A Wandering Sole

If You Could Live Anywhere…

Laura — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:26:35 +0000

My friend and I recently had a conversation about the future. This of course included where we were going to live. I am three months away from returning to the States, and although I have a hunch about where I’m headed, it’s still wide open. So, I’m curious to find out: If you could live anywhere in the entire world, for the rest of your life, where would it be? No, you can’t move, this isn’t temporary. You’re packing up your bags tomorrow and settling. Where will it be?

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Wine Tasting in Stellenbosch, South Africa

Laura — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:00:42 +0000

Imagine sipping a glass of Cabernet, nibbling on a variety of cheeses, and watching the sun set over the rolling hills in the Cape Winelands. Sounds amazing, right? One of Cape Town’s most popular day trips is a wine tour to Stellenbosch. A university town set in a hilly region, Stellenbosch is home to loads of wineries and vineyards. I think most people, myself included, can appreciate a few glasses of fine wine, and a trip to Stellenbosch was just what I had in mind. I wanted to go on a wine tour, however, it was a bit pricey for my budget. After going gorilla tracking in Rwanda, skydiving in Namibia, and taking a flight to Malawi on a whim, I was a bit more restrained in South Africa. So, I did the next best thing- I took the train out to Stellenbosch and stopped at the Tourist Information Office. These friendly folks showed me a map of all the wineries and vineyards in the area, and I found out that there were a couple of wineries within walking distance. I wandered around town in the morning and stopped by the University’s greenhouse and a few historic buildings in the area. After lunch at the quaintest little cafe called The Birdcage (with quite possibly the world’s best cheesecake), I headed over to Bergkelder at 1:30pm for my wine tour.

Wine Tasting Area for Groups

Winery vs. Vineyard
By going on a wine tour, you will most likely visit a couple of vineyards, where the grapes are actually grown. Unfortunately, there were no vineyards within walking distance of town so I went to a winery. In the case of Bergkelder, they buy grapes from many vineyards and only process and produce the wine. I did a wine tour in Napa Valley, California a few years back, so I wasn’t too bummed about missing out on vineyards this time around.

At Bergkelder I had my own private tour since no one else showed up at my time slot. My guide started going over the history of winemaking in the Cape as well as information about Bergkelder. South Africa is the oldest wine region in the New World. It produces Bordeaux varieties, Shiraz (one of my favorites), and its own local variety called Pinotage. Pinotage is a combination of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. In South Africa, Cinsaut is known as Hermitage, hence the combined name Pinotage.

Cellar in the Mountain

Bergkelder was founded in 1967 and is famous for its Cellar in the Mountain. Literally built into the mountain, the cellar provides a cool temperate place to store the wine for maturation. In 1998, Bergkelder developed a wine line called the Fleur de Cap. New to me, this line has an Unfiltered Series, maximizing the preservation of color and flavor. I expected the unfiltered wines to have a much more distinct, maybe tart taste, but I was pleasantly surprised. After viewing a short video, I was allowed to try four different wines from the Fleur de Cap collection. Although I like wine, I’m not exactly a wine connoisseur (yet). I felt like an eager student when my guide described oak and specific fruit flavors in the first wine that I was able to pick up on.

My train ride to Stellenbosch for $2 and my private cellar tour at Bergkelder, including wine tasting, for $3.50 was a steal. Although lacking in scenic vineyards, I was able to do a wine tasting at a fraction of the cost and see a wine cellar structure that’s not too common.

Inside Cellar in the Mountain

If you have a chance to visit Stellenbosch, I definitely recommend taking an organized wine tour. If you are traveling in a group, it is possible to rent a car for about $25/day and visit whichever wineries and vineyards you choose. However, if you’re a solo traveler and strapped for cash, take a train ride to Stellenbosch and walk to one of the nearby wineries. Wine tasting and the cellar tour at The Bergkelder definitely made for a fun day trip out of Cape Town.

Wine Showcase Organized by Color- Love it!

Detail of hand-carved barrels in the cellar

Montage Monday: A Little Love in Stellenbosch

Laura — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:00:18 +0000

I dropped in at the Stellenbosch Botanical Gardens run by the local university. An eager male student asked if I was here to see some really rare plant from Namibia (of course I can’t remember the name now). I was like, “Uhh, yes?” I’m no plant expert so he showed me the plant in question and then I walked around. I was intrigued when I came across what appears to be a heart-shaped cactus from Namibia. I wanted to ask the horticulture student about it, but he was pre-occuppied answering questions from two little old ladies, most likely, who actually knew a thing or two about plants. Therefore, I can’t tell you anything about it, but I think it’s neat. However, if you need to know the Latin name of the Red Maple tree or the Sawtooth Oak, I’m your girl. That’s about the only thing I remember from my Plant Sciences class I took in university.

