babylonstoren.

i want to visit babylonstoren and stay for, like, ever. i was sold when i saw the herd of large white ducks on the front lawn and then i started browsing and came across the tub and gardens and prickly pear maze and, well, i'm ready to book my ticket.

accommodations
14 cottages styled in the cape colony of the 17th and 18th century are strung out along the garden and vineyards. outer walls are whitewashed and decorated with ornate gables and thatched roofs. interiors are pleasantly cool in summer--thank you, thick walls--and heated by open hearths in winter. please notice the tub--yes, please. 

garden
the 8-acre garden, inspired by 17th and 18th century company gardens of the dutch east india company, is loaded with over 300 varieties of plants in the garden; all edible and grown as biologically as possible. divided into fifteen clusters spanning vegetable area, berries, bees, indigenous pans, ducks and chickens and a prickly pear maze. gravity feeds water into waterways.

images courtesy of babylonstoren.com and blackeiffel.blogspot.com

how i would love to visit this perfectly-preserved cape dutch traditional werf (farm yard)! it's just a quick 45 minutes from cape town international airport; the trick is getting to cape town from here.