BABYLONSTOREN PART III - "TEEKAMER IN DIE GLASKAS" (tea room in the glass house) a beautiful place to visit, walk, ooh & aah, and eat delicious treats - fresh from the farm.

NESTLED AMONGST ORCHARDS AND 8 ACRES OF VEG GARDENS, CLIMBING ROSES, VINES DRIPPING WITH PASSION FRUIT, IS A HEAVENLY OASIS.  THE TEA GARDEN AND GLASS CONSERVATORY.

As the sign says, "Teekamer in die Glaskas" - walk this way to something spectacular (I just made that up), the "Tea Room in the Glass House".

And there she stands in all her glory, the glass house.  Inside are vegetable gardens on the one end, chairs and tables for tea and the most delicious delights ever on the other.  

Outside the glass conservatory are many more casual chairs and tables scattered under huge old oak trees.

What sandwich would you like - pick your bread, freshly baked in our own bakery, add your selection of cheese and then what about some smoked trout, fresh from the farm?  Or our own smoked ham, or even smoked chicken.  

Fresh bunches of orange blossom - talk about heaven "scent".

Bunches of freshly picked herbs scent the air.

And for the arrangement, long stems of heirloom tomatoes.

I wanted to stay here forever, quite comfortable.

I can honestly say without hesitating, this is the most delicious and BEST tart I have ever had, by far.  Thin pastry crust filled with a white chocolate and lemon custard and topped with fresh Strawberries and Cape Goosberries.

The LOO!

I must say, I had a thing for these amazing "loos/toilets/bathroms", call them what you may depending on where you're from.  Surrounded by lavender fields, fresh herbs, fig trees and lemon trees, wouldn't you?

And there is still more to come.  This place is endless in "oh my, look at that, I want it........"

BABYLONSTOREN Part II - in the Cape Winelands of South Africa. In the 8-acre vegetable gardens and fruit orchards. Gorgeous vistas, walks, structures created from wood and willow like trellises, archways, and fences, and then there are the bees to pollinate, ducks and chickens who live in really cool homes. Oh to be a chicken, duck or bee living at Babylonstoren.

One of my favorite photos - strolling by the tree tomato!

Where the ducks hang out.

Inside the duck structure

I want to be an egg-laying chicken living in this place, my own garden and work out area.  They tie bunches of vegetables, leaves etc. that the chickens have to jump to reach - FOR EXERCISE! There it's hanging from the roof structure.

Between the rows of fruit trees in the orchards, carpets of herbs and flowers.

The bee hives are enclosed in this large walled area that you can look through bee cutouts in the doors, and see the hives amongst their very own orchard.  

One of the many bee hives

Clucking and scratching around everywhere amongst the vegetable gardens and the fruit trees, are these beautiful chickens.

Quite a cute little chicken house for those who scratch around the farm and need a break.  I love the bunch of fresh herbs and veges for them to nibble on.

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