Cape Town Winter

Cape Town Winter
Table Mountain

Cape Town Winter

Cape Town Winter
Table Mountain / Robben Island

Monday, June 25, 2007

Child's Play Guide

Visit Butterfly World
One of the largest live butterfly displays in the world with specimens from five continents. Take the Klapmuts turn-off on the N1 and once you’ve finished being a lepidopterist for the day, head to Franschoek for a bite to eat.
Tel 021 875 5628

Chill with the Penguins
Take a drive via Simon’s Town to Boulders Beach and show the little terros the thousands of penguins who make up the urban colony in the world. They tend to shelter from the sun by taking an afternoon nap in the cars … so be careful when you drive away. www.simonstown.com

Make Stuff
Paint up a storm and create a new tea-set, funky mugs and plates. Hands-on creative fun. Look out for the Pottery Factory sing on Constantia Nek. Drop off the kids, head for the beach, the hairdresser (or the casino if that’s your game) and when you return you will have a proud child with an odd clay creation.
Tel 021 790 3318

Be a mad scientist
There’s entertainment for kids of all ages at the ScienCentre – it’s an interactive showcase of 280 science displays and technical innovations. And don’t miss the camera obsura – kids have been known to spend the morning enthralled by this device.
Tel 021 529 8100

See stars at the planetarium
Sounds and light are combined to reproduce the southern heavens on the domed ceiling of the Planetarium, alongside the South African Museum in the Gardens, Cape Town. A state of the art audio system and fine storytelling ensure a never-to-be-forgotten educational experience for the kids.
Tel 021 481 3900

Go ape at Tygerberg Zoo
The zoo is more a wildlife park than a traditional zoo with the animals free to roam about spacious enclosures rather than confined to cages. See lion, cheetah and leopard, antelope, crocodiles, birds, monkeys, baboons and chimps. Near Paarl of the N1. Tel 021 884 4494
Explore the depthsThe Two Oceans Aquarium has more than 3000 animals in 9 galleries for your viewing pleasure, including sharks, turtles, colourful tropical fish, a touch pool and kelp forest. At the Activity Centre kids are guaranteed to have oceans of fun.
www.aquarium.co.za / Tel 021 418 3823

Once were warriors
Simon’s Town is home to the worlds’ only Warrior Toy Museum which includes a huge display of dinky toys, dolls, Meccano model cars, boats, trains and other toys
Tel 021 786 1395

Wild Rides "The wildest place in Africa!”
Ratanga Junction is South Africa’s first full-scale theme park. It has plenty for the young and the young at heart, day and night. Over 30 rides, including the hectic Cobra, as well as bird, snake and stunt s ows, bumper cars and interactive play areas. With only a one-off entry fee to pay, the rides are for free and you can go as many times you like. Yee-haaa. The park is open from late November every year, after the annual winter hibernation.
Tel 086 120 0300

Thursday, June 21, 2007

People of the Cape

KHOISAN
People have lived in the Cape for thousands of years. Small groups of nomadic hunter-gatherers (San) and pastoralists (Khoikhoi) are collectively known as the Khoisan. Colonial conquests, smallpox and perpetual racism have all but decimated the only real indigenous people of the Cape. Many intermarried with slaves and others to form the “Cape Coloured” people. Small numbers of “authentic” Khoisan remain today, living in the traditional manner in the Northern Cape.

AFRICAN
Ancestors of the amaXhosa moved south from the Great Lakes around 1500 years ago. More recently, West African slaves were brought to the Cape during the 17th and 18th centuries. Since 1994 South Africa’s borders have opened up and people from all over the continent have flocked here in search of opportunities and a better life.

PORTUGUESE
The earliest European sightings of the Cape were by Portuguese explorers Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco Da Gama at the end of the 15th century. In 1503, Antonio de Saldanha became the first European to land in Table Bay. Later, in 1658, a Portuguese slave vessel carrying 170 slaves arrived at the Cape. In the 1960s and 70s, a wave of Portuguese settlers came to the Cape, fleeing wars in Portuguese colonies Angola and Mozambique.

