Captivating Cape Town
Tuesday, December 9th, 2008Greetings from South Africa!
Fred and I flew direct from Buenos Aires to Cape Town on a Malaysian Airlines 747 jumbo jet (7 hours direct) on December 4th. We took the Backpacker Bus ($10 each) to Cape Town Backpacker Hostel where we were happy to be shown to our “suite” room in the recently renovated colonial style building. Our large room has 12 foot ceilings, the best shower yet, plus a walkout covered balcony with a spectacular view of table top mountain ($40/night) where we enjoy our coffees in the morning (that Fred makes using his filter). The only downside – no air-con or fan so the room is about 80 degrees, despite the balcony door being open. Then, with the door open, we hear the late night revelers coming in at all hours, hootin’ and hollerin’. Since our arrival, we have been fortunate to have sunny skies and 32 – 35 degree Celsius heat. I have checked the Toronto weather so will not complain anymore about our hot room (but that is why I am still awake at 1 a.m. writing this blog).
After a few hours nap, we spent the first day checking out the neighbourhood and gathering up all the travel brochures, pamplets, and tourist info we could find. We then went to a good bookstore and purchased the latest edition of Lonely Planet’s “Southern Africa” and Lonely Planet’s “East Africa”. We have used Fodor’s, Foot Print’s, Frommers’, and Rough Guide’s, but find the Lonely Planet gives the best information for people who prefer to travel independently. After a delicious plate of Penne Amatriciana at the Pasta Factory, we returned to our room to read, read, and read.
Fast Facts about South Africa (taken from Southern Africa Lonely Planet 2007 edition)
– five times the size of the UK, population 46.9 million
– world’s third most biologically diverse country
– one of Africa’s most urbanised – appoximately 60% of the population living in towns and cities
pressing issues include crime, economic inequality, overhauling the education system, and especially, AIDS
– an estimated 4.5 million South Africans are affected with AIDS – more than any other country in the world – it’s the leading cause of death in S. Africa
– since becoming a democracy for over a decade, the nation is fast becoming a society divided by class rather than colour – the gap between rich and poor is vast – one of the highest in the world
– South Africa has the highest incidence of reported rape in the world – with approximately 52,000 cases reported to the police annually, and a woman is assaulted every 26 to 60 seconds on average (the real figures could be much worse since not all women report victimization – and 20 to 40% are of girls below 18 years of age)
– football, rugby, and cricket are the favourite sports
– S. Africa is bordered by the cool Atlantic Ocean on the west and the warmer Indian waters on the east
City Bus Tour
The next day, we took an open air, city bus tour ($12 each) to get an overview of the city (population 3.2 million). It was a hop on/hop off one, so at the mid-point, we jumped off to enjoy a drink at the waterfront (pint of beer $2, glass of house red wine $1.95). We couldn’t believe how busy with tourists it was and how inexpensive the myriad of restaurants were. Fine dining at waterfront restaurants for two people for less than $25, with a view of Table Top Mountain in the background. Wow. We have been enjoying delicious breakfasts (finally!) for under $5 each, our lunches have been @ $12 (for two), and dinners around $20 (for two). We are finding the prices here cheaper than in Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile. Plus the food is twice as good 🙂
Our tour took us through several areas of the city including government buildings, the parliament house, museums, conference centres, and even a castle (with a moat around it) and also the beaches area. The guide on the bus pointed out the British billionaire, Richard Bronson’s triamaran in the waters of Clifton Bay. He also showed us where the likes of Leonardo Di Caprio stays when he comes to Cape Town and pointed out ultra modern, million dollar homes with veniculars and underground garages complete with elevators. Apparently, Bill Gates owns two homes in Cape Town. We also saw where they are constructing a new futbol (soccer) stadium to host the 2010 World Cup.
Yes, Cape Town is still a city of extremes and pockets of neighbourhoods are still very black – white, although not like it was during apartheid. Fred and I plan to go on a tour of the shanty towns (we went on a favela tour in Rio and found it very informative). We have been advised to stay in certain areas and avoid others, just like any other city. The hostel manager has advised to not be at the train station after 5 p.m. (there is a tourit train you can take to Simon’s Point).
Ferry to Robben Island
Our next day, we took the ferry (30 minutes) to Robben Island to tour the maximum security prison where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. The island has been used for several purposes over the last few hundred years and at one point, was a leper colony. It wasn’t until the island was needed during World War II that the lepers were allowed to go back to the mainland.
Our Guide shows us Nelson Mandela’s cell
Prisoners were incarcerated right up until 1996 on Robben Island. Now, it is a museum and a World Heritage Site, and one of the most popular destinations in Cape Town. Nelson Mandela was freed from prison on 11 February 1990. Once all the prisoners had been released, the prison became a museum in 1997.
Table Mountain
What an amazing way to spend a Saturday night. Climb aboard a cable car to take you up 1,200 metres to the top of Table Mountain. The cable car holds 65 people and what is really unique is that it rotates on the way up so everyone gets the same impressive views. In one hour, it can take 900 people to the top! Also, it is half price ($7.25 each) after 6 p.m. 🙂
There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky and the 360 degree views were spectacular. We didn’t realize how mountainous and hilly the Cape Town area was until we were on top of the mountain. Plus, we had the added enjoyment of being able to crack open some bubbly and sip away as the sun set. It seems to be the thing to do while watching the sun go down. We also witnessed the very rare phenomenon of seeing a “green flash” as the sun sets over the ocean. This particular flash was actually quite large, and we saw the sun turn green for a few seconds before setting.
Sunday in Cape Town
Once again, we awoke to sunny skies and sweltering heat. There’s no better way to spend a Sunday than to head to the beach for a little sun, sand, and surf. We chose “Camps Bay” which is one of the more sheltered and popular ones. It seemed that most of Cape Town was on the beach, enjoying the light sea breeze and a very refreshing dip in the ocean (average temperature is 10 – 14 degrees C). It was no doubt the coldest water we have ever “swam” in – more like a very quick dip to cool off. 
A google search shows tomorrow to be almost equally as hot, so our only decisions for tomorrow will be, which beach? SPF 45 or SPF 15? Diet Coke or Water?
As you can see, Cape Town is a city with lots to see and do – we have only scratched the surface! We had originally planned to stay for a week but our plans may change 🙂
Cheers,
Lisa n Fred
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