Lounging in a corner coffee shop, I overheard the man proclaiming in Afrikaans: “Mevrou – het jy werklik die guts om te slow dance met Stellenbosch en sy spoke?!” Looking up, I saw the man in his final leap of safety, hitting the sidewalk before the cyclist could bump him. I had to smile, not because of the scenario necessarily, but because it is true: there is more to Stellenbosch than what meets the eye.
In this town, green turns to gold as seasons change. You might also claim that it is in this town where the miracle took place: where water turns to wine. The astonishing views give the authentic sense of tranquillity and serenity, and you can breathe the sweet scent of the earth itself (trying exceptionally hard to sound boujee over here). This is where dreams become realities, they say.
The town is currently the mecca for marketing, the place where, influencer or not, claims it as holy grail. Here, it is always pedestrians first – that is also why they call it “Freedom of Movement.” The reality: no one, or very few, stop and contemplate as to where the fuss all originated. The reality: this town, is the mecca for legacy.
It takes me back to a story told by someone I knew well – the story where the storyteller had to jog out as one of the players for the Markotter Rugby Team. He told it with pride, reminiscing to such an extent that you can actually see uncle Danie coaching the squad. He would continue to tell the story where one of the only three motor cars were carried into the Stellenbosch Town Hall during a final year dance – “alles vir die Huis“. And so, the stories continued – the legacy, the pride, the traditions. It is as if you will never be able to fully grasp the concept (there is no way I ever could).
As I sat in the coffee shop, I am drawn to the streets that were once ambled with dust covered high heels, walking from Nerina to the Ou Hoofgebou for class. I ponder on stories told of a peacock that were stolen from one of the girls’ residences by a few Dagbreek students. These stories are only a few that I know myself, told by legends.
I can understand why this place became the new marketing central. It is as if each individual wants to be part of the Stellenbosch legacy, in one way or another. That is why you post the story: caption, #stellies. The reality, very few, myself included, will understand the hard work that led to excellence in the Eikestad. The town with golden moments and golden memories.
#stellies