Longing for Babylonstoren...

After pouring over photos from the past year, I came across these of a visit to Babylonstoren last winter. What a place! Must get my fix soon...

By the Rivers of Babylonstoren...

If I had my druthers, I would probably spend every day at Babylonstoren. Lunch at the Greenhouse is beyond a treat, as every morsel is either hand-picked or freshly squeezed from the garden. Not to mention, delectable cheeses from the fromagerie and meats from the charcuterie. So, when my sister-in-law and daughter came to the Cape from Down Under, we made a bee-line for the Winelands...

See previous postings on the subject here

The last couple of weeks in pictures

One cannot photograph Babylonstoren enough... THE most beautiful farm, garden, buildings, donkeys, turkeys, geese... the list is endless. It is just a severe case of jaw-drop-ation around every corner...

Charcuterie and fromagerie

The Green House

Beautiful tiles in the Farm Shop

One of the outbuildings, the farm dates back to 1690

Just a fraction of the exquisite gardens...

Giant twig-twine balls

Then it was off to Hermanus for a seaside holiday. Touted as the best shore-based whale watching area in the world, it is one of our favourite homes-away-from-home. First stop before arrival... the Bot Rivier Kroeg (pub) - front and center of the village. Surprisingly stylish and old school... almost as if Ralph Lauren himself, had styled a corner or two.

Bar

Ties, cricket bats, rugby and horns

Once in Hermanus, we met a very entitled parrot, who was quite at home with his master's bull whips. Cackling in delight every time a demonstration was carried out...

Romantiques Bygones and Collectibles

Love these... read some of the product descriptions 

Collection of sailor caps

Mannequins and trunks

Die Kelders (famous for caves in sandstone cliffs)

Hermanus from the Old Harbour

Hermanus from the New Harbour

2013

The Mayans were wrong. (Thankfully). A number of bonus days since the miscalculated apocalypse, meant that we were able to realise our (albeit too short) holiday. I have so many photographs to sort through for a posting, but here is one as a placeholder in the meantime. More tomorrow...

Babylonstoren

Babylonstoren, South Africa (Encore)

Ever-evolving, this marvelous escape-from-reality in the Cape has added more sensory and culinary experiences and even managed to eclipse its previous perfection....

Greenhouse/conservatory that doubles as a teahouse

The Wine Tasting Space

Cheese Shop

Charcuterie Shop

Via Yatzer

Babylonstoren, South Africa

Sigh. This sounds like my kind of holiday. 'Intentionally unscripted' is the mantra for time spent at Babylonstoren in the Cape. One can lounge and truly wind-down on one of the hammocks attached to giant trees, or pick one's own salad on a stroll through the remarkable fruit and vegetable garden, and enjoy it for lunch. Sounds rather blissful, doesn't it? Karen Roos, one of my all-time style icons, is responsible for creating this heavenly 200-hectare farm hotel dating back to 1692. A disused kraal was converted into the restaurant Babel (see below), and renowned South African food fundi, Maranda Engelbrecht describes the fare as "Not looking for different things, but simply looking at things differently". The menu is ever-changing as plat de jour, or rather jardin is the order of the day. Pick-clean-serve is the approach with practically zero carbon footprint. Kind-of reminds me a bit of Villa Augustus in the Netherlands...

The Library is vintage Karen Roos - filled with curiousity cabinets and carefully chosen books, antique botanical prints all bathed in an almost Deyroll-eqsue green.

Images from here and Elle