Visit to Stellenbosch Wine Country

We had a great time last night meeting several of Douw’s friends who live in Cape Town. The forecast for today called for a 70% chance of showers and a high of 65°F—quite a change from yesterday’s 80°F! I’m especially glad we visited Table Mountain yesterday because today it was completely covered in clouds.

With the weather not ideal for sightseeing, we decided to head to the wine country! At 10 a.m., our pre-booked driver picked us up for the 45-minute drive to the Stellenbosch wine region. Stellenbosch is one of South Africa’s most famous wine areas, renowned worldwide for its high-quality wines and picturesque scenery. The region is home to many of the country’s top wineries and is particularly celebrated for its exceptional red wines, especially Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends. Excellent Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc are also produced here.

Our first stop was the historic Spier Winery, established in 1692. The grounds were absolutely breathtaking! 

Wine bottle Chandelier

Having visited wine regions in Napa, Sonoma, Bordeaux, Tuscany, Provence, Australia, Marlborough (New Zealand), Argentina, and Chile, we can confidently say that Stellenbosch has the most spectacular topography of them all. The dramatic mountain backdrop is reminiscent of Kauai, Hawaii. 

The property is vast and beautifully landscaped, with ancient trees adding to its charm. The wines were excellent as well.  My photos do not capture the beauty of the landscape. 

Our second stop was the Ernie Els Winery, famous South African golfer. Once again, the setting was stunning, and the tasting and restaurant were top-notch. While the wines didn’t quite live up to the spectacular surroundings, it was still a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Ernie even provided a spot to practice your  short game!

Not bad for an amateur!

Our Visit to Table Mountain

One of our goals for our stay in Cape Town was to visit the top of Table Mountain, a whopping 3,563 feet above sea level! It’s one of the oldest mountains in the world—older than the Alps, the Andes, the Rockies, and even the Himalayas. The mountain got its name from its flat summit, and it’s recognized as one of the “New Seven Wonders of Nature.”

Table Mountain is often covered in clouds, as it was yesterday when we arrived. Our plan was to go up if the skies were clear, and this morning they were! We grabbed an Uber to the Cable Car Station

Here we were faced with two options:

Pay $30 USD per person and wait in a 2½-hour line, or

Pay $65 USD per person for the 15-minute Fast Track route.

We wisely chose the Fast Track option. 

The cable car ride itself took only about 10 minutes, and the floor slowly rotated as we climbed, giving everyone panoramic views. The scenery from the top was absolutely breathtaking!

At the summit gift shop, I couldn’t resist buying another T-shirt. I always say I’m going to stop, but I think over the years Debbie’s shopping habit has rubbed off on me! 🤣

Believe it or not, some visitors actually hike all the way to the top. An employee told us it takes two to three hours. I joked that it would take me two to three days!

After our mountain adventure, we Ubered to Victoria Wharf for a much-needed lunch—and it did not disappoint. Debbie and I both had sesame-crusted tuna steaks with wasabi mashed potatoes, while Douw went with the catch of the day, grilled kingklip.

Table Mountain from the Victoria Wharf

Debbie found one of her favorites at the Wharf. 

At the Wharf, there is a huge shopping mall and a lot of restaurants. A great place to spend a few hours. We are coming back later in the week. 

Side note: The U.S. dollar goes a long way here. The current exchange rate is about 1 USD to 17.50 rand. Our Uber rides were only $5 USD each way, and after lunch we stocked up on groceries for the evening (we’re hosting appetizers and wine for some of Douw’s friends). We filled three shopping bags for just $30—back home, that would have easily been $100!

We Have Arrived in Cape Town!

We were up early this morning—5:00 a.m.! We left Winburg at 5:45 for the 60-minute drive south to the Bloemfontein Airport. Bloemfontein is the capital of the Free State, one of three provinces in South Africa. After returning our rental van, all we had to do was cross a small street with our bags to enter the small regional airport. It only has two gates, and here you still walk on the tarmac to board the plane.

We flew our short, hour-and-forty-minute flight to Cape Town on Safair, a South African airline. Once we landed and collected our bags, we Ubered to our rental apartment—our home for the next week. 

We’re staying in a spacious apartment that Douw arranged for us.

He’s also staying in the same location. We’re right across from the beach and Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated. 

After we dropped off our bags, Douw took us to one of his favorite restaurants just half a block away. Debbie and I had grilled calamari over rice with steamed spinach—it was delicious! After lunch, we took a stroll right across from our building. It is beautiful here! 

      

           Devil's Peak

We’re now unpacked and will meet up again at 7:00 to go out for dinner.  Neither of us slept well last night, so after a hot shower it is definitely nap time! We both find it hard to sleep whenever we have an early wake-up call, especially before a flight.

Douw showed up right at 7 p.m. with an assortment of cheeses, crackers, chips, and a great South African Shiraz! No need to go out. I also captured a beautiful sunset from our balcony.