I did a little Exploring today...

Picture of Stellenbosch-taken from Here

So based on what The first prompt for the challenge is: Explore, I thought I would share a little something with you all. (by the way you are all very quiet! I will take that as a good thing and hope it is because you are all off madly creating - paint flying everywhere, glue on the end of your nose-the works!)

I mentioned in a previous post that for me, one of my words for 2007
is the word "EXPLORE". It sum's up a vast array of thing's for me.

With that word I literally mean to explore the world around me. I want to learn new thing's, read more books, go to different places, explore my own beautiful town and surroundings. I promised myself that the first day the children started school again this year I would do that. I stuck to my own promise. Today, after dropping them off at school, I set out for the nearby town of Stellenbosch. I adore this town.

Nestled in the valley at the foot of a mountain range, surrounded by rolling hills and wine farms, this is not only a beautiful town, but one filled with fascination and character. It is the second oldest town in South Africa founded in 1679. For a brief background on the history visit this site.


(My own photo)

The university of Stellenbosch is a very large and popular one, so the town has come to be known as a "student town". It has a busy night life, friends meeting for drinks or to listen to a local jazz band. Most of the students work in the town to support themselves when not studying, so a lot of them waiter. The town is packed with coffee shops, restaurants, little ric-rac shops, vintage shops, bohemian shops, bookshops, second hand shops. Just about anything quaint, old, hippie, modern, charming. You will find it all there.

The pavements are cobbled or paved. Oak trees line the streets protectively. Tables scatter the pavements and are laid with brightly colored hand painted table cloths, polka dotted or prettily laid with finely rose-littered vintage-styled cloths.

Paintings, rustic looking frames, bags, beaded jewelry, and all other kinds of fascinating goodies spill out from the shops onto the pavements, seducing your eyes and causing you to wander in to these little delightful little nooks and crannies, over flowing with "eye candy".

Some of the MANY photos I took today! To see more go to my Flickr pageand click on the set that says "home and cards"-go see what I explored today!



This is a place to feed your soul. I parked and walked the streets, taking photo's, visiting the shop's, buying goodies here and there. On my own, enjoying the sunshine through slanting through the oak trees, hearing the gentle rush of water through the channels at the side of the streets.

I was exploring, discovering, finding.

I picked up some goodies for Karitoday too, as we are doing a
"goodie swap". I hope she likes them!


Kari-there is more in it, but I couldn't fit it in all in the photo, so took some stuff out! Lot's of vintage ribbons and lace in a packet hidden there too, and a little silk sachet filled with all sorts of buttons etc for your journals.

I hope you are enjoying whatever Exploring you are doing! Can't wait to see your pages!