Cape Town, The Mother of Surprises
October 4th, 2022 (G) - First Impressions
A brief layover in Addis Ababa and before we knew it we had touched down in Cape Town. Cape Town, known as the Mother City of Africa, has some pretty mixed reviews. Crime, especially violent crime is reportedly very high, but word from other travelers, Reddit threads, and various sources also boast about what a wonderful travel destination Cape Town is. Mixed reviews all around left us not really certain what to expect from this mother. So with a high degree of wariness we exited the security checkpoint.
We were grateful to know that Uber is alive and well in Cape Town. The safety functions of Uber added some peace of mind as we walked past the various taxi drivers offering rides. Most I am certain were on the level, but in Cape Town (as in many other cities around the world) express kidnapping via fake taxi or as experienced in Naples fake police officers is a potential issue to be mindful of. We found the airport to be easy to navigate with clearly marked areas for Uber. Soon we were in our uber and headed toward the Atlantic seaboard.
T and I had spent a great deal of time researching where to be and not be. We had found that much of the Atlantic seaboard was much safer than the City Bowl area and leaps and bounds better than Cape Flats. Eventually, we landed on the Sea Point. The community of Sea Point has banded together to achieve community improvements. They formed a volunteer organization to remove litter, demand greater police presence, provide shelter for the homeless, and actively work on beautification projects. The area boasts a beautiful seaside promenade, great food venues, and easy access to hiking and Redbus tours.
T and I arrived at our hotel, Villa Rosa, which would serve as our home base for the next 6 days. We found it was a beautiful old victorian era house that had been well-maintained. With its high ceilings and generous space, relative to European standards, we felt spoiled. It was thankfully tucked away from the main streets. We were immediately greeted by David, the property’s breakfast chef. He checked us in and showed us to our room where we took some time to relax and plan our activities for the week ahead.
We also quickly learned about Load Shedding. Load Shedding is essentially rolling blackouts. Usually, this occurs twice a day and once at night in Cape Town due to a lack of electricity, lasting 1-2 hours at a time. It is an issue that the government is actively working towards resolving, but it does leave worrisome periods of time that the organized local gangs regularly take advantage of, especially at night. Our advice, even in the good areas of town, is don’t be out much after dark. Even if the location is safe, you may be vulnerable on the way to or from a location. According to a local Uber driver, there have been instances at night in which gangs block even major highways during the blackouts to force cars to stop so the gangs can rob them at gunpoint.
October 5th, 2022 (G) - Seaside Walk and First Dining Experience
We woke and enjoyed a fantastic breakfast prepared by David. We met Chelsea, the property manager, for the first time and discussed what to see and how to best experience Cape Town. She was wonderful and provided us with excellent dining recommendations as well as advised us that the best ways to make the most of our time. We normally aren’t big on group tours, but she advised us that the Cape Town City Sightseeing Bus Tours (locally known as red bus tours) are one of the best ways to see as much as possible in a short period of time. Having taken her advice we couldn’t agree more that for Cape Town, the red bus is really the way to go and the guides really did a phenomenal job.
Still, we wanted to explore some on our own, so we headed down the hill to the coast to take in the area. After speaking with Chelsea, we knew that we wanted to take at least one red bus tour to see the African Penguins and see the Cape of Good Hope. So we spent a few minutes locating the pickup point of the bus so that we wouldn’t have to scramble looking for it the next morning. Once found we leisurely walked along the coast, enjoying the fresh salty wind and sunshine. The promenade was well cared for and the sea wall had a National Geographic gallery of wonderful little placards with pictures and descriptions of local birds and wildlife.
After spending the day orienting ourselves, we found our way to our first South African dining experience. La Boheme was a small place off Main Street. With tasteful decor (including a seasonally appropriate witch or two on broomsticks) and relaxed electric swing pumping softly through the speakers in the background, we had high hopes. La Boheme didn’t disappoint us. The food was excellent and we enjoyed pairing it with South Africa’s original wine varietal, Pinotage. For those that are interested, Pinotage was developed as a cross between the Pinot Noir and Hermitage grape varietals. Between the food, wine, and general ambiance of the place, I had higher hopes for the rest of our time in Cape Town than I had originally expected and understood better why the city has a reputation as a foodie hotspot.
As we stepped back into the early evening world of Main Street, we kept our wits about us. There were a few sketchy characters here and there as we walked back to our hotel, but nothing that sent off red flags. Still, we did feel somewhat relieved after passing through the locked gate of our hotel before load shedding began.
October 6th, 2022 (T) - Penguins and The Cape of Good Hope
We woke up early for our first red bus tour. It’s more than a month later and I still think about David’s breakfasts from time to time. There was a rotating hot breakfast option every day and every single one was delicious. Normally I’m not a big fan of scrambled eggs, but he’s mastered the art of making them. After breakfast, we walked the 3-4 blocks to the pickup point for the red bus. We hopped on and began our journey to find the African Penguins!
