Groot Constantia Manor House

Stunning view

Stunning view

The driveway

Main gates

The view of vineyards

More vineyards

Main gates

Groot Constantia

Klein Constantia

6/4/2014

This morning we took a trip to Groot Constantia wine estate. Though we should have taken a picnic lunch but it was nice to get out and since it was a beautiful day just to see the country side a bit. This wine estate has an incredible history to it and to me it is one of the most beautiful wine estates in the country but in the middle of a city. There is a museum, restaurants and wine tasting to be done. Though I would love to eat at the restaurant, there are other ways of eating like one can also take a picnic along with one and just sit on the lawns overlooking the vineyards. The view overlooks the ocean and on a clear day one can see all the way to the mountains by Betty’s Bay. This doesn’t happen very often.

Then afterwards we headed off the Klein Constantia which is the baby wine estate of the area. We didn’t wine taste because it was quite expensive but we did however look around, take photos and read the history of the wine estate. It is also in a stunning area of Constantia though Klein Constantia is more on the Tokia side and Groot Constantia is in actually Constantia side of Cape Town than anywhere else.

To me it was a stunning day to get out and about in that area of the world even though it was so hot.

The Franschhoek Wine Tram

Kieron outside the Franschhoek Museum

Wine tasting area at Holden Manz

Grapes

Farm drive way

Tram

Vineyards

Tracker Tram

Slave Bell

The farm house at Rickety Bridge

The Rickety Bridge river

The Entrance to Rickety Bridge

Tram home

22/3/2014

Yesterday, which happened to be the 22 March 2014 Kieron, his dad, Kirsty, Henry and I drove to Franschhoek for the day. We decided to go on the wine tram so we could go to the wine farms for some wine tasting. Since some members of our party where late we decided to take the blue route and leave at 13:00 pm. We would only do a few farms but this was ok with us. So Kieron and I decided to take his dad to the museum while we waited. This museum has always been my favourite since one of my ancestors was a French Huguenot who came out from France in 1688 and for some odd reason I have been quite proud of this.

Then after looking around the museum we headed off for lunch and we decided to try out this cafe which was very nice and not priced over the top which is amazing for Franschhoek.

Franschhoek is mostly a major tourist attraction now so that is why some of the prices at restaurants and shops are so expensive.

Then at 12:50 we got onto this tram. It has been creating like the old trams expect this time there is not rails across the road so they have just put wheels on it. There is a stage where we went on an actually railway but that is to be told later when I get there.

We had a choice between three wine farms because it was an afternoon time and there wasn’t going to be much time for all the farms.

So our first stop was La Bri but we didn’t get out we decided rather go to Holden Manz instead which was very interesting. Though I only drank a little wine since I can’t drink a lot. As we sat waiting for the tram to come back Kieron decided to take loads of photos.

We then decided to go to Rickety Bridge which was near the end of the tour. It is named Rickety Bridge for the bridge which one had to cross to get to the farm. This bridge was really rickety at the time before they built the new bridge only in 1996.

Ron decided that sitting around wine tasting and eating cheeses wasn’t good enough so he took my camera and went off on a photography mission. Only when it was time to go then we had to go off looking for him, which believe you me it took a while even with his dad and me trying to phone him.

Once we had found him, we then jumped on the tracker/tram ride back to the station, caught the actually tram back to town and then got put on a last tram and drove back to town.

I think we mostly enjoyed the tram ride more than the actual wine itself. Watching old houses and vineyards flash past one. It is one of the most of beautiful parts of the world. By just enjoying each other’s company since we don’t get together very often.

We decided to skip the last wine farm and go home so afterwards we got back in the car and drove home. We then had to go and buy ingredients for dinner so we went shopping. So we decided to braai burgers for supper, Ron’s style.

So here is too the next adventure!

15/3/2014

Kirstenbosch has so many trails going off in all directions one can certainly get lost. So the other day I was trying really hard to research information for this when I came across something interesting, a Heritage Trail. This trail seemed to give people a piece of history from the beginning until now, 1700s – 2014. This garden has historical value and an interesting past.

