Driving in South Africa

This bed and breakfast was booked off the internet, and, as such, we were unsure what we would be getting. There were, however, no problems. The directions given were precise and easy to follow. On arrival at Bonne Esperance, the owner, John, warmly met us. John was extremely friendly and had a wealth of information about Stellenbosch, the wine route, and decent restaurants. For our part, we were still a bit anxious about safety in South Africa. John pointed out that he did not have to lock his car at night and that there were no bars on the window. He confirmed that all visitors needed to be vigilant (but aren’t you wherever you go) and that you needed to be sensitive to the environment (i.e. don’t go in areas that seem unsafe). We were reassured and, I have to say, didn’t fear for our safety anytime after this first day.

Our bedroom was on the ground floor and was extremely comfortable and light (John was a wee bit embarrassed as he said this was his smallest room, and that he only rented it out in an emergency). We did not see the problem.

Around the back was a small seating area around a "dip-pool." A very pleasant and secluded area to relax, read, and enjoy a drink or two. Breakfast at Bonne Esperance was served, either in the "spacious, butter-yellow, high-ceilinged Breakfast Room", or, as we preferred, on the veranda. Eggs were prepared as you waited and you could have them exactly as you wanted them: Boiled, scrambled, poached, omelettes, fried sunny-side up, or over-easy. To accompany them, there was a full buffet of fresh fruits, yoghurts, cereals, muffins, croissants, breads, toasts and preserves, and ham and cheeses. We had been welcomed by the smell of the filter coffee as we woke, but, for the traditional English in me, there was a wide variety of different teas to choose from. What a way to start your day. The staff was extremely attentive, almost pandering to our needs, and John, the perfect host, flitted from table to table offering advice, if required, on itineraries for the day

Bonne Esperance was well-located, as it was only a 10-minute walk into the centre of Stellenbosch. This early Victorian property was in the only secluded garden amidst a whole range of interesting properties. My only complaint would be that it was a trifle noisy at night, mainly on account of the fact that it was close to the university campus, and that students passing by can never, never be sensitive to the time of day. Having said that, we’d had long and tiring days, so we were soon asleep in the comfortable beds of Bonne Esperance.

The owner of Bonne Esperance recommended this restaurant to us. It is not instantly recognizable as a restaurant from the front, and access is achieved by a narrow walkway to the left of the main doorway. D’Ouwe Werf, established in 1802, claims to be South Africa’s oldest existing inn and was built on the site of South Africa's first church.

The 1802 Restaurant offers traditional and international cuisine, boasts a wine list to satisfy even the most sophisticated of palates, and exudes classiness as soon as you enter. The restaurant does have an inside, but we, together with the majority of diners, preferred to sit outside in the vine-covered patio.

We were impressed by the way the staff managed to retain their formal presentation despite the informal table lay-out and the casualness of their guest’s dress.

We opted for traditional South African fare. I went ambitiously for Springbok and my wife opted for a traditional chicken pie. Neither of us was disappointed as we accompanied the starters and our main course with a bottle of the local wine, a Welmoed Pinotage (described, for the connoisseurs as "warm and generous with soft tannins and a sweet nose").

We hardly had room for a desert, but John had said that their cheesecake was light and delicious - the best in town. We went on his recommendation and it was as promised.

The February climate was ideal to sit out in, and the courtyard held interest in terms of the surrounding buildings and the garden plants. There really was no pressure to move on despite a constant flow of expectant diners. We had, on recommendation, booked in advance. The D’Ouwe Werf offered us a superb choice and the standard of the service and the food quality all boded well for our South African Adventure.

The D'Ouwe Werf also functions as a hotel, and we did sneak a look at the reception area. It is clearly an elegant establishment, and I can only presume that the Georgian entrance and the quality antiques set the tone for whole of the interior. Give it a whirl!!

This was recommended to us by John from Bonne Esperance, and he produced yet another winner. De Volkskombuis was at the bottom end of Dorp Street close to the river, so a fair walk from our bed and breakfast. It is housed in an old building designed by the British architect, Sir Herbert Baker (1862-1946), designer of the Union Buildings in Pretoria. We had sussed out the menu earlier and booked our place - it was traditional Cape Cuisine and the choices were mouth watering and interesting.