DUTCH
In 1647, shipwrecked Dutch sailors built a small fort and upon their return to Holland a year later, they persuaded the Dutch East India Company (VOC) to establish a post here. In 1652, a Dutch expedition of 90 Calvinist settlers led by Jan van Riebeeck founded the first permanent settlement here. From 1672, the Cape had a Governor of its own but remained under Dutch control until 1795.

FRENCH
The first non-Dutch immigrants to the Cape were the French Huguenots, the majority of whom arrived in 1688 and 1689. Fleeing anti-Protestant persecution in Catholic France, the VOC subsidized their emigration to the Cape because of their shared religious beliefs and desirable skills. Owing to VOC language restrictions instituted in 1701, the French Huguenots ceased by the middle of the 18th century to maintain a distinct identity and language.

MUSLIM & INDIAN
The first Muslims arrived as slaves and political exiles from the Dutch colonies of Java and Malaysia in the 1650s, with many banished to Robben Island. A second wave of Muslims were brought here by Britain from India in the 1860s. Many Hindu Indians served as auxiliaries in the Anglo-Boer War and settled here afterward.

BRITISH
Ever since Sir Francis Drake in 1580 dubbed this “the fairest Cape in the whole circumference of the earth”, Britain has maintained a healthy interest in the Cape, finally consolidating their rule in 1814. In 1820, British authorities persuaded 5000 middle-class immigrants to leave England and settle on strategic land in the Cape. Within three years, almost half of these 1820 Settlers had retreated to the towns, particularly Grahamstown and Port Elizabeth. Today, British influence in the Cape is everywhere, even in the smallest Karoo town.

OTHERS
Jewish settlers from England and Eastern Europe, particularly Lithuania and Latvia, Germans, who have established a number of schools here and Filipinos who arrived from a shipwreck in the mid-1840s are just some of the minority ethnic groups that have added to the Cape’s vibrant cultural mix.

5 Local Music Styles

1Kwaito
Kwaito emerged in the early 1990s – slowed-down house beats, looped melodic samples, deep basslines and repetitive vocals. The name Kwaito is derived from the Afrikaans word kwaai, (angry) as well is its paradoxical slang “cool” connotation. The language of Kwaito is Isicamtho, township slang, and a mix of local languages. Pioneers like Boom Shaka, TKZee and Bongo Maffin have given way to superstars like Zola, Mandoza, Mzekezeke and Brothers of Peace.

2Ghoema
The fold music of the Cape evolved from multicultural influences swirling about the Tavern of the Seas. The term ghoema is derived from the barrel-shaped drum made out of a tin can without a bottom, an instrument closely associated with Cape Malay music. Goempie was also used by the Cpae Malay people to describe the abdomen of a pregnant woman. Ghoemaliedjies (songs) incorporate the Malay comic song or moppie and are a strong part of the annual Minstrel Carnival.

3Kwela
South African pennywhistle music rose to international prominence in the 1950s. A typical kwela lineup was two pennywhistles, a home-made guitar and tea-chest bass. The term kwela is derived from the Zulu for “get up”, as well as being township slang for police vans, the kwela-kwela – street-corner pennywhistle players served as entertainment and lookouts. Cheap and portable, the pennywhistle enabled the swift adaptation of traditional folk tunes. Prominent players include Aaron “Big Voice Jake” Lerole and Spokes Mashiyane.

4Jazz
South Africa is one of the few countries outside the USA where jazz has been a genuinely popular music, rather than the preserve of an exclusive clique of fans. Its roots lie in rural-inspired marabi and more commericial mbaqanga. Artists such as Hugh Masekela, Abdullah Ibrahim and Miriam Makeba responded to industry and political pressures by going into exile and winning an enthusiastic following.

5Boeremusiek
The traditional music of rural Afrikaans speakers, the vastrap cousin of ghoema has today come to embody Afrikaner culture. For an authentic experience, dance he langarm to sakkie-sakkie played by and accordion-wielding boereorkes. Once of the most established groups is Klipwerf Orkes, who have sold hundreds of thousands of albums over the past two decades.

