Cape Town 03 May.
Located
on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town was originally developed
by the Dutch East India Company as a victualing (supply) station for Dutch ships sailing to East Africa, India,
and the Far East. Jan Van Riebeeks' arrival on 6 April 1652
established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. Cape Town
is the second-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg.
CT
is an incredibly fascinating and really pretty city nestled between the fabled
‘Table Mountain’ and the great Atlantic and the Indian Oceans. The city is well
laid out with broad roads, a bustling market place, city centre and a
mesmerizing water front. Lovely huge bungalows with manicured gardens lie along
the mountain side – each outdoing the other in architectural elegance. Driving
around CT is a very pleasant experience. CT has a population of 3.9 million and
yet the city looks devoid of people.
As
we landed in CT we collected our car from Hertz. Initially they gave us an
Etios with automatic gears. I was not used to automatic gears and was very
uncomfortable. We changed it immediately to a manual gear Chevrolet Sonic sedan
and reached ‘Best Western’ hotel.It is a very well appointed, reasonably priced
and efficient hotel chain. We had stayed earlier in the same property in
Santorini, Greece.
After
a quick lunch we went off the see ‘Table Mountain’ which is a flat-topped
mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town. Table
Mountain is about 260-million years old, starting at Signal Hill and ending at
Cape Point. The main feature of Table Mountain is the level plateau
approximately 3 km from side to side, edged by impressive cliffs. The drive
from the hotel is lovely and as one climbs, the contours of the city come
alive. Table Mountain is proud to be one of the official New 7 Wonders of
Nature. We took a cable car to reach the top. The lower cable station is at an
elevation of 302 mtr and the upper cable station on the western most end of the
Table Mountain plateau, is at an elevation of 1,067 mtr. As we go up, the cabin
rotates providing a panoramic view of the landscape below. The ride up is very
fascinating but quick. One reaches the top in four minutes. Once on top you get
to see the town and its surrounding in all its beauty. A must see for all visitors.
Figure 1 – Best Western Hotel CT – Efficient,
Friendly, Neat and tidy.
Figure 2 – On the way to the cable car
station
Figure 3 – View of the ‘Table Mountain’ from
below
Figure 4 – Jai and Navin photo op
Figure 5 – Kats Navin and I
Figure 6 – Very interesting rock formations
Figure 7 – Sun set at Table Mountain
Figure 8 - Another view of sunset on
reaching the base of Table Mountain
Figure 9 – The city below
Figure 10 – Navin with locals - bonding
Cape Town 04 May.
We
drove around to see all the important sights of CT. The weather unfortunately
let us down – it was wet, cold and cloudy throughout the day, accompanied by
gusty winds and blinding rain. We went to Hout Bay and Chapman’s Peak. We had
nicknamed the GPS, ‘Susan’. It was impossible to navigate within the city or
outside without directions from Susan. The GPS is a life saver. Kats kept a
very close eye on the GPS (no pun intended) and prodded me regularly. We later
replaced Susan with Peter (on our second car trip) and it was truly ‘Peter the navigator’
(also Kats’ pet name with the senior military brass). We drove to the Cape of
Good Hope and later on to Cape Point via the Western sea board and returned via
the East. The drive along the coast is outstanding and prompted us to stop ever
so often to enjoy the view and take photographs. One has heard so much about the
‘Cape of Good Hope’. It was a truly historic moment to be standing out there
(in the pouring rain and cold)seeing the end of the African continent and wondering
how scores of seafarers must have felt, rounding the point and heading towards
India.
The
next halt was Boulders Bay on the Eastern seaboard to watch the African
Penguins (Sphenisus demersus).
Boulders Beach is a
sheltered beach made up of inlets between granite boulders, from which the name
originated. It is located in the Cape Peninsula, near Simon's Town. From just two breeding pairs in
1982, the penguin colony has grown to about 3,000 birds in recent years. The
Penguins are very cute and tiny, not more than 2 ft tall. The sight is simply
captivating – a couple hugging each other, some standing as motionless as
statues with only their eyes giving them away as they stared back at you. A few
females were nesting in the sand and the rest swimming and generally having a
great time in the cold water. It was a truly remarkable sight watching hundreds
of Penguins (all in the pouring rain).
We
then stopped for lunch at the exotic beach resort – Simon Town, home to the South African Navy. It is
located on the shores of false Bay, on the Eastern side of the Cape Peninsula. Tucked away between the sea and
the mountains, the village is very picturesque and a hot tourist destination.
The late lunch at a restaurant called the ‘Quarterdeck’ was very appetizing.
The German owner was extremely loquacious and very interested in Zodiac signs.
He suggested where we could go the next day.
Figure 11 – Table Mountain covered by clouds.
View from Hout Bay
Figure 12 – At Chapman’s Peak
Figure 13 – Approaching Simon Town – pristine
beaches all along
Figure 14 – A typical fishing village
Figure 15 – Never ending stretches of flats.
Figure 16 - On the way to Cape Point at the
very popular water front joint, the Dixie Café
Figure 17 – Eastern view of Cape of Good Hope
with Cape Point in the distance.
Figure 18 – Kats and Navin all excited
Figure 19 – Jai and Naveen at Boulders Bay
Figure 20 – On a stroll
Figure 21 – Caught in the act
Figure 22 – A meeting of sorts
Figure 23 – Nesting
Figure 24 – Shelter inside cut drums
Figure 25 – A perfect statue
Figure 26 – Simon Town, Main Road.
