenbosch with regional apples, bread, cheese and wine. Than we have a walk through the town. Many artists live here and we admire their extraordinary skills in galleries and workshops. Close to Stellenbosch in the Tokara vinery, we test South African wine and olive oils. Our next stop is Franschhoek. Huguenots founded the small town and taught the Netherlands how to grow good wine. Repeatedly we see rosebushes planted around the vineyards. Gertraud knows the reason: Like vines, roses are sensitive to mildew. If the roses fall ill, the farmers still have time to protect the vines. The highlight of this beautiful day is our visit of the Babylonstoren estate. It is one of the oldest in Southafrica and today a hotel but still operated similar to the 17th century. Of course, there are vineyards but also a vegetable garden, a flowergarden for the bees, a garden for medicinal herbs, chickens, bakery and butcher shop. Everything that you can eat in the restaurant is produced on the estate and it tastes heavenly.
Our last day in South Africa starts stormy – we visit the Cape of Good Hope. Wake up call is early. We drive along beautiful Chapmans Drive and arrive at the Cape National Park when it is still quite empty. When we get out of the car, we notice the power of the wind. It rattles noisily; waves roll against the coast and break over the seals who rest on the cliffs. When we walk along a path to Cape Point our ears hurt from the wind but the landscape is so beautiful. The few „trees“ are only knee-high with thick trunks, thin twigs and coral blossoms. We see white Strawflowers, yellow Needle-Cushion Proteas and little lilac flowers that remind to Asters. Black lizards and chubby Cape Hyrexes bath on stones in the sun. From Cape Point we see over the False Bay to Cape Hangklip close to the position where in our novel we describe a shipwreck. We also see a bay that is a suitable model for the bay of our shipwreck and are busy taking fotos.
Our last stop is Boulders Beach, home to the last South African Penguins. Masses of people want to watch them – and we are almost sorry for the little birds.
In the evening, say good-bye to South Africa and Gertraud in a fine fish restaurant at the Waterfront. The next day we travel home from Cape Town via Johannesburg and Frankfurt.
https://www.kapstadt.de/reisefuehrer/...
https://www.waterfront.co.za/
https://www.babylonstoren.com/
https://www.chapmanspeakdrive.co.za/
http://www.capetown.travel/visitors/s...
Julia and Horst Drosten‘s Travel to South Africa, Part III
Again, we drive along the coast, this time from George to Cape Town, about 400 km. Just west of George we enter the breadbasket of South Africa – fields of golden wheat partly harvested. It’s November and a strange sight vor Europeans.
We decide to have a break in Swellendam. The little town is the third oldest of South Africa and very charming. Old trees and white 18th century houses line the mainstreet. The roofs are reed padded, many windows have green shutters, in lovely gardens grown flowers and vegetables. In the shop of the town museum, we find nice little presents and behind an old loom sits a German lady. We talk and come to know that she has been living here for four years and loves it. Later we have lunch in La Belle Alliance, named after the freemason lodge, which is now home to the fine restaurant. We sit in the garden and eat Bobotie, a casserole made of minced meat, rice, eggs and boiled fruits, part sweet part spicy. Gertraud tells us that Indonesian immigrants created this typical South African dish back in 17th century.
Our journey continues through the fruit garden of the Cape region and near Cape Town we see vineyards.
We enter the Mother City via False Bay. It is rush hour and we are caught in a traffic jam but this is an opportunity to have a look at the townships. We have already seen several townships but around Cape Town they stretch about many kilometers. Gertraud informs us that the government builds a house for every South African who earns less than 5000 Rand a month (about 300 Euro). We see settlements with shelters the size of a garage relatively new and well cared for but as many shabby huts of sheet iron and old latches. There are satellite dishes on almost every roof and above you see entangled cables for electricity. Around many townships but not all, we see garbage and old tires. In between children are playing soccer.
