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Published: December 31st 2007
The Table
Looking up at Table Mountain from Signal Hill, Cape town This city has it all - a spectacular location, cool bars, fine dining, great shopping, (relatively sharkless) beaches, mountains, wilderness, a developed infrastructure, a (mostly) friendly vibe, and plenty to keep you occupied. It has to be the most beautiful city I've seen anywhere on the continent, and it has certainly been the most westernised, the most developed, and the most wealthy. You could be forgiven for forgetting that Cape Town is actually part of Africa at all, as the city has gone to great lengths to disguise the sad fact that there is actually an incredible degree of poverty and misery on the Cape peninsula.
As a tourist, I have been confined mainly to the city centre and the nearby beaches, areas with more in common with Sydney or Melbourne, than with Africa. The federation-era buildings, the Darling Harbour-esque V and A Waterfront, and the overwhelming numbers of white folks sashaying around in their fancy clothes and cars: it is all exceedingly Antipodean. Throw in the thriving gay scene, and the beautiful people drinking small beers at Camps Bay, and Cape
Cute guys
Gee I love penguins. These are African ones, at Boulders, near Cape Town. Town really is like the Eastern Suburbs transported to the southwestern tip of the continent. However, drive a few kilometres out of town, and soon the miserable townships of the Cape Flats dominate the horizon. Some of the houses are no more than shacks, and the poverty is palpable, even from the safe vantage point of a car flying down the N2 motorway. Vast numbers of Capetonians still live out in these apartheid-era dumping grounds, and - yes, you guessed it - they're nearly all black. Unemployment is up towards 50% in such communities, and tragedy and illness are the order of the day for many township dwellers. When you see the consumption and wealth of areas such as Constantia, when you see tanned, mini-skirted girls driving brand new 4WDs, when you see the shopping malls and department stores frequented by the rich whites, you can't help but feel some sympathy for those who are trying so hard to get ahead by half-copying Robin Hood. I mean all the shady Capetonians who rob from the rich...but haven't quite got round to giving it to any poor people except themselves.
It feels deceptively safe here in Cape Town. After all
Mother City
View down into the Cape Town bowl, from the top of Table Mountain of the horror stories from Jo'burg and Durban, it is easy to arrive here, soak up the sun, beers and party vibe, and drop your guard...only to find yourself
sans mobile phone, laptop, wallet, or bag. Though violent crime levels here are relatively low, there is still a very high chance that you will bump into one of the conmen or sneaky thieves, who make the tourist zone around Long Street their hunting ground. In the past week, I have met enough people who have been robbed to keep me
very on my toes as I walk around the city streets. I have even been approached by CT's most famous scam artist, a red-haired American sporting a bandage soaked in fake blood, who tells you he has been slashed on a minibus, and needs you to help with his train fare or medical bills. Luckily I had been warned about this lowlife, so I was well aware he was working me - but lots of people get sucked in by his dodgy tales. Maybe it's because he is white, and a Yank - or maybe because his scam plays on people's fears of travelling on public transport here. Whatever the
Cape Point
The craggy outcrop at Cape Point, near Cape Town reason, the guy is a loser.
If you keep your wits about you, Cape Town is a wonderful place to be, and a fantastic spot to while away a few summer weeks. Which is exactly what I have been doing. As fate would have it, that wonderful time-waster and social tool, Facebook, reunited me with my old school buddy Sheldon, who I hadn't seen since 1997. I found out he was living and working in Cape Town a few months ago, and we arranged to have a South African Christmas together. Our celebrations lasted two weeks, and what a bloody fantastic two weeks it was. Here's a rundown:
1) Kev left. Yep, my old Dad headed on to the UK after exploring the continent with me for two months. It was a sad loss for Team Griffo, but, as Dad said, he'll remember our time together until he forgets it.
2) I learned to surf! Sheldon runs a surf school here, suggestively titled Wet Dreams, and my old mate got me up on a piece of streamlined wood within two hours. We went out four times, to the icy waters of Big Bay (8 degrees centigrade, my
Off the table
Looking down from the northern edge of Table Mountain fingertips are still numb), and the more tolerable waves of Muizenburg. I can now stand awkwardly on a surfboard for around five seconds, and I am currently perfecting the art of saying, 'dude', whilst giving the Hawaiian 'aloha' sign.
3) I tried a fair amount of South African wine. Sheldon, his girlfriend Althea, and me, journeyed into the Cape wine country and sampled many different types of Shiraz, Pinotage, Sauvignon Blanc, and even Brandy, amongst others. The amount of wine we tasted was clearly evident by the raucous manner in which we sang 'Hey Mickey' on the trip home in the minibus.
