The last portion of our stay in South Africa was in the Western Cape. On the advice of SA friends we traveled from Cape Town north, up the Atlantic coast a couple hundred kilometers to a series of bays and headlands - St Helena Bay, Paternoster and vicinity - a part of the country we'd not visited previously and one that appears to be off the map for the most part, as far as foreign visitors are concerned. I normally don't gush over places, but gushing happens. What a beautiful place.

Imagine the California coast around Carmel minus the people. Then imagine fields of wildflowers that go on and on. Then imagine whales breeching in the blue water just on the other side of the white sand beaches (except for the mountains of mussel shells - each shell around 4 inches and two across) and porpoises frolicking amongst the whales. Then imagine flamingoes standing in the tide flats, overseen by wildebeest and various other antelope sitting or standing in the fields of wildflowers overlooking the whale-infested waters. Imagine absolutely incandescent sunsets over the flamingoes' heads.

Now imagine whitewashed, thatched-roof villages with brightly painted fishing boats pulled up on the white sand beaches (the ones next to the whale-filled waters) where restaurant people buy fish straight from the fishers, including monster crayfish (aka lobsters) when in season, to serve at silly low prices to the happy eaters. Are you still with me?

Now imagine vineyards in the valleys just over the flower-covered hills, producing wines that are silly good. Now imagine all this around an hour and a half from one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Got it?

No, you can't get it until you see it. Best kept secrets and all that.