The MICROBIAN team in South Africa

Here is a picture of the four members of the MICROBIAN team during an excursion to Constantia where they enjoyed a wine tasting and lunch organized by the IPF. Constantia is a valley, 15 km from Cape Town, where a few wine estates were established in the 17th century by the Dutch authorities. The first one, Groot Constantia,was established in 1685 by the Dutch Colonial Governor of Cape Town,^[5] Simon van der Steel.
The quality of wine making owes a lot to the skills and work of emigrated French Hugenots (calvinists) who fled their country after the revokation of the Edict of Nantes around 1685. Their immigration into the protestant Netherlands was considerable and a few of them decided to search for a better future in the Dutch colonies, among which was the Cape colony. The name 'Franschhoek' reminds of the small French community that was established there in the end of the 17th century.
A lot of interesting information on this early history can be read at http://www.theheritageportal.co.za/article/our-huguenot-heritage.

The interdisciplinary MICROBIAN team gathers scientists working in microbial diversity and ecology, and of remote sensing and digital analysis.
Since their arrival in Cape Town, they could get all the equipment and clothing needed for Antarctica and put at their disposal by IPF. They are now waiting for the departure to Novo airfield, and then, to the Princess Elisabeth Station in the Sör Rondane Mountains. Good weather in Antarctica is a condition to be able to fly.