Monday, June 18, 2007

5 SA Inventions

1Kreepy Krauly
Hydraulics engineer Ferdinand Chauvier came to SA from the Belgian Congo in 1951. Realizing a gap in the market, he invented the world’s first automatic pool cleaning unit, powered by the pool’s filter system. It was made in his Springs home from wood and rubber tubing melted together on the kitchen stove. The original design was so solid that is has essentially remained the same, except now it’s made of plastic. Over 1.5 million cleaners have been sold internationally.

2Dolos
A dolos is an unusually shaped concrete block used to protect harbor walls from the force of the sea by dissipating, rather than blocking the energy of the waves. First installed in East London Harbor, dolosse are now used all over the world. The revolutionary sea buffer got it’s name when it’s designer Aubrey Kruger’s father Joe was asked to make a wooden model of the object. When it was completed he observed “wat speel julle met die dolos?” “dolos” is the Afrikaans word for the knuckle joint in an animal’s leg. With that, the dolos was baptized.

3The Blaster
Hijackings are rare, but they do happen, particularly in Gauteng. One method of hijack prevention gives new meaning to the words “step on the gas”. Invented by Charles Fourie in the late 1990’s, the blaster is a flame-throwing device built into car doors and operated by pushing a button next to the foot pedals, igniting a man-size fireball from the side of car, engulfing the would-be hijacker without endangering passengers or damaging the car’s paint.

4Vuvuzela
The Vuvuzela is a noise making trumpet of SA football fans and it’s come to symbolize the sport in this country. It’s said that the earliest form of vuvuzela was the kudu horn, blown to summon African villagers to meetings. It’s a noisy thing, when you get it right, so some don't like it. Love it or hate it, visitors to the 2010 World Cup are sure to go home with a few vuvuzelas tucked in their luggage…

5Pratley’s Putty
Originally invented by Krugersdorp engineer, George Pratley in 1948, to hold components in an electrical box. This hybrid epoxy urethane adhesive was used by NASA in 1969 to hold parts of the Apollo XI mission’s Eagle landing craft together. To prove the reliability of his glue, Mr Pratley used a blob of it to suspend a 13-ton bulldozer over his son’s head. Pratley died in 1983 and today the company is run by his son. The bulldozer is still suspended in the foyer of Pratley’s Krugersdorp offices.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

5 Ways to get HIGH...

1Sky Diving
There are two ways for beginners to experience the thrill of skydiving. Tandem jumping involves being strapped to an instructor with a special harness. Jump out the airplane door at 10 000ft for a mind-blowing 30-second freefall at 200kph (120 mph) before the Tandem Instructor opens the parachute at about 5000ft for a peaceful 3-4 minute ride to the ground. Alternatively, your parachute is deployed by a static line attached to the plane. If you’d like to capture the moment, a video cameraman can accompany you on your jump.

2Helicopter Trips
Explore the breathtaking wonders of he Cape Peninsula. NAC Makana Aviation offers four scenic flights ranging from the 15-minute Hopper to the hour-long Point journey, which takes you over the white sands of the Atlantic seaboard southward along Chapman's Peak to Noordhoek, all the way to the remote Scarborough and Cape of Good Hope, before heading over to the eastern side of the Peninsula—the naval base and the beaches of Simon’s Town, Fish Hoek and Muizenberg, then inland over the lush Constantia and back to the Waterfront.

3Hot Air Ballooning
Ballooning in the winelands offers a unique adventure in the beautiful Boland, an hour’s drive from Cape Town in the scenic Berg River Valley. A gentle ascent takes you over fields, vineyards and orchards, as free as a bird. A retrieval vehicle meets you as you land and takes you back to Paarl for a delicious breakfast at Grande Roche Hotel. Alternatively, take a trip over the Klein Karoo, with panoramic views of Oudtshoorn, the majestic Swartberg mountains and the Karoo from over 1000ft. Celebrate with champagne after landing before returning to the launch site for a buffet breakfast.

