Hanna Slazak, revered actress from Poland, used the net to find her way to Stormhoek last weekend. (My keyboard doesn’t have adequate Polish consonants, forgive me the spelling, Hanna).

This semi-retired stage star and wine enthusiast ventured into the African wilds in a right-hand-drive Volvo, looking for undiscovered treasures. She found her way to the Bilton winery in Stellenbosch and the great Clos Cabriere in Franschhoek. With fortitude, she found her way to Hoopenburg and Marcel de Reuck in Paarl before the drive into the mountains to Stormhoek.

Under communist governments, most eastern European countries fostered the arts, something like the way that the old SA government paid for and managed the provincial Performing Arts Councils (like Capab). It was a kind of advertising for the country, and it helped the big shots to think that all was going well. When the state control structures collapsed about 18 years ago, a career in art became a terrible free-for-all. Hanna’s husband, Andre Slazak, once one of Poland’s leading film cameramen, bedecked with awards and accolades, had to reinvent himself as a producer of advertising commercials, travelling the world in search of summer locations, including South America and South Africa. Hanna found herself running the casting department. But Hanna prefers to drink wine.

This week, Hanna’s adventurous spirit brought her back to the Cape. Nosing out wine, navigating the wrong side of the road, she made her way around with a Platter guide and a cell phone.