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Published: March 8th 2007
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Cape Town is my favourite city in the whole world. There is something about this city that just feels alive. It has a pulse that one can see and feel. I dare anyone to come to this city and not feel something. You will be touched by the water and the mixing of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans around the Cape of Good Hope. If that doesn’t inspire you, how about Table Mountain. Table Mountain is a 1000meter plateau of rock that comes up from the ocean and hugs the city center of Cape Town. But maybe it isn’t the aesthetics that make a city for you. Cape Town has a very western/European feel. I can’t explain the architecture or the museums, but they are all here.
I’ve only been here a week and I leave tonight. So I’ve been busy. I first arrived last Saturday and had a hard time finding a bed. There was a huge festival going on downtown. I tell you Long Street seriously reminded me of Bourbon Street a few weeks ago. Many of the buildings on the street are the old Victorian architecture with the 2nd and 3rd story balconies. My hostel was one
of those. So we could just hang out and drink beer and watch the party down below. Man I wish I had some beads. It would have worked.
The next day I found out that I could get on the Otter Trail on the 9th. This is a 5 day trek. It is the most popular in S. Africa and I’m told it can be booked up to a year in advance. I decided that this was more important than more time in Cape Town. So I hustled down on the train to Simon’s Town. From here I rented a bike to take me out to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. This was quite an adventure. 40kms one way, of which it all seemed uphill on the way out, but it wasn’t.
Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope are not technically the southern most points in Africa. But they are the most famous and where the Indian and Atlantic currents meet, making for viscous storms. It was truly a great feeling to stand at this point. It really made me want to sail around this cape and up to Cape Town. The landscape here
is amazing.
Back in Cape Town I haven’t done much. I went on a tour of the Castle of Good Hope, walked around the town and took in the city. Last night I went up Lion’s Head for sunset. This was amazing and I think better than going up Table Mountain. Lion’s Head is another peak in the city, but it is only 670meters. But you sit on top and watch the sunset over the Atlantic, and then watch the moon rise over Table Mountain, awe inspiring. Yesterday, I also went to the beach. The Atlantic is very cold here. But I really wish I could surf.
Today I took the cable car up Table Mountain; I was too lazy to walk. Table Mountain is a must see for all tourists to Cape Town. I think they won’t let you out of town unless you’ve been up. The views are nice from up here. But as I said, sunset at Lion’s Head is so much more impressive. But at this point we really are splitting hairs. Do you care if you win $1000 or $1001, not really?
I've failed to mention my township tour. Townships are the
shanty towns where the blacks were forced to live during Apartheid. They still live there now and they are still the poorer sections of town. But even the townships have sections ranging from Shanty Towns to lower middle class houses. I think the highlight of this tour was going to the local church. It was Baptist or Methodist but it was all performed in Xhosi, the local language. The singing was great.
Everything in Cape Town isn't perfect. It has its fair share of crime as well. You get this anywhere that you have poor and rich people together. I've even had some experiences in this crime. No, I haven't lost anything.
My first day here I was walking down the street and this punk teen (my guess) came up and starting walking beside me. I figured great I'm about to be hastled to buy something. He said, "Do you have any coins?" To which I answered "No." Then it what exactly was said gets hazy. I heard "Give me your bills, don't make me cut you." I looked at him. To which he said "I have a knife." And I looked at his closed hand... didn't see a knife. So at this point. I just said "NO" and took a step backwards. He kept going about 5 feet before he realized I wasn't with him anymore. He then started laughing, like he was playing a joke. He said I was on Candid Camera. I just crossed the street and ignored him.
My 2nd encounter was walking around town trying to find my way to the waterfront. I had found my way into this market and was working my way through. I had found the way out, and down the steps when this guy comes up to me and says, "Give me 2 rand." "No." "Why you say No to 2 rand." "No" And I just try to keep walking. He steps in front of me, and tries to stop me. So I turn to go the other way. As I walk away I hear him yell something that sounds like "Ninja" and then some other stuff. I keep going but I see 2 guys now start walking towards me. I realize that this isn't going as smoothly as I had hoped so I decided walking isn't the best course. I make another turn into a 3rd direction and start to run. As I do this the first guy is coming up behind me and trying to pick my pocket... I run past him and only have to really run about 40 feet before it is all over.
So that has been my Cape Town experience. I leave tonight on an overnight bus to head up coast. I’m going to miss Cape Town. When I got here I said two things.
A) This would be a fabulous city to end a trip on and just hang out here for weeks
B) This is the first specific place I’ve been that I could see me living.
Well I’ll blog again after my hike.
This is the 2nd blog posted today so make sure you read about Namibia as well, or wait on that until D makes her comments.
Oh yeah, click here for more picks from Cape Town
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Sean P
non-member comment
Glad you enjoyed my home town
So glad you got to experience my home town. The beautiful sunset hike to Lion's Head is one of my favourite things to do in South Africa - almost a monthly ritual for me and my friends during my time at the University of Cape Town. Hope you have a great time on the Otter Trail. -Sean