Kalk Bay- Cape Town’s Fun and Photogenic Fishing Village.

One of my best friends lives in a gorgeous little apartment in Kalk Bay, a fishing village on the coast of False Bay here in South Africa and I love visiting. Sometimes the traffic gets really congested along the narrow beach front main road, so I always have time to soak in the scenic route and take a few photographs along the way.                                                                           Kalk Bay is a suburb of greater Cape Town and lies between the ocean and sharply rising mountains.  The place has a retro feel and is filled with quirky bohemian shops, antiques, crafts and superb restaurants. I love the year round holiday atmosphere, relaxed people and surfers that ride the breakers. This fishing village, with a natural harbour, is one of Cape Town’s trendiest seaside villages with a long fishing history. Visiting Kalk Bay is my time to slow down into ‘timelessness’, to laugh, chat and amble down cobbled streets with my best friend. We do pretty much the same things every time we meet...take a long lazy walk with the dog to the beach, clean up and go out to one of the many seaside restaurants where we can soak up the sun, feel the breeze and enjoy the community. It takes a while to get back to the apartment because we stop at almost all the arts & craft stalls, pottery, fashion and clothing stalls, antique stores, book stores, jewellery stores, curios and bric-a-brac shops all the way home. 

Finally its kick back time back at the apartment, With a cool drink and the warm fuzzy feeling of a day thoroughly enjoyed still lingering, the setting sun gently reminds me it’s time to head back home to my world in the vineyards.   

                                             

Just a little about Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is the most diverse and most planted white wine grape in the world. It originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced.  During the 1970s and 1980s, due to quarantine restrictions, plant cuttings were often smuggled into South Africa.

We harvested our Chardonnay in February this year. Our small holding can be found in the Bottelary Hills, Cape Winelands, South Africa.  We form part of the greater Stellenbosch region which produces some of the best wines in the world.

Although South African vineyards have been dominated by white grape varieties, the trend now is towards a balance between white and red.

A vine yields its first crop after three years and is fully productive after five. On average, the South African vineyard is replaced after 25 years although vines as old as 100 years can still be found.

A very ripe Chardonnay will have flavors more towards tropical fruits like pineapple, guava and mango. A barely ripe Chardonnay will have green apple and lemon flavors. Chardonnay pairs particularly well with fish dishes as well as soft cheeses.

Chardonnay can be rich or light-and-zesty depending on wherever it is oaked or unoaked. 

Winemakers in the Western Cape have experimented blending Chardonnay with Riesling and Sauvignon blanc. Chardonnay is also used in some of the base wines from which Cap Classique sparkling wines are made.

Next time you enjoy the fantastic pleasure that comes from your glass of wine, remember to celebrate all the lovely people who dedicate themselves to work the vineyards.

The Fairvalley slogan - "THE HANDS THAT WORK THE SOIL FEED THE SOUL" says it all.

The Most Popular Red Wine with a BIG BOLD Taste: Cabernet Sauvignon 

In March this year we harvested our Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals perform very well under the climate conditions of the Stellenbosch region.  It is a full-bodied red wine with dark fruit flavours and savoury tastes. In South Africa, the Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon shows typical Cabernet Sauvignon flavour and aroma profiles of dark berries and tobacco with a well-structured and lengthy palate.

There is no hard and fast rule for drinking wine with food but Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely a wine that does better with food than without food given its acidity, tannins and alcohol. Try Cabernet Sauvignon with a charred gruyere burger, a mushroom pizza with tomato sauce, some marinated ribeye steak or sticky barbecued beef ribs.

Cheers for now!

THE MIDDLE EASTERN JEWEL OF QATAR - DOHA

Doha (Arabic: الدوحة‎,) is the capital and fastest growing city of Qatar. It is a totally multicultural and home to over 40% of the nation's population as well as expatriate communities from a range of origins. It is the economic centre of the country and most populous city of the State of Qatar. 

In May 2015, Doha was officially recognized as one of the New7Wonders Cities together with Vigan, La Paz, Durban, Havana, Beirut, and Kuala Lumpur.

SHOP...SHOP...SHOP!
Shopping abounds in the city.


The VILLAGIO Mall, located in the Aspire Zone in the west end of Doha has over 200 stores, a food court, ice rink and movie theatre.








The interiors are Italian-themed and there is a 150-meter long indoor canal with gondolas...rather impressive! I bought all sorts of things, including my yoga mat at Carrefour hypermarket, a huge store which stocks almost everything you can think of.

Doha is home to many sports complexes and has been the host city of a number of prestigious international sporting events. Doha is set to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. I was fortunate to fly over to watch someone very special to me compete in the 2015 FINA World Cup Swimming event. I got to meet some celebrity swimmers, great people and enjoy a truly memorable experience!



WHERE TO GO FOR A RELAXED EVENING OUT IN DOHA

Souq Waqif is a great place to eat, shop, and enjoy one of the most popular sites in Doha. The souq is noted for selling traditional garments, spices, handicrafts, and souvenirs. In my opinion, you will not have experienced Doha authentically if you have not spent time hanging out here with a couple of friends at the end of a long day. There is a great vibe in the evenings. There are dozens of restaurants and Shisha lounges.

أنا أحب قطر

Can’t wait for my next visit!