Sunny skies, fine wine and farewell.

Because of a connection to the Barlow Family of Rustenberg Wines, we spent the last day in South Africa on a private wine tour. The connection was our common ties to Jersey cattle. My parents had visited the Barlows in Stellenbosch many years ago, staying at the farm where jersey cows and fine wine were both prized. The Barlows had also imported cattle from Brampton Jerseys, the herd that Dad managed in Ontario. Brampton Beacon Bloomer was not only a great herd sire for the Barlow family but they also named one of their signature wines after him.

Leaving Cape Town for the last time, under the care of Elreda Hugo, we were driven to the wine region of Stellenbosch. In total we visited four wineries with Rustenberg being the highlight. Their wines are truly wonderful and even though it was well before mid day we managed to taste a good sampling of their well awarded vintages. Simon Barlow met us at the winery, shared some memories with us and invited us for a full tour of the winery. As they were in full production of harvesting and processing several grape varieties he was unable to remain with us but Elreda took us through the many stages of the facility.

Our last stop was the winery of world famous golfer Ernie Els. This beautifully maintained winery provided us with further flavours of fine wine. 

The countryside had views that will leave such a positive imprint on our minds of the beauty of this marvellous country.

And now we return to reality!

                                          The historic buildings of Rustenberg 

                            French oak barrels are used to age some vintages.

                                                              So impressive!

                                                     Grapes growing everywhere.

                                                       They were so sweet!

My (MJ) reflections of a month in Africa

As we prepare to leave Africa after travelling the equivalent of the distance across Canada, I must thank Murray for keeping our family and friends up to date on our journey. He has been much more diligent than I would ever be and he did agree to occasionally use one of the pictures I took on my little camera.I feel truly blessed to have had this experience and it will always remain the trip of a lifetime. Once again we have travelled with our good friends Marlene and Peter and have shared many laughs together. 

How can I begin to reflect on this adventure? The parts of Africa we have seen have been beautiful, the landscape breathtaking, and the animals amazing but it has been the people we have met who have left me with the greatest impression.

It began in Tanzania with our guide James who raced across the Sarenghetti in search of the elusive Cheetah and shared his extensive knowledge with us. His dream was to buy 2 cows so he could sell the milk but cows were expensive. He dreamed of a better life for his children and stressed that education was the answer. We met the Maasai people who lived a very different life but were considered wealthy by their standards. The women worked hard while the young boys travelled many miles to find food for their goats and cows.

In Botswana we met Michael who took us to the local school where children, dressed neatly in uniforms, often walked many miles to attend the school. Their classrooms were bare and I could only think of the posters and books that I have discarded over the years. Michael's "village" or home was neat, the ground freshly raked, and he was so proud of his 3 children, who raced home from school to meet us.

As we travelled through Namibia, we saw women and children carrying containers of water from a community well to a little house miles away and we could only assume they had to ration that water so carefully. In the barren desert lands, children would be fortunate if they had the means to attend a school and in the dry season the women and children would stand at the side of the road with empty containers hoping someone would stop and fill them with water.

We met the Himba tribe in their village, selling crafts, and the children attending school, and later, the San people, many who live in town and face the challenges of the encroaching modern society on their traditional lifestyle.

In our lodges we met so many delightful black Africans who enjoyed sharing their stories. I often marvelled at how Murray's infectious laugh could engage them!

We met Millicent working in a Cape Town store who was impressed that we had seen so much of Africa. - something most Africans  will never be able to afford to do. She told us her husband and little 3 year old girl were living in the UK and she is trying to get a Visa to join them. With tears in our eyes, we hugged, said goodbye, and she thanked us saying "it will get better".

How can I possible describe my feelings for Kembo who over the 21 day journey became more than our guide. He shared his life story with us and perhaps it best illustrates the hope for African people. He grew up very poor, living with his mother and 3 siblings in one room. He became well educated and has supported his siblings in getting their education. His girlfriend Lucy has returned to Africa after her family lost their tobacco farm in Zimbabwe when Magabee confiscated land from the whites. The family relocated to Australia but Lucy has returned and she and Kembo want to settle down and have a life together however Kembo has reservations but her mother has given them her blessing. To me, this is a beautiful ending to a wonderful trip.

