A Garden, some Big Rocks and a Monument

Last Saturday we visited Babylonstoren, one of the oldest Cape Dutch farms and now rather famous for its big, well planned and interesting garden (see some good aerial pictures of the garden here on their website). We also checked out Paarl Rock and climbed Bretagna Rock in the Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve, then had a lovely full moon picnic at the Afrikaans Language Monument ('Die Taal Monument') with friends.

Babylonstoren farm dates as far back as 1692, and with its eight acre garden as a focus point it is now a venue with two restaurants, a Hotel and Spa, a Farm Shop, etc. The gardens are divided into 15 sections whch contain different fruits, berries, plants and lawns, with interesting features such as a prickly pear maze, a hanging pumpkin tunnel and a Mulberry Meditation corner.

Patterns of lettuce. 

The prickly pear maize - we doubt anyone would try to cheat in here.  

Mom got some inspiration for her future garden. 

And I got some photography inspiration. 

A tiny sleeping hedgehog found in the 'Almonds and Bees' section. 

Family picture with the hanging pumpkins (it really is pumpkins). 

The 'Puffadder', just an interesting shadow tunnel. 

The enclosed Mulberry Meditation corner. 

'Kalkoene en pampoene' (turkeys and pumpkins). 

Then we drove to the Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve, where we had a good view of the Paarl from suitably named Paarl Rock.

(Click to view large). 

 Maarten with a canon they used in the old Cape signalling system. 

Looking up at Bretagna Rock. 

My two 'Supermen'. 

Then came the topmost Bretagna Rock and Gordon's Rock. It was a very short but slippery walk up, and we only realized the size of these solid granite rocks when we got there.

The big rock on the left is Gordon's Rock. 

There is something uplifting about standing on such a high vantage point, especially if the wind feels like it wants to literally lift you up.  It was a lovely day and we could even see Table Mountain in the far distance. 

Looking down towards the Paarl and Paarl Rock.

A short walk including 400 stairs in indigenous forest afterwards. 

Finally it was off to the 'Afrikaanse Taal Monument' for a full moon picnic with friends; there were some clouds though, so the moon wasn't very impressive. The monument is symbolic concerning the origin and growth of Afrikaans as a language, and offers a nice picnic/braai destination.

Looking up into the 'tower'. 

Later the boys got involved in a soccer game with some local kids. It turned out to be a fun social for them. 

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