In closing the three part series on Cape Town, here are a few things to try or places to visit while you are in Cape Town.
1. Go for afternoon high tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel or The Nelly as she is known locally. Mount Nelson
2. Visit Atlas Trading, Wale Street, Bo Kaap for an incredible selection of spices, incense and more.
3. The organic food and craft market at the Neighbourgoods Market in Salt River, or the City Bowl
Market, Hope Street. Get there early. They can get seriously crowded. neighbourgoods market city bowl market
Long Street
4. A leisurely stroll along Lower Main road in Observatory for bric-a-brac, old books, anything. It’s a great place to pass time.
5. Green Point flea market and Milnerton market late Sunday mornings.
6. Coffee at Giovanni’s Deli in Green Point, they’re open early till late. They make the best coffee and their deli foods are to die for. Think balsamic roasted onions, aubergine carpachio, delicious chocolates and sumtuous wines.
7. Join the crowd and do a “full moon” hike up Lion’s Head if you around during a full moon. view from Lions Head
8. Find healthy fast food outlets Kauai or Osumo across Cape Town. Kauai menu
9. The funky fashion and food vendors along Long Street and surrounding streets.
10. A curry or roti at Biesmiellah, Wale Street, Bo Kaap. Biesmiellah menu
And lastly some unique South African foods to look for when shopping or eating out: –
Volvo Race V and A Waterfront
1. Rooibos tea with Ouma buttermilk rusks. Dip the rusks in your tea. That’s how it’s done.
2. For a local sweet treat try Melktert, Koeksisters or Malva pudding.
3. For a dried meat snack, biltong and droewors are favourites. Also available in exotic meats such
as kudu and ostrich.
4. Smoked snoek and curried fish are local fish favourites. You can buy tinned curried fish at the
supermarkets.
5. Waterblommetjie bredie is a type of curry made with a local plant/flower as the main ingredient.
6. Mrs Ball’s chutney is a fruit condiment somewhat similar to Branston pickle.
7. Frikadelle and boerwors are cooked typical meatballs and sausages.
8. Ostrich meat is dark, low in fat and tastes quite different. Try it as a steak, sausage or burger.
Rock formation on Table Mountain
9. Mealie meal or pap and umngqusho (nush) are both polenta type meal accompaniments.
10. Potjiekos is a slow cooked meat and vegetable stew made in a cast iron pot.
11. Pepperdews are a pickled capsicum/cherry tomato hybrid. Heaven on a pizza or in a salad.
12. South Africa wines. Even the bad wines are good.
13. Buchu brandy. A revitalising remedy used by the San people and early settlers.
The Waterfront and Robben Island
The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is a massive shopping and dining warehouse in the harbour. Since it is a working harbour you can observe fishing boats, cruise liners, tugs and other working boats. It also has boat tours that will take you whale watching, fishing or on a sunset cruise.
If you plan to visit Robben Island, be sure to get in the queue early or you may be disappointed. Book tickets on-line to save time here – webtickets. You will also find the Two Oceans Aquarium at the Waterfront. They have over 3000 sea creatures including sharks. For more go here – aquarium.
Visit the massive craft market in the Red Shed and watch live demo’s by the craftsmen and women. There is a link for more here – waterfront. If you love crystals, visit Mineral World opposite where they have rocks and semi precious stones. At night you can enjoy fine dining and live music right next to the harbour and watch the seals lounging in the water. Robben Island takes its name from “robbe”, which are seals in Afrikaans.
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Market off Long street
You will either need to book a bus or hire a car to get there. South Africans love their great outdoors and from the activities on offer here this is evident. Apart from a chance to wander around the gardens and see over 2500 indigenous plants, you can enjoy an al fresco breakfast in one of the restaurants, take a hike up the mountain or enjoy the sunset and a live open air concert with a picnic basket. Find out who is playing on this link – Kirstenbosch summer concerts.
The Cape Peninsula and Cape Point
Cape of Good Hope
This scenic day out is reminiscent of the Amalfi Coast in Italy. The roads are believed to have been built by Italian prisoners of war. It’s a round trip from the city along the one side of the peninsula to Cape Point and back along the other side of the peninsula. Beautiful seaside scenery and fishing harbours are scattered along both the False Bay Coast and the Atlantic Coast. Cape Point is where the two oceans meet. It’s a busy day with antique shops, shark and whale watching, maritime museums, baboons, shipwrecks, designer craftsmen, famous local penguins and lots of fabulous seafood. You can do part of this trip by train from Cape Town but it doesn’t go all the way to Cape Point. Best to book a coach trip or hire a car for the day.
The Winelands
Metropolitan golf course
If the previous day out had an Italian feel to it, this area has a French flavour. Some of the early settlers were French Huguenots and many place names such as Franschoek hint at their influence. They even celebrate Bastille Day. This is another full day out and if you want to taste the wines, book a tour so you can relax and not worry about driving.