4Paragliding
Gently gliding through the Cape skies is truly an unforgettable experience. Lion’s Head is the most frequently flown site in the Peninsula during summer. Table Mountain, way up at 1000m, and Signal Hill (250m) are a little more intense. One needs to be qualified and licensed, but if you don't have time or inclination to sign up to a school and learn the skill yourself, you can experience the thrill with a tandem glide.

5Abseling
Boasting ten years of experience, a dedicated staff and an impeccable safety record, Abseil Africa will take you over the edge! The Table Mountain Abseil is the world’s highest commercial abseil—step off the top at 1000m above sea level and rappel down 112m. The Summit Walk is a guided walk up Platteklip Gorge to Maclear’s Beacon, the highest point of Table Mountain. Kamikaze Kanyon is a full day’s adrenaline-pumping adventure—hiking, kloofing and abseiling under “Thunder Falls”, a 65m water cascade. Summit certificates and digital photographs are available.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Drive Time

1Bain’s Kloof
The road linking Wellington with Tulbach is an absolute must for the road-trip enthusiast. The Bain’s Kloof Pass winds a long, slow path for 30km across the mighty Limietberg Mountains. The town of Wellington on the Cape Town side of the pass once marked the extent of the Cape Colony. No one knew what lay beyond until A. D. Bain spotted a slight break in the mountains and, despite having no formal engineering training, built this masterpiece. He used convict labour to eke out a ledge across the mountainous barrier with construction plodded along at an agonizing 53 days per kilometer. It took 1608 working days to complete. Amazingly, the road was build without the aid of cement. Today on the pass you can see the convict memorial, original toll houses and Scotty’s Ring, used to hold down the most notorious convict, Scotty Smith. On the other side of the pass you can visit Ceres and the charming village of Tulbach, flattened by an earthquake in 1969, but now beautifully restored.

2Coastal road to Hermanus
The coastal road along the Overbergstrand offers one a look at possibly the most magnificent piece of coastline in SA, characterized by endless mountains dipping into the sea. The Harold Porter Botanical Gardens is definitely well worth a visit. If you are adventurous, go sandboarding on the huge dunes. If you are crazy, jump off the Palmiet River bridge or take the smaller dive off the nearby rock ledge. The sea in Hermanus is warm, the easily beaches accessible and safe, and the town is relaxed and easy-going. But the best reason to visit is undoubtedly the journey there!

3Lunch in Jonkershoek
Stellenbosch is famous for it’s wine, beautiful architechture and historic oak trees, while surrounding mountains leave a lasting impression on visitors. So once you’ve seen all the historic sites and heard the fascinating tale of Adam Tas, head out for lunch at one of the Cape’s best kept secrets, The Trout CafĂ© in Jonkershoek, just 9km from Stellenbosch. The road to jonkershoek winds it’s way past some of the country’s most beautiful wine estates. There’s flyfishing on your left hand side, where you can cast your line into one of the 6 dams. What-ever you do, dont miss out on the pan-fried trout and baked cheesecake of chef Jenna Gough.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

The Good Food and Wine Show

I just love winter, it is the season where you can spoil yourself and indulge into the simple pleasures of food to warm up your senses. This said there was however nothing plain about this year’s food and wine show that was recently held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. For me it was the perfect evening to be “selfish” and to just go out there without any inhibitions. Nothing was going to spoil my evening not even my own consciousness so I blocked out words such as fat, calories, sugar and moderation from my thoughts.

Needless to say I came prepared with a hungry stomach that embarrassed me the last 3 hours with a growl so loud it sounded like a hungry continent.

Ready to stuff my face and pack my stomach to a balloon, I entered. It was heaven, stalls all over and food, glorious food. I think like most people my plan was to start with the best food while the palate is still sharp to enjoy every bite and slowly work my way to the less desirable stuff. With my stomach so hungry and stalls looking tempting with food I was lost as to where I am going to start first.

With the aid of my friends I got pulled here and there; thanks for that otherwise I would have still been standing there by the entrance gaping.

