Cape Town

3 JUNE 2023

I took a walk today through the Bo-Kaap section of the city with its vividly painted low-roofed houses, many of them historic monuments. They are strung along narrow cobbled streets in the foothills of the mountain area.

Bo-Kaap

Once the garrison for soldiers in the 1800s, this area was where the freed slaves started to settle after emancipation in the 1830. It's now a mixed area with a relaxed residential atmosphere.

Wineyards

The uplands, north of Cape Town are superb wine-producing areas with a rich history. Today I took one of the city sightseeing trips (R625) to the Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl area to learn more about this important S African trade and to taste the wonderful wines on offer.

Stellenbosch

The tour took us to the Somonsig Wineland near Stellenbosch, the Franschhoek Cellars and The Rhebokskloof Estate in Paarl. In each one we were provided with an informative talk and tasting opportunities.

The day also enabled us to visit Stellenbosch town, an elegant historical place with stately Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture along its oak lined streets. The town was established by Simon van der Stel in 1679 on the banks of the Eerste River on rich soil which was needed to produce vegetables and wine for ships stopping off at the Cape.

Franschhoek

French Huguenots settled in the spectacular Franschhoek valley over 300 years ago, bringing their vines with them. Ever since, the town has clung to its French roots. There is a Huguenot monument at one end of the town commemorating the arrival of the first people from France who broke away from the influence of the Catholics in Europe.

Drakenstien

Paarl is surrounded by mountains and vineyards and is set on the banks of the Berg River. Close by is the Drakenstein prison, from which Nelson Mandela walked to freedom on 11 Feb 1990. There is a superb statue of him outside the gates. The Taal Monument on a nearby hillside celebrates the Afrikaans language; it was originally the language shared by the first settlers from The Netherlands, France and Germany. The language evolved with the additional input of words uses by the Khoisan, enslaved people from the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) , enslaved Africans from Madagascar, East / West Africa and India.