Between booking our table and our walk back down Dorp Street, we pondered the possibilities. Would we opt for the venison, the Karoo, Bobotie, or Warthog? Perhaps the Ostrich, the crocodile or even the Waterblommetjiebredie (whatever that might be!)? I must have changed my mind at every turn in the road, and when we returned to the restaurant, we were none the wiser. No matter because we could relax outside in the garden restaurant near the banks of the Eerste River, under a clear star covered sky, and wax about the wonders of nature and the incredible menu that we held before us.

Our first major decision (we are after all on holiday) was which wine we would take with our meal. It had to be local and the Kriel’s menu does make food- and wine-matching suggestions. Not too helpful, of course, if you are struggling to choose a main course. In the end we opt for a bottle of Kaapzicht Sauvignon Blanc described as "amazing tropical fruit, mango and guava nose: very unusual and appealing. Lovely ripe fruit but still crisp and fresh with good acidity." It was a good choice. We eventually decided on Chicken Bobotei and Karoo Lamb. Both proved to be excellent choices.

My research shows that De Volkskombuis Restaurant was established in 1977 by a group of Stellenbosch farmers anxious to preserve the culinary arts and traditions of old Cape cooking. It opened on February 1977, and only four months later was chosen as South Africa’s Restaurant of the year. Not sure if it has been given any award since, but we were impressed with the food quality and the good-humoured staff.

The pace of life in this restaurant was unhurried, verging on the laid-back, but everything was spot-on and professional, and the dress code for the waiters was evident (no trainers here). We were made to feel extremely special and the repartee with the staff was pleasant, but not overly personal. Sometimes I thought we must have been there before – shame we didn’t have another night because I do now regret not trying the Warthog (I never saw it on another menu. Never mind, I shall keep an eye out next time we holiday in South Africa).

By the way, Waterblommetjiebredie is the fresh bud of the water lily (think I’m pleased we didn’t try that!!)

We left Stellenbosch bright and early and headed out of town in search of our first wine tasting. Two wrong turns later and we found ourselves at a dead-end, or more precisely in the grounds of J.C. Le Roux. What an error and what a delight!

We’d stumbled across South African’s only Champagne House hidden in the Devon Valley and only a few miles outside of Stellenbosch. Not another car was in sight, but that did not bother the staff at J.C. Le Roux. We were welcomed into their reception and promised a free tour and tasting. Champagne (Sparking Wine - methode cap classique) is unusual in South Africa, as is the fact that the winemaker at J.C. Le Roux is female. Usual is the superb view that you see from the grounds and the hospitality you will receive from any of the houses you visit.

The tour of the production was short (there was nothing operating when we were there), but a short, entertaining film put everything into perspective for us.

We tried the full range on offer. We started with a carbonated dry white Sauvignon Blanc. It was a fair place to start, not to our palate, but boasting a fresh, crisp taste full fruitiness and intense grass flavours. I’m not good on that level of discernment, but it was good to have the pointers!

Then on to the real stuff - a chance to try the Chardonnay. This was much better and described as having, "yeasty characteristics with well-integrated fruit flavours, buttery undertones and nutty flavours are evident on the nose, whilst a rich, buttery and creamy yet elegant finish follow through on the palate." It was certainly more complex than its predecessor and I was just about getting the "nutty flavours" when we moved on to try the Pinot Noir.

This was better again – I just love this grape – and I could fully understand the description of the wine as "being golden in colour with typical aromas of biscuits and nuts on the nose with a crisp and clean palate." The sister wine to this – Pinot Noir Rose had a great taste and a delightful nose, and that’s from someone who is not a fan of the "pink stuff."

Our final tasting was the Pongrácz, made from the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. This was our preferred choice with the Pinot Noir Rose as a close second.

If you are in Stellenbosch, make the effort to go to J.C. Le Roux. It’s a good experience.

Our first trip to South Africa started in the leafy suburbs of the university town of Stellenbosch. We purposely avoided the hustle and bustle of Cape Town as our starter, so that we could properly orientate ourselves.

