Langebaan Visit – August 2023

What’s more fun than making a quick trip to your home town? The last time we were at home in Langebaan was 8 months ago – it was lovely to sleep in our own bed again and just enjoy the beauty of our town. And of course, the perfect time is always at the beginning of spring … pretty wildflowers appear everywhere, especially after very good winter rains.

We are always happy to see Table Mountain

The last few months it has been raining a lot and was very cold on the West Coast of South Africa. But the day we arrived in Langebaan, it was a glorious sunny day. We could see the wildflowers from our house and immediately grabbed the camera to walk to the park close by to see what was blooming.

Spring wildflowers at the back of our house

It will probably be another two to three weeks before the spring wildflowers are in full bloom, but we enjoyed the early signs of spring.

Daisy (left) & Gazania (right)

Daisy

The West Coast had more rain than usual this past winter, which means a beautiful spring wildflower season is expected. But it’s not just the flowers that bloom, the plants are also lush and green. It’s actually quite amazing how water can turn nature into a spectacle.

Aeonium arboreum

Crassulaceae – succulent perennial type plant

Agave attenuata (Elephant’s Trunk)

Red aloe flower

Apocynaceae (Bigleaf periwinkle)

We’ll show some more spring wildflower photos in our next posts, but hope you enjoyed this sneak peek for now!

Weskus Spens Farmstall:

If there is one thing we miss a lot on the ‘other side’ of the country where we currently live, it is farmstalls. There are so many farmstalls on the West Coast to visit – you’ve barely started driving when the first farmstall pops up along the road.

While Berto went fishing with one of our friends on his boat, my mother and I got into the car to go for a visit to the Weskus Spens Farmstall (a mere 17km from Langebaan).

Weskus Spens Farmstall → ‘West Coast Pantry Farmstall’

Signboard to the farmstall (Plaas Ontbyt → ‘Farm Breakfast’)

Turn off here from the R27

It was a cold morning and my mum and I found a table near the stove where a pot of coffee was simmering on the fire.

‘Take time to smell the coffee’

The farmstall is literally a large version of a pantry and there are so many goodies for sale. In between, antiques reminiscent of bygone days are on display.

Vintage Brother Sewing Machine

We decided to enjoy a hot cup of coffee with something sweet on the side. My mother chose the lemon meringue, while I had a piece of traditional South African milk tart (‘melktert’).

Our sweet treats

Something that South Africans really enjoy eating is ‘roosterkoek’. It is traditional bread, baked over the coals and usually accompanied by a ‘braai’ (barbecue). It’s always nice to watch someone who knows how to make ‘roosterkoek’.

One of the ladies at the farmstall making ‘roosterkoek’

‘Roosterkoek’ – before and after

As we strolled through the farmstall, we drooled over all the yummy goodies and admired the handmade items, such as shoes and handbags.

Homemade jams

Freshly baked rusks and cookies

Flour for ‘braai’ porridge

Honey body wash & lotion and handmade leather shoes

With a full bag of shopping, we walked through the garden of the farmstall one last time.

A cute way to introduce the surrounding towns to visitors

Mural at the farmstall

My mum at the photo booth of the farmstall

It was such a lovely way to spend a morning in the countryside – I can understand why so many people stop here at the Weskus Spens farmstall to fill their bellies, while the friendly staff welcome you with their warm smiles.