I tasted everything from chocolates to puff pastry. The best for me was the chocolate covered marshmallows that you could dip yourself into a creamy chocolate fountain. Besides the fact that every dish imaginable was there to test they could next time to my opinion cut down on the dip and smear tastings. I mean you can just have so much “pesto” and then it should be vinito.

For me no evening will be a success without some vino. I was overjoyed when I spotted the wine stalls in the distance. Definitely up my ally since I love good wine, especially Shiraz and Pinotage; did I mention to you that I blocked out all thought of moderation?

With me being on cloud nine I can honestly say that the evening was magical and that the variety was heaven. That said I will definitely be back next year!

6 Local Lekkers

● Rooibos Tea
Rooibos is grown only in a small area of the Cederberg, 250 km north of Cape Town. Initially used by the Khosan, in 1904 a Russian immigrant named Benjamin Ginsberg turned it into a business. Today the tea is enjoyed all over the world. Rooibos has no additives or caffeine and is great for allergies and digestion. Oh, and it tastes great too!
● Dried Fish
Dried fish is the biltong of the West Coast with dried snoek and Bokkoms particular favorites. Bokkoms are mullet gutted and soaked in salt water then dried for a few weeks. Perhaps because of it’s appearance, it may be one of the more difficult of delicacies to learn to love—all the more reason to try it.
● Appeltiser
Launched in 1966, this healthy, lightly carbonated apple juice grew rapidly in popularity and is now exported all over the world. In 1981 the success of Appeltiser led to Grapetiser, both white and red. Peartiser was then launched in 2005 but don't hold your breath for Bananatiser or Watermelontiser...
● Biltong
Biltong is South Africa’s national snack. Try it the traditional way, air-cured beef laced with coriander and sliced into thin pieces, then move onto fancier stuff - game, ostrich or even shark, in peri-peri or garlic. Some like it dry and chewy, others moist and tender. Once you’ve mastered the ‘tong you have to try it’s cousin, droewors.
● Mrs Ball’s Chutney
Amelia Ball was born in 1865 in East London, where her Canadian parents had years earlier been stranded on their way to Australia when their boat sank. When she died in 1962, aged 97, Mrs Ball’s recipe was known only to her son and grandson. And to think the secret recipe could have been buried at sea, or even worse, used by Australians.
● Koeksusters
A koeksuster is a piece of plaited dough, deep-fried in oil, then dipped in cold syrup. Hot oil and icy-cold syrup will give you the perfect koeksuster - crunchy on the outside and soft, moist and syrupy on the inside. Koeksusters are very rich (unhealthy) and usually kept for festive occasions. Cape Malay in origin, experts will claim a slight difference between the Malay and Afrikaner versions.

