Would you like to live like this?

One of the statues in a rectangular pond at the Vergelegen Wine Estate.

But first a bit of history about this world famous farm:

VAN DER STEL ERA : 1685 - 1706
When Willem Adriaan succeeded his father, Simon van der Stel, as governor of the Cape in 1700, it didn't take long before he claimed a modest 30,000 hectare piece of land for himself just as his father had done in his time at Constantia. It took three days by ox-wagon to reach Willem Adriaan's farm on the slopes of the Hottentots Holland mountain range overlooking the Atlantic Ocean; hence its name 'Vergelegen', meaning 'situated far away'.
Six years after he started planting vines, Willem Adriaan had half a million vine stocks. He laid out fruit orchards and orange groves, planted camphor and oak trees, and established eighteen cattle stations with 1000 cattle and 1800 sheep. Willem Adriaan also built reservoirs and dug irrigation canals. He built himself a beautiful Cape Dutch homestead, added a corn mill and many other subsidiary buildings.

Taken from: http://www.vergelegen.co.za/van_der_Stel_era.html

This lovely Cape style building is the entrance lounge for your visitors.
Dignitaries and royalty from foreign countries!

Peep out of a window and this is what you see!

And finally, here is another miniscule view of this vast wine estate!

A river runs through it and today we spent some time sitting on the rocks on the river bank under some ancient trees. I can tell you that the silence is as golden as the sun rays that highlight the water streams, as the river flows past the boulders, making that familiar gurgling sound.
One sits almost in awe, as how many daydreams took place over the ages in the exact spot where we sat and how many tears have flowed here next to river? How many children played here and how many lovers whispered sweet things in each others ears right here.

To have 1000 cattle, 1800 sheep and half a million wine grape vines must have been a massive operation on the farm. One can still hear the cries and the snap of whips by the herders. The snarl of leopards and the howl of jackal. The "scree" of Hawks and the famous call of the African Fish Eagle.
Oh yes, all of the original people are dead now, but they left behind a stunning legacy that lasts to this day.
Should you ever decide to visit the Western Cape Province in South Africa, make sure that you book a trip to visit Vergelegen wine estate and its famous neighbor, the Lourensford wine estate.

We hope that you have enjoyed the pictures and thank you for visiting a post by @papilloncharity

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