4) I saw some of Cape Town's ugly history. Dad and I did a trip to Robben Island, the penal colony 12kms out to sea, where the political prisoners of apartheid were locked up. Nelson Mandela spent some 18 years of his life on this island, and Jacob Zuma, South Africa's next president (unless he gets locked up for corruption), also served time here. Now it is a testament to the power of the human spirit and the fight against the injustice of apartheid. Actual former prisoners take you on a (way too short) tour of
Nelson
A statue of Nelson Mandela in Cape Town's Nobel Square the facility, with a pause at the tiny cell where Mandela spent so much time. And the prisoners couldn't even escape apartheid once inside - they were fed according to race, with - yep, correct - blacks getting the smallest rations. Pretty powerful stuff.
5) I experienced the spectacular beauty of Cape Town. As I said, this is one beautiful part of the world. Table Mountain has to be the highlight, with commanding views of the entire peninsula from its 1000m summit. The Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point are also magnificent in a windswept, craggy way. The beaches are alluring, despite the cold cold water. And the city itself is - unlike any other African city I've seen - clean, orderly, and architecturally impressive.
6) I had a great Christmas here. Sheldon and I ran the braai at Carnival Court Backpackers, and despite stuffing up the prawns, and almost ruining the chicken, we got a lot of free punch into us and even got to sit on Santa's lap. Those photos are censored and are reserved for Facebook only, I'm afraid...
So. that was Cape Town. An awesome end to an awesome trip. It's been
The Tablecloth
The clouds known as the 'Tablecloth' descend upon Table Mountain, behind Cape Town a fantastic year of travelling around this mind-boggling continent, but all good things must come to an end. There'll be one more entry for my thoughts on the whole trip, but for now - Happy New Year, and thanks for reading!
Tom's Top Ten of South Africa
1. The roads. After months of bumping around on potholes and dirt tracks, the highways here have been positively amazing.
2. Addo Elephant National Park. A great place to see these magnificent beasts in large herds - and you even get to drive yourself around!
3. Cape Town. As you may have read in this entry, I like Cape Town. It is one cool city.
4. Coffee Bay and the Wild Coast. people told me this was the most 'African' part of South Africa. At the time, having come from the 'real' Africa up north, I thought the Wild Coast wasn't African at all. But now, having seen the Europeanised coast of the country, I see what people meant. Get over to the wild and windy Eastern Cape to experience the beautiful Xhosa culture.
5. The Drakensberg and Sani Pass. Dramatic mountain scenery that doesn't look like
Mandela's cell
The cell on Robben Island that was Nelson Mandela's home for 18 years anybody's idea of Africa.
6. Robben Island. A must-see part of South African history.
7. Wilderness. A relaxed little town on the Garden Route, with some hippy-ish markets and pleasant countryside to walk in.
8. Braais. There's just something about cooking a long, round boerwors on a crackling wood fire.
9. Biltong. How can dried kudu taste so good?
10. The people. Despite its terrible history, appalling crime rates, and despicable wealth divide, everyone you meet - no matter their skin colour or heritage - is just so damned friendly. Just hide your wallet...
Tom's Bottom Two of South Africa
1. The crime and security problems. there's no getting away from the fact that this country is dangerous and that crime is rife. Everyone says, 'just take some precautions and you'll be fine', or 'its no different to any other city in the world', but the reality is this: I would walk around Sydney at night, and I would gladly park my car there with stuff in it. i would do neither in a large South African city. Having to pay a guy to guard your car, having to use only ATMs that
Shelbs and Althea
My good mate Sheldon, and his girlfriend Althea, standing next to his Microbus, with Table Mountain in the background are inside buildings, having to consider driving through red lights at night in case you get carjacked - these are signs that something is seriously wrong with South African society. This is closely connected to...
2. The income gap. South Africa must have the greatest divide between rich and poor on the planet. Many white folks are rich, the way Australians or Germans or Canadians are rich. They drive big, flashy 4WDs, they live in beautiful houses overlooking the ocean, and they buy all the newest gadgets from air-conditioned shopping malls. And the rest of the population are mainly very poor, the way Tanzanians, and Colombians, and Vietnamese are poor. They take the bus, live in shanty-towns, and worry about where their next few rand are going to come from. It can't be put any more plainly: this nation will not shake off the legacy of apartheid until ALL South Africans have equality of access to the vast riches this nation has on offer.
*****
Africa Country Count: 19
South Africa Overland Kilometre Count: 3415km
Africa Overland Kilometre Count: 34,280km
Next Country: Australia...
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Bernie
non-member comment
Surfing?
No photos of you surfing Tom? If you get back to Sydney by Saturday Brian Wilson is doing a free concert in the Domain and you can really get into his Beach Boy lyrics with new understanding! Happy New Year mate.