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south africa Elephant Corner turned French Franschhoek, the ‘French corner’ of South Africa, is cleverly capitalizing on its French heritage of excellent wines and a culinary tradition which is regarded as one of the best in the world. Many of the wine estates, guesthouses, restaurants and shops have names which sound as elegant and appealing as French names invariably do, and some of them proudly display French colours. A first-time visitor may indeed feel transported to a pretty little town somewhere in France. Come July and Franschhoek is gearing up to its ‘Frenchest’ form. During the weekend closest to France’s national holiday, Bastille Day on 14 July, Franschhoek celebrates a Bastille Festival. Franschhoek is always beautiful and a great place to visit – and yes, there is more to it than the lively Main Road with its speciality shops, Windhoek Tel: +264 61 289 0760 Swakopmund Tel: +264 64 40 42 40 Walvis Bay Tel: +264 64 201 2222 By Christina Rockstroh Oranjemund Tel: +264 63 233463 art galleries, antique dealers, cafés and restaurants - but going there for the Bastille Festival is simply fun. The entire Main Road is decked out in red, white and blue, just about everyone in the vibrant little town wears a red or blue beret and seems to be involved in the festivities. A ‘French atmosphere’ is also created by groups of people playing boules in unlikely places, a chefs’ and waiters’ race, street soccer, a fly-fishing competition and above all a wine barrel rolling competition which attracts scores of spectators. Teams from the various wine estates compete against each other on a short course lined with bales of straw. In pairs of two the participants do their best to manoeuvre their uncooperative barrel to the finishing line as straight and fast as possible, but much to the onlookers’ delight barrels seem to have a mind of their Tourismus Namibia now available as E- Paper Explore Namibia at your own PC! Click www.az.com.na T 85-6-3 32 own. The wine estates provide another big attraction: a procession of decorated floats, led by local drum majorettes, slowly makes its way through the main street – and back again for good measure. The South African clubs of French car manufacturers Peugeot and Citroën also join in the fun and games with a motorcade of older vehicles flying French flags and red and blue balloons while parading up and down Main Road to the cheers of onlookers. Eat, drink and be merry! This is the essence of the festival, and there is plenty of opportunity to sample great wines paired with gourmet food dished up by Franschhoek’s famous chefs. Franschhoek Valley boasts no less than 45 active wineries, among them household names like old-established Boschendal or Bellingham, but also less well-known ones like Lynx. Many of the most innovative and progressive producers in the country are in fact found among Franschhoek’s wine farms. And as if barrels and barrels of excellent wines weren’t enough, this little town has good reason to call itself South Africa’s Gourmet Capital. Among its 36 restaurants are eight which have made it into the country’s top 100, and four of the country’s fivestar chefs choose to work their magic in Franschhoek. What is the origin of Franschhoek’s French connection? The beautiful valley between towering mountains, which wear white caps of snow in the middle of winter, were inhabited by Khoikhoi tribes until pieces of land were allocated to Dutch free-burgh- a time to make friends: June 2009 Bottled to Perfection Gert 081-413 3638 ers as early as 1687. Two years before, Protestantism had been banned in France and soon afterwards the first groups of French Calvinists, or Huguenots, arrived at the Cape. They were also granted land in the Franschhoek Valley – then known as Olifantshoek (Elephant Corner) because at that time large herds of elephants roamed the area - between the tracts of land given to the free-burghers. These early French settlers introduced viticulture to the valley, which soon was called Franschhoek, the French Corner. They were not allowed to teach French at school, however, and within forty years the language had almost disappeared. Only the surnames – like du Toit, Malherbe, Malan, Labuschagne, de Villiers or Cronjé – have outlasted more than three centuries. This background combined with the origin of Bastille Day in France and the fact that Nelson Mandela was released from nearby Drakenstein Prison in 1990 also provide a more solemn angle to the festival in Franschhoek – man’s pursuit of freedom. In celebration of Mandela’s memorable release a Long Walk from Drakenstein Prison to the Huguenot Monument at the end of Franschhoek’s Main Road has become part of the annual festival. n Nur wenige Autominuten von Windhoek entfernt, aber schon mitten im dichten Savannenbusch, liegt unsere Immanuel Wilderness Lodge. Sie ist die ideale und bequeme Unterkunft für alle die Windhoek besuchen, aber trotzdem gleich nach Ihrer Ankunft in oder vor Ihrer Abreise aus Namibia die Ruhe und den Frieden der afrikanischen Wildnis genießen wollen. Bei uns sind Sie in guten Händen, wenn Sie bei der Auswahl Ihrer Unterkunft größten Wert auf gepfl egte Gastlichkeit, gute Küche und persönlichen Service mit familiärer Note legen. Tel: +264-61-260901 • Fax: +264-61-260903 • E-Mail: offi ce@immanuel-lodge.de • Web: www.immanuel-lodge.de Einzelzimmer NS 440.00 • Doppelzimmer N$ 590.00 • 3-Bettzimmer N$ 750.00 • 4-Bettzimmer N$ 890.00
