Tasting & Travelling from Cape Town to Stellenbosch
I KNEW THAT A TRIP TO CAPE TOWN AND INTO SOUTH AFRICA’S WINE REGION OF STELLENBOSCH WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT EXPERIENCE BUT THIS TRIP EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS, WRITES FLOYD COWAN.
One week in South Africa seemed like a reality TV show of how many things we could check off our bucket list. By the end of the week the list was much shorter. The trip could have also been eat.drink.eat; and drink some more. The food in South Africa was excellent and plentiful.
WELL PLANNED & EXECUTED
South African Tourism arranged and sponsored the trip with their partners, and hosted 14 travel writers and photographers from South East Asia. I was the only one from Singapore. The itinerary was well thought out, and Mitali Karmarkar Marketing and Comms Head, South African Tourism and Ms Neliswa Nkani SAT Hub Head worked hard to make sure everything went as planned.
Perhaps the best decision they made was to use as the local guide Warren Morris Joburg, former army captain as our tour guide. His knowledge, good humour and warmth endeared him to everyone. And probably even more to Tran Viet Dung a photographer from Vietnam who had a habit of wandering off in search of photo opportunities. Warren’s task was to hunt him down and return him to the group.
GET THE SHOT
If I could do cartoons I would depict this tall,
6’5” black African holding up the diminutive Dung, about the size and weight of a wet towel, draped with a camera and lens bigger and heavier than himself, legs churning in mid air.
I would have done things differently. When Warren retrieved Dung from a field populated by five rhinos I asked him not to spoil our fun. Dung scurrying from charging rhinos would have made us Youtube sensations. I wondered if there was a point when Dung would have dropped his camera to save his skin, or would he still be trying to get the ultimate close-up?
LIVELY LONG STREET
Driving from Cape Town International Airport to Southern Sun The Callinun where we would stay for two nights, it struck me how sociable the people were. Mind you, it was Friday evening and we were cruising down Long Street, in one of the more happening areas of the city. I would have liked to explore this area with its café and bars with outdoor seating, numerous antique stores, and boutiques. In a square in front of an old stone church, a market was being set up.
We cruised along the freeway, Table Mountain, shy behind a thick blanket of cloud, while Warren did what he does so well, inform us about the country’s history and culture. “We are in the middle of the worst water shortage in 100 years,” he stated. “But the problem is under control and it is getting better.”
NO SMOKING
Warren continued, “Cape Town is a safe city. You have to take precautions as you would have to in any major city.” Safe perhaps, unless you are a smoker. “Cape Town is not a smoker friendly place. Every hotel room in Cape Town is non-smoking. You cannot smoke in public places.”
The Callinun, with 394 well-designed and comfortable rooms is centrally located not far from the renowned Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, where we would go the next day, close to Long Street and other popular landmarks. The building has a classic style, but is not as old as it looks as it was built in 1998. The classical architecture is reflected throughout the hotel, with high ceilings, a balconied mezzanine level, and soaring columns around the pool area.
WARM WELCOME
Entering my room I was greeted with a warm welcome by Mercia Horn, Deputy General Manager explaining what The Cullinan has to offer, which included a bottle of wine, a jar of nuts and one of sweets. After two long flights from Singapore Dubai Dubai Cape Town, it was most welcome.
Guests can enjoy amenities such as free high speed Internet, the large outdoor heated pool with its spacious deck, a fully equipped fitness centre, conference facilities, and great dining at The Peach Tree Restaurant. Light meals and delicious cocktails are available at Stella Café & Bar, adjacent to the pool.
We had our first meal together at the Peach Tree and had our first introduction to how great South African food can be. It is a buffet and people returned with mounds of food and great slabs of roast beef. The morning started in the same location with a breakfast selection that everyone could enjoy.
SATURDAY’S SUBLIME START
Generally, after breakfast, especially one as sumptuous as that, you don’t go for a spa session, but that was on our agenda. Mangwanani Boutique Spa has a full range of treatments but ours was to ‘only’ be a shoulder and head massage. It was sublime and a great way to start our Saturday that would be full of great moments.
We were soon off to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront that is much more than a superb mall, but an area where a variety of activities take place. Outside, along the working harbor, where seals play, is restaurant seating, a stage (buskers were performing), there are street performers
and boutiques offering souvenirs, clothing, jewelry and art. It is a lively.
WHO’S SONY NOW?
