This serene pool area is
home to Oak Valley Estate's Pool
Room restaurant which was the
venue for our March outing. A
day out in the country
accompanied by friends and good
food is unbeatable.
The Almenkerk Wine Estate
managed by Joris and
Natalie van Almenkerk
and under the watchful
eye of patriarch Joep is
in a superb position
along the Viljoenshoop
Road in the Elgin area.
They had set up a
tasting of their wines
including the Lace
White, Rose and their
Syrah - some of us stood
in their cellar and some
sat inside their wine
tasting room. Our coach
Stephen had to do some
extra PT to get the
coach 'unstuck' - it was
a gravel road AND the
coach was very low - so
we all climbed out and
voila - the coach could
proceed (and we hadn't
even eaten lunch yet!!)
Here Joris points out to
the ladies, landmarks on
their wine estate - it
had suddenly turned cool
which caught some of the
ladies unaware!
The Pool Room on the Oak
Valley Estate is in such
a perfect setting - what
used to be the Manor
House has been
revamped to make it an
exceptionally
comfortable restaurant.
Here Laura, Ingrid and
Gillie catch up with
each other.
Good friends, Ann and
Hilda are always so
happy to be in each
other's company!
When our coach was ready to leave the Peregrine Farm Stall we discovered the gear was stuck in reverse. An hour and a half later with a mechanic being summonsed from the city, our coach was again on the road! Not before I had several solutions from the ladies - "Let's stand on the side of the road and hitch back to Cape Town" "Don't worry, Carol, John will come out and help you with his car" - Thank you one and all for your patience! This is only the third time in 13 years, that we have had problems with a coach; an enviable record.
More truth in the saying
"All's well that end's
well"
