South Africa is a country with not only magnificent natural reserves and beautiful landscapes but also exquisite wines. The number of wineries here is enormous, and signs offering local wines are abundant on suburban roads. Missing such a pleasure is nearly impossible, so we dedicated our day to wine tasting.
Spice Route Destination is the spice trail located in the Paarl area. This historic farm dates back to 1693, with a legacy tied to ancient seafarers trading Eastern spices to Europe. Here, you can enjoy tastings of wines, premium beers, cured meats, chocolates, coffee, teas, and exotic spices. We tried nearly everything! We strolled along the shaded paths and headed to Fairview, an active farm with a winery. The area boasts stunning views of vineyards, the intoxicating scent of jasmine, and a small park with many secluded spots and benches.
Meanwhile, our team member Cedric visited the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in Sutherland. The main telescopes at SAAO operate under some of the best conditions worldwide for astronomy: atop a hill at an altitude of 1,800 meters above sea level, with 80% year-round clear skies, semi-arid conditions, and minimal light pollution.
SALT is the largest single optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the largest globally. It features an 11-meter hexagonal primary mirror array, which enables the detection of light from faint or distant objects in the universe - objects a billion times fainter than those visible to the naked eye, as faint as a candle’s flame seen from the Moon.
Evening stargazing was a bit disappointing due to the full moon’s light washing away the stars. But the next day’s exploration of the facility and its technologies was astonishing and impressive.
Spice Route Destination is the spice trail located in the Paarl area. This historic farm dates back to 1693, with a legacy tied to ancient seafarers trading Eastern spices to Europe. Here, you can enjoy tastings of wines, premium beers, cured meats, chocolates, coffee, teas, and exotic spices. We tried nearly everything! We strolled along the shaded paths and headed to Fairview, an active farm with a winery. The area boasts stunning views of vineyards, the intoxicating scent of jasmine, and a small park with many secluded spots and benches.
Meanwhile, our team member Cedric visited the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in Sutherland. The main telescopes at SAAO operate under some of the best conditions worldwide for astronomy: atop a hill at an altitude of 1,800 meters above sea level, with 80% year-round clear skies, semi-arid conditions, and minimal light pollution.
SALT is the largest single optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the largest globally. It features an 11-meter hexagonal primary mirror array, which enables the detection of light from faint or distant objects in the universe - objects a billion times fainter than those visible to the naked eye, as faint as a candle’s flame seen from the Moon.
Evening stargazing was a bit disappointing due to the full moon’s light washing away the stars. But the next day’s exploration of the facility and its technologies was astonishing and impressive.
