What constitutes a Capetonian?

Taken from capetown.conferences.co.za

Originally from Gauteng, I have always wondered why I have such an affliction with Cape Town.  You see, I consider myself Capetonian through and through, even though I wasn’t born here. This got me thinking... besides being born in Cape Town and living here, what makes one a Capetonian?

Here are my reasons for considering myself a Capetonian:

I love the ocean and all that it entails. The cold water of the Cape does not bother me and I enjoy to surf and swim often. The beauty and variety of the Cape inspires me and makes me long for Cape Town when I am away. I am laidback by nature and the mode and pace of Cape Town allows me to live life at my own speed. The lifestyle here may not be one of wealth like Joberg, but it is one of safety and freedom. I love all that Cape Town is and am proud to live here. I love living here and cannot imagine living anywhere else.

What are your reasons for calling yourself a Capetonian?

Cheers to a safe and vibrant CBD!

I must say that out of my experiences thus far, Cape Town CBD is run the best out of most South African towns. After travelling through the Eastern Cape recently and the Wild Coast and from seeing and hearing things about Johannesburg, I am even prouder to stay where I do. Most CBDs in South Africa are dirty but Cape town seems to be the cleanest I have encountered. There is crime in all CBD areas but at least in Cape Town you can still walk around town at night and party without fear for your life. Travellors from far and wide choose to stay in the CBD as it has so much to offer.

There is so much promoting our town and its vibrancy through the City of Cape Town initiative, whereas most other CBDs in other provinces are places that one HAS to go to for business, not out of choice.  Driving through some of the towns in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng  area scared me as you see muggings and hijackings in broad daylight as you drive passed. I don’t live in Cape Town CBD, but as a regular visitor I believe we have a great CBD! It is a place I want to go,  so full of cosmopolitan life and energy.

Cape Town CBD taken from mybroadband.co.za

Commemoration of our heritage

Did you know that Cape Town just turned 360 years old this year? We have created a rich heritage and history during this time. Let us take a look at some interesting historical fact to commemorate this wonderful place...

• Asian immigration to South Africa started in 1654 when slaves from Malaysia were brought to the Cape, in turn encouraging the spread of the Islamic faith in Cape Town culture.

• Britain seized Cape Town from the Dutch in 1795. In 1803 it was returned to The Netherlands and, by 1806, was back in the hands of the British. In the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814, Cape Town was conceded to Britain, becoming the capital of the Cape Colony.

• Cape Town has its own unique mix of indigenous music called Ghoema, closely associated with the Cape Malay culture having its origins linked to the musical culture of the Malay slaves.

• Cape Town has the oldest wine industry outside Europe and the Mediterranean, dating back to 2 February 1659 when Jan van Riebeeck produced the first wine recorded in South Africa.

• Cape Town is situated on an underground river called Camissa, meaning “place of sweet waters”.

• Cape Town’s City Hall was built in 1905. On 11 February 1990 Nelson Mandela made his first public speech after his release from Robben Island, on the balcony of the City Hall.

• Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first human heart transplant in the world in 1967 in Cape Town at Groote Schuur Hospital.

• Hand axes made by Homo Erectus, dating back 750 000 years, have been found near Cape Town.

• In the 1500s, Portuguese sailors encountered storms as they sailed around the Cape Peninsula and dubbed it “the Bay of Storms”.

• Jan Van Riebeeck and Dutch East India Company settlers landed at the Cape on April 6, 1652. They had been sent to the Cape to establish a supply station for ships travelling to the Dutch East Indies.

• The oldest living tradition in Cape Town is the firing of the Noon Day Gun at Lion Battery on Signal Hill. The Noon Day cannons are also two of the oldest cannons in the world still in daily use.

• The original Table Mountain Cableway opened for business on 4 October 1929, transporting millions of visitors, as well as the current Queen of England, Elizabeth ll, to its smooth summit.

• The San and the Khoikhoi are the first recorded peoples of the Cape. The San were hunter-gatherers while the Khoikhoi were mainly herders.In later years, the Khoisan generation called the area Hoerikwaggo, meaning “mountain that rises from the sea”.

(Please note: Sources consulted - www.capetown.travel/blog/)



A historical photograph of Cape Town station 1896 taken from capetowngazette.com



What to do in Cape Town in winter

Winter is half way through so this post comes a bit late. The cold weather leaves most wanting to hibernate but there is still much to do in this stunning place. We have a rich heritage so although we have to give up beach days and sundowners, we can replace them with other activities. Here are a few things one can do in the beautiful Cape during the chilly winter months...

Every day the noon cannon goes off at 12pm on the dot. One can go see this slice of history from 11.30 am everyday on Signal Hill. Don’t forget to cover your ears!!

The Company Gardens in Gardens is still a magnificent place to go for an afternoon stroll with a friend or loved one in winter. One can buy peanuts from a street vendor and feed the many pigeons and squirrels.

If you want to learn more about Cape Town’s history, then a visit to the Castle of Good Hope is in order. From here (weather permitting) you can also take a 3km tour through the old sewers of Cape Town which lead all the way to the base of Table Mountain (Visit the Good Hope Adventures website for more information).

The Castle of Good Hope taken from ipmssa.inext.co.za

If you feel like a swim but don’t have a wetsuit or aren’t brave enough to endure the cold ocean, you can visit the long Street Turkish Baths which offer you heated pools, a sauna and steam rooms.

