Vergelegen

 Wednesday 13th April.  I make a point of always going to Vergelegen when I first arrive in the Cape.  I go because it is such a beautiful and peaceful place, and, most importantly, I go to honor my parents who loved it here.  Vergelegen (which means ‘’situated far away”) is a magnificent old estate which was originally granted to the Governor of the Cape, Adriaan Van Der Stel, in 1700 and is now owned by the Anglo American group. It is exquisitely maintained, produces excellent wines and covers over 7,000 acres.

The main building at Vergelegen through the camphor trees

In the Walled Garden

Our plan was to stay for a couple of hours, but Nancy is a keen photographer, and we end up spending much of the day here and settle in for a late lunch on a shaded patio overlooking the rose garden  -- cous-cous salad with roasted butternut, some of the Estate’s wonderful wine, lemon cheesecake and berries.

Nancy is in photographic heaven, capturing the charm of the old Cape Dutch buildings, the stunning octagonal walled flower garden, the enormous 300 year old camphor trees, the spread of the lawns, the lily ponds, the babbling stream, the herb gardens, the roses ……  

Three hundred year old Camphor trees

Graceful Cape Dutch architecture and me

Clouds pouring over the Hottentots Hollands Mountains

The Herb Garden

Among the Just Joey Roses

I smell the Just Joey roses which were my mother’s favorite and imagine I can see my father sitting under one of the giant trees, his body stiff with Parkinsons, while he looks up high into the branches, his spirit lifting in awe and respect.  My parents will always be in that garden for me – cradled and nurtured by its settled beauty, its enduring history.

Then we go to Morgenster, the adjoining olive and wine farm, to buy a bottle of lemon enhanced olive oil – my favorite.  Morgenster has won international awards for their olive oil.  You can sit in the most elegant setting and learn all about the process of making olive oil while you taste their oils (try the truffle!), munch on different types of olives, sample olive pastes and sip their excellent wines. From the outdoor vine-shaded tasting tables you look over a pond busy with bird life and directly up at Helderberg Mountain.  

Oil in hand, we drive up the road to another beautiful and impressive wine estate, Lourensford, to buy cheese (they won best cheddar in the world) and freshly roasted coffee. 

Lourensford Wine Tasting

Nancy choosing cheese

 Back at the house Nancy downloads hundreds of photos.  It is warm enough to sit and eat dinner on my patio by candlelight.  I point out the Southern Cross bright above us and teach Nancy how to determine due South -- the way my father taught me.