Cape Town: Table Mountain

Laura — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 10:00:18 +0000

Fog rolling in to Table Mountain

Table Mountain provides Cape Town with its dramatic backdrop. As you may have so cleverly deduced, Table Mountain is a flat plateau. While the more adventurous may choose an intense hike/climb up the steep cliffs, most visitors use the Aerial Cableway. Built in 1928, the Cableway has gone through several upgrades, the latest of which is the switch to new cable cars with a rotating floor. Going up and down on the lift, passengers rotate a little more than 360 degrees, giving you full views of the city and the mountain.

Riding up Cable Car in the fog

Things to Remember:
1. The Aerial Cableway is shut down more frequently than one might think due to winds. Always check for the latest information before heading there. The website provides accurate info on this.
2. Take a jacket- it gets quite cold up there.
3. Be prepared for fog. It may be foggy when you reach the top so give yourself some extra time in case you want to wait it out. It’s worth it in order to see the views of Cape Town.
4. There is a student discount given on Fridays, entitling you to approximately 30% off the ticket price.

I spent a little over two hours at the top, walking around, sipping on delicious hot chocolate at the cafe at the top, and waiting for the fog to clear. Here are a few pictures from the day:

Momentary glimpse of Cape Town before the fog returned

Stadium where the World Cup was held in Cape Town

Lion's Head in the distance

View opposite of Cape Town

Picture This: San Gimignano

Laura — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:00:32 +0000

I have posted pictures from my visit to the Tuscan village of San Gimignano. Though I’ve heard this town can be overrun with tourists in the summer, I was lucky enough to visit during off-season and it was beautiful!



	

	

	


	 
		
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Cape Town: Robben Island

Laura — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:08:57 +0000

“We want Robben Island to reflect the triumph of freedom and human dignity over oppression and humiliation.” -Ahmed Kathrada, Prisoner 468/64, Robben Island 1964-1982

Sign at Robben Island

Note: I feel this post is largely condensed, as there is so much to be learned about apartheid. However, I hope that it will spark an interest in a visit to the island and an interest to learn more about South Africa’s political history. I can’t possibly say everything I want to convey here, so I’ve decided to give a very broad overview of the tour.

Robben Island, just 12 kilometeres from Cape Town, is undoubtedly most famous for being the former prison of Nelson Mandela. However, the island has a long and varied history, being used as a prison, a place for outcasts, and even a training and defense station during World War II.

View back to Cape Town & Table Mountain

I had read varied reviews on the tour of Robben Island but they were running a ‘Winter Special’ and the 9am tour was half off. It made my decision easy, and I decided to go. A ferry departs from the waterfront three times per day for Robben Island. The tour lasts three hours, including a 30 minute ride to and from the island. We disembarked from the ferry and were escorted to large tour buses that would drive us around the island while a guide provided information. I was one of the many ignorant tourists in the group that, prior to the tour, would have referred to Robben Island as ‘that place where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.’ But I soon learned that it had been a hospital for lepers and a prison for many centuries. Robben Island still has a village of people living there, including the guides and their families. We passed a school with six children sitting out front, and the guide said, “Well, there’s about half the school’s population right out front.” He wasn’t joking- the school only has 16 pupils.

The history behind Robben Island largely relies on the history of apartheid, and frankly, that could take ages and heaps of posts. Therefore, if you are not familiar with apartheid you may want to take a few minutes to research it. In a very brief and incomplete nutshell, apartheid was a system of racial segregation used in South Africa between 1948 and 1994. You fell into a category of either white, black, colored (mixed race), or Indian. Education, medical care, living areas, and many other things were separated. If you weren’t white, you were no longer a citizen, and therefore, were not allowed to own land either. Okay, although brief, I will leave it at that, but it really is a fascinating subject, and I encourage you to pick up a book on it.

In 1961, Robben Island became a prison for anti-apartheid political activists. No whites were imprisoned here during this time. After our bus tour around the island, we were dropped off at the prison to be taken through it by another guide. What I found fascinating is that all of the prison tour guides are former political prisoners. They have lived under cruel conditions in this prison, become stripped of their rights, and been dehumanized. And yet, they now live on the island and relive their imprisonment on a daily basis.