Figure 27 – Outside the ‘Quarterdeck’ for
lunch
Cape Town 05 May.
We
set out early in the morning to the V and A Waterfront to catch a ferry to
‘Robben Island’. The name is Dutch for "Seal Island" and it is located 9 KM from CT. The former President of South Africa, the late Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island for 18 of the 27 years
that he served behind bars before the fall of apartheid.
The island was also used as a leper colony and animal quarantine station. The men and women were
kept separate but found a way to meet. J and
they had healthy babies who were often adopted by the rich in town. The island
houses a museum. The island was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999.
The
ride on the ferry was uncomfortable for most of the tourist as the gusty winds
had made the sea rough. It takes about an hour to reach the island. A
photographer (ready to take photos for a fee) welcomes the tourist on board
with a broad smile saying, “Welcome, my brother from another mother!”
Once
on the island you are greeted by the local guide an ex-political prisoner. His
briefing and narration of the events which took place on the island is charged
with emotion. He mentioned that Mandela could not cry as his tear glands were
badly affected by the harsh conditions in which he was made to work in the hot
sun for years on end.
Ntando
Mbatha spent 7 years in the prison and recalled his experience in the prison.
He had the top bunk, but once slept on the floor when a hunger strike left him
too weak to climb the ladder. He started the walk around by saying, “Your trip
is unique- you pay money to get into a prison, whereas others pay to get out”.
The walk takes you to the cell where Mandela was imprisoned, places where the
prisoners worked and so on. Prisoners were confined to small cells with only a
sleeping mat and a bucket toilet. Each morning they were roused at 5.30 am to
empty their buckets and face a day of hard labour. Even worse, they were
deprived of contact with their loved ones, and limited to a half-hour visit a
year from a family member, and only two letters. It is very interesting to note
that an Indian by the name of ‘Billy Nair’ was a political prisoner in 1964. It was for these reasons that UNESCO's World
Heritage Committee chose to mark this location for its 'triumph of the human
spirit'. The island also has interesting bird and marine life. The island
boasts of 2000 penguins and 132 types of birds
Today,
only the staff stays on the island. It has a church which conducts weddings on
Valentines Day.14 couples got married in 2013.The island has a 9 inch gun mount
with a range of 50 KM - which was installed during WW II. Unfortunately it
became operational 2 years after the war ended. In 2004, a ten-year-old boy
from India became the youngest person to swim the 12km from Robben Island to
Cape Town
The
visit gives you a true insight into Nelson Mandela’s struggle against apartheid
and the unimaginable sacrifice he made to free SA from it. He certainly towers
above any human being – 27 years in prison, speaks volumes about his vision,
tenacity and strength of mind.
Another
interesting feature is the absence of any huge monument or memorial idolizing
Mandela– the museum just spouts bare facts and the impact is strong and
inspiring. When he visited the lime quarry where he did hard labour, many years
later, he quietly went and placed a big stone in the middle. All the other
former political prisoners and friends present, silently followed suit and one
can see the pile even today which honours Mandela's release from prison,
after 27 years behind bars. The pile
consists of 1200 stones each brought by an ex-convict. This simple
expression of solidarity, displays the struggle in its entirety. The guide also
showed us a cave in the quarry which was nicknamed the Cave of Higher
Education, as Mandela would discuss issues with the other prisoners there, whenever
they were allowed to rest.
Later,
we spent the whole day lazing in the sun on the Victoria and Alfred waterfront
of CT. It is a favourite destination for locals and tourists alike; attracting
more than 23-million visitors a year which makes it the most visited
destination on the African continent. Sipping wine and relishing a chilled beer
was the order of the day – a truly relaxing place with the sea constantly
lapping the jetty, with innumerable birds flying around, the sun playing hide
and seek, a gust of wind blowing in your face and exotic sea food to satisfy
your gastronomical cravings.
Figure 28 - In the V and A mall
Figure 29 – V and A waterfront
Figure 30 – At the ferry ticketing booth
Figure 31 - A yacht ready to proceed on a
coastal tour
Figure 32 – View of Table Mountain from the
sea
Figure 33 – Cape Town from a distance
Figure 34 – Arrival
Figure 35 – Mr Ntando Mbatha political
prisoner for 7 years as our guide
Figure 36 – Introduction to the prison
Figure 37 – Mr. Nelson Mandela’s cell
Figure 38 – Barbed wire fencing and the watch
tower.
Figure 39 - The pile of stones was erected in
the lime quarry by a gathering of former political prisoners and friends to
honour Mandela's release from prison, after 27 years behind bars.1200
stones.
Figure 39 A - The cave where Nelson Mandela taught fellow prisoners
Figure 40 – Leper colony grave yard
Figure 41 – Church built in 1841 by the
Commandant of the military force in the island
Figure 42 – Atlantic and the Indian oceans
Figure 43 – Looking as radiant as ever
Figure 44 – Photo op
Figure 45 – Unused 9 inch gun
Figure 46 – V and A waterfront
Figure 47 – Partners in crime
Figure 48 – V and A waterfront
Figure 49 – CT from top
Figure 50 – A visitation by a Seagull
