Twenty four of flying, 90 minutes of driving, and 1 police stop later, we are welcomed with sparkling wine & large trays of food.
Kim shows off her new KWV wine hats we are issued to protect us from the sun.
Enjoying the warm sun on the porch of our hotel in Paarl, South Africa.
Wine barrels flanking the entrance to KWV.
The less pleasant weather is on this one.
Off to the wine vaults!
Row upon row of lovely oak barrels bringing the wine to maturation.
Commemorative barrel.
KWV has the largest wine barrels in the world, but while these dwarf Deb, these are not them.
Big, but not it either.
The Vault Room. Here is barrel front is carved to depict the history of South Africa.
Barrel making.
Even bigger but not them yet.
World largest! Built in Portugal in 1927, when assembled the sixty workers climbed in one & had a party.
First wine tasting of the day, approx: 10am
Laborie Estate
Paarl mountains, which the city derives its name as viewed from Laborie Wine Estates.
Laborie wine tasting room being silly: 2nd wine tasting fo the day: approx 11am
Enjoying the terrace
Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean from hills north of Cape Town.
Table Mountain
Traditional dinner includes whole animals roasted.
Lots of pot dishes as tradional cooking in the bush by European settlers.
Our view. Note: one case of wine to taste & enjoy for 9 of us.
South coast line of South Africa; great beaches but also great white sharks.
We're off to see the penguins!
Lots of wind & lots of penguins.
Jo Nothagel, our host & safari guide.
Penguin date on the beach.
Baboon attacks! Really! We just got the window shut as it hit.
Cape of Good Hope: the meeting of the Atlantic & Indian Oceans.
Ok, we needed a light refreshing beer after hiking around the Cape.
Russian nesting dolls? Oh no, they are the real deal and of course, Deb is trying to get the biggest one.
Looking up at Table Mtn. Too windy and so we could not go up.
Old fashioned brandy still on display as we toured KWV's brandy facility.
World's largest collection of copper pot distilleries. Still in use, they are irreplaceable due to the inch thick walls of copper.
Oak barrels are charred to add flavor by a small fire pot inside.
Now we learn the flavor differences between 3, 5, 10, 20 year old brandies.
Just a couple of drops, he said.
Safari time!
That is a ball of rhino dung.
That is a ball of rhino dung I'm holding. No smell or unpleasant touch to it.
White Rhino walked past us about 20' away.
Our driver setting out snacks & wine for the sunset viewing.
Cheers!
Safari camp buffet.
Wine with dinner again! Another case of unoaked Chardonnay for 7 of us now.
And now its time for brandy & cigars in the bar.
Hmm, maybe too much brandy?
Oldest wine grape vine in Africa, still growing after over 300 years in our hotel courtyard in Cape Town.
Paulaner has a brewpub in Cape Town and we somehow found it.
Tap box is a beautiful replica of the Frauenkirchen in Munich.
Top of Table Mtn!! Robbin Island where Mandela was imprisoned out in the bay.
Amazing wine store. Automated dispensers allow you to try the wines by buying a debit card.
