WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SUMMER 2020 -- SOUTH AFRICA
What to do with a gap between two travel adventures - the end of our thrilling Kenyan safari and the start of an exotic cruise from Cape Town? What else but explore another of the world’s iconic wine regions. Since we met three decades ago, whenever possible, my husband and I seek out wine country pleasures - bucolic views, charming inns, leisurely tastings and casual fine dining. If trips bring us near vineyards - Virginia to Oregon, France to Australia, we visit for an afternoon or several days. This time our wine country destination was South Africa, one of the oldest wine-making regions outside of Europe, where Dutch and French settlers began tending vines in the mid-1600s. For a week, including Valentine’s Day when we celebrated our 31st anniversary, we explored the stunningly beautiful Winelands of the western cape, less than an hour drive from Cape Town.
What to do with a gap between two travel adventures - the end of our thrilling Kenyan safari and the start of an exotic cruise from Cape Town? What else but explore another of the world’s iconic wine regions. Since we met three decades ago, whenever possible, my husband and I seek out wine country pleasures - bucolic views, charming inns, leisurely tastings and casual fine dining. If trips bring us near vineyards - Virginia to Oregon, France to Australia, we visit for an afternoon or several days. This time our wine country destination was South Africa, one of the oldest wine-making regions outside of Europe, where Dutch and French settlers began tending vines in the mid-1600s. For a week, including Valentine’s Day when we celebrated our 31st anniversary, we explored the stunningly beautiful Winelands of the western cape, less than an hour drive from Cape Town.
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miner who unsuccessfully prospected here in the
1800s. The potholes were carved in bedrock over
thousands of years by the fierce swirling motion
where the Blyde River and Treur River converge.
And if you’re brave and not claustrophobic, tour
the spectacular Sudwala caves formed some 240
million years ago and the oldest Dolomite caves in
the world. You’ll journey 1.2 miles deep into the
cavern to view its many calcium formations with
names like “Nelson's Column” and the “Screaming
Monster.”
Gauteng
Gauteng, meaning “place of gold,” is South
Africa’s smallest province and its most densely
populated. Languages spoken are Tswana, and
Zulu, English and Afrikaans. The major city here is
Johannesburg, a trendy, cosmopolitan city with
tangible energy in the air. For a bit of fun and entertainment
for young and old, spend the day at
Gold Reef City, an amusement park known for its
thrill rides. For a bit of history, visit the Apartheid
Museum to learn about one of the most significant
periods of the country’s political life. One of the
most important sights to see in this province - and
in all South Africa, are in the limestone Sterkfontein
Caves at the Cradle of Humankind. Here,
in 1947, Robert Broom and John T. Robinson discovered
the oldest known fossil of Australopithecus
africanus, a two million-year-old relative of
early man. The UNESCO world heritage site also
has yielded several other notable fossils, including
the Taung Child and Little Foot, as well as Neanderthal
tools.
North West
The main language in this province bordering
Botswana is Tswana. It is home to Hartbeesport
Dam (affectionately known by locals as Harties).
Activities here include hot air ballooning, boating,
water skiing, camping and more. For an upscale
getaway, a stay at Sun City is a must! Although
there is plenty to do on this at this sprawling resort
it’s also nice to just lay back and enjoy the
uber-luxurious surroundings.
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WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE 2020
Johannesburg Photo by Clodagh Da Paixao
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