Our stop was one of the first stops for the double-decker bus, so we secured great seats on the top level. The bus made a few more pickups then we spent the next hour driving to Boulder’s Beach while our guide charismatically taught us about Cape Town and the areas we passed along the way. When we arrived, I could hardly wait to exit the bus and finally see some penguins in the wild. G and I have searched for penguins before and had yet to have found them. We were starting to believe our own conspiracy theory that penguins weren’t real and only could be found in zoos.
Not even five minutes after the bus, there they were. Real (we think) penguins! These little guys are warm water penguins that live in parts of Namibia and South Africa. We were delighted to finally have found some penguins in the wild. We spent about an hour and a half walking along the beach, observing and photographing the penguins. They were really cute. Apparently, they do bite, but you would have to be very rude and stray from the visitor’s path and provoke them. There were a few of them who seemed just as interested in us as we were in them.
Mission accomplished. We hopped back on the bus and drove toward The Cape of Good Hope, learning some interesting animal facts on the way, like mosquitos are Africa’s deadliest animal (if you count them as an animal) and hippos are second (or first, if you don’t count mosquitos as an animal. Later in our global trek, we would experience this fact first hand.)
When we arrived at The Cape of Good Hope, we first walked to the top of the mountain then back down to where our bus was parked so we could hike with the other passengers who were interested in hiking rather than driving down to the cape. In South African fashion, the weather changed on us. We felt as though we were back in Scotland in the Highlands and not in South Africa. A heavy drizzle and strong wind accompanied us for the 45-minute hike down. Fortunately, our guide provided us with red ponchos which helped some. We understood well why this place was previously named The Cape of Storms. A curious ostrich peaked its head over a hill as if it was wondering what this group of red creatures was doing out in this weather. We made it safely down to the cape, snapped some photos of us in the most south-western point in Africa, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet.
Still a bit wet, we boarded the bus and headed back toward Cape Town. On the way out we saw a troop of baboons walking in the road, checking out the cars as they passed, perhaps hoping someone would feed them. Tip: don’t feed the baboons. Also, if you know you might be around baboons, don’t have food out, because they seriously may steal it from you.
During the drive, our guide taught us more about apartheid and the importance of Nelson Mandela. G and I remember learning about this in school, but learning more about it from a local was sobering, and important to know about to understand the culture and social issues that exist to this day in South Africa. There were multiple classes of people, not just black vs white. Non-white people were forced out of their homes and relocated far away from the city into townships. It was more than segregation. Black people weren’t allowed to run for political office and they weren’t even allowed to vote. It’s no wonder South Africa was blacklisted from many countries around the world for decades. Nelson Mandela, a black lawyer and activist against apartheid, was imprisoned for 27 years for leaving the country without a permit and inciting workers to strike. He was offered freedom if he would accept apartheid, which he rejected. After many years, he helped pave the way for the end of apartheid, and he become South Africa’s first president elected by universal suffrage. It took a powerful person to be able to unite South Africa, and it was very clear to us that Nelson Mandela is revered by many many people of all races in South Africa today.
Eventually, we arrived at our pickup/dropoff point and we walked the brief walk back to our hotel. Uber Eats also works great in Cape Town, so we opted to order in for dinner.
October 7th, 2022 (T) - Lion’s Head and Fine Dining
The main thing on our agenda today was hiking Lion’s Head. We slept in a bit, enjoyed a slow breakfast then ordered an Uber to take us to the trailhead.
One of the things we were the most apprehensive in about in Cape Town was hiking up Lion’s Head. We had read multiple stories and articles about people being robbed on the hike. We debated going with a group but really preferred to go alone. Chelsea assured us that if we go during the day we should be totally fine. She herself has hiked it 7 times and has never run into any issues. Fortunately, we didn’t either.
We saw many people hiking by themselves, families with children, couples, and small groups making the trek to the best viewpoint in Cape Town. Cameras were placed along the trail. We felt safe and it’s clear the city is working toward making the hike safer. The distance is short but it’s a steep one. Parts of the hike involve a little rock scrambling. You can choose rock scrambles or “staples and chains”. The staples and chains option is more dangerous. It’s basically a ladder going up a cliff where you aren’t hooked in. We opted for the rock scrambles. The top did not disappoint. It really is the best 360 view of Cape Town. You have table mountain, the city, the beaches, Robben Island, Signal Hill, etc., all visible from Lion’s Head. In fact, we chose to skip Table Mountain and just do Lion’s Head and we don’t feel like we missed out. If you’re in decent shape and like hikes, we highly recommend it.
After taking in the views and fighting off the spring flies that don’t bite, we started our descent. We came across an armed volunteer trail safety person. We learned a group of locals created a safety group and they take turns keeping the trails free of litter and violence. They don’t advertise when they’ll be out or at which part of the trail. It’s sad there’s a need for the group, but we were comforted and impressed by yet another example of the people taking care of their city. We made it back down to the parking lot and ordered smoothies from a little snack truck.
