An interesting few days participating in the Montagu Tourism Indaba, with its focus on introducing tourist venue, suppliers and destinations to each other. I was partnered with Kupenda African Gallery, which is five minutes walk up the road from the apartment, situated in a renovated KWV building. Quite splendid.

Fortunately the wind behaved so were weren’t chasing canvases across the golf course! Zandvliet ensured there was no shortage of wine.

We have noticed, when the wind isn’t howling, that it’s unbelievably quiet in the apartment. With the windows open we can hear the church bells and we have a bunch of birds that chirp at first light.

A ride through the fruit farms to Talana, on a well maintained country road. The trees coming into flower, their architectural shapes of the pollard plantations fascinating. As described, the last few kilometers to the halfway point, with its series of climbs is testing. Particularly on legs still recovering from their short, brutal run up the Montagu trails.

Zandvliet on a blustery day. The fire in the tasting cellar perfect. As was the charcuterie platter with their Shiraz Rose. Didn’t visit the gallery as there was a bus load of visitors.

Short walk out along the Keurkloof trail, which was the original water supply to Ashton and Montagu. The picnic area has been closed, allowing the natural vegetation to reclaim the site. Hemmed in by the soaring peaks of Cogmans Kloof, the valley speckled with white flowers. Paintings ahead!

Blue Vine for birthday dinner. The venue superb, with excellent service and stunning food. Should probably shared the starter of salmon sashimi and the seared tuna main course was also generous enough to share.

First cleaning off the apartment since moving in a tad disturbing. The presence of building rubble on the exposed steel beams an indicator that cleaning over the past years has been superficial at best. Decided that a stick vacuum cleaner (after experiencing the one at Edith and Fredy’s apartment in Switzerland) was a worthy investment.

Movie night! In the old KWV building, a movie screening room has been established by an enterprising couple who missed their Art Movie evenings when they moved to Montagu. Complete with cinema seating, ostrich egg shell lights setting the ambiance, it made for a great evening. The limited seating makes getting tickets a challenge as we move into the holiday season.