My Cape Town

Am I going soft?  I have been know to shed the odd tear over an emotional film, but surely it isn’t normal to well up when listening to a 20 second ad? Just three short sentences have had me gulping like a guppy recently. ‘I am. I can. I will.’ These words have been  plastered up on billboards around Cape Town as part of the Old Mutual ‘Invest in Yourself’ campaign for what they have called ‘Two Thousand and Thrive’.  I love it.  I amaze myself with the surge of feeling it generates within me.  Here am I, not even a true South African, and yet I find myself swept along in the current of national pride and positivity that is coursing through this land.  It is true

Best Foreign Film?

that there are still many problems facing South Africa today, but having in the last couple of years put the first ‘Afronaut’ into space, having won an Oscar (Charlize Theron was born in SA) and now been nominated for another, and having won the soccer world cup bid for 2010, South Africans feel nothing can stand in their way.  ‘Proudly South African’ stickers adorn everything from apples to washing machines; on a radio ad I hear ‘All my life my friends have called me names.  Now they will have to call me Doctor’.  On television, people jump up and down on trampolines, ridiculously happy, saying ‘ Last year I made a hat.  This year I am taking my hats to Milan…’ or, my favourite, ‘This year I am going to make Donald Trump.......jump.’ There is even an advert individually featuring Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Tutu, Thabo Mbeki and South Africa’s paralympic gold-winning athletes ('Yesterday I was digging for gold.  Today I am wearing it'), each beautifully filmed and intercut with breathtaking scenery.  The point of the advert seems to be simply ‘Aren’t we lucky to live in this country?’  Maybe I am soft, but it gets me every time.

Leading SA entrepreneur, Mark Shuttleworth, the first 'Afronaut'.

But Old Mutual is not ahead of itself in its campaign.  South Africa, and Cape Town in particular, seems to nurture an extraordinary number of entrepreneurs. Every other person I meet is running their own business, and for the most part very successfully.  And in this inspirational environment I am pleased to report that Cape Concierge has been going from strength to strength, dealing with everything from a request for the line-up of performers at the upcoming International Jazz Festival, through to detailed itineraries for a thorough tour of South Africa.  For clients here on the ground in Cape Town, we’ve been able to supply anything from plug adaptors, A-Zs and reading glasses through to the things that really matter, such as restaurant bookings and a big pile of Tintins and Asterixes.  Each request is a new challenge, but we genuinely get a kick out of making sure that our clients have the best holiday possible.  So if you are thinking of heading this way and are not sure where to start…We are.  We can.  We will.

Daisy 

Irresistible City

Floodlights on Table Mountain

courtesy of South African Tourism

In summer, 7pm is the witching hour on the Table Mountain Aerial Tramway. Then the ticket price drops by half and the slowly-revolving drum (which can carry 900 people an hour) soars up its almost vertical cable laden with Capetonians fresh out of the office, carrying rugs and candles and supermarket bags of food and wine.

Most have nipped up the mountain in order to watch the sun drop into the Atlantic and to remind themselves, once again, that they live in the most beautiful city on earth. As the pink-gold conurbation below dissolves into the dusk, to be replaced by a blanket of pinprick lights, it is echoed by the glow of candles and cigarette tips on the summit.

For the visitor, already startled by the size and stature of the city-centre mountain and its scurrying rock hyraxes, or "dassies" (which turn up, along with ostrich, crocodile and antelope, on the menus of Cape's carnivorous restaurants a thousand metres below), the main point of a trip to the top - at any time of year - is to comprehend the geography.
Below you, the city dances across the skirts of the mountain. To the north, it slopes down from the classy suburbs of Tamboerskloof and Gardens, via the old colonial centre, to the glittering malls of the Victoria & Alfred Docks ("The Waterfront"). To the west are the Atlantic beaches of Camps Bay and Clifton; to the south False Bay, the Indian Ocean beaches and the peninsula itself, tapering to the Cape of Good Hope. To the south-east are the black townships, spread over the sand plains of the Cape Flats.

