Shades of Provence Guest House, Riebeek-Kasteel

shades of provence


	Read the following poem by a terminally ill child in a New York hospital and you will understand why we feel so strong about the concept of "slow living" at *Shades of Provence. SLOW DANCE* Have you ever watched kids On a merry-go-round? Or listened to the rain Slapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight? Or gazed at the sun into the fading night? You better slow down. Don't dance so fast. Time is short. The music won't last. Do you run through each day On the fly? When you ask How are you? Do you hear the reply? When the day is done Do you lie in your bed With the next hundred chores Running through your head? You'd better slow down Don't dance so fast. Time is short. The music won't last. Ever told your child, We'll do it tomorrow? And in your haste, Not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch, Let a good friendship die Cause you never had time To call and say,"Hi" You'd better slow down. Don't dance so fast. Time is short. The music won't last. When you run so fast to get somewhere You miss half the fun of getting there. When you worry and hurry through your day, It is like an unopened gift.... Thrown away. life is not a race. Do take it slower Hear the music Before the song is over. A stay at Shades of Provence is an invitation to a slow dance. We would like you to come and park your car and switch off your cell phone on a Friday afternoon and forget about both until you leave again on Sunday afternoon. Explore the town on foot or with one of our bicycles. Exchange ring tones for the tranquil flow of water and the chiming of the church bell. Sit outside at night and enjoy the starry skies, the beauty of nature, the night symphony, peace. Experience ultimate relaxation with one of our treatments or our bath spoils. Participate in some slow, but healthy activity, like walking, playing boules/pétanque, swimming, cycling and table tennis. What about some slow intellectual stimulation? We are keen bridge and backgammon players and you will find numerous lovely spots where you can sit for hours. Find yourself a nice book from our library and disappear for hours. We have got a few places where no one will find you. The philosophy of "slow living" emphasises quality rather than quantity in every aspect of life, from work, to relationships to food and leisure. It has been given various names - usually "sea change" or "downshifting" - but the latest manifestation can be found in the growing popularity of the Slow Cities movement, an Italian initiative with a logo of a snail poised between an ancient building and a modern one. It all began with food. The Slow Food movement was a reaction to the opening of a McDonald's restaurant on the Spanish Steps in Rome in the late 1980s. At its heart, Slow Food is about taking pleasure in preparing and eating food and drink, and being mindful of the quality of the ingredients used; it is an antidote to the ubiquity of fast food. The idea of "slow living" has wide appeal and when people find the time to take stock it can open up new possibilities. As a place to start David Risstrom, a Greens member of Melbourne City Council, is advocating holding a Slow week in Melbourne each year. It would be "a time to celebrate the people, the food, the wonderful things that make the city, without rushing past and failing to notice". In Riebeek Kasteel every day is a day of celebrating the people, the food, the wine, the beauty of nature. We are proud of our local produce and want visitors to enjoy it with us. In Riebeek Kasteel "slow living" is a way of life, an attitude towards life and we would like you to come and experience it with us. If you are starting to get interested in "slow living", another book you have to read, besides In Praise of Slow is Leaving the Rat Race to Get a life (by Philomena Tan), a handbook for anyone seriously considering changing the pace of their lives.

Relaxing on 'Die Stoep' at Shades of Provence

Relaxing in the pool at Shades of Provence

Slow, Relaxing therapy at Shades of Provence

A slow, relaxing meal in the shades at Shades of Provence

A slow game of Boules at Shades of Provence

Read the following poem by a terminally ill child in a New York hospital and you will understand why we feel so strong about the concept of "slow living" at
Shades of Provence.

SLOW DANCE

Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,"Hi"
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away.
life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

A stay at Shades of Provence is an invitation to a slow dance. We would like you to come and park your car and switch off your cell phone on a Friday afternoon and forget about both until you leave again on Sunday afternoon. Explore the town on foot or with one of our bicycles. Exchange ring tones for the tranquil flow of water and the chiming of the church bell. Sit outside at night and enjoy the starry skies, the beauty of nature, the night symphony, peace.

Experience ultimate relaxation with one of our treatments or our bath spoils.

Participate in some slow, but healthy activity, like walking, playing boules/pétanque, swimming, cycling and table tennis.

What about some slow intellectual stimulation? We are keen bridge and backgammon players and you will find numerous lovely spots where you can sit for hours. Find yourself a nice book from our library and disappear for hours. We have got a few places where no one will find you.

The philosophy of "slow living" emphasises quality rather than quantity in every aspect of life, from work, to relationships to food and leisure. It has been given various names - usually "sea change" or "downshifting" - but the latest manifestation can be found in the growing popularity of the Slow Cities movement, an Italian initiative with a logo of a snail poised between an ancient building and a modern one.

It all began with food. The Slow Food movement was a reaction to the opening of a McDonald's restaurant on the Spanish Steps in Rome in the late 1980s. At its heart, Slow Food is about taking pleasure in preparing and eating food and drink, and being mindful of the quality of the ingredients used; it is an antidote to the ubiquity of fast food.

The idea of "slow living" has wide appeal and when people find the time to take stock it can open up new possibilities. As a place to start David Risstrom, a Greens member of Melbourne City Council, is advocating holding a Slow week in Melbourne each year. It would be "a time to celebrate the people, the food, the wonderful things that make the city, without rushing past and failing to notice".

In Riebeek Kasteel every day is a day of celebrating the people, the food, the wine, the beauty of nature. We are proud of our local produce and want visitors to enjoy it with us. In Riebeek Kasteel "slow living" is a way of life, an attitude towards life and we would like you to come and experience it with us.

If you are starting to get interested in "slow living", another book you have to read, besides In Praise of Slow is Leaving the Rat Race to Get a life (by Philomena Tan), a handbook for anyone seriously considering changing the pace of their lives.