Township & Castle Tours

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Geo: -33.916, 18.4222

We had a pickup at 9AM this morning with African Eagle Tours. Our destination was various townships around Cape Town, to give us more of an insight and history of the struggle of people living in poor and different lifestyles.

Our first stop was the Llanga Township, where we hopped off our bus for a guided tour from one of the locals. Accommodation here ranged from crammed share flats, to shacks, and shanties, to comfortable western style homes, all within metres of one another. Surprisingly, theres is a mutual respect and understanding between these different social classes and there is very low crime and violence. We saw small businesses everywhere, children at play in the streets, three families of five sharing bedrooms smaller than mine and street food for sale, livers and sheeps head on offer (otherwise known disturbingly as smiley).

The next township was known as Khayelitsha, the largest in South Africa. here, we saw a preschool, talented weavers and local entrepreneur Vicki, who has started a bed and breakfast here. A nights stay will cost you 200 rand (or approx $25AU). Simple, but comfortable enough 😊

Rather than return to the hotel, we requested a drop off at the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town. completed in 1679 by Dutch Colonists, it is the oldest standing building in South Africa. It offers an intriguing history, boasting Dutch and English architecture from its inhabitants. Our guided tour was informative, before we walked the parapets, getting great views of the city from all five points of the castle.

We left here on foot, trekking through the CBD of Cape Town, enjoying Chickin Lickin for lunch and stopping in at an Irish Pub for a drink near Green Market Square. Eventually we made our way back towards the waterfront for dinner. We registered a complaint at the restaurant we attended last night, and then headed down the wharf for dinner at Sevruga. This was delicious, Kingklip fish, lamb neck, tasty wine and choc sundaes for desert. I left, hardly able to move under my own power from being so full! We arranged a lift home, crashing around 10.30.

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Photos

District 6 Museum
Some offensive signs during the apartheid era in South Africa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid_in_South_Africa

Commemorative Plaque
Outside the District 6 Museum

Tour of Langa Township
Langa Township
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanga

Close Quarters
This room, smaller than a regular bedroom, has three single beds. Each is for a family of 4-6 people which share the one bed. The children sleep on the floor. All possessions are also kept on or next to the bed. Accomodation here costs 20 rand per month to rent ($2-3AU)

Close Quarters 3
In the same house, there are upto 4 bedrooms (each with 3 families of 3-6 people). That can meet over 50 people sharing this living/dining area.

Private Businesses
Plenty of them springing up all over the Township.

Street Food
Livers for Sale..

Whats this delicacy...
Sheeps Head.. otherwise known as 'Smiley'

Sheeps Head
Its not smiling...

Langa Living
Shanties or Slums

Langa Living
Theres a small portion of relatively comfortable westernised houses amongst the poverty of Langa. These people have grown up here, and become doctors, dentists, professionals etc. They are an inspiration to the community and there are virtually no records of problems with the poor or desperate. Those who commit crime, answer to the justice of the town, rather than police.. which is much harsher.