One thing I missed when I was away, was the moon. Our great sunshine weather means we frequently have clear skies, hence great views of the moon. In the picture you can see the moon is so bright, the water in the bay is glowing. Some say Cape Town is the second city of light. I would go with that.
A drive up Signal Hill is a perfect way to watch either a sunset or the moon rising. Or both. On a full moon night you could join the hoards and do the hike up Lion’s Head. But be prepared to share the mountain with the crowds that are all clamouring to bask in the full moon too.
To see the stars up close and personal, head for Sutherland in the Karoo. It’s home to one of the world’s biggest planetariums and the unspoilt beauty of the Karoo is a treat. It’s the place we all think of when it gets cold.
An easier way to see the stars, even in the middle of the day, is to venture to our local planetarium. The brightest star in the heavens is Sirius and you can spot Sirius on a clear night. For more on the Cape Town planetarium and other local museums. Google IZIKO to find a list of local museums.
Head back to the top of this page for travel tips and information.
Who are or what is a South African? You could categorise us by our home languages, on the basis of colour, by region, or by income bracket. But then that holds true for just about any country.
The original inhabitants of southern Africa were the Khoi people (Hottentots) and the San people (Bushmen). The Dutch settlers discovered them when they arrived in South Africa and called them strandlopers – beach walkers. The Dutch were first European settlers during the colonial era. Since they were predominantly male they soon mixed with the locals and the Coloured community are the descendants of those relationships. And still today Afrikaans is the mother tongue of both the Afrikaans people and the Coloured people.
Meanwhile the Nguni people had been migrated down along the east coast from the central south eastern and part of Africa. If you can speak Zulu, then most people from Malawi to Zimbabwe, through Swaziland, along the Natal coast and down to the Eastern Cape should understand you. In the Eastern Cape you can see how the features of the African people start to look more like the original Khoi as that is where they would have encountered each other.
A rather friendly local
A black South African and a Coloured South African are two entirely different people with separate culture and history. Likewise Afrikaans and English speaking white South Africans have distinctly separate histories. That is not to say we haven’t been falling in love and mixing it all up over the years. I love our ever emerging hybrid culture.
The English arrived later and helped themselves to the land causing the Boer war. There are still some people who harbour a grudge toward England for their treatment during that war. Winston Churchill worked as a war correspondent during this time in South Africa. Another dark epoch was the Apartheid era. The effects of that time will linger for a lot longer than we would like. South Africans are a resilient lot and although we may fight amongst ourselves we unite smartly when the right time comes. Soccer World Cup was a sea of mixed faces all singing Shoshaloza. How to make an expat weep? Play them this clip – shoshaloza And the negative press about South Africa regarding the Dewani murder has gotten right up our noses South African view Shrien Dewani case
We hold the world record for the most official languages. Eleven in total. At the top of this post is a typical sign in SA. We all speak English, Afrikaans is usually represented and the regional African language would be displayed. In the Western Cape the local language is Xhosa.
Giraffe photo courtesy Andrew Cross
The Cape Doctor blows white horses and spray – Milnerton
The infamous Cape Doctor is a south east wind that howls over Cape Town lifting trash out the bins and ladies skirts up around their ears. It’s arrival heralds the beginning of summer.
Come the end of summer, the north wester takes over and that marks our winter season. The days immediatley following the Cape Doctor are perfect – warm to hot and calm. It’s a cycle, a day or two of wind, followed by days of beautiful weather. Lucky us.
Why is it called the Cape Doctor? It clears away any pollution or dust that accumulates in the city. Which is probably why World + Leisure named Cape Town as one of the cities with the cleanest air in the world.
The BBC weather site reckons we get 11 hours of sunshine a day. You can see why Cape Town ticks the boxes for a perfect summer holiday destination.
So head for a Blue Flag beach or take a day out and hike one of our beautiful mountains where our unique fynbos can be seen. Definitely pack a picnic and enjoy your meal al fresco. Just don’t do it on a blustery day.
We went out last night to an old time hang out – Quay Four at the V and A Waterfront. Have to say – been there, been there, been there. And it’s always a great night out. It’s not the sort of place where you chat over fine food.
This is more like a boogie, laugh and have loads of fun type of place. The V and A Waterfront has masses of cafes and eateries with views of the boats at work and play. You can find just about anything to eat. Budget conscious diners may want to head to the food hall. The V and A Waterfront is also a shopping centre and has a massive craft market for curio shoppers. Don’t forget the Aquarium, Robben Island ferry and sunset boat tours all kick off from the harbour so you may want to take a full day out.
The Ferris wheel has moved inside the Waterfront and there is an ice rink for the festive season. Visitors from up north might be inclined to give the cold a miss and hang out in the warm sunshine. Visit what’s on in Cape Town for more on what is happening in Cape Town. And don’t forget that one of the two main Tourist Info offices is at the Clocktower at the Waterfront. You will find brochures on all there is to do. Extreme sports, township tours, food routes, hiking trails, pink guides, craft route, whale watching, what to do with kids, museums, winelands, . . . Cape Town has plenty to do. Just make sure you have enough time or you will have to come back.
I have been meaning to go to Mzoli’s for so long now. The thing with being a local is that there is no great rush for me to go anywhere, I can always go next week or the week after, hey I got the rest of my life to get there.
I was so bitterly disappointed when a trendy beach side bar that I had been meaning to visit closed before I got to see it. A friend who is a tour guide suggested we go to Mzoli’s for lunch and I grabbed the chance. I am glad I did a weekday lunch as I have heard Mzoli’s is absolutely packed full on weekends. Jamie Oliver posing in front of Mzoli’s and calling it sexy has helped make it a new must see place in Cape Town.
Lunch Mzoli’s
It’s an affordable day out. You go to the butchery and pick a piece of meat. Accompaniments include pap, steamed bread or umnqusho. I am vegetarian and not partial to pap which is a smooth creamy corn dish. I asked for umnqusho or stamp and beans as it is known in English. It comes with a spicy salsa like salad which is called chakalaka. Yummy stuff! I buy it in tins at the supermarket. My favorite is mild butternut chakalaka. The tinned version is very different to the freshly made chakalaka. But still great.
We bought beers at the bar and relaxed and chatted over our meal. Mzoli’s is in Gugulethu which has a fair amount of informal housing. I love the way old shipping containers are recycled as hair salons. Old corrugated iron is turned into houses. There are even double storey shacks. No wasting going on here. You got to love it!
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.
