Last Stop – Franschhoek

We spent our last two weeks in South Africa in Franschhoek. We rented De Villiers House, the same Airbnb as last year. We love the outdoor space, the well equipped kitchen, the very comfortable bed and the proximity to town.

There are so many wonderful wineries in the Franschhoek and Stellenbosch area, both for food and scenery. We normally have lunch at a winery and then a light dinner at “home” – a very relaxing way to spend our last two weeks.

One of our favourite wineries is Rust en Vrede in Stellenbosch. The steak, frites, and wine are all delicious and the outdoor patio is so relaxing.

Margaret and John, friends from Oakville who have a home in Hout Bay, joined us for a few days. Wonderful lunches together, a fun euchre match, and many laughs.

Delaire Graff is a winery which we pass on the way to Rust en Vrede. Its grounds are stunning and so are its prices (its a Relais and Chateaux property so very expensive); thus we only stop to enjoy the views and the Dylan Lewis sculptures. I read that Delaire Graff has over 400 pieces of art and sculpture on the Estate – below are photos of a few of the pieces. As we left we couldn’t resist ice cream from the cart strategically placed near the parking area.

We enjoy visiting the many wineries – not for wine but for the scenery – although we do enjoy the wines from this area.

The last few wineries we visited this trip…

March 25th: It is a sunny warm day – perfect for a final late lunch at Rust en Vrede (which is on our way to the airport).

Lunch was wonderful, and we had an easy drive to the airport. Thank goodness we arrived early as it took over 2 hours to check-in, clear security and passport check. We are now in the lounge waiting for our flight to London, then Toronto. We leave at 8:40 p.m. and arrive home on March 26th around 4:00 p.m.

We have loved our two months in South Africa. The time has flown by, and although we are sad to leave we are also looking forward to getting home. There really is no place like home.