Sometimes you trip into the perfect still life composition. Like the couch above sitting against a sloping walkway at the train station in Elgin, South Africa, that I nearly tripped onto. I could have left that afternoon with just this one photo and would have captured what was to me the ideal souvenir from a four-hour visit to this town located about 70km southeast of Cape Town.

The force that propelled me there was the Elgin Winter Wine Festival where I discovered some remarkable wines from this relatively new Cape Town appelation. I’ve misplaced my tasting notes so more about the festival to come. In the meantime, a few more shots from The Elgin Railway Market, an old apple warehouse next to the local train station repurposed as a market, restaurant and entertainment space, that hosted the festival. Great local food on offer, which nicely filled out the tasting.

Steam rains run from Cape Town to Elgin; check her for availability. Plan on four hours each way. The drive is about an hour.

Photos from 7 June 2025. Last updated on 21 July 2026.