Franschhoek means 'French corner' in Africaans but I think a more fitting definition is precious little getaway from Cape Town where you can eat up a storm, shop till you drop, and tour picturesque vineyards till you pass out. It's a favorite destination for city folk to take a break and chill. Easy to see why. It is truly a pretty town, set in a valley, surrounded on three sides by dramatic mountains, and blest with a heavenly climate.
We've booked into a guest house a block from the town's main street, very convenient, tres funky. It's a 'heritage house' dating back to the early 19th century and, from what we can gather, has always been in the owner's family. There are only five rooms, each one decorated with a bird theme, and retrofitted with a shower and toilet. Two corners of the room have been taken, one for each function, complete with a plexiglass-type wall around the commode and the smallest shower known to man (first time we've seen this since we rented a Left Bank flat in Paris several years ago). It is cozy, quirky, bordering on a Fawlty Towers, but it's also economical in a very pricey town and includes a hearty breakfast.
Just a few kilometers from here is Groot Drakenstein Prison where Nelson Mandela spent his last two years of imprisonment. In 1990, after a total of 26 years behind bars, he walked out of here a free man and began his 'Long Walk to Freedom'. This is still a functioning prison and if you talk to the guard, you can arrange a tour.
I didn't know the difference between a Huguenot and a Hottentot. The French Huguenots were a part of the Protestant rebellion in the late 16th, early 17th century and were severely persecuted by the French kings. Many fled to Holland where they were well-received and still others went on to immigrate all over the world, including the Cape Colony where they were enthusiastically welcomed. Why? Nearly all of them were married and the women of child-bearing age. They came, they had babies, and made good wine! Good wine was a rarity in the colony and young women almost unknown. One of the most famous descendants of these original French Huguenots is Charlize Theron.
Hottentots are another story. The aboriginal people were divided into two major groups, the San or Bushmen and the Khoi Khoi which means 'men of men'. The Khoi Khoi, who lived communally and owned large herds of cattle, were reknowned for their dancing, and while dancing they chanted something that sounded to the Dutch like 'hottentot', hence the name. The Khoi Khoi have totally disappeared; the Bushmen continue to live in the Kalahari in the northwest of South Africa and southern Botswana and there is now a hybrid tribe known as the KhoiSan. One strange thing I learned was that if a Khoi man was milking a cow and she stopped giving milk, he walked around behind her, lifted her tail, and blew into her privates (that's one of those bizarre images that just won't be forgotten).
Hottentot is still considered a term of derision.
Across the street from the Museum is a monument to the French Huguenots. Quite grand and featuring a statue of a woman, holding a Bible, standing on a globe with her feet on the African continent.
Wow oh wow!
To borrow one of Paul's descriptors, this is a very 'twinkie' town!
We've booked into a guest house a block from the town's main street, very convenient, tres funky. It's a 'heritage house' dating back to the early 19th century and, from what we can gather, has always been in the owner's family. There are only five rooms, each one decorated with a bird theme, and retrofitted with a shower and toilet. Two corners of the room have been taken, one for each function, complete with a plexiglass-type wall around the commode and the smallest shower known to man (first time we've seen this since we rented a Left Bank flat in Paris several years ago). It is cozy, quirky, bordering on a Fawlty Towers, but it's also economical in a very pricey town and includes a hearty breakfast.
Just a few kilometers from here is Groot Drakenstein Prison where Nelson Mandela spent his last two years of imprisonment. In 1990, after a total of 26 years behind bars, he walked out of here a free man and began his 'Long Walk to Freedom'. This is still a functioning prison and if you talk to the guard, you can arrange a tour.
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Deb and Paul head for the Wine Tram Tour, and we're off to the French Huguenot Museum and Monument.
Deb and Paul head for the Wine Tram Tour, and we're off to the French Huguenot Museum and Monument.
I didn't know the difference between a Huguenot and a Hottentot. The French Huguenots were a part of the Protestant rebellion in the late 16th, early 17th century and were severely persecuted by the French kings. Many fled to Holland where they were well-received and still others went on to immigrate all over the world, including the Cape Colony where they were enthusiastically welcomed. Why? Nearly all of them were married and the women of child-bearing age. They came, they had babies, and made good wine! Good wine was a rarity in the colony and young women almost unknown. One of the most famous descendants of these original French Huguenots is Charlize Theron.
Hottentots are another story. The aboriginal people were divided into two major groups, the San or Bushmen and the Khoi Khoi which means 'men of men'. The Khoi Khoi, who lived communally and owned large herds of cattle, were reknowned for their dancing, and while dancing they chanted something that sounded to the Dutch like 'hottentot', hence the name. The Khoi Khoi have totally disappeared; the Bushmen continue to live in the Kalahari in the northwest of South Africa and southern Botswana and there is now a hybrid tribe known as the KhoiSan. One strange thing I learned was that if a Khoi man was milking a cow and she stopped giving milk, he walked around behind her, lifted her tail, and blew into her privates (that's one of those bizarre images that just won't be forgotten).
Hottentot is still considered a term of derision.
Across the street from the Museum is a monument to the French Huguenots. Quite grand and featuring a statue of a woman, holding a Bible, standing on a globe with her feet on the African continent.
*********************************************************************************There are a bazillion wineries in the area, and one of them
houses a collection of antique cars that is reputed to be one of the world's
best. So off we go to the
Franschhoek Motor Museum co-located with the L'Omarins winery. Another picture postcard setting with
two parallel buildings housing the collection of over 200 vintage autos.
I love these old cars, and this is a marvelous
collection. My personal favorite
was this Jaguar touring car from the 1930's.
Not far behind was this Model A, the very first Ford in all
of South Africa!
Another gem was this gorgeous Mercedes Benz given to King
Farouk by Adolf Hitler.
And a trip down memory lane for me - my old 1965 Mustang
convertible. Mine was a very tasteful teal!
And Tim's favorite, this 1920's Packard, an automotive monument to art
deco design.
To borrow one of Paul's descriptors, this is a very 'twinkie' town!