As Nelson Mandella wrote in his 'Long Walk to Freedom',"it is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given that separates one person from another". I have marvelled at the sacrifices families make to educate their children. Mandella's words again ring true globally: "Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future".

The colours of Cape Town

The waterfront of Cape Town is a tourist haven. Craft shops of every discription are filled with the treasures of the continent. Ostrich eggs, carved in delicate designs and deccorated by skilled artists are to be found in abundance. Carvings in wood and stone are offered in sizes impossible to transport. Markets filled with colourful, hand woven materials, some in combinations of silk, bamboo, cotton, banana and mohair added an element of vibrancy to the stalls. Leather goods made from the usual sources, as well as crocodile, ostrich and game animals were exhibited as luggage, purses, wallets and many other fine objects. 

The restaurants and eating establishments offered a variety of options to fit any budget or preference, from Mediteranian cuisine to new world delicacies, from Asian to African. Needless to say, there will be a few pounds to shed when we return home...;-)

A morning spent at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens was a real treat for the flower lovers among us. Even though the height of the blooming season was over, it was a wonderful place to spend  a morning, wandering through the trees and shrubs that were so foreign to us. 

Our biggest, and possibly only, disappointment of the entire trip was the cancellation of our Robben Island excursion. This is the island that held the prison where Neilson Mandela was incarcerated for 27 years of his life. The historical importance of this great human being was evident throughout all of Southern Africa that we have visited. Many stores and displays had immense statues of him and we often witnessed parents taking pictures of their children in front of them. 

Because of high winds and turbulent seas the ferry was canceled and our tickets, purchased months ago were reimbursed. Talking to an agent at the dock we were told that "when we were prisoners there, the ferry was never cancelled". With a bright smile on his face and a chuckle he pointed out the school children getting off the ferry that was cancelled for us. He told us that they came ashore for school on the mainland and the gentleman beside them, helping them off the ferry was a former guard. 

                                                       Just a walk in the park.

                        Only the flower lovers will appreciate the following photos!

Proteas of brilliant shades adorned shrubs of varying sizes.

                                  I warned you it was just for flower lovers.

                I think he winked at me!

                                                                 Tricked you!

Don't know what it's called, no leaves, just a beautifully coloured blossom on a foot long stem.

Several honey eater birds of different species flitted among the flowers.

The Table is set, and the view is grand!

We were fortunate enough to arrive in Cape Town early in the afternoon. This gave us the option of taking the gondola up Table Mountain if the weather was good. And it was! Because of the cold winds coming off the Atlantic coast, it is very common to have a cloud cover on the top of the mountain. This is called...wait for it...the "Table Cloth" and when it is covering the mountain top, the cable car system is closed.

The gondola ride was fantastic. With a capacity of 50 or more but with a weight restriction, the floor constantly revolved to allow everyone the opportunity to take photos and enjoy the view. As we left the city for the ride up, the temperature was a hot sunny 30c while at the top it was 22c and breezy. The one end of the flat topped, mountain top park, had clouds blowing over and dropping down the side like a whispy grey waterfall. The whole area was covered by wild flowers, most of which had blossomed weeks before but there were still several varieties showing some colour. 

The views from the mountain top were spectacular. Cape Town below, spread out in all directions. The seaport was bustling, the other mountains poked their mass through the sea of humanity and all this was bookmarked between the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans. 

Our drive to the Cape was very enjoyable with thousands of cyclists crowding the narrow road. As we wound our way In a southernly direction we passed some of the most expensive real estate in South Africa. We passed soccer fields with hundreds of children practicing their skills. The encouraging fact that there was a mix of colours playing together, endorsed the reality that times are changing here. We saw this everywhere we went.

The Cape of Storms, as it was originally named before it became Cape of Good Hope, was well worth the drive. The views from the lighthouse above the cape gave proof of the wild seas that meet at this point and allowed us to understand the dangers that early sailing shipwreck would have faced.