Tour guide and former political prisoner

At the beginning of the tour, our guide gave us a brief introduction of himself. He was imprisoned for about 12 years on the island. A young man spoke up and asked, “Was it hard to come back here to be a guide?” While the answer was an obvious, ‘No duh,’ the guide simply stated, “Of course.” “So why did you come back then?” The guide stated the brutal truth: “It had been eight years, I was unemployed, and desperate for a job. I had to support my family. The day I was released from prison, the first thing I did was climb up Table Mountain in Cape Town, look back to the island, and swear that I would never step foot there again.” While it was unimaginably difficult, he did say that it has helped him come to terms with what happened. There are even former guards working alongside these former prisoners.

Sign breaking down food distribution by race

Our first stop on the tour was in the cafeteria. There are large signs posted, stating what type of food and how much each prisoner received. Coloreds were ranked above blacks, and therefore got more food. I believe my guide said that over 90% of inmates were black though, so most inmates got meager helpings.

Nelson Mandela's cell

We visited different blocks within the prison and our guide showed us his former bed. It was all very tough to hear and see, because 99% of the people that had lived in this harsh and cold environment didn’t deserve it. We saw Nelson Mandela’s cell, and the tour concluded in a most disturbing and eye-opening manner. In the last prison block that we entered, we were free to walk around in the cells. Each cell featured a photograph of a prisoner and a story that they had written. I read horrible accounts. Prison guards would place bets on which prisoner would be dragged out of their cell and killed next. A prisoner would go for a medical check-up and listen to the doctors discuss which organs could be salvaged, as if this patient weren’t even sitting there. If a prisoner’s mother died, he found out months later, and of course, he was never told how or why. It was very depressing, but also very real. It happened, and it’s something the world (and I) has to acknowledge.

There were moments that were inspiring. After all, good things can come from terrible situations. Nelson Mandela and many other inmates dug in a quarry for years. He would educate them as they dug. These political prisoners were isolated from the world, but were all together. You can only imagine what happens when you put bright minds together who have great ideas and the motivation to change their country.

The tour concluded, and we were rushed back to the ferry to make our 12 o’clock departure time. I thought it was very educational and a way to ‘face the facts’ so to speak by hearing stories relayed personally by a former inmate. Even though you spend two hours on the island, it felt rushed. With that said though, it’s definitely worth a visit if you’re in Cape Town.

Montage Monday: Bo Kaap, Cape Town

Laura — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:21:52 +0000

Bo Kaap is a neighborhood on the edge of Cape Town’s city center and is known for it’s colorful, semi-detached houses. Bo Kaap’s residents are largely descendants of slaves that were imported by the Dutch in the 1700s from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. Because of this, the neighborhood is mostly Muslim and has colorful mosques as well.

Cape Town: First Impressions

Laura — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 10:07:32 +0000

Less than two weeks after the World Cup came to a close in South Africa, I was headed for Cape Town. I had heard from many a traveler along the way how much I would love Cape Town. But it’s difficult for me to imagine the places they described as still being part of the African continent. I had no idea what I was in for.

I arrived in Cape Town at 2am after a 14-1/2 hour drive from Namibia. I caught a ride with two Americans who were living short-term in Cape Town. Since it was so late, I crashed at one of the girl’s apartments. When we got up the next morning, she took me into the city centre and down to the waterfront to show me around. I was shell-shocked to say the least. The last two countries I had traveled in had a population of 2 million (yes, for the entire country). I had spent the past 3 months in Sub-Saharan Africa, and all I could say was, “Wow, this is so modern.” I had to apologize to my new friend, because I sounded like a broken record, repeating that same phrase, but changing it up every now and then with “Wow, this is so nice.”

I went from seeing places like this in Africa over the past 3 months…

To seeing places like these in Cape Town, South Africa:

Stadium built for the World Cup

Parliament Building

Long Street, Cape Town, South Africa: Reminds me of New Orleans

View of Table Mountain

The magnificent Waterfront

Train station

I had two weeks until my flight to Southeast Asia, so I assumed I would spend a few days in Cape Town and then explore some other parts of South Africa. As you will soon find out over the next few posts, I never left Cape Town and the surrounding areas. It’s one of my favorite cities in the world!

Dunes & Wildlife Tour: Sossusvlei

Laura — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:00:03 +0000

Racing down Dune 45

After an overnight stay at Chameleon Backpackers following our trip to Etosha National Park, we hit the road again. This time, we were off to Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert. This desert is the oldest desert in the world. We passed several ‘towns’ on our off-road drive there. I use the word town loosely because I’m pretty sure some of them only had a couple of houses; if you blinked you would miss it.