Art fan? Visit the South African National Gallery just across from the Company Gardens. It is home to impressive works from around the world and exhibitions are constantly changing.

A day trip to the Iziko Museum is a must. It is a place full of knowledge and interesting exhibits and while you are there you can visit the Planetarium. It is a good day out for the family.

Go and have breakfast or lunch at Rhodes Memorial. It is a beautiful setting.

Me at Rhodes Memorial

Go wine tasting with friends along one of the Cape’s many wine land routes such as Durbanville, Stellenbosch or Franschhoek.

Of course winter dining is exceptional in Cape Town, but just watch you waistlines as there is a restaurant for everyone’s taste!

A haunting in the city..

It is hard to imagine a ghost roaming amongst the hubbub of the City of Cape Town, with its trend setters on every side walk, night clubs in almost every street and everlasting traffic. However, we must bear in mind that the City of Cape Town is where it all started and it is where we find South Africa’s oldest building, the Castle of Good Hope. In most old buildings, the perceptive will find lost souls wondering around looking for a way to the other side...

There many stories about ghosts haunting the Castle of Good Hope. One of the most infamous ghost stories told is that of the Lady in Grey.  It is said that she was often seen with her hands covering her face, as though she is weeping. Other sightings of her have been made at Government House. Apparently, there was once a passage that linked the Castle and Government House.  During a recent excavation,  the skeleton of a women was found. This is thought to be the remains of the Lady in Grey as her ghost has not been seen since the skeleton was found. Hopefully now she can rest in peace.

There is a tale of another ghost, Governor Noodt who is also thought to roam around the Castle of Good Hope. He was known as a unsympathetic disciplinarian. One night, four of his soldiers were caught trying to escape and so he sentenced them to death, a punishment perhaps a bit too cruel. The Governor did not care for human life. The night before the executions of the four soldiers, they sat and prayed with their minister. The following morning the Governor didn’t show up for the executions. Even the last man who was brought out to be executed cursed the Governor and demanded him to come out and witness his death. Still he did not show up. The man challenged him to appear before God to answer for what he had done to these four men and then was hanged. The officers came to report that the sentence had been carried out and found Governor Noodt dead in his room with a look of horror on his face. Apparently he had died of a heart-attack and his soul still roams the Castle at night. Spooky stuff!

Taken from plpinfo.org

Touring Cape Town, tourist-style!

A few weeks ago, when the weather was still sunny and brilliant, I went with my sister on the City Sightseeing bus. You know, that big, topless red one that all the tourists take... Well I just have to say WOW! What a professional service and such a brilliant experience. I would recommend that everyone (whether you are local to Cape Town or not) experiences the magic of Cape Town from the top of the City Sightseeing bus! Their slogan is ‘The best way to see Cape Town in 2 days” and I agree.

Taken from citysightseeing-blog.co.za

The buses depart from the V&A Waterfront and take one of two routes: either the Blue or Red route. Each route covers a different spectrum of Cape Town. There also 1 day and  2 day trips. Prices range between R110 –R210 for a ticket, depending on what you want to do. The bus takes you on a tour with headphones, explaining the background of every part of Cape Town as you drive. It also stops at all the tourist destinations such as Table Mountain cable car and Camps Bay where you can climb off, enjoy the experience and be picked up later. The bus runs like public transport and there is a bus within 25minutes at each stop.

I learned things about Cape Town I never knew and took awesome photographs. Do yourself a favour and give it a go! You won’t regret it! For more information on routes and prices, please go check out their website: http://www.citysightseeing.co.za/home.

• The Castle from the bus.

Driving passed the Purple Turtle in Long Street. It has more history than you think!

It's here folks!

If you live in Cape Town, you may have noticed that the days are getting shorter, the sun rises later and sets earlier. There is that snowy bite in the air and raindrops and grey skies are making their appearance more often . The South-Easter has died down and the fashion in the shops has changed. Summer dresses have been replaced with coats and scarves. Yup...you guessed it, winter is upon us!


Taken from franto.com

Winters in Cape Town are rather chilly and often wet. The seas are rough but water sports such as surfing and body-boarding are considered winter sports as the Cape’s water is warmer and waves better in winter months. Also, Great Whites, monsters of the ocean, flock to our shores and Shark Cage Diving becomes Cape Town's greatest attraction. After the initial shock of the cold Capetonian’s finally come out of their hibernation and continue to party it up at all the hotspots in and around town. Restaurants near the ocean offer you blankets and turn on their gas heaters. Ships stay out in the bay longer as storms make it dangerous for them to dock but they create quite a scene as they dance in the waves with their heavy cargos swaying.

To the pleasure of locals, prices come down as the tourists all leave back to their warm countries. Shopping malls and cinemas suddenly become fuller as the beach is not an option in the rain. People eat hot scrumptious food and waistlines expand. Traffic increases as Capetonians suddenly forget how to drive when it is raining.

The point is that winter can become depressing and I believe many Capetonians feel somewhat out of sorts while its cold and rainy, but I would have to say that I would choose a Cape Town winter over any other South African winter. It gets cold but not as cold as other places like Guateng and there is always a party, a vibe and excellent wining and dining. There is always something to do, plus, we still get to enjoy our beautiful ocean with its bobbing ships!

Table Mountain hides a lot during winter: Taken from imod.co.za