On the other hand, we see the Security Homes. Other than during Apartheid today everyone regardless of the skin color is allowed to live there – if you can afford it. Walls and sometimes barbwire protect every Security Home area. Inside there are regular patrols. They also guard and the entrance area. “If I want to visit my daughter in her Security Home the guard announces me and only allows me to enter when my daughter tells him or her to do so”, tells Gertraud.
Our Cape Town hotel is close to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Until the 1990s it was Cape Town’s harbor. Than the two basins became too small for modern ships and the area became a tourist hotspot. There are hotels, shops, restaurants, the Zeitz Museum and the Two Oceans Aquarium. We visited the Aquarium to get information about the submarine world in the Cape region and had much fun there because you can experience a lot and try it out – great for kids and adults. After the fun in the Aquarium the African Trading Post was quite a contrast. On the groundfloor you can buy souvenirs but the two floors above are crowded with animal sculptures, masks, lances and stuffed animals. Especially the masks are spine chilling for people with lively fantasy like writers.
The next morning we visit the Table Mountain. Even from far away it seems dark, big and massive. There is only a slight wind and we go in the cable car to the top of the mountain. When we get out of the car, it is foggy but after a short time, the sun is shining again. A few minutes we enjoy the great view over Cape Town and the Atlantic Ocean than the next cloud of fog arrives. Later we visit the Highlights of the City – the Slave Lodge, the Company Gardens and picturesque Bo-Kaap – some of them already existed in the late 18th century – the time of our novel “Mit dem Wind Kurs Paradies”. The Castle of Good Hope is one of the sites of our novel and we notice that research on-site is important. We got details of the architecture wrong which we can adjust now.
The next day we travel through the vinelands. The landscape is breathtaking. Blue skies, green hills, vineyards and olive trees. White wine is cultivated close to the coast and red wine more in the inland. First, we visit a farmers market in Stellenbosch with regional apples, bread, cheese and wine. Than we have a walk through the town. Many artists live here and we admire their extraordinary skills in galleries and workshops. Close to Stellenbosch in the Tokara vinery, we test South African wine and olive oils. Our next stop is Franschhoek. Huguenots founded the small town and taught the Netherlands how to grow good wine. Repeatedly we see rosebushes planted around the vineyards. Gertraud knows the reason: Like vines, roses are sensitive to mildew. If the roses fall ill, the farmers still have time to protect the vines. The highlight of this beautiful day is our visit of the Babylonstoren estate. It is one of the oldest in Southafrica and today a hotel but still operated similar to the 17th century. Of course, there are vineyards but also a vegetable garden, a flowergarden for the bees, a garden for medicinal herbs, chickens, bakery and butcher shop. Everything that you can eat in the restaurant is produced on the estate and it tastes heavenly.
Our last day in South Africa starts stormy – we visit the Cape of Good Hope. Wake up call is early. We drive along beautiful Chapmans Drive and arrive at the Cape National Park when it is still quite empty. When we get out of the car, we notice the power of the wind. It rattles noisily; waves roll against the coast and break over the seals who rest on the cliffs. When we walk along a path to Cape Point our ears hurt from the wind but the landscape is so beautiful. The few „trees“ are only knee-high with thick trunks, thin twigs and coral blossoms. We see white Strawflowers, yellow Needle-Cushion Proteas and little lilac flowers that remind to Asters. Black lizards and chubby Cape Hyrexes bath on stones in the sun. From Cape Point we see over the False Bay to Cape Hangklip close to the position where in our novel we describe a shipwreck. We also see a bay that is a suitable model for the bay of our shipwreck and are busy taking fotos.
Our last stop is Boulders Beach, home to the last South African Penguins. Masses of people want to watch them – and we are almost sorry for the little birds.
In the evening, say good-bye to South Africa and Gertraud in a fine fish restaurant at the Waterfront. The next day we travel home from Cape Town via Johannesburg and Frankfurt.
https://www.kapstadt.de/reisefuehrer/...
https://www.waterfront.co.za/
https://www.babylonstoren.com/
https://www.chapmanspeakdrive.co.za/
http://www.capetown.travel/visitors/s...
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