South Africa 2017
I always look forward to going to South Africa to visit my home country! My brother and sister-in-law still live in Cape Town and this was the first time I was going to see my niece! This trip was very short and I definitely plan on going back to see more and do more. Even though I lived there for the first 10 years of my life, I can't believe how little I saw! Every time I go back I'm astounded by the beauty Africa has to offer and I definitely feel the connection so I will always feel the desire to go back.
One of my favourite things about Cape Town is that it is so close to the winelands! Stellenbosch is known for its countless vineyards and this time we had to hit two very specific ones. The first one was Babylonstoren, it was so massive that we definitely didn’t get to see it all! My favourite part about it was wandering the gardens and seeing all the ingredients being planted which they use in their restaurant and general goods store. They have so many products from bread, jams, lotion and linens, all which contain ingredients from their very own land. Even the food in the restaurant is cooked using their vegetables and animals. I love farm to table and this was one of the most beautiful ones I’ve seen. And of course, the big attraction is the nests! They have these woven chairs that you can climb up into like a nest.
The second one is the Spice Route. On this vineyard they actually have five different options to taste test. Wine, beer, gin, biltong, and chocolate! Biltong is kind of like beef jerky, if you didn't know! So we bought our 'passports' and went to try them all! I’m not a beer person, or gin person, so that was rough. But it is supposedly the best gin ever! I had a lot of fun, walking around and hearing about the process of each item and the heart of the people that work there! I definitely recommend going, especially if you like any of the five options! You could always choose to do only the ones you like!
I got to spend my birthday in Cape Town and for my gift my parents bought me a helicopter ride! It was my first time in a helicopter and if you ever get a chance to go in one, do it! It was so cool to be in the air but still fairly close to the ground and it gave me a much better understanding of the structure of Cape Town! It really is built around the mountain! The name Lion’s Head also makes so much sense after seeing it from the top, it looks exactly like a lion from the top. It was so fascinating and it was awesome to share with my little sister. We both had such a great time!
I also went to the Hout Bay market again! I love seeing all the local goods and the creativity of so many people! There's little markets all over the city, so don't be afraid to explore and find some local handmade goods!
Have you been to South Africa? Would you go? Let me know down below!