While we were waiting for our Uber is when the most questionable thing during our time in Cape Town happened. Two younger women were also waiting for their Uber. The person patrolling the parking lot asked them if they needed a taxi to which they replied no at least twice. A taxi pulled up to them anyway and offered them a ride. The patrolman asked them again if they wanted the taxi. At this point, G and I also chimed in and stated no they already had an Uber. That seemed to convince everyone they weren’t going to get in the taxi and the car drove away. Their Uber arrived before ours and we saw them safely leave. Not long after, ours arrived as well and took us back to Villa Rosa. Now, we have no idea if the patrolman and the taxi driver legitimately were just trying to help and offer a ride. The car looked like a real taxi. But, if you go to Cape Town, and really any city that offers Uber or something comparable, just use that for its safety measures and don’t accept other rides.
When we arrived back to the bed and breakfast, Stephen, the owner, asked if we had tried his favorite restaurant, Bouchon Bistro. We had not and since we didn’t have any plans that night he had Chelsea book us a reservation. They had an opening at 7:30 so we had a while before we needed to leave. We capitalized on the time and took a nap then cleaned up for dinner. Bouchon Bistro is in the Central Business District. It was after dark now but well before the load-shedding time, so we took an Uber straight to the restaurant and all was fine.
Dinner was so delicious. Cape Town has wonderful food and wine for more than reasonable prices. The bistro was tapas style, so we ordered many different tapas and a few glasses of wine to pair with them. When we eventually go back to Cape Town and if the restaurant is still there, we will definitely return.
After some fine wining and dining, we took an Uber back to the hotel and slept well that night.
October 8th, 2022 (G) - Kirstenbosch Garden and Sea Point Promenade Food Stalls
High on my list for Cape Town favorites was the Kirstenbosch Gardens. I am a sucker for gardens, especially those that primarily are composed of their native plant varieties. The near-endless kaleidoscope of colors and uses of plants usually leaves me with more questions than I had when I arrived at the garden. Kirstenbosch was no exception and proved a magnificent garden. Situated at the base of table mountain, it is a rich reserve of native flora such as Birds of Paradise, Yellow Wood, Hard Pear, and over 400 hundred other species. We took our time walking through the shady paths filled with these exotic plants. The walk wasn’t aimless though, I had something specific in mind.
The Boomslang! Named after the highly venomous native tree snake, the boomslang in Kirstenbosch is a raised walkway with gorgeous twisting curves that offer visitors a way to walk among the treetops and take in spectacular views of the garden, mountains, and city. We enjoyed the view for a bit and then enjoyed aimlessly wandering through the gardens.
Eventually, in mid-afternoon, we caught the Red Bus once more which carried us along the blueline route. We didn’t have the time we would have liked to stop and enjoy many of the locations. There were wineries, Haut Bay, Camps Bay, and a few others that if time had allowed we would have liked to have stopped and enjoyed, but we were glad to have at least seen them.
It took some time to return to our pickup point by the promenade but we had enough time to visit one of the many food stalls that are situated near a public swimming area. All the fine dining had reminded us fondly of Greek food, so we opted for the Greek food stall. After enjoying a bit of sun with our meal, we returned to our hotel and enjoyed a quiet night in.
October 9, 2022 (T) - South African Vineyards
We couldn’t go to Cape Town without visiting the Franschhoek wine region. After tasting a few glasses at restaurants, we were really excited to visit some vineyards. The red bus also had a day trip out to the wineries. We got up early, ate breakfast, then hopped on the bus at the pickup point to begin our day trip.
The drive took about an hour and a half to reach Franschhoek. We got off the red bus and boarded a tram bound for the wineries. There were 9+ wineries we could choose from but it’s impossible to go to that many in one day. We visited Vrede en Lust, Anura, and Bablyonstoren for wine and snacks, then visited Plaisir Wine Estate for a little gin tasting. Our favorite was Babylonstoren.
We had paced ourselves well, stayed hydrated, and ate enough, so we weren’t in rough shape. The same can’t be said for our bus. Less than 5 minutes after leaving the wineries, our bus pulled over, the bus driver inspected the bus, and made a call. We could tell something was off, but the driver soon returned, and continued the drive. The drive took quite a bit longer than usual, but after a full day of wine and gin sampling, we had no problem using the extra time to take a nap on the bus trip back to Cape Town. It wasn’t until we returned that he revealed there were issues with the bus (we still don’t know what) and he had to wait for another red bus to drive alongside him in case the bus totally broke down. The important thing was made it back in one piece and rather well rested.
We spent the evening packing for our next destination. To make dinner easy, we ordered Uber Eats again. We also video chatted with my parents for the first time since we had left. It was really nice to see them and catch up. They made it known they’re ready for us to come home. We’ll hopefully have to disappoint them for a bit longer.
October 10, 2022 (T) - Goodbye, Cape Town
Cape Town is easily one of our favorite cities we’ve ever visited, both for G and I. We could have spent another 2 or 3 full days there and not run out of things to do.
In the morning, we were delighted to meet with a friend of a friend who’s a local in Cape Town. We spent a couple of hours getting to know each other and learning more about his life in South Africa. While we would have liked to have spent more time with him, our schedules didn’t allow it, and it was the perfect way to say goodbye before we hopped in an Uber toward the airport. The Mother City had done nothing but surprise us with her beauty and the warmth of her people.