Seabourn President Hosts World Cruise Event at Ernie Els Winery
While Seabourn Quest was alongside at Cape Town, South Africa during its maiden World Cruise, Seabourn President Richard Meadows joined the full world cruise guests for an exclusive afternoon event at the Cape Coast winery owned by champion golfer Ernie Els. Departing the ship in the afternoon, the guests were driven from busy Cape Town through the suburban townships and into the bucolic countryside. Arriving at the Ernie Els winery, they entered the breezy welcome center and passed through to a rear garden-party setting overlooking a jaw-dropping view of the mountains in the background. Seated at shaded tables graced by vivid local flowers, the guests were addressed by the Els winemaker, talking about the vineyards and the wines produced here. They also toured the production area, the barrel storage rooms and the cellars where bottled wines are stored. A selection of the fine Els wines were generously poured and sampled, along with a sumptuous feast of local delicacies served by a delightful brigade of young South African waiters. As the sun sank lower in the west, the host introduced “Happy Feet,” a troupe of local children and young men who performed a rousing recital of the rhythmic “gumboot dance” developed from the roots of their native folk dances by South African miners. The boys wore miner’s coveralls, hard hats and the requisite miners’ gumboots, and stomped, clapped and swatted out the intricate rhythms of this indigenous art for the delighted Seabourn guests. As the sky began to color in the west, the sated Seabourn World Cruise guests departed the winery and returned to the port and the waiting Seabourn Quest, where the crew had unfurled for them a hearty welcome home.
Seabourn Quest World Cruise guests enjoy a beautiful afternoon at the Ernie Els winery.
The barrel storage room at the winery.
Guests sampled a variety of delicious wines!
The children of “Happy Feet” show off their rhythm and deliver an upbeat performance!
