TOGETHER WITH
🌴 Where Did Everyone Go?
Has anyone else noticed how quiet Stellenbosch feels?
The school holidays have arrived and it seems like half the town has disappeared.
Coffee shops have tables available. The traffic has calmed down. Finding parking doesn't require positive thinking and a small miracle.
It's almost unsettling.
The only logical explanation is that everyone is either in Mauritius, somewhere along the Garden Route, or posting photos from a game lodge with captions like "much needed break."
For those of us still here, let's just enjoy it while it lasts.
Because before you know it, the school run will be back, traffic on Adam Tas will return to normal, and you'll once again wonder why it takes 20 minutes to drive three kilometres.
🏨 R57 Million Buys You... A Hotel On Krige Street
If you ever doubted how valuable property in Stellenbosch has become, here's your reminder.
Hotel Krige, on Krige Street just around the corner from Plato, has reportedly been sold for a staggering R57 million.
Fifty-seven.
Million.
For perspective, that's around R2.4 million per hotel room before you've even factored in the coffee machine, the Wi-Fi password or the tiny shampoo bottles.
Stellenbosch property really is in a league of its own.
At this point we're expecting estate agents to start describing garden sheds as "rare investment opportunities" and parking bays as "exclusive lifestyle assets."
It's one of the reasons people who bought property in Stellenbosch decades ago often sound so relaxed. They weren't necessarily investment geniuses... they just had the good fortune of buying before the rest of us arrived.
The next time someone tells you property is expensive, just remember...
Somewhere in Stellenbosch, a building on Krige Street has just changed hands for R57 million.
And tomorrow, someone will probably list the one next door for R62 million.
🩰 Swan Lake Is Coming To Stellenbosch
For one weekend only, the magic of one of the world's most famous ballets is coming to Stellenbosch.
Cape Town City Ballet will perform highlights from Swan Lake alongside selections from Raymonda at the Adam Small Theatre on 31 July and 1 August. Expect breathtaking choreography, elegant costumes and Tchaikovsky's iconic music brought to life by one of South Africa's premier ballet companies.
Even if you've never watched a ballet before, this is one of those performances that's worth experiencing at least once. It's a chance to see world-class dance right here in Stellenbosch, without having to travel into Cape Town.
If you've been looking for something a little different to do, this could be it.
🅿️ It's R5. Please Don't Ruin Someone's Day Over R5.
I parked in Plein Street today for about five minutes.
The parking fee? R5 for 30 minutes.
While paying, I got chatting to the parking attendant. He told me that one of the hardest parts of his job isn't standing outside in the cold all day.
It's the people.
Every day he gets sworn at, shouted at and treated like he's personally responsible for parking fees in Stellenbosch.
He's not.
He's just doing his job.
Whether you agree with paid parking or not, the person wearing the reflective vest didn't make the policy. They didn't decide the tariffs. They don't keep the money.
They're simply trying to earn an honest living.
It's amazing how often we take our frustrations out on the person with the least control over the situation.
So next time you're annoyed about paying R5, take a breath.
You might still disagree with the system, but there's never a good reason to make someone else's day worse because of it.
Kindness costs even less than parking.
💭 A small thought for today
Be as kind to yourself as you are to the people you care about.
Many of us end each day replaying everything we didn't get done. We tell ourselves we should have worked harder, achieved more, exercised longer, replied faster, been a better parent, partner or friend.
The list never ends.
But imagine speaking to someone you love the way you sometimes speak to yourself. You probably wouldn't.
The truth is, most days you're doing the best you can with the time, energy and circumstances you have.
Your inner voice matters. It's there when nobody else is. It shapes your confidence, your resilience and how you show up tomorrow.
So before you end today by focusing on what you didn't do, take a moment to recognise what you did.
Be kind to yourself.
The conversation you have with yourself is one of the most important conversations you'll ever have.
🌤️ Weather forecast is sponsored by AskMandla.com
🌤️ Friday
A cool winter's morning gives way to a pleasant afternoon. Expect a mix of cloud and sunshine with a high of 18°C and a chilly low of 8°C. A good day to get outside once the sun has warmed things up.
☀️ Saturday
The pick of the weekend. Mild winter weather with plenty of dry conditions and temperatures climbing to around 21°C after a cold 8°C start. Perfect weather for markets, wine farms or a braai.
🌤️ Sunday
Another lovely winter's day. Expect some early cloud before sunshine returns, with a comfortable high of 20°C and a low of 7°C. Great weather if you're planning to be outdoors.
Overall: 🌞 A fantastic Stellenbosch winter weekend. Cold mornings mean you'll want a jacket early on, but by lunchtime it should be comfortably mild with no significant rain expected.
Enjoyed reading this? 😉
If today's Brief made you smile, taught you something, or helped you procrastinate for a few minutes at work, consider buying us a coffee.
We're trying to build something local, useful and not boring.
Every bit helps.
As always, thanks for reading. If you spot something in town worth knowing, reply and tell us. Half the best Stellenbosch stories begin that way.
See you around town,
Stellenbosch Brief
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