It was reopened on Heritage Day in 2013 and this trail seems to only go along the old section of the garden. It gives one a self guided tour and explains the history of the gardens and shows old photographs. I find this way a much more fun way to learn about something. It also shows one how the landscapes have changed back when the garden was first created and what it is today.

For me I haven’t been on this new and exciting trail yet so I decided to find out where this trail begins and it seems one can start at any point where there is a sign called Heritage Trail and it is a circle route for only 2 km long.

I find that it would be an excellent why to expand ones knowledge of the area and learn about the history.

So this morning Kieron and I decided to go to Kirstenbosch and actually walk the Heritage Trail and see what it in tales.

There are many entrances to the trail itself, but its best to start from the beginning. The start is from opposite the Magic Tree (or what the Magic Tree was) and next to the Useful Plants Garden.

This walk is actually very easy and it’s just the usually steepness up to the next path or lawn.

The trail leads itself to Pelargonium Koppie and from there is amazing view of the garden and the structure of the Treetop Canopy Tour. So at each stop there is a sign the history of the section written on it. Then it’s along to the Colonel Christopher Bird’s bath and the history behind the bath itself.

How Bird bought the southern part of Kirstenbosch and built the bath as a form of a water source to the house in 1811. The bath was built in a “Bird” shape.

The next spot was the Cycad Amphitheatre, where some of the oldest Cycad’s are planted. Some have been around for centuries and some are quite rare.

Pearson’s Grave is another stop. Pearson was a Professor at UCT as well as a caretaker who decided a need for Botany at UCT and Cape Town and also

Kirstenbosch Heritage Trail

Treetop Tour

A Heritage path

Table Mountain

Walking the Heritage Trail

Water bubbling

Bird’s Bath

Treetop Tour

Pearson’s Grave

Cycad Amphitheatre

Mountain

Mountain

Amphitheatre

Beginning of Treetop Tours

a needed link to the university.

The next stop was Matthew’s Rockery who was another caretaker from 1913 – 1936. His rockery was built in 1920’s of local sandstone.

He was also the first horticulturists to encourage use of indigenous plants.

The last bits of the trail goes past the only remaining section of Van Riebeeck’s Hedge, which was planted in 1660.

Down another path through the Concert Area, pass through the main restaurant, up through the Peninsula Gardens. Then last but not least through the Marquee Lawn (where the old tea room used to be). Then back to where we began.

The Heritage Trail is an amazing, interesting, beautiful walk. It’s like going back through the past and also through nature, which also helped reconstruct the gardens we know today.

27/2/2014

This art gallery was built in the early 20^th century. As one walks up the stairs, it kind of looms up in front of one. To ones right there is a pay kiosk  which you have pay an entrance fee for adults is R30 and students are R15 as well as for pensioners. This is for the up keep of the museum and the upkeep of the art that is permanently shown at the gallery.

So on Saturday morning I decided to go to the National Art Gallery, which happens to be in town. I think the last time I went there I was in High School.

Going through the gallery is like walking from one cave of wonders to another in one huge magnificent cave. For me the world opens up to me, because I know every piece of art has a meaning.

I love the old paintings with their huge wooden frames and painted with oil paint or even acrylic paint.  These paintings look so real like they had been photographed instead of artists taking hours to paint them.

Then there is the modern art, which I must admit some of it I personally wouldn’t call art at all. The thing is that if ones think about it art is a freedom of expression.

This is definitely a must see for everyone on educating themselves on Cape Town’s new and old art.

17/1/2014

There are many stunning beaches in Cape Town and there are fantastic to watch the sunset on a beautiful clear evening in Cape Town.

So I decided to head out to Llandudno beach for a picnic supper on the boulders to watch the sun set. The sand was smooth, water seemed rough and the tide was coming in with the spray bashing on the rocks. It was actually beautiful, even though it was a bit windy.

So when the sun sets above the sea, which sets in colours of yellow, orange and pink, behind a few clouds. This magnificent beach is home to the rich, but also to the sun bathers, surfers, walkers and body borders. Children are running around playing sports and building sand castles and playing at the water’s edge.

