This week most of the people that were on holiday in South Africa are back at work facing the challenges of 2009. But I’m going to talk about one of South Africa’s products that are world famous and one of the things we are proud of. Yes we make some of the best wines in the world. If you have not yet taste it you must get hold of a bottle. Most of the wine is made in the Cape province where the history of wine started in 1659 when Jan van Riebeeck the first person to set foot in South Africa and to stay here made the first wine. Ever since it has grown into the leaders in the wine market. On 8th January 1918, growers in the Western Cape founded the Koöperatieve Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid-Afrika Bpkt (KWV). KWV came to dominate the industry until the end of the apartheid. I’m enjoying a 5 year KWV Brandy right now while I’m typing this story and believe me it tastes desirable nice mmm.
Now, what does this have to do with traveling in SA? Well if you traveling in SA and particularly in the Cape you must visit a winery. Winery’s I will suggest to visit is Spier, KWV, and my favorite to visit is the Berg Kelder, a cellar hollowed out of the heart of a hill in Stellenbosch about 45 km from Cape Town. Close to it is Simomsberg Cheese factory a must to stop for some cream cheese.
You must taste wine on your visit to a winery it will cost you between R20 and about R60 and you can taste the different wines just make sure someone else is driving the car back to your apartments. You can also order SA wine at WineWeb I have checked their prices and it is almost the same as a direct purchase from a cellar. If you love sweet wine go for the Orange River Hanepoot. I bet you want to book in at a nice place in Cape Town see E-Bookings for accommodation bookings in the Cape and the rest of SA. Cape Town also offers a lot of other things to do and I plan to blog on that once I have finished my holiday plans for December 2009 with in the coming weeks. I will give you my tour plan so that you can see how we do it in SA.
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8 comments:
There's some really interesting and helpful information on your blog. Good to know.
I read about Jan van Riebeeck and the development of the wine industry in a book called "The Covenant", a very interesting tale about the history of South Africa. I have also enjoyed some South African wines. We do not get them often here in Brazil, and when they are here the prices are astronomical.
AV
http://netherregionoftheearthii.blogspot.com/
http://tomusarcanum.blogspot.com/
Nice and interesting blog, especially because I don't know much about SA. Keep up the good work!
Wil -
I need a blog visitor from SA. Please visit me at:
http://irun4fun-deldean.blogspot.com/
Thanks. Interesting blog you have. Is your business in the travel industry? or you are a wine merchant with an interest in tourism??
Anyhow, good blog. Best wishes for 2009! Cheers.
Hello
Thanks for your nice words about my blog.
I think is fantastic you started a blog about your country.
An as I can see is a very nice country and you´ll have a lot to tell and show about it.
Infortunatly I never visit it, who knows one day...
I wish you a very good year and I´ll be around, visit your blog.
Sory about my English.
Best regards
Teresa
Hello Willie,
Thank you for your comment on my blog. I am just at the beginning of my world tour, but when I arrive in South Africa, I will visit you for sure.
Your blog is very intersting, thank you !
Yours,
Charly.
Thanks for checking out my blog. I read some of your stuff here and it was cool. I've never been in South Africa, but if given the opportunity to go there, I'll definitely go there.
Willie,
Thank you for visiting my photo blog. I always appreciate any visitor stopping by. I looked for a "follow this site" link to follow your blog but could not find it. How do you follow your blog? I will be stopping back by.
http://www.woodandpixels.blogspot.com
Dan
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