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Published: January 10th 2008
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Our welcome to Cape Town is interesting. The shuttle bus driver insists we put our cameras around our necks as they are easy targets. And we thought CT was relaxed & safe. On reflection we think it’s just that the fear of crime seems to pervade everyone’s psyche and every shop has a controlled entry system!
On the drive in we pass Groote Schuur - the hospital where Christian Barnard performed the first heart transplant (they celebrated the fortieth anniversary recently) and a vast shanty town that spreads across both sides of the carriageway.
Long Street is full of funky buildings and Carnival Court backpackers hostel is one of them; Victorian with lovely balconies. Long Street café on the ground floor, Zan Zibar on the first (which plays very loud music till the early hours) and rooms above. Our room is at the back (away from the bar - phew!) and has bunk beds; C gets the top one - no sides so hopefully won‘t roll off in the night!
The street seems really quiet as we’re heading out for dinner at 8-00 ish. (Caribbean with free Mojito’s). By the time we finish at 11-00 it’s packed and
noisy with music pouring out from all the bars. And by 3-00 am it’s absolutely throbbing - only know this cos we woke up! Decide we need to adjust our body clocks from early risers to night birds !
The next few days are spent at a leisurely pace - wandering around the Waterfront, watching the street entertainers and taking the Cape Town tour bus for an opportunity to see the main sights. Seems strange not to be on an organised trip and to do our own planning. We book our greyhound ticket from Cape Town to Durban for the 11th - 22 hours! But at least we’ll see more of the country than you do in the air.
New Years eve brings a haircut for C, a barber shop shave for M and a trip up Table Mountain by cable car - really fast and it turns through 360° as you go up & down. We were going to walk but put off by the allegations of muggings! The views are spectacular - all across Cape Town and to the Cape of Good Hope. Beautiful plants, humming birds and chameleons. Queues of people waiting to go up
for sunset when we come down - plan to do this another day tablecloth (ie cloud cover) willing.
After cocktails at Zula’s we head to the Waterfront for the evening and the firework display. Looks very pretty all lit up at night. Surprisingly most of the food places close at 10pm - just as we arrive! Manage to blag our way into a pizza joint and then head out with the crowds to see the fireworks, full of anticipation. Sad or what! Seen better displays at Bath Rec! Hey ho. Wait an hour for a taxi that doesn’t arrive and then do what everyone says not to do - we walk back. No worries - everyone’s too busy having a good time at the start of the minstrels carnival. (This was started by the slaves who had to work on New Years day and would paint their faces white or with colours so their bosses couldn’t recognise them). Decide sleep won’t be an option so join the crowd in Zan Zibar. Surprising what you can sleep through after a couple or three!
New Years Day and we discover Nando’s! The only place open!! But hey it’s good -
even if mouth destroyingly hot. Even Long Street stays quiet on NYD.
In fear of the alcohol levels in our blood dropping too much we head out for a days winelands tour. We had thought of hiring a car and doing it ourselves. Given that we were well hammered by lunchtime that clearly wouldn’t have been a good idea! On the trip was Ely, one of our fellow travellers from the Vic Falls - Jo’burg leg. It was good to see her again. The trip visited Fairview and Backsberg vineyards in Paarl, Dieu Donne at Franschhoek and another one at Stellenbosch but by that stage the capacity to remember where had gone! Fairview was the only one we were familiar with. Wine and cheese at the first (10-30), champagne, wine, cognac and chocolate at the second (12-00), lunch (with wine!), more wine at the third - along with beautiful views, and to finish just the odd drop or 6 of more champs and wine!! The real surprise of the day - sweet red from Fairview. Superb!
Have been pretty fortunate with the weather; glorious sunshine most of the time. But also got to experience the Cape Town wind
tunnel! Phenomenally strong winds that whistle down from Table Mountain. Good for blowing the bugs away apparently. Almost blew us away!
After a few days sojourn on the Garden Route (see next blog) we are on the getting organised trail - ready for the trip to Durban and voluntary work there. Thankfully emails finally worked and TAFTA are expecting us. Hope to spend time at two projects and stay at them if we can; a real chance to engage with the local communities.
Visit Bo - Kaap which is a part of CT where the coloured Malay/Asian community were relocated from central CT (District six as it’s known) to make way for white families. The houses are really colourful externally & its where the carnival ends.
M finally persuaded (bullied according to him!) into a haircut. Great cut by a German woman who came backpacking and is still here 27 years on! She built her own house overlooking the sea and had some interesting insights into CT life.
Went for dinner at the Africa Café (thanks for the recommendation from Joan in New York). A set menu of dishes from all over Africa. Cost way over
our daily budget but justified by treating it as M’s birthday dinner - table on the balcony with Table Mountain as a backdrop! Finished off with great R&B from Mama Africa and jazz at ZanZibar.
For our final night in CT we’re off to Zula’s for happy hour cocktails and then dinner at Khaya Nyama - specialises in South Africa game. To find out how this was see the next blog update from Durban.
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Felicity
non-member comment
My home town
Lovely photos . Makes me home sick . Love Felicity