Epic Africa

Well, Cape Town is just one of the best places on earth. Lovely vintage shops in town and lots of craftwork in the Pan African market on Long St. Ventured along the coast to Hermanus and stopped off in The Bistro, a cafe within and organic beauty store, to eat some local fish and organic veggies before going to seesome beautiful Southern Right Whales. Came back via Barton's vineyard (I know, what a gruelling day) and had some lovely wine. The vineyard borders Kogelberg National Eco Park and the Blue Crane, South Africa's national bird, breeds on the farm and Barton provide some of their profits to the Overberg Crane Group who conserve the birds. They also use natural methods to tend their crops (which also include organic lavender which they use in beauty products and honey from the bees it attracts) such as keeping geese on the farm to eat any invading slugs. Had a meeting with a large SA department store on Thursday (more about that tomorrow, in my 'Panic- last day before the Cycle of Doom' entry) and then headed over to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens where they have an amazing array of sculptures which complement the landscape beautifully. Followed that with a brief visit to the Oude Molen Eco Village and had a lovely rosewater drink called 'African Rain' in the cafe which overlooks their veg patch and stables. These photos follow that journey roughly and end with the thing I miss most now being back on this fair isle- the myriad of colours that muddle themselves to form the unrivalled African sunsets...