I wasted most of my time trying to find a Sony store as my mobile kept shutting off and began to take longer and longer to turn back on. There was no Sony store and the best offer was to send it to Johannesburg. Most opinion was a new battery was needed. Eventually I got a new battery and it didn’t help. When I got home Sony said it couldn’t be fixed. The phone died and I lost many pictures.
It was a long lunch at the Life Grande Café, where we sat outside on a breezy sunny day enjoying the scene. Prior to lunch John Pridgeon of Moet & Chandon gave us an introduction to his champagnes, which included the proper pronunciation of Moet (it is not a silent t as founder Claude Moet was Dutch) and the proper way to open a bottle of champagne. And of course it included a tasting of the bubbly. This was followed by a chance to try South African sparkling wine, which we found comparable to the French offering. Both were excellent.
OFF THE TABLE
Next on the agenda was a visit to Table
Mountain, but the weather precluded this. The wind alone could have cancelled the trip, but the low cloud on the mountain ensured we wouldn’t visit. The alternative was a visit to adjacent Lion’s Head Mountain, which is part of Table Mountain National Park, and provides great views of the city and environs.
At 5:00pm we met George Skaris and his group of Harley-davidson riders for a cruise along the coast. ‘Chappies’ is a spectacular
Cape Town scenic drive, which the area has many of. The two-lane highway winds, dips and climbs around the mountains along the glittering Atlantic. Most people end the trip in Hout Bay and have fish ‘n chips at Mariner’s Wharf.
TOURS TOURS & TOURS
George is a registered Tourist Guide who offers tours on his Harley Davidson or in his Mercedes Vito. The tours include Mountain Biking, Hiking,
Animal viewing, Marine life sightings, Historical, Cultural, Winelands, Township Tours or just beautiful views of the sea and mountains.
I rode with Juliet Clegg, who started riding at age 50, seven years before I climbed on to the back of her Harley. “My kids had grown up and left home and I needed something to do. I couldn’t sit around the house all day, so I got into this.”
It was a comfortable and thrilling ride as our group roared along the highway, attracting a lot of attention. We came to a place where there were two lanes and Juliet opened up the big beast and with the deep throated Harley roar, we sprung ahead. You just know that Juliet likes to let it rip on the open road.
ALL THE APOSTLES
There are many character pubs and restaurants in Cape Town and our stop for sundowners and dinner was at one of the best. The 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa, which has received many awards, is well-known for The Leopard Bar with its uninterrupted views of the Atlantic where people congregate for sunset cocktails. The delicious Azure restaurant with the same panoramic views and the Cafe Grill provide dining in a wonderful setting.
The Leopard Bar, with paintings, photos, statues and anything leopard, including the carpet with leopard patterning, is where I had my best glass of wine during the entire trip. Le Riche Richesse 2015. The red from Stellenbosch was full flavour. At dinner the calamari was well worth mentioning as it almost melted in your mouth. If you make it to Cape Town, make it to the 12 Apostles.
ON A QUAD
The next day, as we took the freeway south to the Stellenbosch wine region, Warren told us there were 625 wine farms in the area. “They all do something else in addition to making wine. They don’t make money from wine, so they have a hotel or a restaurant and bar. Where we are going they have Quad bikes.”
Wine Valley Adventures also has Wine Valley Horse
Trails for horseback riding and wagon trails, and if you wish to add a wine tasting, that can be included too. We didn’t get to do the wine tasting, but don’t feel sorry for us, that would come – in abundance.
GEAR UP
Wine Valley Adventures is in Paarl, at the entrance to the beautiful Rhebokskloof Wine Estate. There are half hour to two hour trail rides. While it is open seven days a week, booking is essential. As we geared up Michelle gave us a safety briefing and a quick lesson on how to go and stop the beast. “They are made for climbing, not for speed. But looking at this group, I don’t think we have to worry about that too much. I wasn’t insulted, but the lack of speed, bounce and dust made for a very tame ride – which was probably best. If I’d been left to my own devices I probably would’ve driven off the trail.
The hour’s drive around the property was through some of the most captivating scenery you will find, including going between the rows of the vineyards. I just loved it, but the group never seemed to stop in the right place to get the pictures I wanted. Michelle had suggested we not take our large cameras with us so my pictures were taken on my dying handphone. Not to worry, it was a great experience and great images are firmly implanted in my mind – though they are a bit difficult to share.
GREEN & BUBBLY
As we drove to J.C. Le Roux for a tasting Warren commented, “Normally, all this land would be green, but because of the drought it is brown.”