As a young traveler hoping to have the world at her fingertips, I always look to optimize my experiences. Choosing a location to spend four months in was tough because there were many destinations on my list. I wanted Europe, as you know, needed Africa, and could have gone off on a whim and found myself lost in the Pacific somewhere or India for that matter.
I chose South Africa.
However, little did I know, this country could give me everything that I was looking for all within its borders. Cape Town, itself, is an enigma and cosmopolitan oasis in its own right.
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of staying at my professor's estate in Stellenbosch, also known as wine country, right at the foot of colossal mountains and far-off towns nestled in the valleys of this sloping terrain. Cape Town weather is as unpredictable as this upcoming election, but this weekend the clouds cleared and Stellenbosch became a mix of sky blues, vibrant greens, and rustic whites displayed through all of the stunning Cape Dutch architecture.
Now where am I going with this?
My first objective is not to inspire envy. I would never do such a thing...Ok, maybe I would...
I'll get to my second objective. My weekend in wine country showed me that I could go all over the world while staying right in South Africa. Driving through Stellenbosch made me think of the French countryside except on quite a larger scale. The mountains were taller, rockier, the pastures more sprawling, but the food and wine similar to meals eaten in Provence.
After four courses of wining and dining at a vineyard estate called Clos Malverne, a few of us hopped in our professor's car. Our regal educator urged us to look at the "bucolic" sights all around us and one of my friends chimed in with, "look at all the cows!" Having zero clue of what bucolic meant and the confidence in my vocabulary skills a bit bruised, I shook my head in agreement.
Definition time! Bucolic relates to the pleasant aspects of both the countryside and country life. Now we all have a word to bust out at Thanksgiving to remind our extended family that our thousands of dollars in tuition money have not gone to waste.
Before coming to South Africa, I had no idea that I could have the French countryside at my fingertips. We even went to another valley town called Franschhoek meaning French Corner where you'll find the above-sixty-five crowd walking the streets amidst waving French flags.
As I've alluded, outside of Cape Town there is Europe. On the Eastern Cape, in Durban, you can experience the tropical climate popular to many surfers. Just north, there are deserts and the African savanna exemplified at Kruger National Park.
South Africa can show you the world. Its varying climates, landscapes, populations, and cultures make it the perfect place to be young or at least young at heart. I urge you to visit this country yourself not only to revel in its versatility, but to find out why this vibrant place lands itself into many peoples' hearts.
