Sep 11 2009

We have just returned to Cape Town after hiring a car for 10 days to drive around the southern corner.
 
First stop was Stellenbosch with its lovely white Cape Dutch style buildings surrounded by vineyards:

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At Bergkelder Winery after a tour and tasting we were left alone in the cellar with 2 bottles of shiraz, one of them being the 2007 Allesverloren (all is lost – named after the farm burnt down while the farmer was at church).  A case of this is being stored for us here thanks to Katie and Chantelle.  It is coming along quite nicely.

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The next day we had an all day full on wine tasting at 4 wineries with lunch in between – very enjoyable.
 

We then headed for the coast where we saw another large colony of penguins then on to Hermanus where from the high cliffs we saw many more whales playing in the bay, very close to shore.
 

We spent a night at Swellendam with the many styled church:

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Swellendam has a house with 2 clocks – one set on church time.  When the illiterate workers saw that both clocks told the same time they knew it was time to go to church.
 

 
Mossel Bay light house:

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Knysna, a picturesque town set on a lagoon with a narrow opening to the sea between high cliffs.  
 
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They have the best oysters in the world (and the biggest).
 
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Many colourful little birds were building their upside down nests in a tree.

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The Garden Route along the coast:
 

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The rugged coast line and deep gorge of the Tsitsikama National Park
 
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Giant protea:

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Last stop quaint Montagu, reached by a spectacular pass through red rocky mountains:
 

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