3 Things to Do

1Take a Train: False Bay Coast
Tourists and locals alike tend to overlook the train as a means of traveling for pleasure. The train may not go everywhere in the city, but there’s no doubt that a trip along the majestic False Bay coast is well worth it, offering a refreshingly different perspective and a glimpse into the city’s past. Once through the Southern Suburbs, the train hits the False Bay coast at Muizenburg and carries on through to Simon’s Town. The rich and famous have long since deserted the False Bay coast in favour of the Atlantic Seaboard, but what’s left is a string of seaside villages, now all part of Cape Town, far richer in terms of their history, more relaxed and more attractive to a certain type of traveler. The train ride itself is an experience - ideally you’d want to make a whole day of it and take in as much as possible. If you don't get off anywhere else it must be Kalk Bay, a Bohemian enclave of antique stores and trendy eateries. Be aware though that the sun sets a little earlier on this side of the mountain. Avoid afternoon rush hour and be sure to travel light so as not to attract any trouble. Enjoy the ride!
2Take a Ride: Horse riding in Noordhoek
Just outside Cape Town at the end of the scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive you’ll find Noordhoek, a sleepy hamlet on the west coast of the peninsula. There you’ll find a Long Beach - it’s huge, with white sands stretching far from the 8km shoreline, ensuring perpetual peace and quiet. The beach’s size and location make it ideal for horse-riding. For many there’s nothing quite like galloping through the waves with the spray in your face and wind in your hair. Experience breathtaking views of Chapman’s Peak while riding off into the sunset. You can also visit the Kakapo shipwreck and watch indigenous bird life, or simply sit back and enjoy a glass of champagne on the beach. Knowledgeable guides and well-behaved horses will ensure an experience of a lifetime. Rides are available from Imhoff’s Farm just outside Kommetjie or from a number of stables in Noordhoek itself. Lessons for riders of all ages and levels are also available. This is an extremely popular activity so book in advance. Call 021 789 2812 for more details.
3Take a Walk: Sea Point Promenade
There’s no better way to enjoy a city than on foot. While the mountains offer scenic and somewhat strenuous walks and hikes, one can find pleasant walks on flat ground right in the city. None is more enjoyable than the Sea Point Promenade, a three kilometer seafront sojourn from Mouille Point to Bantry Bay. Sea Point has a district flavour with it’s faded glamour and slightly seedy charm. The population here is hugely diverse and on the Promenade you’ll encounter all kinds of characters. Step out and enjoy the crisp sea air and sweeping views of Table Bay and Robben Island in the distance. It’s the perfect way to spend your time, whether it’s an hour or a whole day. The beaches there aren’t the greatest; instead you can take a swim at the water pavilion pool, complete with high diving board. Sunset is the best time on the promenade. Then head over to the main road for dinner and drinks. Sea Point never sleeps, so make the most of it!

Monday, June 4, 2007

Indoor Ideas

Our Indoor Ideas...
The Planetarium
The planetarium at the Iziko National Gallery has always been a hit with school children, but its appeal is by no means age specific. A celestial theatre, the Cape Town Planetarium utilizes the complex Minolta star machine and multiple projectors to transport audience members through the wonders of space. Like science fiction made real, there is nothing timeless about lying back in the dark and allowing the galaxies to unfold before your eyes. No matter how old we are there is always a sense of child-like wonder at the scope of our universe and the realization that the humans are merely insignificant specks in a far greater design. Space travel will only be available to multi-billionaires for at least the next decade, so why not opt for the next best thing and visit the planetarium for a humbling experience. Tel: 021 481 3900
The Scratch Patch
If you are needing a reminder of what it’s like being a kid...pop in at the scratch patch for an hour of fun with pretty polished stones. Waterfront Tel: 021 419 9429
Simon’s Town Tel: 021 786 2020, Canal Walk Tel: 021 555 0111
Movies
It is the best time of year to catch up on your big screen favourites…

Perils of Cape Town

Perils of Cape Town
● The weather
Be warned, winter in cape town is weird. You wake up in Green Point. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, dolphins and seals frolic in the gentle sea. Then you drive to Kirstenbosch where your spaghetti strap top is soaked in seconds. Next on the itinerary: Table Mountain, where the icy wind threatens to tear your hair from your head. Clouds follow you back to Green Point but the sun comes out just as you zip up that sheepskin jacket.
● Furry rogues
Watch Out! The company gardens are populated by rogue bands of fearless criminals with complete disregard for authority despite the CCTV cameras. They operate with stealth and pounce before you even know they’re there. The only view you’ll get of them will be their bushy tails as the scamper away, bounty in hand. Now where did I put that sandwich?
● Say What?
Even other South Africans can’t understand Capetonians: we have a peculiar way of speaking that involves lots of pensive pauses and vacant stares into the middle distance. It’s not that we’re ignoring you, we’re just looking at the mountain and thinking of the last perfect wave or the best place to watch this evening’s sunset – while you babble on about the Nikkei and Footsie 100
● Your bill, Sir
Waiters in Cape Town are students, models or lazy. Or model lazy students. Which makes paying for a meal quite a challenge. When asking for the bill, the average waiter will turn, look past you and flick his fringe. Walking up to them and jabbing your finger into their backs helps, but you should still be ready for a lengthy wait.