So much to do…

         Yesterday we spent going from a sculpture garden to two wineries. The sculpture garden was near Stellenbosch. The garden is part wild and part tamed with manicured lawns juxtaposing wild foliage. The sculptures pop out of the different venues. This is definitely a show, don’t tell, kind of place.

           After this we went to de Graff winery where we tasted 4 wines and had a charcuterie tray. The view was lovely and the winery gorgeous. It is filled with sculpture and paintings and beautiful flowers are everywhere.

Alex, our guide and Dennis 

        Finally we went to the Waterford Estate where we had, yes more wine and a bit of a picnic complete with salads, relishes, and an assortment of breads. All brought with us by Emil who was our Waterford guide.

        This was followed up with…well, before I can tell you that, Dennis had to be sure you all know how difficult it is to get in and out of the vehicle. I know he was tempted to give a little push from behind, thank you very much, but no! 

        When we were all safely in, off we went to the edge of the old Chardonnay vines where we ended with 2 types of chocolate paired with two different reds. An absolutely brilliant ending.

        This morning I started the day with Dim Sum on the porch of Ashbourne House.

        From there we went to the market which is absolutely wonderful. It is full of crafts, art, wine, food, and music. I also got to meet a few artists and admire their work as well as buy some. While there we met two more Brits who are from the island of Jersey. They are both turning 80 this year as are we. We learned a bit more geography and some of their story. It’s so much fun to plunck down and just talk to new people. And between leaving Dennis to read, bringing him wine, and shopping it was a busy busy morning.

        Now off we go to have dinner at Monneaux Restaurant which has received many fine reviews. It will definitely be our upscale evening. 
        And off we went to a perfectly beautiful meal in a wonderful setting which you saw on Facebook. Mr. Schulz was happy not only with the quality of the food but the impact on his wallet. 😁

 

 

Ashbourne House, Franschhoek, South Africa

 We are beginning the downward spiral of our journey and what a journey it has been! We have met the most wonderful people in five different countries. Each country has its own unique gifts and like ours its own problems. With the state we are in, we have refrained from judgement. It seems in every country we were in, there is a desire to have a leader who has integrity and who is honest.

        Now we are in Franschhoek, a beautiful little town surrounded by mountains and vineyards in the Western Cape of South Africa.

                                        

        Our first misadventure happened when we locked ourselves into our room and couldn’t get out.😂 there are 3 doors to our room: one to the outside terrace, two into the dining area. the first locks but the second is to make it more sound proof. That second door doesn’t lock unless you really try and then you can’t get it open. Luckily we had the door to the outside. Dennis went through that one, around to the dining room to one of our hosts who came and unlocked our sound poof door. What a pair!!

He got back in!

 Dennis read that from the top 100 restaurants in the world there are 8 here in this town. It has shops and restaurants galore. On Saturday there is a market which we are hoping to visit. 

        Last night we took a walk to a nearby bistro for an early dinner and to see the town a bit.

On the way back we got lost even though it was a straight shot from the shopping area to our lodge. A friendly security guard helped us find our way after we went back and forth and around a few blocks. We ended the evening with a bit of brandy in the lounge of Ashbourne House.

        This morning we had another tiny glitch. What is this??

Is it A. A hand mixer. B. A robotic vacuum  C. A coffee maker D. All of the choices? If you said coffee maker, you get a 100%. After getting hot water all over the top of the cabinet and across the floor to the bathroom we learned how to use it. Just when we mastered the French Press we got thrown a curve. But now we’ve got it down. After an amazing breakfast we headed into town. 

        Today Dennis spent his time having a beer and reading at a local bar while I perused the many shops and oh yes, I came home with a bag or two. I always do my part to support local economy. 😉  I also found a shop where artists made ceramics and hand painted them.

         Back at our home away from home, Dennis went to the pool and I had a zoom with Ethiopia.

        And finally a dinner of caprese salad and pizza, sitting outside and enjoying the evening.

The end of an amazing day! Xoxo