My own introduction to Cape Town was surreal: I was writing a story about cosmetic surgery - itself indicative of the First World infrastructure and Third World prices that still prevail in South Africa, despite the rise of the rand - and in between visits to clinics the surroundings seemed quite startlingly lovely. I liked the easy-going feel of the city, which must come partly from its rollicking history as a port, and I liked its diverse origins -part-African, part-European, part-Asian. Racially, it has always differed from the rest of South Africa because of its population of Cape Coloureds - descendants of Malay, Indian and Javanese slaves brought in by the Dutch - and the indigenous Khoikhoi people.

Down on the ground, I still found it difficult to get my bearings, despite a Topless Bus Tour (the bus, not us) that I took, which roared over narrow passes and up and down granite mountainsides - passing succulents with dazzling blooms and ritzy homes with jaw-dropping terraces - to provide view after stupendous, confusing view.

Houses in Bo-Kaap

courtesy of South African Tourism

Like most visitors from expensive Northern Europe, I spent much of my time planning virtual property purchases: for the price of my shoebox in England I could buy a) an oceanfront apartment near The Waterfront, b) a Cape Dutch farmhouse with cute little hipped gables, or c) a brightly-coloured Cape Malay house in trendy Bo Kaap. The nagging sense of dissatisfaction with my own existence has never quite left me.

Also, like most visitors from expensive Northern Europe, I helped myself get over it by shopping and eating. Cape Town shopping is sensational. Southern African craftsmen and women must be some of the most talented in the world and the boutiques that stock their work know what does and doesn't work for the average Western tourist. So, exuberant, powerful patterns electrify cushion covers, rugs and T-shirts. I still have in my flat an elephant and wart hog made out of recycled phone wire and my nephews have cars and clocks made of flattened tin cans. Rugged bush clothes are a speciality. Presidential Shirts in the Waterfront complex sells the distinctive, short-sleeved patterned shirts worn by Nelson Mandela. Children's clothes in bright cottons are fine value. And I defy anyone to leave without stocking up on Christmas decorations made of glittering beads, or finely woven Zulu baskets, each tagged with its village of origin.

As for food, if dassie fricasée or spicy Boer sausages aren't your thing - and the full-on meat restaurants are up there with Argentina and Texas, if substantially more exotic - there are fresh fish braais or barbecues (try the Jabberwocky-sounding speciality of snoek) and Cape Malay dishes such as bredies (hearty stews) and sponge puddings. For me, the biggest culinary pleasures were breakfast at the funky Olympic Café on Kalk Bay, down on the peninsula, and a Cape Malay buffet that I tried in the Jonkerhuis ("Young Man's House") Restaurant at the arts enclave of Spier, east of the city.

Thus fortified, you will be ready for some of Cape Town's set pieces. After Table Mountain usually comes Robben Island in Table Bay, Nelson Mandela's prison for 18 years, now reached by tourist boats from Mandela Gateway. Guided tours, which are conducted by former prisoners, are thought-provoking and frequently unsettling. You cannot help realising, as the minibus stops to let people photograph the stunning city skyline, that the city you are looking at across the water is still overwhelmingly white.

The majority of black citizens still live out of sight in the Cape Flats townships and in recent years township tours have become commonplace. The companies which offer them do so with the permission of township residents. Like most people, I set off for a night in a township B&B with some ambivalence and returned humbled and clutching a bunch of marigolds made out of old glue tins.

I wished I had taken some paper and crayons for the children. And I thought that the District 6 Museum (on the site of a mixed-race neighbourhood summarily dismantled under apartheid) was one of the most vibrant museums I have seen, with its floor map eagerly scribbled on by former residents and 1km-long "Namecloth" - embroidered with the names of District 6 families

The best season for plants is the South African winter, which is also the time when the first whales arrive. They can be seen off both coasts until the summer - and once the whales have gone there is always the year-round penguin colony at Boulders on the peninsula. Anyway, in the end, who needs wildlife when you've got beaches?

These are beaches of every size, shape and aspect. When north-westerlies blow, head for the beaches south of Muizenberg, checking out restaurants as you go. If the town is swept by the "Cape Doctor" (the easterly wind said to blow away disease and pollution), off to Camps Bay with you. There are surf beaches and family beaches, fashion beaches and gay beaches. Beaches with watersports. Beaches without.

In fact, back in my English shoebox, it's difficult to believe that all this stuff is crammed into one city a mere two hours from our time zone. But if I ever feel doubtful, I just have to look at the bunch of tin marigolds on my desk. Blooming gorgeous, all year round.

