Western Cape

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Groot Constantia

The very first wine estate in the Cape I got to visit years ago was appropriately also the oldest wine estate in the Cape.  Groot Constantia was established in 1685 by Simon van der Stel who was the then Governor of the Cape of Good Hope.  The farm was used to grow fruit and vegetables, farm cattle and produce wine.  The original farm was broken up into three parts (Groot Constantia; Klein Constantia and Bergvliet) in 1712 after Van der Stel's death.  Today…

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18/05/2012
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Groot Constantia gate

Somebody asked me if anything has happened because they don't see any new blog posts other than on PEDP.  But don't worry, I haven't been abducted by an alien race from another planet.  I've been away at Tourism Indaba in Durban for the last week or so and didn't have time to do any forward posts for this blog.  As blogging is a hobby for me I have to fit it in where I have time available and time has been a…

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17/05/2012
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Kalk Bay Harbour

Compared to big city harbours the fishing harbour at Kalk Bay really has something special to it and when visiting you won't get stopped by security at the gate, except if the parking lot is full.  Kalk Bay Harbour is primarily a fishing harbour so that is what you will see.  Fishing boats leaving pre-dawn and returning in the afternoons with their catch, fishing boats off loading and fishing boats moored at quayside.  The majority of the boats in the harbour are painted…

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08/05/2012
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Swartberg plaashek

 Suid-Afrika bied inwoners sowel as besoekers 'n ongelooflike verskeidenheid van landskappe om te verken, geniet en foto's van te neem.  Hierdie foto is geneem oppad na die Swartbergpas vanaf Oudtshoorn.

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07/05/2012
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South African Navy Museum

Taking a walk around Simon's Town after our train ride from Kalk Bay during our summer holiday in December we "stumbled" upon the South African Navy Museum .  The museum is housed in and around the original Dockyard Magazine / Storehouse which dates back to 1743.  After 1810 when the Royal Navy moved its headquarters from Cape Town to Simon’s Town the building was extended to become the three-storey building it is today.  Just after coming through the entrance there is a number…

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30/04/2012
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Just Nuisance

Just Nuisance, along with Jock of the Bushveld, are probably the two most famous dogs in South Africa.  Nuisance, a Great Dane, was born in 1937 and as his owner worked at the naval base he started hanging out with the sailors.  Nuisance roamed around freely and began to take day trips by train with the sailors, going as far afield as Cape Town.  Although the seamen tried hiding him the conductors would find him and put him off the trains.  The railway company eventually warned that Nuisance would…

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27/04/2012
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Vergelegen in pienk

Die Weskaap is wêreldwyd bekend vir sy wynplase, party van hulle wat soveel as drie eeue terugdateer.  Een van die oudste wynplase in die Kaap is Vergelegen in Somerset-Wes.  Willem Adriaan van der Stel het sy pa, Simon van der Stel, in 1700 opgevolg as goeweneur van die Kaap.  Kort voor lank het hy 'n groot stuk grond aan die voet van die Hottentots Hollandberge vir homself geeien net soos sy pa met Constantia, die oudste wynplaas in die Kaap, gedoen het.  Dit het drie…

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26/04/2012
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Kalk Bay to Simon’s Town train ride

My Kidz have never been on a train in their lives and the ideal opportunity for that first train ride presented itself while on holiday in Cape Town.  Cape Town has a very good rail commuter service and we decided to catch the train (along with quite a few other tourists) from Kalk Bay to Simon's Town.  The tickets cost next to nothing, probably less than the petrol if we had taken the car.  Waiting for the train at Kalk Bay…

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26/04/2012
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Chapmans Peak Caravan Farm

We really enjoy camping and usually try to camp at two different places for our summer camping holiday.  Last year (2011) we planned to start out in Montagu and then head down to Cape Town for the second part.  It was a bit of a struggle to find a family friendly, sheltered and nicely situated caravan park, but finally decided on Chapmans Peak Caravan Farm in Noordhoek and we weren't disappointed.  Not just was it a fantastic caravan park but also very…

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23/04/2012