Desert Camp in Sesriem

We checked in at Desert Camp just before sunset. Our room has sweeping views of the mountains and my roommate and I lounged in bed, watching the sun set from our windows before heading to a group dinner with our guide. We left at 6am the next morning to get into the park early again. From the town of Sesriem, where we were staying, it’s about a 40 minute drive to get to the famous Sossusvlei. We parked and hopped into a 4 wheel drive ‘taxi’ if you will call it for a 2 minute drive through the sand. It was then time to hike up to Dead Vlei, the place that inspired my whole trip to Namibia to begin with. I saw an image of the clay pan with these mysterious looking trees set against a brilliant orange and blue backdrop two years ago. We trekked through the sand while listening to facts about the Namib Desert from our guide. Of course, we had our goofy moments along the way.

On our way to Dead Vlei

Dead Vlei:
Dead Vlei meaning ‘dead marsh’ is a clay pan surrounded by enormous sand dunes. It contains camel thorn trees that have been dead for about 900 years due to lack of water. The trees aren’t petrified but are dark in color as a result of the intense sun. We spent about 30 minutes wandering around and taking photos.

Finally made it to Dead Vlei!

After Dead Vlei, we went to a picnic area to have lunch and rest in the shade. We had to gear up for trekking up Dune 45 next.

Dune 45, Namibia

Dune 45:
There are plenty of sand dunes in the park that you can climb, however, Dune 45 is the most popular. We passed it on our way to Dead Vlei and there were loads of tourists there, so we saved it for the afternoon. At this point, we were the only ones heading up the dune so it was a wise choice. After dragging ourselves to the top, two of the people on the tour, along with our tour guide, decided to race down the side of Dune 45. Of course, the guide beat the other guys down by a long shot! I slowly made my way down the side, pausing to make a ’snow angel’ in the sand. I was already covered in sand, so what’s the harm in rolling around in it, right?

We made a short stop to climb down Sesriem Canyon and then made our way back to Desert Camp for a little rest. Before dinner we took a 10 minute walk near our camp to watch the sunset.

Moose makes the best apple strudel in Namibia

The next day we drove back to Windhoek, stopping in Solitaire on the way. This ‘town’ (again very small) developed around a gas station. It has a guesthouse and a bakery where you can sample Namibia’s best apple strudel made by Moose the baker. It was a giant piece and really tasty! The bakery is also rumored to have good bread. We made it back to Windhoek in the early afternoon. It was a fantastic trip and I hope you enjoy some more photos from it!

If you are interested in the Dunes & Wildlife Tour with Chameleon Safaris, click here.
To read about the first part of the tour in Etosha National Park, click here.
And finally, to read about accommodation at Chameleon Backpackers, click here.

RTW Trip: Five Months In

Laura — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 10:00:01 +0000

Cape of Good Hope, South Africa

Five months. That means I’m over halfway through my trip now (sad!). It was another absolutely spectacular month of travel. No time for small talk, let’s cut straight to the adventures.

Skydiving Namibia

This Month’s Happenings:
1. Hitchhiked the Trans-Kalahari Highway from Botswana to Namibia (and made it to the coast of Namibia in one day by a small miracle).
2. Went skydiving on my birthday the next morning in Swakopmund. Amazing!
3. Went on a six-day safari to Etosha National Park and Sossusvlei (famous sand dunes) with Chameleon Safaris.
4. Spent two amazing weeks in Cape Town
5. Visited Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela and many other political activists were imprisoned during apartheid.
6. Took the cable car up Table Mountain for magnificent views.
7. Went to Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope.
8. Took a day trip to Simon’s Town (where there are penguins!), Kalk Bay, and St. James, fishing villages along the coast.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

9. Spent two Saturday afternoons at the Old Biscuit Mill, a funky, crowded market with delectable food options.
10. Made a new friend Nomonde in the township of Langa, spending the afternoon learning about apartheid and eating at her magnificent restaurant.
11. Flew to Bangkok, where I met my college friend (yes, I’m no longer a solo traveler for now!), stayed 1 night and then took the train to Cambodia.
12. Visited Angkor Wat, the largest religious structure in the world, along with other equally as amazing temples.
13. Lounged in a hammock bar overlooking rice fields in Siem Reap. The U.S. really needs these!
14. Rode on a bamboo train in Battembang and visited another beautiful temple.
15. Enjoyed street food every day in Cambodia- including fresh fruit shakes. Yum!

Wow. When you write it down it’s crazy. I think, “Really Laura? Is that all you did in a month’s time?” (hint: sarcastic tone involved). Today I’m hiking two small mountains to see more temples and then partaking in a cooking class this evening. Can’t wait!

My friend & our awesome driver at Hammock Bar in Cambodia