Cape Town - Having bathed in the glory of an extended and exceptionally pleasant Indian Summer here in the Cape the party had to come to an end. Weeks of balmy weather and that rarest of climatic conditions in these parts, the windless day, were bound to cave in at some point.
The barometric highs keeping all the fronts at bay well south of our shores finally cracked like an overstretched Super 15 defensive line, allowing the opposition past through for a try.
Finally, the fronts pushed northwards, announcing with frigid consequence the change of the seasons.
Winter weather is upon us, with plummeting temperatures, pouring rain and flooded roads, leaving little doubt that now is the time to batten the hatches and sit things out.
None of that is particularly conducive to heading into nature on our doorstep. There will, of course, be breaks in the weather and those crisp winter’s days will, one hopes, provide exceptionally pleasant hiking conditions.
But over the past week that wasn’t going to be the case.
It was all a little bit disappointing really but for an idea of a quick trip to a South American rainforest for some warmth, humidity and exceptional natural beauty. That may sound a tad strange, requiring more time and money that most of us would be expecting to cough up for a day trip but it transpires that such an adventure can be achieved really rather easily.
On the periphery of the Winelands on the side of the road in Klapmuts sits an unimposing building, one that I have driven past on numerous occasions without taking too much notice. Certainly, the place sports some colourful banners, reasonably large parking area and a frontage boasting “Butterfly World” in large cheery letters.
I must confess to having remained unconvinced.
Constantly bombarded with advertising overstatements such as Shoe World, Fashion World, Tyre World and even a couple of mega-worlds, I didn’t have high hopes that the place would live up to much and I couldn’t have been more wrong had I tried.
On payment of a modest entry fee one is transported into a wonderland, and that is about the only description I can come up with.
On the other side of simple swinging wooden doors one is transported into a steamy jungle of trailing plants, brightly pigmented fish, lazing iguanas and, of course, butterflies. Hundreds of them spinning overhead among the greenery in confetti-like clouds of audacious colour, an aerial ballet of gently waving wings and gracious gliding. First impressions were enough to convince me that this is somewhere well worth the visit – at that point I hadn’t moved more than a couple of feet.
Butterflies in the air, on the plants, on one’s clothes, in one’s hair and, just occasionally when flying too close to the surface of the pond, butterflies snatched by one of the brightly coloured Koi.
The flooring is heated in winter to maintain the required temperature and the cement constantly damped down to push up the humidity to replicate the conditions of a tropical jungle. On a chilly winter’s day the combination is really rather alluring.
At one end of the display rows of chrysalises wait to hatch, spectacularly pretty things of wayward shape and glistening metallic colour, hanging on pins like hundreds of fashionable earrings. Clutching on to them a few butterflies in the process of emerging gradually opened their wings in preparation for flight. We watched while a few took their first tentative flaps in an attempt to join the fluttering throng above.
The butterflies are spectacular but there are other attractions – large iguanas clamber slowly over the branches, snakes in cages, tree frogs, marmosets, rainbow-hued birds and even a pair of little blue duiker which seemed unperturbed by being in close confines with people wandering around them.
There truly was a remarkable amount to see and we took longer than we had planned, sometimes wandering and often just sitting because the more one looked the more one noticed. A great venue for some quiet and entertaining communing with nature and something that children, and I imagine particularly little girls, would simply love.
There are informative posters set about the place, explaining the need for the tropical conditions, the differences between moths and butterflies and much more.
It’s not only a fun, warm venue but equally an opportunity for education.
I am always keen to promote anything that will see the next generation develop an appreciation for the incredible diversity of the natural world and this venue has to be one of those places which can only inspire us all to do more to protect the environment.
Butterfly World imports new pupae weekly so the butterflies are constantly changing and, although they are relatively short lived, there will always be plenty to see.
Along with the Two Oceans Aquarium in cape Town and The World of Birds in Hout Bay, Butterfly World has to be on the list of places to visit, particularly if you have children.
It makes for a wonderful diversion from the grey chill of a dour Cape winter weekend. - Sunday Argus
* Butterfly World is open from 9am to 5pm (last entry at 4pm) every day of the week. For more information you can visit their website on www.butterflyworld.co.za