south africa A haven of tranquillity - Birders´ West Coast Paradise My fascination with West Coast National Park started with a story featuring a charming old cottage overlooking turuoise waters and unspoilt beaches. A cosy lace with a stoep for hot summer afternoons nd a fire roaring in the grate on chilly autumn nd winter evenings. A place of unrivalled eauty and tranquillity in the lap of nature here time seems to stand still. The place is hurchhaven on the narrow peninsula which uts out between Langebaan Lagoon and the tlantic Ocean, a mere 120 km north of busting Cape Town. here are other intriguing names in West Coast ational Park (WCNP). Soon after passing the ntrance gate off the R27 we come to a sign ointing to Abrahamskraal. A lovely Cape utch cottage sits in the fynbos, with not a soul in sight. Several ostriches are watching us, and then we notice a plank way to a wooden structure which turns out to be a bird hide at a small pond. Redknobbed coot with small chicks are lazily paddling about and a tiny sunbird feeds from the big yellow flowers on a carpet of succulents. If you are into birding, this must be one of your favourite spots. The cottage is fully equipped for six. We watch a tortoise resolutely stomping from one patch of green to the next, and then we are on our way to the Atlantic View Point, an elevated spot a few metres off the ‘main road’. The view is indeed fantastic: stretched out below are dunes, the blue ocean and 16 Mile Beach, seemingly extending all the way to Yzerfontein in the south. The bulky remains of a ship, wrecked 30 years ago, rise from the sea a few kilometres to the north. Our next stop: Churchhaven! At last! About two dozen cottages and houses are scattered between palms and other trees and shrubs on a gentle slope down to the lagoon’s southern shore. Private property in a national park? “It does not pose a problem”, says Pierre Nel, a WCNP nature conservation official. “The park consists of many pieces of privately owned land and there are more cottages in other places around the lagoon, about 60 in total. We look after nature and the homeowners abide by the rules of their Home Owners’ Association.” Settlements around the lagoon existed long before the park was proclaimed in 1985. Langebaan and the sheltered lagoon were already known to European seafarers at Jan van Riebeeck’s times in the late 17 century. The Dutch East India Experience THE DIFFERENCE Kempinski Mokuti Lodge combines unique African charm with luxury and comfort. Situated only two kilometers Kempinski Mokuti Lodge from the Eastern entrance to the world renowned Etosha National Park, the lodge is the gateway to a unique safari offers special rates experience, as well as the perfect destination for incentives, conferences, weddings and honeymoons. Relax and unwind in a truly unique surrounding and enjoy a variety of indulging restaurants. for SADC residents starting from N$ 710.00 Tel +264 61 388 400 • Fax +264 61 388 401 reservations.mokuti@kempinski.com • sales.mokuti@kempinski.com www.kempinski-mokuti.com • www.kempinski.com KEMPINSKI - A COLLECTION OF INDIVIDUALS 33 June 2009 Company had its ships repaired in the lagoon Churchhaven is as tranquil and beautiful as expected. Some of the cottages are available as holiday accommodation. A family by the name of Church seems to have given this little haven its name. The most amazing accommodation, by any national park’s standards, must be the two houseboats which are securely and permanently moored at Kraalbaai in the south-western corner of the lagoon. Imagine a luxurious floating mansion with nine bedrooms on two decks, or a cosy smaller one with two bedrooms. Kraalbaai has braai places with glorious views next to the road, and steps lead down to the beach, hidden from sight, to reveal wondrous rock formations like the enormous ‘preekstoel’ (the pulpit). There are more picnic spots a little per person sharing in a Deluxe Room inclusive all taxes, buffet breakfast and dinner buffet in Tambuti Restaurant.
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