Stellenbosch is only a short drive to the east of Cape Town, and we followed an easy route from the airport. On route we saw our first glimpse of grazing zebras and fields of ostriches and took in the magnificent views of the Stellenbosh mountain range. Mountains we intended to explore, as hidden here are the delights of the South African Viticulturist. It is in heart of the wine country, first successfully cultivated following the arrival of the Dutch, and is the second oldest town in South Africa, being established in 1679. We reckon it’s been incredibly well preserved and a walk down Dorp Street will go towards proving that fact. One of the residents told me that this street has been declared a national monument as it has the longest row of old buildings in South Africa. I’m not sure, but it certainly is well worth a walk, as you’ll observe tiny terraced houses, large and luxurious residences, and several old emporiums. Oom Samie se Winkel’s is one and this is well worth popping into. Be careful as you try to maneuver your way around this shop – it is crammed with all manners of bric-a-brac, traditional South African goods, and, of course, souvenirs. This street seems to be the heart and soul of the town and is, like many other streets in Stellenbosch, framed by arrows of majestic oak trees. Indeed Stellenbosch is also known as Eikestad - town of oaks. The shady streets of Stellenbosch are lined with open-air restaurants and coffee shops that entice you to enter with the wafts of freshly ground coffee.

The Stellenbosch Village Museum, on Ryneveld Street, provides you with a chance to visit a superb group of historic houses ranging in periods from the early 1700s to the mid-1800s. Each one has been tastefully restored and furnished in the style of its particular period. The great added value is the presence of a supervising expert who overlooks the property, is not intrusive, but will tell you about the house if you ask.

Stellenbosch proved to be a very relaxed and gentle place to start our holiday. It feels so fresh and colourful and is free of any tension. We could walk the streets day and night without feeling any threat; indeed there was only the suggestion that there were any no-go areas. This was a recommendation that we should avoid the river walk at night – an extremely sensible suggestion, as it was unlit and unpaved – and something that we would not even consider if we were back home. However, a walk down the river, during daylight, was undertaken – that was fun, not eventful – and gave the chance to walk "off-piste" and away from the hustle and bustle of central Stellenbosh.

The staff at the tourist office was really helpful and was able to advise on the Wine Route and places to see in the town. Most of the interesting sites are close by, as indeed are the main shops (you are on Market Street). Places to visit are the Toy Museum; Die Braak (the Town Square) where you’ll see a number of interesting buildings; The Old Powder House) (1777); the Church of St Mary (1852); the Coachman's Cottage; and the old Burgerhuis (1797).

From here we were able to have a couple of days exploring on the wine route, and, of all the towns we saw, I would recommend Stellenbosch as your base. It is a town you can easily walk around, has plenty to see, and is crammed with decent restaurants.

Having acclimatised ourselves, we were ready to grace the big city with our presence. We knew from the guidebooks that there was loads to do in Cape Town, but we had identified our intentions…

Naturally Table Mountain was a must, and, as we headed towards the city, we got tantalising views of this mighty landmark. The day was perfect for viewing, so we headed directly for the mountain. It was hard to think that we could get lost with Table Mountain as our point of orientation, but we succeeded! The route to the top was not easy to find, and, because of the lack of traffic, we were able to meander through the back streets until we finally stumbled on a sign indicating, "Cable Car to Table Mountain". That seemed like a good route to follow and, you know what, it led us to our destination. More surprisingly, we got there without major disagreement!

There were no queues, and we were rapidly on route for the top. As we progressed on our journey, the cable car slowly rotated, ensuring that everyone got a decent view. There’s ample time to take photos, but be prepared for the upright supports getting in the way as the car turns.

The view from the top was all we had anticipated and more, and the sky was the clearest blue imaginable. You should check on the time of the guided tour (it’s free) as soon as you get to the top. This is well worth the effort, as the volunteer guides take you around the mountaintop pointing out the best views, the local flora (our guide told us there were almost 1,500 different plant species on the mountain including over 500 different heathers, almost 100 irises, and numerous varieties of fynbos). I don’t claim to have seen them all, but, even in February, there was a huge variety in flowers, and the heather collection made my home collection, of almost a dozen, seem highly insignificant.

