Travelling Photographer

Today was our Bacchus day – full day wine tasting in South Africa’s wine region. Started the day at Fairview Farms (SA wineries are not just for grapes – they grow fruits and vegetables as well as cattle sheep and goats) in Paarl. Then to Boschendal in Franschhock and to Stellenbosch to tour the university and taste at Neethlingshof farms. South African wines are not necessarily 100% South African – in 1886 a wine blight (phylloxera) killed off the vines and to rebuild the industry vines from the US were imported as the base and South African varietals were grafted to revitalize the industry.

Today’s journey covered a tour of the Cape Peninsula. Starting with stop at Camps Bay for view of Table Mountain which looms over the bay and a mountain range called the 12 Apostles. Continuing along Victoria Drive with its high end housing then along Chapman’s Peak Drive with great views of the Atlantic. A quick stop at the Cape Point Ostrich Farm. On to one of today’s highlights The Cape of Good Hope (which is not the meeting point of the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans but the meeting point with False Bay). After a photo stop we headed to Cape Point Lighthouse
with a funicular ride to the base of the lighthouse and a 200 step climb to the top were we  encountered a baboon rifling through a lady’s handbag for food. Great views of the Atlantic and False Bay. We hiked down the mountain enjoying the views and saw a whale in the nearby bay (too far out for a clear picture). Our second highlight was a stop at The Boulders Penguin Colony. Then finishing up a long day at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden and drive back to our hotel through  Old Town Cape Town.