The wine farms are quite a way out of the city and there are various wine routes. The wine estates go back eras and are steeped in history. Many of them have elegant dining and award winning chefs. And of course they supply exquisite wines to go with the meals. Much of the architecture is the old Cape Dutch style with elegant curved gables and thatched roofs. Wine estates are often nestled in the mountains surrounded by vineyards.
Bo Kaap
People can be put off coming to South Africa because they have heard of local crime. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which gives advice to travellers says the following, “More than 460,000 Britons visit South Africa every year. Most visits are trouble-free.” Crime tends to happen in hot spots so if you are not sure, ask someone. South Africans will happily give you assistance or advice. For health and safety tips have a look at this post – Cape Town health and safety tips. And for even more tips to make the most of your time in Cape Town follow this link – 20 best travel tips for visitors to Cape Town
Cape Town is more European than the rest of South Africa. You may want to plan another trip inland where the look and feel is completely different. A bush safari or game lodge stay are not to be missed experiences.
Brush/comb Dental floss Contact lens cleaning agents Fragrance Tooth brush and paste if not with you on flight
Camping Torch Sleeping bag Ground sheet Mattress Binoculars Pillow Tent
Cape floral kingdom
Cooking equipment Eating utensils Water Food and beverages Cleaning materials Cleaning cloths Fire lighters Wood/fire fuel Camping light Water bottle Lightweight snacks Leatherman/Swiss army knife
Cape floral kingdom
Back-pack for walks
Travel packing list part 1 – before flight and basic travel items – click here
Travel packing list part 2 – on flight and clothing – click herel
Travel packing list part 3 – first aid and miscellaneous – click here.
Go to – My Holidays and Trips – at the top of this page to read about other places we have visited. Or just click on – this link.
First Aid Plasters Anti malarial medication Insect repellent Spare glasses Digestion remedy Travel tummy medication Paracetamol
Miscellaneous Sewing kit Safety pins
Cape floral kingdom
Travel clothes line International plug adaptor Travel clothes washing soap Spare lightweight hold all bag Waist belt with money and passport pouch Lightweight towel Tweezers Mirror Nail clippers Swiss army knife
Cape floral kingdom
Cotton wool Ear buds Vitamins Travel alarm if no mobile phone Laundry bag Shoe bag
Cape floral kingdom
Travel packing list part 1 – before flight and basic travel items – click here.
Travel packing list part 2 – on flight and clothing – click here
Travel packing list part 4 – toiletries and camping – click here
Go to – My Holidays and Trips – at the top of this page to read about other places we have visited. Or just click on – this link.
On flight – toiletries no more than 100ml in size Warm jacket Pashmina or light blanket Watch Spare underwear and shirt Windbreaker Slippers/loose comfy shoes Face hydrating spray Eye moisturising drops
Cape floral kingdom
Hydrating face/hand cream Lip balm Wet wipes Pocket pack tissues Toothbrush Toothpaste Ear plugs Sleeping eye mask Sleeping pills Medication Copy of prescription for medication Birth control pills
Cape floral kingdom
Travel pillow Clear bag or Ziploc bag for toiletries
Clothing Underwear Socks/tights Thermal underwear if a cold destination Trousers
Cape floral kingdom
Skirts T-shirts Light weight cardigans/jerseys Lightweight non crease jackets Evening outfit Flat comfy lightweight shoes Comfortable walking shoes Sleepwear Exercise wear if holiday permits Sun hat if warm destination Warm hat if cold destination Sarongs/kaftans for warm holiday
Cape floral kingdom
Gloves if a cool holiday Scarves Flip flops Belt Sunglasses Swimwear Jewellery
Travel packing list part 1 – before flight and basic travel items – click here
Travel packing list part 3 – first aid and
miscellaneous – click here.
Travel packing list part 4 – toiletries and camping – click here.
Go to – My Holidays and Trips – at the top of this page to read about other places we have visited. Or just click on – this link.
Your road trip to Edinburgh could include the Whisky Trail. Edinburgh is the capital city and home to Holyrood or the Scottish parliament. It is also the location of Edinburgh Castle. It is much, much more touristy and you will find museums and homage to all things Scottish at every turn. It all happens along the Royal Mile. There is a massive Edinburgh International Festival once a year around August called The Fringe. Think stand-up comedy and theatre. It’s a place for newcomers and old timers to show what they can do. The whole world seems to rock up for this event and if you are not inclined to mega crowds you will be glad to have missed it. If you love bagpipes you could plan to visit around the time of the Edinburgh Tattoo. Shopping in Edinburgh is not all that. Sorry to say. The shopping area in Edinburgh is Princes Street. I recommend the Haymarket area for a walkabout. Edinburgh has a few famous musicians, namely KT Tunstall, Shirley Mason of Garbage and Idlewild.
