Capetown, South Africa

I have completely fallen in love with Capetown and could instantly move here (don't worry Mom, I will still be home in time for Christmas as planned). Capetown is absolutely beautiful and captivating. Seventy-five percent of it is surrounded by beautiful waters with Table Mountain towering from behind. It is definitely a picturesque city with various adventures and an enrapturing historical background.

There are 11 official languages here in South Africa. English and Afrikaans are the most common. Afrikaans comes from five different languages: Dutch, German, English, Malay and French. Everything is printed in English and Afrikaans and most people speak English and another of the 10 languages. There are cases of people speaking one of the 10 languages without knowing English as is the case of one of the cleaning women in our hostel. She politely nodded anytime we tried to say hello in English. It is an interesting concept to think about in how to get around and function without knowing English which is the unifying language here. We did fumble a bit when we first got here by replying in Spanish or saying Hola when we went into restaurants but a few weird looks quickly quashed that habit.

Though Apartheid is no longer legally allowed, it is still quite prevalent. Not recognizing if this is as common in the United States, we have noticed that establishments are frequently owned by white people and those working are black. Suburbs are still primarily black from the townships established but integration is occurring more everyday. Islam is very prevalent here and it is quite common for women to at least be veiled. Most women outside that we have seen have had the full chador. Mosques are scattered around the city and sometimes those in prayer can be heard. Shops usually close quite early and by 5pm hardly any places are open. A few clubs and restaurants remain open until the early hours (we have the luxury of staying right across the street from a couple so it makes bedtime wonderful).

We have been staying at Inn Long Street. They charge about 80R a night for a mixed dorm and although they can seem to have many people staying there it is never overwhelmingly hectic. Nikki is there Monday through Friday during the day and she is absolutely fabulous. She has excellent advice, knows all about the area and the best ways to get around. She will also help in getting the best deals and will do whatever she can to help. (Our shark diving was cancelled and she was able to help us rearrange getting a car and setting up a new day to go diving within minutes).

Company's Gardens is a lovely walk with a few monuments along the way but nothing overbearing. No crazy squirrels begging for food, just a few pigeons waddling. The architecture of the neighboring buildings along the walk are colonial and hold some of the historical aspects of the city. The national gallery has an eclectic feel from the British and Dutch portraits and artists to local artists. There are artists from the 18th century up to the present. There are some contemporary exhibits and even film clips. Statues and carvings decorate the center of large rooms while the paintings and photographs align the walls.
The aquarium is a few blocks from the Waterfront. The Waterfront has two malls, lots of shops and restaurants all around. The aquarium would be more impressive if it wasn't so expensive. It's about 70R and it took us about 40 minutes to walk around (and yes, we read the information as we go). The most impressive was the information on sharks and how many are needlessly killed when they really are not the predators they are made out to be. There are initiatives currently in place to protect sharks. Castle of Good Hope is quite small but does offer some information concerning how it was started by the Dutch as protection against the Brits and local invasion. There are a few rooms on display to depict the set up of the Castle, but not much more than that. The Slave Lodge is definitely a must see. A video informs of how slavery was started here and the lifestyle of slaves. One half of the museum is on slavery and the other half shows Dutch artifacts. There is an exhibit on United States slavery and how far we have come.
Though it is quite informative, we did find it odd that there was not much information on current or recent Apartheid here in South Africa.

Vineyards around here are amazing. We were lucky enough to go to the Stellenbosch region to Valliera and Tokara vineyards. (We went to two more but unfortunately, the names have escaped me). The wine was delicious as were the cheese tastings and our gourmet lunch. South Africa is known for its Pinotage. Although thought to also be known for its whites, there is actually a balance of white and red wine from the area that provides a good variety for meals. I am not sure what company we went through but Robbie was an excellent guide with decent jokes and plenty of knowledge (not just the same information we get in the States).

And what a scam we have witnessed here! Our first day, we were in a music shop and I was approached by a red-headed man, about 5'11", freckles, thin, wears loose clothing and walks around quite frazzled. He first asked if I was South African and if I could help him. Apparently, he said he got off one of the small buses here (much like a combi in Peru) and they took his passport and documents. He said he was trying to get to the consulate in a city I didn't recognize (I have info on the consulates and what he named was not part of what I had) and no South Africans would help him. He asked for some money and I said I couldn't help him. I felt horrible, but his information on the consulates seemed a little fishy. Later, I saw him walking on the street in the same frantic way and I thought maybe I had been wrong, but alas,
I was right and it is a scam. Four days later, we were in another music shop in another part of town and the same guy walked up to us except this time he had on a hat! He walked right to us and asked me if I was South African. We recognized him right away and as he asked us if we had a car, Christina was about to say "uh, huh, yeah, we know who you are," but she got through the "uh, huh, no" part and he knew he was made. He said "thanks" and walked out. So be aware! The music we bought was great, though.

We are hoping to see the District Museum, which is highly recommended, Robbin Island and Cape of Good Hope within our road trip this week. Shark diving is also still in the works but will probably be next week.