Driving further, we spent time watching the African Peguin colony as they returned from the sea or steadfastly guarded their nests from marauding seagulls. They were so enjoyable to watch as they interacted with one another and it upset us to see a gull swoop down and steal one of their eggs that had been left unattended for a moment. The gull flew to a height with the large egg in its beak before purposely dropping it on the beach where it broke, allowing the gull to get its feast.

This was the last day with our group so when we had finished exchanging contact information and saying our goodbyes we headed off in different directions. We have become very close as a group and shared many experiences together over the past weeks. We are hopeful that our paths will cross again some day soon as there are just too many good reasons that they should!

Saying goodbye to Kembo was particularly difficult. He had been so patient with our many questions during the trip and his skills as a guide were extraordinary. But it was as an individual, proudly African, that we respected him so much. His sense of humour, his sparkling wit and his ceaseless teasing kept us always on our toes, usually one step behind him! It is people like Kembo who will be the driving force that helps move the countries of Southern Africa forward.

                                                                 Table Mountain wildlife

                                On our drive to the cape the scenery was stunning!

                                            Kembo didn't always get the last laugh...;-)

And the evidence of getting stuck and flat tires has been forever recorded.

               The southern seas pounded the rocky shore at The Cape of Good Hope.

                                   But the seals somehow managed to hang on.

                                                                     More wildlife!

                               These Africa Penguins were such fun to watch.

                           But we were saddened to see a gull snatch this egg.

                                                      This mother had two chicks.

                                Trotting up the beach...in search of lady friends!

The Indian Ocean side of the cape was much warmer for the swimmers, however we did see people swimming in an area with a black flag which stated "sharks present". Now why would anyone do that?

Raisins in the sun.

We have arrived in Cape Town. Our last days of driving included long distances, high heat and some surprises. Here are a few of them.

This beautiful Steenbock stopped for a moment, just long enough to take a photo. Most of the time when we saw them they were on a darting run through the shrubs and grass. Being the smallest of the antelopes, they are regularly targeted by the predators. They really are not much bigger than a large rabbit.

Arriving at the Orange River region, the presence of water made for a dramatic change in the landscape. There were grapes everywhere!

The land was still barren and dry, except for any land within reach of the irrigation canals. This region produces over 40% of all South Africa's wine.

There were such beautiful green colours all along the highway. It was "eye candy"!

Augrabies Falls was such a pretty sight. Unfortunately we were not able to give it our full attention. The afternoon temperatures had risen into the low 40s but because the area consisted of granite, the rock held and magnified the temperature. It was just too hot to fully appreciate the wonder of this lovely place. Augrabies is the sixth largest falls in the world.

                            This colourful lizard is only found in the area of the falls.

At first we weren't sure exactly what was going on when we observed the action pictured above. In fact this area is a large producer of Sultan raisins and what we were witnessing was the process of spreading and drying the grapes.

As they dried, they changed to a golden brown colour. The smell of raisins was everywhere.

                                              Such sweet beauty after so much desert!

      Believe it or not, this shot was taken as we passed a double semi trailer load of grapes.

             You never knew when you would come across the next lovely bird.

                                                  Some were very reflective.

                                    So pretty, this just had to be included.

       Salt pans along the road were being harvested. Huge piles of salt lay ready for export.

Leaving the Orange River, we again rolled through countryside that was greatly in need of moisture. Game farms of ostrich, antelope and zebra, were interspersed with cattle and sheep ranches.

                           Truck loads of sheep often held up the tourists.

Suddenly before us lay thousands of acres of wheat and canola, spreading as far as we could see. The crop had been harvested recently and the region looked so prosperous.

Dropping into a valley as we entered the Western Cape, the land before us took on the emerald shades of paradise. Grapes and citrus grew in such abundance it was like entering a new world.

Oranges, lemons and limes were carefully tended in imaculate groves, their brilliant green leaves shining brightly in the heat of the African sun.

                  And before us lay Table Mountain the iconic emblem of Cape Town!

We will have a few more days to enjoy the warm hospitality that Africa has embraced us with. It has been such an enjoyable, educational and humbling experience.