Exploring The Winelands...

Long overdue once again, but finally, here is the tale of my last adventure in Cape Town before returning home to the good old land of blighty...

I managed to persuade The Boy to take me to Franschhoek - one of the few places I had yet to discover. The sun was finally shining again, and there was a spring in our step as we ventured out of Cape Town to head deep into the winelands. Nestled amongst the mountains, Franshhoek translated, quite literally means "French Quarter". Famous for its fabulous wines, gourmet feasts, stunning views and it's pretty town centre, I was most excited about the day ahead.  It was also a good distraction from being sad about leaving.

By sheer chance we drove past a wine farm that I had been desperately trying to remember the name of, one which caught my eye when I first arrived to Cape Town, but I typically misplaced the piece of paper on which I had jotted the address down!!!  Deciding it was too early for lunch, we popped into the centre of Franschhoek itself... It lived up to it's reputation of being a pretty, bustling town, full of weekend markets, cafes and all things lovely. After a quick stroll, I couldn't contain my excitement and wanted to get back to what I was sure was going to be a pretty special wine farm... and it didn't disappoint.

Maison is a boutique vineyard, with it's first crops being produced in 2008. Mainly producing Chenin Blanc and Shiraz, they also have small quantities of Chardonnay (which was surprisingly good, as a non-chardonnay drinker!),  Viognier, Port, Straw Wine (Dessert wine) and Cap Classique. Their Shiraz is possibly one of the nicest wines I have ever drank, and I could happily have bought a case or two if I were not returning home!!!  The farm exudes style, minimalistic chic and comfort - and so it should with Chris Weylandt at the helm, famous in SA for his furniture store Weylandts.

Inside Maison...

We decided to explore a couple of other wine farms Backsberg, which sadly was closed for a wedding, and Vrede en Lust, where we managed to have lunch outside after admiring the wonderful views.  As you can see, they were pretty spectacular, and it was a great second last day in Cape Town.  Whilst it distracted me temporarily from my impending departure, it gave me a heavy heart knowing I soon would no longer have al this on my doorstep...

Backsberg & Vrede en Lust.. Pretty Pretty!!!

Holy Moly!!!

Long time, no see... I seem to have neglected my blog for far too long now, but I have had an excuse!

Unbeknown to my family back in the UK, I decided after a lot of consideration to come home.  Afterall, I had a newborn niece yet to meet, I urgently needed to start working after a rather expensive trip home in March, Cape Town was starting to get a little too nippy for me (inside, that is!) and The Boy needs to concentrate on his empire, and I am quite a distraction (low boredom threshold!) so with mixed emotions, it seemed like the best thing to do. 

So, all my news to write about was that I was coming home, and I could hardly declare it on here when my darling, wannabe, Inspector Detective Mother and her daily question time reads it. Of course, it is all conducted with love, but when you are trying to keep a secret, she is not the easiest person to hide from. I have been likened to a Jack Russell in the past - I now know where I get it from.

I had a gorgeous last weekend in Cape Town - that will be a seperate post - and all too soon it was time to leave once again. Quite the gypsy I have become of late., bloody boys!  Naturally the day I left the country, Cape Town had a week of glorious weather.

Whilst it is fabulous to be home, to be around my wonderful friends & family and to have home comforts such as central heating, it is also quite a strange transitional period again. I find myself somewhat bedless and sofa surfing seems to be the way forward for now. My back is so thrilled!!!  Who knows what this summer will bring and where I will be at the end of the year. I have a summer to figure out where and what I want to do and to be proactive in getting there, and whilst doing all of that, I intend on enjoying every minute of it with those I love.