Our journey to S Africa was a vacation to visit wineries, taste great food, hike and tour the Western Cape. We began in Louisville June 2003, flew Delta to Atlanta. At SAA counter, they were scurrying to seat passengers from the previous day’s flight, which had been cancelled. Don’t forgo trip insurance! We flew on a 747-400, which had individual TV sets for each seat with a wide array of movies, TV specials and games. We were served 2 full meals, snacks and unlimited beverages, including alcohol. Great service. We both wore Scholl’s Flight Sox, which truly helped the leg swelling and fatigue on long flights. We had stops to refuel in Cape Verdi islands, plus a stop in Johannesburg before arriving in Cape Town. There was a SARS scare upon arrival, but it proved to be a false alarm. The landing was awesome- you could see huge villas in the many mountains, plus all the small towns in the wine country very clearly.<br> In Cape Town, we rented a car through National and drove to Franschhoek. We were startled by acres of small, tin shanties that lined the interstate. This poverty was most evident in this area. In rural areas, there were tiny, but generally tidy homes for the farm workers. The roads were well marked, clean and in very good shape all through the Cape and surrounds.<br> We stopped for first tasting at Glen Carlou Winery where Karen poured some great wines and we enjoyed delicious cheese. I played the antique piano and had fun with the three dogs. Most memorable were the 2001 Chardonnay, the 2002 Shiraz and the 2001 Grand Classique, which we toted home. Next stop was the gorgeous Rupert and Rothschild Estate where we tried the 99 Classique. Adjacent to their property and a mile off the road was the Cathbert Country Inn. We were met by lovely Ann Morley and dogs Bibi- a tiny mixed breed and the black Lab, Missy. The sole guests, we were upgraded to the Erica suite- a lovely living room with antiques, mini-bar, fireplace, porch with mountain/vineyard view, a bed with heated blanket, huge bathroom with tub and towel warmer. We enjoyed a wonderful Kingklip dinner- one of several meals perfectly prepared and elegantly served. Robert had quite a wine list as well. He was charming; we enjoyed talking to him about history and economics of the country and found that we shared a love of Bluegrass music! He loaned us a backpack for our journey up Kanonkop Mountain the next day. Missy joined us for the long trek. It was a stunning place- with binoculars we perused the wine farms and neighboring villages. After our hike, we drove to the gorgeous Boschendal Manor where we lunched under the huge trees. We had as many as 12 ducks begging at our table! The food was delicious and the gardens and scenery were exceptional. Next, in town we stopped at Franschhoek Wingerde for tasting and to purchase some area wines. Robert reserved a table for us at Monneux restaurant in town. We had a delicious meal by a crackling fire. <br> Next day, we rode horses with Rayanne Schafer at the Mont Rochelle Equestrian Centre. We stopped at 3 wineries for tastings and enjoyed the gorgeous scenery. We enjoyed our favorite lunch at gorgeous Haute Cabriere- a restaurant built in the hillside with stunning views. It had the feel of an old castle. We sat beside a fire and savored the cuisine. Rick had his first taste of Springbok here, which he loved. Shopped in town at galleries and had final delicious dinner at Cathbert.<br> After sad farewells, we drove toward Stellenbosch. Stopped first at Kanonkop Winery where we purchased a delicious 2001 Kadette. Muratie was next- loved the atmosphere here. We couldn’t resist the Shiraz and the 2000 Cabernet. Morganhof was next stop- stunning grounds, friendly people. One of my favorites was the rustic Rustenberg Winery in its castle-like setting. Elreda was a delightful hostess. Final stop was Lanzerac Manor. We were in awe of the beauty of this place. The lobby was stunning! The grounds were gorgeous. We booked a standard room, but I think we were upgraded, as our room was in the Manor house, second floor, vaulted, with a large bathroom and a huge walled brick terrace overlooking the lawn, swimming pool and the vineyards and mountains. This remains my favorite hotel of all time. Dinner was delicious, as were the breakfasts. We enjoyed Albie Louw, a talented, well-seasoned pianist who graciously allowed me to play a duet! Nearly every room here had a fire roaring and huge floral arrangements. Service was superb.<br> Next day we visited JC Leroux- it was crowded and we left before tasting. We made a fun stop at Louisvale (being from Louisville, we wanted a bottle). Good wines; they are making big changes. Next was Spier. This place is huge! We had lunch on the terrace and then enjoyed seeing the cheetahs. Last stop was Jordan, sold as Jardin in the US. We ate at the Wijnhuis in Stellenbosch and had the best seared tuna we’ve ever tasted. Great service and atmosphere as well. Good luck driving in Stellenbosch- we were going in circles half the time. They don’t have many road signs and it’s confusing!<br> Next morning we had our last breakfast at Lanzerac and drove to the gorgeous Rust en Verde estate. Wonderful reds. One of the most beautiful stops was Vergelegen where we toured the Manor house and walked through the gardens. We had a light lunch on the tranquil terrace. Next was a coastal drive along False Bay towards Hermanus. At times, it was a bit scary, but the scenery was incredible and it’s not to be missed! We headed towards Cape Town in the mid-afternoon. Though the roads were marked well, we got a bit lost on our exit to Constantia, then had major car trouble. We were blessed to have a lovely woman, Jackie, and her twins stop to help us and keep us from getting ripped off by the towing companies. She piled all of us plus our 3 pieces of luggage into a small car and drove us to the Cellars-Hohenhort hotel. It must have been quite a sight. They had heard about our trouble, and were so kind to us. We had a wonderful dinner and were delighted to find warm water bottles in our bed at turndown. The next morning, we had breakfast in a gorgeous glass room with garden and mountain views. We strolled through the many acres of this beautiful place. It was quiet and serene. Our new rental car arrived, and we headed to the V&A Waterfront for a day of shopping and sightseeing. It was Father’s Day and it was bustling! Easy driving and parking in city. On return, we visited the splendid Groot Constantia Winery for tasting and a cheese plate. There was a huge fire burning, and the large room was filled with people enjoying the sunny day. Later, we drove over the hill to Hout Bay where we dined at Mariner’s Wharf as the sunset turned the water to gold. <br> Lisa, the sweet and helpful manager at the hotel, found hiking maps for us and the next morning, we climbed Skeleton Gorge toward Table Mountain in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. This was a difficult climb, but worth it. So many beautiful, tropical plants and flowers grow wild in this area- bougainvillea, calla lily, poinsettia, ferns, roses, etc. Tropical fruits abound as well. Produce and cheeses were always fresh. We checked out, then enjoyed one last stop, Constantia Uitsig, for a tasting and a delicious lunch at the River Cafe. A little shopping at Constantia Mall (upscale) before heading home to a long, but thankfully uneventful flight home.<br> Final notes and observations: Traveling in South Africa is cheap by US standards. We could enjoy dinner with appetizers and wine in fine restaurants for fewer than 30 dollars total, including tip. The best hotels cost about half the rate of comparable ones here. Tax is included in prices, and that is refunded if you save receipts. The people we met were warm, gracious and helpful. At no time did we feel unwelcome or unsafe. The area was clean, litter rare. Drivers weren’t overly aggressive. We were comfortable charting our own course and were glad that we didn’t do a tour!<br>