We were introduced to the nearest relative of the elephant. It’s hard to believe, as the Rock Dassie is only 20 inches long and 8 inches tall. It was fascinating to watch the two Dassies as they picked their way over and around the rocks, munching on grass and leaves as they went. One seemed to pause and consider sunbathing for a while (or was that partly my imagination), saw the audience, heard the click of the paparazzi’s camera lens, and scurried behind the nearest fynbos plant.

We lost track of time up on Table Mountain, as the view from the top changes at every turn. The hues of the rock; the reflections in the sea; the distant views of the rolling mountain as they stretch towards the Cape of Good Hope; Robben Island; Cape Town; the guardian rock formations of Devil’s Peak and Lion’s Head were laid out in front of us, as if part of a giant tapestry. It was awesome and will provide a memory for the rest of our lives. On our downward journey, we noticed a few brave souls who had decided to walk the slopes; they were mere scratches on the view below, but received some of our admiration for their determination.

The journey onward to our new accommodation, just outside of Milnerton, was in silence as we contemplated our experience of the Mountain, in what must have been perfect weather conditions. Our only regret was that, in our rush to the cable car, we had forgotten to take our hats with us. The sun is mighty fierce up there, as our red faces would bear testimony to.

That evening we travelled a few miles further north to Blaubourg to experience the "classic view of the mountain" from Bloubergstrand beach. We sat on the beach and enjoyed the relaxing sound of the waves running onto the shore and watched the sun go down over the sea. Just a stones throw from here are a whole host of restaurants offering decent dining.

On day two, our first priority was to make the 11km boat trip from the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront to Robben Island, now a UN World Heritage site. As everyone knows, this island, in the middle of Table Bay, was the island where Nelson Mandela was held prisoner for 18 years, from 1962 to 1990, much of it under hard labour. As with many islands, it had been used for segregation in its history, as it had been formally a leper colony (The only colony still evident on the island is that of the Jackass penguins). This organised tour is lead by former inmates and they effectively set the atmosphere on the boat journey, the bus tour of the island, and, finally, the tour around the prison block, their old cells, and, of course, the cell occupied by Mr. Mandela, as they respectfully refer to him. It’s a very moving and emotionally harrowing experience, and now hard to imagine the experience that all occupants in South Africa had to undergo as they began to move forward to achieve equality. The dialogue we were able to have with the tour guides was most informative, and I was surprised at how balanced an interpretation of their experiences they gave us. I did not hear bitterness or anger, but a clear view as to how their struggle was beginning to impact of the current generation of South Africans. We were particularly impressed, if that’s the right word, with the quarry where Nelson Mandela and his fellow prisoners had "suffered" the ordeal of hard labour. A poignant reminder of their solidarity was evident at the entrance to the quarry, as, at a recent "reunion" of prisoners, they had formed a pile of rocks as a symbol of their freedom and to confirm their memories of their Robben Island experience. You can’t visit Cape Town and not experience the trip to Robben Island. IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON YOU.

As we disembarked, we noticed a resting area for seals. When these mammals tire of swimming, they drag themselves up to a "veranda" and sun themselves in full view of shoppers and tourists.

Shopping was next on the agenda, and we spent some time wandering around the shops and sights of The V&A Centre. There are many exciting buildings and developments in the harbour, and we enjoyed watching the boats pass through the swing bridge and the local jazz band that proficiently performed outside one of the many open-air restaurants. Take in the sights and enjoy the buzz that you can feel as you saunter around the harbour.

You should also feel free to wander the streets of Cape Town. Enjoy the brightly coloured buildings, the mix of English Victoriana and traditional cape residences, the cobbles square of Greenmarket, the majesty of City Hall, and, of course, the many pavement cafes. Take time to people watch – after all, there is no hurry. But, time your exit from Cape Town outside of rush hour. We miscalculated and spent an inordinate amount of time in a traffic jam. Not that we cared - we were on holiday and had had a terrific second day in Cape Town.