Ferry to Isle of Harris
After a day in Edinburgh you can drive to the north-east via Stirling and the castle which is geared to tourists. Swing past the Falkirk Wheel which is an engineering feat. It’s a boat-lift shaped something like The London Eye, it rotates boats in a circle in lieu of a boat lock and connects the Union Canal with the Forth and Clyde Canal.
Aberdeen is the third largest city. It’s a working city. Aberdeen was once a fishing village but is now the oil capital of Europe. All the buildings are built of big grey bocks of granite. The east coast is not as classically scenic as the west coast. The beauty of the eastern areas lies just inland where beautiful villages dot the area. If you cut across from Edinburgh to the east coast area you can visit quaint towns like Arbroath, Stonehaven and Montrose. Balmoral Castle, the Queens favorite, is also located in the Royal Deeside area not far from Aberdeen. You could drive up from Edinburgh via Perth and Dundee to Aberdeen. Aberdeen is also on the Megabus route and you can add on another 3 – 4 hours from Glasgow should you wish to go direct to Aberdeen. It’s a bum-numbing 12 hours from London. Aberdeen’s most famous musician is Annie Lennox.
Piper playing in central Aberdeen
Scotland has banknotes from the Royal Bank of Scotland and Clydesdale Bank. English banknotes are accepted in Scotland but the reverse is not always the case. So make sure you spend your Scottish pounds before you leave Scotland. Scotland is not metricated so road signs and your car speedometer are in miles. Glasgow to Skye is about 200kms as the crow flies but in real time the trip will work out more than a straight journey.
Things you really should try to do while in Scotland are. Try a typical Scottish breakfast complete with black pudding. The Scots do a good and hearty breakfast. You should try vegetarian haggis if you don’t eat offal and we are led to believe the best steaks come from Scotland, the Aberdeen Angus.
Narrow country roads in Scotland
Do find a piece of family tartan. Almost everyone has a connection to a family or clan in Scotland and it makes you feel part of the country.
Please watch Scottish Star Trek on You Tube Scottish Star Trek so you can practice listening to Glaswegian patter which is nigh impossible to understand. These people are speaking English but you would never know it.
Do try the local ales. They take their beer drinking very seriously in the whole of the UK and you can spend hours browsing the supermarket shelves with the ranges on offer. Beer is not just beer. It’s a bitter, or a lager, or an ale and the brewers are masters. If beer is not your thing, then try an Iron Bru. It’s the local fizzy drink of choice. Scotland is the only European country where a cola is not the top soft drink.
St Nicholas Kirk Aberdeen
Don’t eat out too often if you can help it. It’s so expensive and often disappointing. Some pubs offer great food and good value but the UK is not known for it’s cuisine. The range of ready meals and imported fruits and cheeses in the supermarkets is staggering.
Lookout for the highland cows on your way, they’re easy to spot and are so cute and shaggy.
Try www.laterooms.com for accommodation. You’re looking at from £50 per night for a room. Usually includes breakfast and the standard of accommodation is good in the UK.
Outsider music festival
Scotland is colder and wetter than England. It is colder in the west than the east and as you head north to Aberdeen it get’s even colder. The BBC weather site shows Edinburgh in June and July months at the height of their summer as having average 5 – 6 hours sunlight a day, average maximum temperatures as 17’C – 18’C and average monthly rainfall as much as 83 mm. The sun comes up about 04.30 am and goes down about 10.00 pm. Read more about the weather and seasons here – Scotland weather and seasons.
Stone circle Templewood
It is the opposite in winter when average day temperates are 6’C to 7 ‘C and at night it will be close to freezing. The sun comes up at 08.45 am and goes down 15.45 pm and average sunlight hours are 1 hour a day. It can be a grey country. Bands like Wet Wet Wet and Travis singing “Why does it always rain on me?” are telling us something.
It does snow in Scotland. As you drive about you will see snow poles on the sides of the roads and big yellow bins with a mix of grit and salt to melt the snow on the roads. In Aberdeen it is possible to see the Northern Lights in winter. If you have a world map handy you will see that Aberdeen is on the same latitude as Moscow. Scotland is a long way up north.
If you are going in winter pack warm and always pack a Mackintosh – aka a raincoat. Scotland is famous for it’s inventors. Some other well known inventors apart from Mackintosh and his raincoat include James Simpson – anaesthetics, Johan Loudon MacAdam – tarred roads, Alexander Crum Brown – chemical bonds, Thomas Telford – iron bridges, Joseph Lister – antiseptics, James Boyd Dunlop – tyres, John Napier – the decimal point and Sir Alexander Flemming – penicillin. This is by no means all the Scottish inventors and a Google search will yield some surprises. The Scots are canny lot not only with their money.
Edinburgh Tattoo – tattoodonkey.com
It’s not just the country but it’s people that are so much a part of the experience. Get cracking looking up your ancestors and head north to find your roots. The next time you hear the bag pipes you can check to see if the piper is a wearing your clan tartan.
