Spending two weeks in South Africa was an incredible, expansive experience that has left me with an interesting problem to sort out:  how is it possible to distill such a magnificent, diverse and compelling country into a few blog posts?  How do I elevate my impressions to something transcending a tourist’s travelogue?   Getting South Africa right—or write—demands much, much more.

As noted in my last post—written while lodged at one of South Africa’s stunning national parks—I concluded I would rather enjoy every minute in this place rather than debit time for writing.  It seemed more sensible to relax and enjoy a couple of glasses of wine in the evening on my deck overlooking the wilderness rather than hunch over my i-Pad and knock out a couple dozen graphs.

Even my plan to write during our interminable homeward journey was doomed.  I lapse into an “airplane fog” whenever I fly internationally, making it nearly possible to focus.  Plus, I hate it when anyone sitting next to me can read what is on my screen.  So instead, I read “Vertical” Rex Pickett’s follow up to his game changing novel focused on pinot noir. . .”Sideways.”

Now, I am finally back home at Yankee Jims where I am free of any distractions save the annoying, unabated croaking of frogs near the pond adjacent to the house.  I have been able to relax and digest what I observed and tasted in South Africa, and even though I’ve been up since 2 a.m., I have come to some conclusions about my trip with my beloved, Ellen.

–Despite numerous ominous warnings about crime in South Africa, I was never concerned about our personal safety—not once—even while exploring Cape Town, a sizeable, racially diverse metropolis of about 3.5 million people.  Yet, while in Cape Town, I read a report in the Cape Times about a rash of attacks on tourists in the remote areas of Table Mountain, an impressive, massive barrier between the main commercial area of the city and the Atlantic Ocean.  And ever-present door and window bars, coupled with rolling driveway barriers and high stone walls capped with razor wire, did leave me with an unsettled feeling.  Were these defensive measures a legitimate carry-over from an unsecure past, or are they a paranoid, encumbrance of the “now”.  Perhaps a bit of both, I suspect, but since I have no experience in the region, I’m not in a position to comment with authority.

–It was refreshing to travel in a relatively American-free zone.  Perhaps it is because of the lingering stigma of Apartheid or because it takes two freakin’ days to get there, but you don’t see many people flashing U.S. passports in the visitor immigration queues at Cape Town’s airport.  Lots of Brits, Dutch and Germans on vacation, but U.S. visitors are as rare as sightings of American cars on the road (there are virtually none since automakers here aren’t keen on accommodating right-hand drive).  In my experience traveling internationally, Americans can be rude, loud and demanding.  The result is an elevated sense of civility in South Africa because of the absence of my countrymen. . .I kid you not.

–The places I visited in South Africa were clean, mostly modern and inviting.  As I mentioned before, this is a beautiful place—akin to one giant national park—and it appears to be anything but a third world nation.  Ellen and I traveled nearly 2,500 km in two weeks, covering much of the Western Cape and a bit of the Eastern Cape.  My impression is South Africa is focused on improving its infrastructure—especially roads—and it is nurturing its economy during very difficult times.  While unemployment is pegged at a staggering 60%, foreclosures are rare and virtually every storefront in every town we passed through is occupied.  Though there is clearly a huge economic divide between blacks and white, progress is being made, even in the face of a worldwide meltdown.  This impression is tempered by the fact that we did not see Johannesburg, which I understand is not so fortunate.

–When it comes to South Africa’s wine industry, it is clear that American producers could lean much by visiting here.  I was absolutely blown away by the sophistication, elegance, design and maintenance of winery facilities, tasting rooms, public spaces and remarkable vineyards.  The ability here to combine luxury accommodations, fine dining restaurants and world class tasting experiences is unparalleled anywhere I have ever visited.  More about this in detail in a post later this week.

Sum it all up, and I came away from South Africa as a huge fan.  Sign me up as an ambassador, because I would love to find a way to return and tour and taste my way across this brilliant place.  A month would be nice.

At the risk of grinding this subject into the ground, I am going to do three more posts before the South African wine tasting I’ll be hosting on February 19th.  Most importantly, I’ll be talking about the wines, which I found on balance to be wonderful and affordable.  I’ll give you insight into the places where Ellen and I stayed—from the historic to the offbeat.  Finally, you’ll get a peek at some of the national parks we explored and an up-close look at the magnificent beasts that roam wild.

If you find this of interest, be sure to make reservations for my South African tasting on February 19th at 5:30 when we’ll taste six wines paired with a couple of S.A.-influenced appetizers.  Just $25++ per person; call 530-823-0320 to make reservations.