Tourist for a Day: Cape Town
The current economy has many people around the world tightening their belts, thinking more about saving, and consequently spending less on family holidays.
In fact, it’s leading to a rediscovery of the sights and sounds of familiar places and if we can derive enjoyment from simple pleasures, within a days drive of home, then why not? It has less impact on the environment, boosts local business, and helps us all to live in the moment, and simply enjoy life, right now.
It is in this frame of mind, that my family undertook a short trip some of my favourite parts of Cape Town, looking at it through the eyes of a tourist.
Many Capetonian locals pride themselves on having many a secret haunt that is somehow ‘better’ or ‘less crowded’ than those frequented tourists, but it occurred to me, that we sometimes focus so hard on avoiding those places popular with tourists that we miss out on all the good stuff!
Our first stop was the new stadium, currently being built in Greenpoint, for the Fifa 2010 Soccer World Cup.
The visitor centre (housed in an portion of the old Greenpoint stadium), offers a video presentation (which we did not stay for as it would have meant an hours wait for the next one) about the process of building the stadium, and of the history of the land that the stadium is being built on.
Unfortunately, though understandably, there were no tours being offered which allow you to visit the inside of the stadium in his current state of construction. It is however, looking quite magnificent, and the final finished piece should be quite spectacular.
I was really impressed by how we were welcomed by the staff, and ushered in, and the sense of pride with which we were greeted and told about what was on offer.
As a former sceptic, I’m now happy to say that I think that this world cup, may just show the world what South Africans are capable of. (Don’t you dare prove me wrong South Africa!!)
We were unable to even get close enough to the stadium to get a decent photograph, so we decided to drive up Signal Hill to see what it looked like from up there.
It is quite incredible just how much things have changed, in the cityscape that greeted us from on top of Signal Hill.
It was lovely to see the excitement on the faces of the American tourists that were there en mass, correctly picking out Robben Island (pictured) where our own Nelson Mandela spent most of his incarceration, and getting into the rhythm provided by some local ethnic drummers who were performing, and getting them involved in the drumming.
Ahhh. Cape Town. Despite your many problems, you still take my breath away. There are few greater sights in all the world.
There of course many spectacular sites the world over, and many that I desperately miss, and can’t wait to see again, but for a simple day trip? To have this on my doorstep is a most welcome and awe inspiring delight.
Which brings me to this…
The drive back down Signal Hill is almost better than the one on the way up, given that you get to see this wondrous view of Table Mountain, followed by the descent into Kloof Nek, and onwards to Camps Bay beyond.
Driving over and into Camps Bay like this, one never knows what to expect, you could easily have bright sunshine in the city bowl, only to be faced with a massive cold front rolling in to the Atlantic Seaboard, but we were lucky, and nothing but bright clear sky greeted us, along with an almost Fiji-an like blue sea.
We followed the road around and down to Hout Bay, where we headed straight for the tourist mecca that is Mariners Wharf, for the obligatory fish and chips, and dive bombing sea gulls.
A piece of Hout Bay Beach, next to Mariners Wharf, and Mariners Wharf itself – not nearly as busy as I would have expcted, considering that it is currently Spring Break!
It was tasty, delicious, peaceful, and all around awesome, and the perfect way to wrap up our ‘Tourist for Day’ adventure.
The next installment of “Tourist for a Day” will be out later this week: Location: To be advised!
All photographs are copyrighted, by NessWorld Online Magazine, all rights reserved.
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Great to see photos from your side of the world – look at how blue that sky and sea are.
.-= Vicki´s last blog ..Aaron-isms =-.
HI Vicki
We were lucky to catch these photos with such great weather. The colour of the sea varies from this almost tropical looking blue, to a very boring and dull grey. As idyllic as it looks in the photos, the sea between Robben Island and the coast where you see the stadium, is filled with very hungry sharks – which is why Robben Island was used as a prison colony in the bad old days.