Stellenbosch ♥️

The wine tasting in Stellenbosch takes place in the water Ford estate. On the way from Hermanus towards Stellenbosch we pass a lot of wineries and spontaneously decide to eat a salad, we can't check in until 1 p.m. anyway.

We arrived at our accommodation at 1 p.m. and only had a few minutes to get dressed up for our wine tasting. We're going to the Waterford Estate - I found the estate in Germany and since it's only 15 minutes away from our accommodation, it's great for us! We're about to meet our like-minded people - a young couple from South Tyrol, Manuela and her husband. They are in South Africa for their honeymoon. Brett (not Brad) takes us through the wine cellars and tells us about the production here in Waterford.

And then we set off in the jeep across the 120-yard wine-growing region. After a long drive, we get out and have a few minutes to look at the area when Barb and I notice a screech behind us. Karo and Manuela discovered that Manuela has a girlfriend. This friend is the granddaughter of the couple who bought an orchard from Karo's family after the First World War. The world is small, of course Manuela's friend gets a selfie of the two girls.

The table is set under the trees with a view of the mountains and wines, Brett did a great job. We enjoy the first five wines (each of which Brett says is his favorite) before coming to wine number 6 - The Jem. A blend of 8 grape varieties and with a hefty price tag of €130 per bottle. Yummy! Or Lekker in Afrikaans.

The delicious food compliments everything, the wine flows and we get drunker with every glass. There's no other way to say it, we're full. Manuela rarely drinks and she can no longer look straight ahead. We laugh under the table and love being together, Barb tries to understand German words, Brett talks about his life in Alaska for a few months and we can't believe what great weather we have and this here in South Africa with wine and treats to be able to take it in and enjoy it on trains.

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In Stellenbosch, the four of us are immediately amazed by the beautiful city! Great cafés, small shops and galleries are lined up one after the other. In the first shop we definitely give the saleswoman the sales of the day! Despite our intention to buy as little as possible. Our subsequent walking tour gives us first impressions and information about Stellenbosch.

What should you know?

• it is the second oldest city in South Africa
• Until 1918 the university was called Victoria University, after which it was renamed Stellenbosch University
• Stellenbosch's second name is Eichenstadt

We enjoy our last lunch together - Karolin even eats vegan sometimes -, drive back, I enjoy the time at the pool, Barb packs her things and then I take her to the airport in Cape Town. See you soon Mom B, see you again 🙃.

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October 27th, 2023…”Come on girls, I have to hurry, there is a traffic jam in Cape Town. And I want to be there on time and not attract attention by being late." Mama M and Karo load their things into the car so that I can take all our luggage with me to Cape Town and they can stay in Stellenbosch for the day and I'll pick them up later, so that we go to Simon's Town together.

She goes to high school in the Pinelands, a district of Cape Town. Jenna sends me a voice message telling me the security guy knows I'm coming. Very good. However, when I arrive, no one knows and it takes a while for the security guard to let me in, get an ID card and park in the secure parking lot. Jenna greets me more warmly than I could have wished for. She shows me a little bit through the high school and I get my first impression of this educational institution, I keep hearing “Hello, Ma'am, and hello other Ma'am”. I'm happy, I'm here ma'am, very polite.

The first hour I get to experience is DRAMA. The kids, around 10 in number, are extremely disciplined, interested and hard working. The kids practice pantomime and Jenna explains to me that students specialize from grade 9 onwards. The class size is between 10 and 35 students, there are around 1000 students and around 60 teachers at the school. The student body is very diverse, few white kids, a lot of colored people and black kids. The teaching staff is also wildly mixed, I really like it. The kids all have to learn English and then have to choose between Afrikaans and Xhosa: with 11 official languages in SA, maybe a lot?!

After the drama class I go with Jenna to her class. Today the kids have to take a spontaneous oral exam. She describes her students as difficult but loving. I immediately see what she means, but the kids are still cute. Jenna herself is still a young teacher, only 24 years old and coming from Cape Town.

But today is a special day because it is Springbok Day, the kids don't have to wear a uniform, they just dress in green or yellow, which are the colors of the rugby team. All the kids at school gather in the auditorium and the national anthem is sung, sung and clapped. I'm very happy to be there.

In the science class that follows, I learn something about mining in South Africa. At the end of the day, Jenna shows me more about the school, such as the first BATHROOM FOR ALL; So gender-neutral bathroom.

We start talking more and more, and Jenna makes me understand what life in SA is like for most people and that danger and violence are also on her agenda (the times she was attacked on her own doorstep, can hardly count them anymore). We are talking about the current situation in South Africa, which is so clearly noticeable for us as tourists and for me... this almost unbearable gap between rich and poor, between black and white, which makes life/stay here very difficult makes it difficult. You have to be blind and/or heartless to endure this without comment. Driving along the townships every day breaks my heart every time.

1 p.m. and I drive back to Stellenbosch, we go out to eat in a pizzeria and then we drive for 1.5 hours to Simon's Town. I want to see penguins immediately. And see her and I love her!