Wednesday, December 26, 2012

LA MOTTE - WINE ESTATE IN FRANSCHHOEK, SOUTH AFRICA



La Motte winery, nestled in the picturesque Franschhoek Valley in the Cape Winelands of South Africa, offers world-class wines in their tasting room, top notch restaurants serving delicious cuisine, exquisite gardens to stroll, a wonderful farm shop with gifts galore, or simply sit out under the trees and sip and glass of their best.  Like I did recently with my mom and sister.

Entrance to La Motte, off the main road as it goes into the village of Franschhoek, just a few doors down from where my mom lives.





Mountains and valleys surrounding Franschhoek are said to date back 250 millions years - majestic!!!  As always, when I go back, I drive around in awe of how spectacular, how magnificent, how majestic the surrounding mountains are - rugged, soaring and a backdrop like no other.  What a better setting in the foreground than vineyards and roses.










At the top of the drive as you approach is an exquisite 13 foot bronze sculpture of a woman bearing an overflowing glass of wine, rising out of the vineyards, against a sheer mountain backdrop.  An exquisite sight.










Entrance gardens with indigenous aloes, strelitzia and fever trees.














Relax under the old oaks, looking across to the wine tasting area






La Motte farm shop




















My absolute favorite collection of proteas (national flower of South Africa) and pincushions, few bright orange roses










Inside the farm shop, everything from fresh organic farm eggs, wine, proteas and gorgeous gifts















Bakery selection of delicious goodies





Proteas





Walk across the bridge to the wine tasting area





Inside the wine tasting area



















Sipping wine with mom







The tables have spectacular hand blown glass vases with a pincushion in each one, and handblown glass olive oil and balsamic vinegar bottles with glass stoppers - love them.




Inside Pierneef a la Motte restaurant, the bar area








More handblown glass - a piece of art with a protea




Pierneef a la Motte restaurant - named after the famous South African landscape painter, Jacob Hendrik Pierneef.




Inside Pierneef a la Motte, incredible pieces of art, porcelain chandeliers





Flower arrangements everywhere using indigenous flowers and fynbos




Inside the restaurant, a photograph of Pierneef, the famous artist after who the restaurant was named.  A museum on the grounds holds a collection of his artwork.


























An exquisite setting from La Motte, overlooking vineyards, gardens to the majestic mountains

















Sunday, December 23, 2012

CHAPMAN'S PEAK drive past NOORDHOEK BEACH to FISHHOEK and KALK BAY, SOUTH AFRICA

"CHAPPIES" DRIVE IS ONE OF THE MOST SCENIC MARINE DRIVES IN THE WORLD.  15KMS OF WINDING ROADS WITH SEARING MAJESTIC MOUNTAINS ON ONE SIDE AND A DRAMATIC DROP DOWN TO CRASHING WAVES ON HUGE ROCKS IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN ON THE OTHER.  A PHOTOGRAPHER'S DREAM WITH STOPOVERS ALL ALONG THE WAY, TO WALK, PHOTOGRAPH, PICNIC.  ONE OF MY FAVORITE DRIVES FROM HOUT BAY UP AND OVER TO NOORHOEK ON THE OTHER SIDE.











LOOKING UP THE MOUNTAIN WITH THE ROADWAY CARVED OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN AND GORGEOUS INDIGENOUS VYNBOS THAT PROTECT THE MOUNTAIN FROM THE ATLANTIC WINDS.



WILD PELAGONIUM, WATSONIAS, PINCUSHION PROTEAS AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER NATIVE VYNBOS COVER THE MOUNTAINSIDE DOWN TO THE OCEANS EDGE



LOOKING BACK DOWN THE MOUNTAIN FROM WHERE WE DROVE WITH HOUT BAY NESTLED IN THE HOLLOW








FLOWERING PELAGONIUM, OTHER INDIGENOUS CAPE VYNBOS AT THE FOOT OF CHAPMAN'S PEAK






UP AND OVER THE OTHER SIDE WITH A VIEW OF NOORDHOEK BEACH - ONE OF THE MOST EXPANSIVE BEACHES AROUND - 7 KMS OF WHITE BEACHES WHERE YOU WILL SEE SURFERS, BEACHGOERS AND HORSERIDING ALIKE




NOORDHOEK BEACH STRETCHES ALL THE WAY AROUND TO "KOMMETJIE" WITH IT'S SIGNATURE LIGHTHOUSE OUT ON THE PENINSULA





COLORFUL STREET ART

ARRIVING IN KALK BAY, FIRST STOP THE AMAZING BAKERY







LUNCH AT THE VERY COLORFUL AND ECLECTIC OLYMPIA CAFE ON THE MAIN ROAD GOING THROUGH KALK BAY









THE MOST DELICIOUS STEAK ROLL FOR LUNCH





















A HUT ON THE BEACH, ALONG THE RAILWAY LINE IS CAPE TO CUBA, A RESTAURANT INSPIRED BY ERNEST HEMMINGWAY AND DECORATED WITH A HODGEPODGE OF CHANDELIERS, DEVOTIONAL OBJECTS, VASES, AND REFERENCES TO HEMMINGWAY AND CHE GUEVARA, THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE NAME OF THE BAR.










VIEW ACROSS THE RAILWAY LINE TO THE BEACH, FROM THE RESTAURANT



















A FLEET OF FISHING BOATS DOCKED WITH THEIR CATCH