My Cape Town

“I love the smell of Cape Town in the morning”.  I haven’t even seen Apocalypse Now but I know the line well enough to misquote it. I spoke gruffly, with a dodgy American accent.  I couldn’t help myself – I was in a Huey, the iconic combat air vehicle and star of so many films, and I was revved up for a Combat Mission flight.  The rotors were settling into steady whump whump overhead, and the sound system was playing The Doors’ This is the End.

Those were the only doors of course.  The Huey is instantly recognisable for its lack of them, a fact which lends a huge boost of extra naughty thrill for a passenger.  My nerves, already stretched with anticipation, had been teased further by the pilot, Lee, who instructed that all bags and sunglasses, loose scarves etc. must be left in a locker because if anything flew out of the plane and into the tail rotor, it could bring the whole ‘copter down.  Yikes.

There are many fantastic sightseeing tours over Cape Town but to travel in a Huey offers something a bit different. Not least is there fantastic visibility through the gaping holes in the sides, but there is the sensation of the sky flowing around you and the relentlessness of the massive noise of the rotors which create a sonic boom on each rotation.  The noise is an integral part of the experience.  Not for nothing is the Huey known as the Harley Davidson of the sky... and we were about to put it through its paces.

We flew almost directly north of Table Mountain, up over the curve of Table Bay, leaving the city bowl behind us - a blotch at the bottom of the vast mountain.  The surfers paddling out below us gazed up in awe.  I was watching our shadow flit across the waves when an unmistakeable outline appeared – whales.  We swooped down low and around them, one after the other – six or seven in total of the slow, silent behemoths of the deep.  What a sight.

To have spotted whales from a helicopter would have been exciting enough, but the last of the stretches of houses and golf courses lining the beach were petering out and we were on a mission.  We headed in a little from the beach and Lee took us right down, skimming the top of the long wild grass, heading straight for a hill.  It was just like the films - that classic scene in every film featuring a helicopter - where it bursts out unexpectedly from behind a grassy knoll or a building or a sand dune... that was us!  And Status Quo was blasting “You’re in the Army Now..."

As we skimmed and dived and pirouetted over the waving grasses, I was amazed at the grace of the machine. How extraordinary that something built solely for the purposes of war could be so elegant and precise... though maybe that’s exactly the point.  Even the noise of the rotors seemed a part of the dance, with crescendos and diminuendos rising and falling with the speed and angle of the machine. Only with any sudden lift did I feel that stomach lurching sensation, but nothing like the battering the fairground Waltzer gives. Sometimes the Huey seemed to be almost on its side but, Wall-of-Death-like we were glued to our seats, gaping stupidly as the ground came up to meet us.  Time after time we looped and curved and rolled, often just a couple of feet from the ground, and the view changed from blue sky to blue sea to green grass with only Table Mountain in the background as a steady reference point. Awesome.

Ah, the things I put myself through for you readers.  Well, as Hawkeye once said in that other Vietnam film, M*A*S*H,  “It was the least I could do. I always do the least I can do.”

Daisy

Cape Spectacular and Executive Helicopters offer 15, 30 and 60 minute sight-seeing trips on the Huey as well as the Combat Flight.  For more information or to book, contact me at  

 

Guest House of the Month

All too often authentic Cape Dutch houses are stuffed with Victoriana clutter and sticky velvet in a misguided attempt to retain their ‘olde worlde’ splendour.  How refreshing then, to discover Hawksmoor. Located on a 220 hectare wine farm, the décor of this gracious house offers a lively twist on the expected, flawlessly matching exquisite antiques with utterly contemporary fabrics and modern technology.

Partway between Cape Town and Stellenbosch, Hawksmoor is just a 25 minute drive from the city centre and yet feels way out in the middle of the countryside.  There is nothing but vineyards for miles around and the garden surrounding the house is filled with birdsong.  To the west lies the clear silhouette of Table Mountain, dramatically enhanced by the spectacular sunsets of this region.

With just four enchanting en-suite bedrooms, it often caters for exclusive bookings by groups of friends or family.  It also regularly hosts weddings and parties. 

But it is equally the perfect place for one or two people to take a quiet, relaxing break and enjoy an authentic country home experience.  The kitchen is a highlight.  Here an old Aga sits cheek-by-jowl with a top of the range stainless steel gas stove. Guests are welcome to make themselves completely at home to the extent that they are often found whipping up a meal using herbs from the garden and bits and bobs from the larder.  Upon request guests are cooked for, with grand meals served up in the wonderfully elaborate dining room, or out on the stoep overlooking the mountains. 

Every detail has been considered, from the degree of privacy at the swimming pool to wireless internet connection to mountain bikes to in-house massage treatments.  If guests want to be independent and private they are utterly free to do their own thing. If they would like help with itineraries and bookings or simply want to sit and chat, that also is welcomed.

It is early days for Hawksmoor but already the bookings are rolling in.  Get in there quick!



Rates at Hawksmoor are incredibly good value: R 275 pps b&b (£20, $40, EUR30) until the end of September, thereafter R 625 pps b&b (£46, $92, EUR69) until May 2008. Subscribers to the Cape Concierge newsletter get a discount. Contact me at for more information.

Upcoming Events

For a full list of upcoming events I urge you to check out the fabulous new site WhatsoninCapeTown.com .  Below are a few highlights:

HAIR - THE MUSICAL
26 May - 1 July
The iconic anti-war musical, as relevant today as it was at the height of the Vietnam conflict, vibrates with vivid afro, tie-dye, beaded, long-haired, psychedelic colour.
www.theatreonthebay.co.za

YALE ALUMNI CHORUS
4 July
The university chorus, some 160 singers strong, on the Cape Town leg of their tour of South Africa.
www2.aya.yale.edu/assocs/yac/powertour.html  

PICK 'N' PAY KNYSNA OYSTER FESTIVAL
6 - 15 July
One of the most popular annual events in the Western Cape, this has expanded to become a 10 day celebration of sport, food, wine and leisure activities.
www.oysterfestival.co.za     

EAGLE EYE CHERRY LIVE IN CONCERT
8 July
The acclaimed singer and songwriter, famous for his hit single "Save Tonight", performs at the Armchair Theatre.  Also on the bill is Cassette, winner of this year's SAMA award for Best Rock Act.
www.armchairtheatre.co.za

UB40 IN CONCERT
9 July - 10 July
The legendary Reggae ambassadors return to South Africa. Their Cape Town performance will be at Ratanga Junction.
www.computicket.com

NOKIA CAPE TOWN FASHION WEEK 
11 - 15 July
Africa’s largest gathering of fashion talent launches the spring/summer collections of over 70 of Africa’s top designers.
www.leisureworx.com/cape_town_fashion_week/nokia_cape_town_fashion_week

WORLD YOUTH CHOIR CONCERT
19 July - 20 July
The World Youth Choir, made up of 78 singers from 32 countries, kicks off its South African tour. 
www.cpo.org.za

STELLENBOSCH WINE FESTIVAL
2 August - 5 August
A chance to taste more than 500 wines, do comparative varietal tastings at the cultivar table, meet your favourite winemakers and watch super chefs sweat it out. www.wineroute.co.za/festival.asp