We spend a few days in beautiful Plettenberg Bay. There has been a lot of shark activity here recently.
There is a thick sea mist covering Plettenberg Bay for most of our time here. It finally lifts to reveal the surrounding sea and mountains.
Mossel Bay is our next stop.
The Bartolomeu Dias museum has a replica of his ship. This vessel sailed from Lisbon to Mossel Bay in 1988.
Cape Agulhas is the southernmost point in Africa.
There’s a lighthouse you can climb.
You get a great view from the top.
The trip from Agulhas to the wine country goes through the Overberg region, full of golden rolling hills and vast grain farms.
Wineries on our list to visit include Boschendal, La Motte, Alto, and Rust en Vrede.
While driving from Franschhoek to Paarl, we discover that when Nelson Mandela was released from prison, it wasn’t from Robben Island – it was from Victor Verster Prison. It’s still a working prison.
Speaking of Nelson Mandela, we are walking along a street in Stellenbosch when we come across a pair of his shoes in a shop window. It seems they were auctioned off for some fundraising event.
In Paarl, we visit the Afrikaans Language Museum, which is less than riveting. But brings us to an interesting – but purely anecdotal – observation: about 80-90 % of the (white) South Africans we meet are Afrikaans speakers. (Most of whom speak perfect but heavily-accented English.) What happened to all the English South Africans? My theory is that many of them probably had access to British or other passports and left the country.
Sight or Insight of the Day
Our last camping experience is in Franschhoek. This is all the stuff we acquired for our comfort and convenience while on the road. As usual, there is a big giveaway.
We’ve camped about half the nights of our trip. Almost all of them delightful.
This photo is a visual reminder for any future voyage. We had precisely what we needed this time around.
