Friday, July 18th, Kylemore B, Cape Town, South Africa

Greetings!

After a bit of rain this morning, Quinton took us for a drive through Cape Town and out to some wine country estates.  We began with a tour of the city, got a lay of the land and the seaside reclamation areas, and saw the colorful house paint protests against oppression.

Our wine-tasting was at Fairview, a remarkably well-presented wine and cheese estate at the foot of Paarl Mountain.  The flight of eight wines and selected cheese was excellent, and contained a unique single selection of two Shiraz from the same year, prepared under the same conditions, one from dry clay soil on the other side of the mountain, and the other from wet sandy ski near the property.  Pat liked one, and I liked the other.

We then had lunch at the Winery's restaurant, the Goatshed,  before driving to several more wine estate stops along the route to Stellenbosch.  I particularly enjoyed the stop at the gates to the prison where Nelson Mandela was released, and Quinton sharing his memories of the day and its drama.

In the afternoon, we walked around in the town of Stellenbosch. A university town, it was the second oldest European settlement in the province.  Founded in 1679 by the Governor of the Cape Colony, its soil, water, and climate made it perfect for school, military, and viticultural adventures.

We ended the day with a dinner at a traditional Africaaner restaurant, and continued our tradition of not being able to finish the huge meal without doggy-bags.  To see the few photos we took tray, click on Friday, July 18th, Kylemore B, Cape Town, South Africa.