The 26th November dawned with cloudy skies – “Will we be able to walk to the hot houses without getting wet? – we had a huge downpour getting onto the coach in Constantia.”
Not daunted the ladies arrived with umbrellas / sun hats / and some with closed shoes. The Lowensvlei Flower Farm is along the N7 near Malmesbury.
This flower farm has been operational for many years and is the largest producer of gerberas in the Western Cape. Cilla Louwen met us and introduced herself and asked who of the ladies would like to take a walk to the hot houses, warning about the uneven ground and snakes (and tortoises). Surprisingly everyone walked the distance – Cilla had originally told me her mom in her 80’s can’t walk the distance – “Well done Time Outer’s”!!
We walked along to the first absolutely beautiful hot house in blustering wind! On entering the hot house many of us had our breath taken away by the beauty. We were told about the breeding of this beautiful flower and that when Elton John was in SA, Lowensvlei had supplied a particular ‘brown’ gerbera for his shows!
After our walk the hot house staff taught the ladies how to wire a gerbera (this prevents the heads from drooping!) and were then presented with their own wired gerbera to take home with them. A mass display was made by one of their staff who runs her own business and does flowers for orders and functions!
On leaving the farm we headed through Malmesbury and along a stunning 40km road to Paarl. It is a very scenic route and within 45 minutes we were in Paarl and at our restaurant for lunch – Noop at 127 Main Road.
The Noop restaurant had offered us a 2 course lunch.
MAIN: Pan fried linefish, sweet potato & carrot mash, beetroot puree, lemon beurre blanc & poached green vegetables OR Parmesan & herb crusted chicken breast, baby potato’s , roast vegetables & truffle cream sauce
DESSERT: Malva Pudding, Spitsroken, milktart ice-cream anglaise OR Dark chocolate brownie, ice cream
A superb meal and Noop Restaurant will, I’m sure, see many of the ladies returning for another meal. Noop lived up to comments on the Trip Advisor website – “Best in Paarl” and “Heaven on a Plate”! Zian and Mariette you can be so proud of the slick way your restaurant operates. The waiters catered to our every need in a silent way and we are all appreciative of this!
Many ‘found’ Nibbly Bits close to Noop and filled up on sweet and savory biscuits to take home.
Thanks to one and all for yet another happy coach day spent in the company of lovely, happy people!