From Cape Town, with love

Think of the Table Mountain, of the Atlantic Ocean, and then of the Indian Ocean. Add the jigsaw and you have Cape Town.

My memories of Cape Town will certainly be affected by the crappy, chilly winter weather in the southern hemisphere but the city had too much to offer for my memories to be ruined by the climate.[break]

I was welcomed by rain the day I landed and erratic showers from nature the following day were very unpleasant but I didn’t let it spoil my schedule. My four days in Cape Town were already planned.

“This is one of the shantytowns,” said my cab driver as we drove out of the airport into the city. It shares more or less a resemblance with the squatter communities or the slums in many parts of India and Nepal too. But in Cape Town, shantytowns were where the black population resettled during the apartheid regime; they were established as the new black neighborhoods.

“I think the government still has them so that they can get aid from outside,” the driver gave his opinion.

As we exited the N2 Highway and reached the city, we were welcomed by the spectacular view of the Table Mountain along with Signal Hill, Devil’s Hill, and Lion’s Head.

Commuting in the city

If you’re a tourist, it’s recommended you take a cab. If you’re adventurous enough, you can hop on a taxi, which is exactly like the microbuses in Kathmandu. For longer tours, you can either rent a car, which might be costly if you’re alone, or go along with a tour group.

It’s recommended not to walk at night outside the major touristic places.

Place to be

My first stop in the city was obviously checking into a hotel, and I must say I made a wise choice staying in the Long Street area, one of Cape Town’s most popular areas.

Restaurants, bars, shops, bookstores – this stretch has it all. All in all, Long Street is a mix of Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco for its ambience, Bourbon Street in New Orleans for its architecture, and Sixth Street in Austin for the lineup of restaurants and bars.

I chose an artsy hotel instead of a regular one or a hostel and my four nights were worth the stay and the price. Daddy Long Legs in the heart of Long Street is a boutique hotel with 13 individually designed artistic rooms.

I opted to stay in rooms with different themes—from a vintage room to something called the fresh room decorated with mementos to a room that had a fully functioning karaoke machine and a room plastered with 260 photos of sunrises and sunsets. If you’re ever going to Cape Town, I’d highly recommend this place to stay.

Places to see

Just a few blocks down Long Street, you can easily make your way to the Greenmarket Square. Its cobbled streets and the square itself is a perfect place to shop for local handicrafts, souvenirs, jewelry and t-shirts, to name a few. And yes, don’t forget to bargain. For a minute I felt like I was in Thamel or some marketplace in India with vendors calling out for you and asking, “How much do you want it for?”

The Greenmarket Square is also full of cafes and restaurants with outdoor seating. It’s good to enjoy a cup of Joe after a stroll around the area.

But if you want to diverge from local stuff to some branded ones, the Victoria & Albert Waterfront situated between Table Mountain and Robben Island is a good place to be. A historic harbor located in the heart of the city, V&A is abuzz with locals and tourists.

The malls have everything to offer from J Crew to Jimmy Choo and all those international brands. But the prices are certainly high.

Branch out from the malls and take some time to enjoy the view of the Table Mountain on a sunny day. Unfortunately for me, the weather was not in my favor but I was lucky enough to get a glimpse of the flat-topped mountain.

And if you’re at V&A, take advantage of this opportunity to take a ferry ride to the historic Robben Island where many of the political leaders, including Nelson Mandela, were imprisoned during the apartheid era.

The V&A also serves as one of the major hubs for the double-decker Red and Blue tour buses. It’s a good way to go around the city—the Red Bus takes you to a tour around the city while the Blue Bus goes on the outskirts of the city. If I were to advise, it’s better to take the Blue Bus as it takes you around the peninsula. During the full day tour you can hop on and off as many times as you would like at the designated bus stops around the Kirstenbosch Gardens, the famous botanical garden overlooking the spectacular landscape, Mariner’s Wharf in Hout Bay and Camps Bay, to name a few.

There is also an optional stop to participate in a wine tasting tour for the wine lovers. Do stop by Hout Bay until the next bus and enjoy the sights of dogs running and kids playing on the beachfront or snack on some fish and chips in the restaurants.

If you’re up for something more trendy and cosmopolitan, Camps Bay is the place to be with a gorgeous white sand beach and a stunning view of the multimillion dollar Cape Town real estate.

Must do

If you’re in Cape Town, there are some things you should do despite the weather: visit the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. A stunning drive through the Atlantic coastline along the winding roads of Chapman’s Peak drive is an incredible experience.

Be prepared to be amazed by the beautiful landscape and the ocean waves that make for wonderful photos. Also, be ready to be greeted by ostriches and baboons and wait for penguins at Boulder Beach on the way to Cape Point. You can literally hang around with the penguins from the beach and play with them.

They’re just too cute for missing a photo with them. And of course, plenty more photo opportunities wait at the Cape of Good Hope, the furthest south western point of the African continent. Look out for the Dias Cross and Da Gama Cross, which are erected to commemorate Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco Da Gama, the first explorers to reach the cape.

And at Cape Point, while winds blow your hair, the spectacular view of the cliff along with the meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic Ocean will blow away your sight. I must say, it’s one the best views I have ever seen.

Miscellaneous

Another activity you can do in Cape Town is to go around the Woodstock and District 6 areas. Woodstock, a suburb outside the city, is home to the Old Biscuit Mill, an old mill turned into a trendy hangout spot with shops, restaurants and office space.

Make a point to stop by District 6 too, a place with a historical significance since 60,000 people were forced to leave this area during the apartheid era.

Look out for a number of graffiti in this area that reflects the social and political era that passed by. And yes, do stop by Charley’s Bakery at Canterbury Street for some amazing treats—you’ll know what I’m talking about.

After hours

After all the sightseeing and city tour, and if you need a break, have a stroll at Bo-Kaap area through its cobbled street on the slopes of Signal Hill, go around the Green Point area, or De Waterkant for some trendy and chic eateries or for a drink. If you want to party until the birds chirp and be a part of the larger crowd, Long Street is definitely the area to be.

There’s so much for you to choose from rather than someone telling you where to go and what to do. It’s your call.

And certainly it was my own call, four days for myself in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

However, due to time constraints and crappy weather, my choices were limited. I would certainly want to go on top of the Table Mountain and get a bird’s eye view of the city, I want to lie on the beaches and enjoy the water, and I want to get lost in the blue sky. And yes, I certainly have to go to Muizenberg to enjoy the Fish Hoek beach.

So this means that I have to visit Cape Town again sometime in the summer season. Cape Town is indeed calling my name once again.