CHEAP FLIGHTS

Virgin Atlantic are selling two tickets to South Africa for the price of one!  Check it out on the Travelplanners website .  You'll see the banner in the top right hand corner, but here's the basic information:

Destination	Class	Travel Period	Published Fare	2 for 1 Price (per person)
Johannesburg	Economy	25 Mar - 15 July	£900	£450
Johannesburg	Premium Economy	25 Mar - 15 July	£1570	£785
Johannesburg	Upper Class	25 Mar - 15 July	£4170	£2085
Cape Town	Economy	25 Mar - 15 July	£1020	£510
Cape Town	Premium Economy	25 Mar - 15 July	£1890	£945
Cape Town	Upper Class	25 Mar - 15 July	£4290	£2145

• Only 5000 vouchers available - hurry offer ends 31 January 2005
• 2 for 1* offer applies to Economy, Premium Economy & Upper Class on Virgin Atlantic
• Travel outbound anytime between 01 January 2005 to 31 December 2005

*Subject to airport taxes which are payable on each ticket by each passenger at time of booking

Other airline news  -  Lufthansa and South African Airways are now offering direct flights from Frankfurt to Cape Town.

Upcoming Events

KIRSTENBOSCH SUMMER SUNSET CONCERTS
Every Sunday until 3 April
A chance to drink wine and picnic in one of the most spectacular concert venues in South Africa, if not the world.

SPIER SUMMER ARTS FESTIVAL
until 2 April
The annual summer program at Spier Wine Estate celebrates a proudly African line-up, presenting a diverse variety of performances including music, theatre, film, comedy and the famous sunset Christmas carols.

SHAKESPEARE AT MAYNARDVILLE OPEN-AIR THEATRE
January and February
An annual event, inspired by the productions in London's Regent Park. On warm summer evenings many theatre-goers begin the evening by picnicking in the park before the show begins.  This year – Much Ado About Nothing.

PRIMO - STARRING SIR ANTONY SHER
12 January - 5 February
Regarded as one of the best stage actors of his generation, this celebrated performer will appear in his home town for the first time since he left South Africa in the late sixties.

J&B MET
29 January
The Western Cape’s premier horse race.

SAILING - MOSSEL BAY RACE
26 - 29 January
50th anniversary of this classic race from Cape Town to Mossel Bay, a distance of roughly 240 nautical miles.

SPORT EXTREME EXPO
28 - 30 January
A three day exhibition totally dedicated to extreme sports and the global lifestyle and cultures that accompany them.

ONE DAY INTERNATIONAL: SOUTH AFRICA v ENGLAND
6 February
South Africa take on England in this One-Day International at Newlands in Cape Town, the fourth of a seven-match series.

AQUA OPERA
10 February
This annual floating opera spectacle features the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, a massed choir and some of Cape Town’s hottest vocal talent and rising opera stars.

WOMEN’S WORLD CUP OF GOLF
10 - 13 February
2005 will be recorded in the history of women's golf as the first time a truly international field of the worlds best female golfers will come together to compete for the coveted "World Champions" team title on the fabulous courses of Fancourt on the Garden Route from Cape Town.

CAPE CLASSIC - THE MAGIC OF MUSIC
18 - 26 February
A Festival of fine music featuring international artists performing works by some of the world's greatest composers in the superb, intimate setting of the library at Vergelegen Wine Estate.

CAPE TOWN PRIDE
18 - 27 February
Nelson Mandela’s new constitution, when he swept away Apartheid and ushered in South African democracy in 1994, included the all important "freedom of sexual orientation" clause.  This 10 day celebration is considered Africa’s Mardi Gras.

INTERNATIONAL DESIGN INDABA
23 - 25 February 
A gathering of the world's brightest talent across the creative industries.

NEDERBURG WINE AUCTION - TASTINGS
28 February
A chance for the public to taste the wines on auction in April.

MATROOSBERG GRAVITY ADVENTURE FESTIVAL
19 - 20 February
A weekend of fun and adventure, with mountain-biking, cross country, 4x4, abseiling, swimming and zipwire challenges.

REM IN CONCERT
3, 4 and 5 March
The launch of the South African leg of the supergroup’s World Tour to promote their new album ’Around the Sun’.

