Friday 6 November 2020, Day 47 of Level 1, Day 225 of Lockdown 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#Grateful for the huge amount of rain that has fallen today, in Cape Town as well as here in Wellington, excellent for the new vines that have just been planted; for the fabulous flexibility of our Wellington Wine Walk hosts for keeping us dry, in shuttling us to all our stops today, as it poured non-stop; for the entertaining and educational tastings of Buchu, Olive oil, and Wines at various stops in Wellington; for our cosy accommodation at Dunstone wine estate; for a good dinner at the Dunstone restaurant; for a warm bed; for the confirmation of the Carte Blanche interview with Carte Blanche presenter Derek Watts happening at my home next week; and for being happy and healthy. 🙏💙

After a hearty breakfast we checked out of Cascade Manor this morning, all surprised that it was so warm in our rooms overnight. We headed to Uitkyk Farm, where Elsabé du Plessis entertained us with her hilarious presentation of the wonder Buchu plant, having medicinal and food additive benefits. We started off with a tot of Buchu brandy, warming us up immediately. Elsabé also told us about her olive oils, her cultivar grape-based preserves, relishes, as well as the Family Wine Cellar. Then she explained how to make ‘stokkies’, grafting these onto rootstock, to be planted to create new vines. An art in itself. Funny is that the grafting is done with a good old stapler! Many of us ordered her products. I’ll be making my own Buchu brandy when I get back home.

Our next stop was at the Hildenbrand Wine and Olive Estate, owned by the Queen of SA olive oils Reni Hildenbrand, chairing olive oil competition judging panels, also judging olive oils internationally. She led us through a tasting of her olive oil, an ABSA Top 10 olive oil, as well as five of her Hildebrand Estate wines. She encouraged us to buy local olive oils carrying the SA olive oil seal, our country’s certified oils being of excellent quality. A pungent peppery after-taste is a trademark of an excellent quality olive oil. She is a fiesty 75 year old, who looks far younger, crediting olive oil for her youthful look. She is an animal lover, and we met her pet pig Franz, her dog Max, and cat Benno. The tasting was done over a generous Lunch spread 💙

Our third stop was at Wellington Wines, an amalgamation of the Bovlei, Wamakersvallei, and Wellington Co-op in 2013. A very professional wine tasting, and we tasted the Duke and La Cave wine ranges, the latter including a White Pinotage, one of only two producers in our country.

Close by was the Redemption Leather shop, stocking shoes, belts, and bags. A quick stop here.

Our accommodation is at Dunstone Winery, and we had time for a snooze, after all the wine tasting. Dinner was at their Restaurant, our guide Elaine Wegelin joining us. Excellent ribs and steak, following a Butternut soup.

My step count did not make my goal, as we had little opportunity to walk outside. 😱

I received my first call of an Event follow up, saying that two guests at the book launch I attended last week have since tested Covid positive. I feel perfect, but was impressed to receive the call from the organizer.

SA Corona Status 734175 cases 19749 deaths 😷😥

FitBit 6500 steps 5 km 👣

Lovemylife❤️

 

The Corona Virus Lockdown (Level 5), announced by our President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier to commence on 27 March and to continue until 16 April, subsequently extended to 30 April, lowered to Level 4 from 1 May, lowered to Level 3 from 1 June, lowered to Level 2 from 18 August, and lowered to Level 1 from 21 September, is an unprecedented event in my lifetime. I am posting my daily Facebook post to journal this Corona Lockdown Journey, perhaps to serve as material for a future Book.

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide

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