|
Turtle Essays Archives Index
|
Subscribe
|
|
| << March24, 2005 - Turtle Essays edition no 126 dated 21st March 2005 |
April11, 2005 - Turtle Essays edition no 128 dated 11th April 2005 >> |
|
Turtle Essays Edition no 127 dated 4 th April 2005 ** Love to Travel? Find out how to make your money go further! Get your copy of ???The Travel Secrets Guide??? and start saving today! http://hop.clickbank.net/?Brerrabbit/infodawg ** In this edition: Editor's Blurb Franschhoek Pniel ** Editor's Blurb: Hi there folks! It's great to be back again after a two week break. I hope you all enjoyed the Easter Holidays and did not have too many Easter Eggs. For my part they are a NO NO as my gall bladder has taken an instant dislike to chocolate. This week we are visiting The Franschhoek winelands area of the Cape so I hope you will enjoy the articles. Please use this link to see some of the photos included in the online version of this ezine. Http://www.turtlesa.com/ezine127.html See you all soon. Geoff Fairman ** Franschhoek Franschhoek is a small village just 45 minutes from Cape Town. It was established way back in 1687 when Simon van der Stel and 23 other men visited the area after travelling over Helshoogte from Stellenbosch. Van der Stel named the valley Drakenstein (Dragon Rock) . Through this lovely valley flowed the Berg River and van der Stel and the other pioneers established 50 hectare farms along its banks. At this time the Huguenots in France were being persecuted for their Christian beliefs. A number of them escaped and made their way to the Cape where they established themselves in the valley in 1688 . They were expert farmers and brought with them a number of grape varieties which they started to farm with in the valley. Today Franschhoek is well known for it???s excellent wines. Driving through Franschhoek you will notice that most of the farms still have their old Huguenot names. There are twenty-one wine farms which include some of South Africa's most well known names. Some of these farms produce South Africa's top wines. Wines produced range from superb whites such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon and Chenin Blanc to the rich reds of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Merlot. Many of the wine farms are open daily for wine tastings. Franschhoek is not only known for its wines but also for its restaurants. Eight of South Africa's "Top 100" restaurants are found in Franschhoek. When visiting the area take some time off to savour the hospitality where there is a choice of 28 restaurants to choose from. Not only are there restaurants, but a host of shops and galleries which providie a large variety of antiques, artworks and interesting bric-a-brac to browse through. A visit to the Huguenot Museum and Monument is a must. It was constructed in 1938 to commemorate the 250th year of the Huguenots' arrival in the valley and its theme is the Huguenots' escape from religious oppression, and their contribution to the development of the valley and its surrounding areas.. Franschhoek valley is one of the most beautiful in the Cape. It is surrounded by mountains covered with trees. The valley itself is filled with vineyards and Cape Dutch farm houses all of which are in pristine condition. For a weekend in the country Franschhoek is the ideal place to visit. It has plenty of accommodation where one can relax in the beauty of the valley. For entertainment there are hiking trails, bike trails through the forests, and of course, the wine route where one can taste most of the wines produced in the valley. The main street will keep one busy for hours as you explore the small shops that abound. A drive up the Franschhoek Pass will give you some fine views of the valley far below and if you continue over the pass the road will take you through some spectacular scenery in the mountains above Franschhoek. This village with its fine history is not to be missed. See you there soon. ** Pniel Travelling through the Stellenbosch valley over Helshoogte to Franschhoek one comes across the little village of Pniel clinging to the mountain side. It was established way back in 1834 when the slaves in South Africa were emancipated. A philanthropic organisation at the time was concerned with the well being of former slaves who had no fixed abode and purchased land where a mission station was founded in 1843. The United Congregation Church was built on this land and is still used by the Pniel community today. Rev. Johan Frederick Stegman was the first missionary of Pniel, and served his community from 1825 to 1910. The village is surrounded by mountains, vineyards and orchards. The Dwars river runs through it on its way to the Berg River. Pniel used to be an agricultural village but today has grown into a large fruit and vegetable supplier. Most of the village's income comes from this source. The main road through the town is narrow and winds its way along the mountainside. On either side of it the houses of the villagers can be seen. The small cottages are close to the road so traffic has to travel slowly through the village. The cemetry is built on a slope just outside the village and many of the graves cling to the steep slopes. Sport forms an important part of the social life of the community of Pniel. A sports complex has been built close by and in the summer months cricket is played while in winter rugby is the main sport. Pniel is ideally situated for walking or cycling. The Boschendal wine estate is within walking distance of the village and one can do wine tasting on the estate. Franschhoek and Pniel are favourite haunts of pigeon racing enthusiasts. Surrounded by high mountains the terrain provides a stern test for pigeons released in the area. Pniel is not one of Cape Town's greatest tourist attractions but a drive through Helshoogte Pass from Stellenbosch will take you through this quaint farming village where life has a much slower pace than that of Cape Town. See you there soon. ** Turtle Travels new blog is online now. http://turtleessays.blogspot.com * Like to have your own rose garden. Find out how to do it from an expert. Here is his link: http://hop.clickbank.net/?brerrabbit/mcplants ** For my personal details, contact address, and warnings regarding products advertised in this ezine please read the disclaimers which can be found at: http://www.turtlesa.com/Disclaimer.html See you all soon Geoff Fairman ** |
|
| << March24, 2005 - Turtle Essays edition no 126 dated 21st March 2005 |
April11, 2005 - Turtle Essays edition no 128 dated 11th April 2005 >> |
|
Turtle Essays Archives Index
|
Subscribe
|
|
|
Archives powered by Zinester's Mailing List Service
Details on Turtle Essays |
Browse for more newsletters at Zinester's Ezine Directory
Managed by Zinester's Mailing List Management |