CAPE TOWN FESTIVAL
6 - 25 March
Featuring the best in original South African and international music, performance, public art, comedy, spoken word and visual arts, this festival provides a rich slice of culture for all generations to enjoy.

CAPE ARGUS PICK ’N’ PAY CYCLE TOUR
14 March
The biggest timed cycle tour in the world. The 105km tour around the beautiful Cape Peninsula takes place every year and attracts over 35,000 entrants from all over the world.

NAVY FESTIVAL
19 - 21 March
Annual Navy Event in Simon’s Town with a variety of activities for all ages.

KURLAND EASTER POLO FESTIVAL
20 March - 2 April
International Polo Festival

FIRST EVER TERRAQUA GRAND SPREE
23 - 28 March
An amphibious 'go-carts' (boat-carts) race through the town centre of Mossel Bay, finishing at Santos Beach.

CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT RALLY
25 - 27 March
A chance to view some classic old style boats.

OLD MUTUAL TWO OCEANS MARATHON
26 March (Easter Saturday)
This popular annual event features a 56km ultra-marathon and, for those who don’t fancy mixing with the professionals, a shorter 21.1km race as well.

THE CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL
26 & 27 March
The Cape Town International Jazz Festival (formerly known as The North Sea Jazz Festival) is officially dubbed 'Africa's Grandest Gathering' and boasts an impressive line-up of the world's top jazz artists, including the one and only Cesaria Evora.

RED BULL DOWNHILL EXTREME RACE
tbc March
An annual event in which international in-line skaters, skate boarders, and street luge pilots fling themselves down the spectacular Kloofnek road leading to Clifton's beaches at speeds in excess of 100km/h. The 1.7km course is one of the most extreme on the international calendar and the event has historically drawn more than 22,000 spectators.

THE CAPE EPIC
2 - 9 April
This second annual epic mountain bike race involves 800 mountain bikers from 29 countries riding more than 900 gruelling kilometres  through the magnificent scenery of the Western Cape.

GLOBAL CHALLENGE OCEAN RACE - CAPE TOWN STOPOVER
4 April - 1 May
The world's toughest yacht race! The sight of Table Mountain will signal the end of arguably the toughest leg of this race the ‘wrong way’ round the world. Cape Town, known for centuries as ‘the tavern of the seas’, will have no trouble helping the crews to recharge their batteries. 

NEDERBURG WINE AUCTION
8 & 9 April
Considered one of the top five wine auctions internationally, labels bearing the words 'sold at the Nederburg Auction' are regarded as seals of approval by both licensees and their customers.

WESTLIFE LIVE IN CAPE TOWN
8 April
Woohoo!  Neill will be pleased. 

WATERFRONT WINE FESTIVAL
3 - 6 May
And with more than 350 wines to taste, this festival provides a dream time for lovers of fine wines and exquisite cheeses.

PRINCE ALBERT OLIVE FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL
6 - 7 May
Lots of activities, walks, tours and competitions, plenty of food demonstrations and tastings and evening entertainment from stories to cabaret to dancing.

CAPE GOURMET FESTIVAL
6 - 22 May
A fortnight of feasting as Cape Town's finest eateries swing open their doors and set decadent gourmet menus, paired with Laborie wines, to get the tastebuds tingling. 

RED BULL BWA (BIG WAVE AFRICA) 2005
22 May - 12 June
A 20 day surfing spectacle, when renowned international and local big wave surfers converge on Hout Bay to ride waves in excess of 15' (5 metres).

THE PINK LOERIE CARNIVAL
26 - 29 May
Knysna turns pink for this annual festival.  With live shows, art displays and a carnival atmosphere, Knysna celebrates the freedom embedded in the South African constitution.

GARDEN ROUTE GOURMET FESTIVAL
16 - 18 June
Good food & wine on the Garden Route.

CROSS KAROO EXTREME TRIATHLON CHALLENGE
16 June – 16 July
Run 88kms from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, Mountain Bike 2200 kms to Paarl, and Canoe 208 kmsalong the Berg River to Velddrif on the Atalntic Coast. Yikes.

TULBAGH CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS IN WINTER
25 - 26 June
Christmas lights, Christmas Dinners, wine tasting, gluwein, beer gardens, sport bars, art & crafts exhibitions, stalls…