Our local City Council newspaper tells us that for the duration of 2010 Soccer World Cup some roads leading to the city will be closed. And on match days no public parking will be permissible at and around Cape Town stadium.
That means those who have booked hired cars and staying in the city – might have a problem. They are not alone. Those of us who have been living here all these years – also have a problem.
In the meantime the first of 43 custom built buses for the Integrated Rapid Transport (IRT) system have arrived. Mini bus and regular taxis will be subject to the rules and will have difficulty getting about. The only option is going to be the planned public transport or walking. In the picture is the depot for the IRT bus in Green Point. It’s almost ready. I believe up north in Jozi they have already rolled out their IRT.
How do we tell the weather in Cape Town?
Well the old fashioned way is to read a weather report but they are not always reliable.
The other way is to look at the mountains. If the table cloth is coming down on Table Mountain then we have strong winds on the way. If there is cloud on Lion’s Head then we have rain on the way. And if there is no cloud on any of our mountains then the weather should be good.
The wind direction causes cloud formation and in turn they both create our weather.
We can also see a cold front coming in over the sea. A thick blanket of low lying cloud slowly moves in toward land and engulfs us. In the picture you can see we had rain due shortly.
We have a mountain ridge running all the way along the Cape Peninsula to Cape Point. The one side is the rainy side and is lush and verdant. The other side much drier and the vegetation is sparse and bushy by comparison.
Where to eat in Cape Town? There are eateries galore in Cape Town. Being a coastal city seafood is big. The Malay influence extends to curries. And South Africans love their meat. “Rys, vleis en aartappels” – rice meat and potatoes – is the mantra here. Steak houses abound and I am told our steaks rival the Aberdeen Angus and Argentinian meat. I can’t speak on this as I am a vegetarian. The local favourite is the Spur steakhouse chain. Excellent value.
My favourite deli is Giovanni’s on Main Road in Green Point. Their food is to die for, as are their coffees. When I want restaurant food but can’t be bothered to go out, I go on-line and order from Mr Delivery. They will even bring a pint of milk with your food.
A good wine guide is John Platter and the two eating guides are Eating Out and Dining Out.www.johnplatterguide.com or www.eatout.co.za or www.dining-out.co.za
Cape Town city area is packed full of interesting places. In the picture is the Metropolitan Golf Course. Its a 9 hole course but with a set of tees and greens that can be mixed and matched. And it’s only a 5 minute walk from the V and A Waterfront.
The V and A Waterfront has a few places of interest too. One of the museums there is the S A Fisheries Museum – showcasing things relating to commercial fishing. There is also the S A Maritime Museum – all about shipping, harbours and boats of old.
Just outside the V and A Waterfront is Somerset hospital and nearby is the Cape Medical Museum which has displays of doctors rooms from back when, pharmacies and also features traditional medicines and healing practices.
Not far from the Waterfront is Green Point Lighthouse with it’s own museum and also Fort Wynyard, which is a naval museum specialising in coastal defence.
We have a guesthouse here in Cape Town. Find us at Cape Coast Views. We are always amazed that visitors buy bottled water. Tap water in most of South Africa is perfectly safe to drink.
We have The Blue Drop Report which grades tap water in our regions. Jozi tops the list with the best water in South Africa and Cape Town comes in second.
That is not to say all South Africans have access to tap water.
In rural areas people walk miles to collect water in plastic drums. I am always amazed at how the woman carry heavy barrels of water – on their heads! Little girls have little barrels and the older woman carry the heavier containers. I can’t even balance a book on my head.