So as the sun sets and people pack up their processions, ready to go back home or to their accommodation. Now the beach is appositely still, except for the crashing of waves against the shore as the tide comes in.

This is the end of the day of the many magnificent beaches and it’s goers in this stunning city called Cape Town.

Sea spray Llundudno

Slow Sun Set

Sea Spray

Beginning of the sun set

Sun set

Going down

18/12/2013

Today my friends and I decided to be tourists in our own city and headed for Kalk Bay. I have been down there many time before, but this time I had my camera.

We arrived in Kalk Bay and managed to find parking.

Decided to walk to Fish Hoek and back, so it was about 3-4 km. It was beauitful, having mountains and old houses on ones right and blue sea on ones left. It was quite windy down in Kalk Bay and worse it Fish Hoek. Then the 3 of us walked back to Kalky’s for lunch. Kaly’s was getting busy by the time we where in the line. We ordered a plate of chips to share and 1l coke for the 3 of us.

After lunch we walked around a bit. Kalky’s is at the harbour. While walking back to the car. We looked at all the different shops, they are so many crafty shops there as well as a few surf shops and of course restaurants. Once we got back to my car, we drove to Muizenberg.

Went for hot chocolate at Kneads and shared a apple pastry. It’s a bit expensive but it has fantastic foods. Kneads is right by the beach so it is beautiful watching the waves.

That side of the world is definitely a place to go and explore.

Kalk Bay main road

Glance back at Kalk Bay

Harbour

Harbour

View

View from a distance

Walking down the street.

Bosendal Wine Estate

8/12/2013

My boyfriend and I volunteered to pick up o

Old cars

Old cars

ur friends and take them to Stellenbosch to a church youth camp. We decided to take this opportunity to at lest to take a drive through Stellenbosch.

We went to have lunch at Spur and then afterwards we had to drop our friends off at Paul Roos. This school is really quite old and among the oak trees which makes it beautiful. In between getting lost trying to find the school.

After dropping them off we took a drive to Boschendal Wine Estate (Unfortunately we couldn’t stay long because of church in the evening), so we only walked around for a while.

There was a bit of excitement there were about 10 or so old Royal Roces, Jaguars and even a BMW. There were amazing with the Manner House in the back round.  I had to take a couple of photos.

30/11/2013

This Saturday morning, we only got to breakfast at 8:00 am. The scrambled eggs are amazing.

After we had eaten, we went to grab my camera and went exploring the old but small town.

Our first stop was the Station Museum, which doesn’t look big, but it is with a basement as well. I must admit those times where scary.

Then the Motor Museum, which I have personally never been into so it was new for both Kieron Thwaites and I. This houses old cars, the steam train and carriages, which we got to explore these and they are really dark. Kind of spooky really.

Then after a mid morning nap we went to have lunch at the coffee shop and afterwards walked around a bit and talked Basically we went exploring the gardens. Also went to check out the duck pond and we saw baby ducks and then onto explore the hotel itself.

We went up the main flight of stairs which leads to more hotel rooms (some of these are meant to be haunted). I was actually brave enough to walk up the stairs to an attic room (pity it was locked). This room is called Katie’s card room and if you go into the room one can feel it is haunted. Apparently at night one can hear someone playing cards in the room when there is actually no one there.

We also came across this one room in the hotel which looked like it was used as a small lounge , reading room or even a parlor. But Kieron and I could feel it just didn’t feel right, it had that airy ghost feeling. So we quickly left the room in a hurry.

At around 6:00 pm we went on a bus rid in one of those old fashion buses from London. The guide/entertainer gave the history and haunting of the town and made it more entertaining.

After dinner we decided to go back to our room and ea chocolate on our balcony over looking the semi dried up river. It was windy and the trees decided to make ghostly creaking noises, so we agreed to go back inside. Since my beloved boyfriend Kieron found out the times when Rovos Rail was going to pull into the station the next morning, we at least had to be at the station at that time.

P:S: I have never seen Rovos Rail in person only in photos so it was awesome me who studied travel and tourism.

More old cars

Inside an old carriage

Another old carriage

The old dinning car

Steam train