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_City Overview Affectionately nicknamed the Mother City, Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. This is almost completely due to its stunning location, tucked into the arms of a broad bay, surrounded by wild, white sand beaches and set against the stunning canvass of Table Mountain. The city is the epicentre of South Africa’s Western Cape region and the seat of South Africa’s parliament. Originally home to the nomadic Khoikhoi people – related to the San (bushmen) – for at least 30,000 years, the Cape Peninsula was first settled, on 6 April 1652, by Dutch sailors led by Jan van Riebeek of the Dutch East India Company. However, this was not the first brush with European visitors that this region experienced – Portuguese explorer Bartholemew Diaz discovered the Cape in 1488, christening it Cabo Tormentoso or ‘Cape of Storms’. However, it was given the more complimentary moniker of ‘Cape of Good Hope’ by Portugal’s King John II. In 1795, it became a British colony, when the formidable British Empire extended her borders. The city has been the first port of call for many a European settler, entrepreneur and religious refugee, as well as for Indian, Madagascan and South East Asian slaves. All these people are interspersed with the local Khoi and Xhosa population, so the city has become a virtual melting pot of cultures, religions, styles and flavours. Traders from other African countries – such as Malawi, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Nigeria – also favour Cape Town, particularly because there are so many tourists there. For this reason and somewhat paradoxically, Cape Town has one of the most distinctive identities – that of strong diversity, audacity and open-minded benevolence – of all the South African cities, which is further characterised by the laid-back attitude of her inhabitants. Capetonians are fiercely proud of their easygoing image, openly laughing at their more frenetic fellow South Africans from the north and shrugging off admonitions of being afflicted by what has widely become known as the ‘Cape coma’. There is a polyglot of languages spoken on the streets, where markets and stalls selling all manner of curios, crafts, food and textiles are squashed among American-style malls, boutiques selling the latest European fashions, art galleries, luxury hotels, backpacker lodges and the ubiquitous chains. The world has not been slow in discovering Cape Town, even if Cape Town can be a tad slow in discovering the world (for example, the often sloppy standard of service in the city). In summer, it is difficult to escape the glitz of the international media, whether film crews, fashion shoots, music videos or commercials, lured by great foreign exchange rates, exotic locations, a world-class infrastructure and seemingly endless supply of drop-dead gorgeous models and extras. Although the city is undeniably one that is on the up and up, Cape Town is, however, still surrounded by the ever-visible legacy of apartheid. The first impression for every visitor coming from the airport is a sprawling sea of shanty towns, or ‘townships’, a hangover from the days of the notorious Group Areas Act, which reserved the prime city land, including the best of the beaches, for whites only. At the foot of Table Mountain, the area known as District Six (once populated by the local mixed-race community known as ‘coloured’) is still a ghost town, an undeveloped space where the buildings were bulldozed, leaving only lonely churches as a reminder of the community that once thrived here. The inhabitants were moved to the bleak and windswept Cape Flats, which has become notorious as the gangland of disaffected Cape Town youth. Even today, relatively few non-whites live in the more upmarket suburbs, although, as the economic situation slowly changes, some of the former townships are gradually turning into middle-class estates. However, the beauty spreads out from Cape Town. To the south, the impeccable beaches of the Cape Peninsula are fringed with pretty little colonial towns and opulent beachside mansions, tipped by the expanse of beautiful national park at Cape Point. To the east lies the mysterious magnificence of the Overberg, the rolling plains, deserted beaches and lofty mountains of the Southern Cape. To the north and northwest, the misty and severe splendour of the West Coast, the austere wilderness of the Cedarberg and the verdant valley of Ceres await the traveller. The Boland, less than an hour’s drive from the city centre, offers up some of the finest New World wines, most of them produced on small ‘boutique’ estates near picture-book villages, such as Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Many a visitor makes the mistake of thinking Cape Town is best during the peak summer months – December to February. The city is in fact delightful all year round. Although summer promises long, hot and heady beach days and balmy outdoor evenings, sweltering and overcrowded is another way of describing it. The strong ‘southeaster’ wind is also legendary in Cape Town during the summer months. Spring (August to September) brings blooms of flowers, while autumn (March to April) promises a golden haze of warm days. Winter (May to July), although wet and often very cold, is interspersed with weeks that are both warm and clear. During these winter months, when Cape Town is free of tourists and wonderfully green, dolphins and whales migrate, stopping in the myriad small bays that dot the rugged Cape Peninsula coastline. The waterfalls, which streak silver paths down the mountains, are the most spectacular sight of this ‘secret season’. Getting There By Air Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Tel: (021) 937 1200. Fax: (021) 934 2861. Website: www.airports.co.za Cape Town International Airport is located 20km (12.4 miles) east of Cape Town’s city centre on the N2 highway. The airport is constantly expanding – the new International Departures Terminal was opened in 2001, while completion of the new duty-free shopping arcade is planned for the end of 2002. Its cutting-edge design, clean and efficient interior and extensive facilities have earned it the title of ‘Africa’s Leading Airport’ at the World Travel Awards for four consecutive years (1998-2001). There are direct flights to 23 cities in 19 countries, including London, Munich, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Buenos Aires, Singapore, Cairo, Mauritius, Windhoek and Fort Lauderdale. Domestic and regional routes include Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London and Bloemfontein. The airport handles over four million passengers a year. Major airlines: South African Airways (tel: (021) 936 2389 or 2487 or (0861) 359 722; fax: (021) 936 2340; website: www.flysaa.com) is the national airline. Of the 19 other airlines that operate direct flights, major carriers include British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines. Approximate flight times to Cape Town: From London is 11 hours 20 minutes; from New York is 17 hours; from Los Angeles is 25 hours; from Toronto is 19 hours and from Sydney is 16 hours. Airport facilities: Facilities include foreign exchange, ATMs, executive car parking services, tourist information, restaurants, bars, snack bars, bookshops, duty-free shops and car hire, including Avis, Budget, Europcar and Hertz. Business facilities: There are four airport business centres, which are open daily, each accommodating between ten and 30 people, with facilities such as e-mail, fax, telephones, projectors, video-conferencing and photocopiers. Mobile phone hire is also available. The new Airport Training Centre and Conference Venue is located near the main control tower. The Airport VIP Lounge (tel: (021) 937 1233), located in domestic departures, provides further information on the airport’s business facilities. Arrival/departure tax: An airport tax of R25 is included in the price of all tickets (domestic and international), although this can vary according to the airline and destination. Transport to the city: Legend Tours and Transfers (tel: (021) 936 2814; e-mail: info@legendtours.co.za; website: www.legendtours.co.za) operates a shuttle bus service seven days a week 0500-2400, with prices starting at R130 for one passenger to Cape Town. There is no rail or public transport bus service from the airport. Metered taxis are available outside the airport from Touch Down Taxis, the official airport taxi company, for approximately R160. Most luxury and business hotels will, if notified in advance, provide transport to and from the airport. Getting There By Water The superbly located Cape Town Harbour, at the heart of the city off Coen Steytler Avenue, is overseen by Portnet (tel: (021) 449 3617 or 2805; fax: (021) 449 3107 or 2039; website: www.portnet.co.za/capetown) and is the second busiest port in South Africa, handling a huge volume of freight every year. Cruise liners regularly call here and it is also a major fishing port. There are two main sections of the harbour. While the massive working area, the Duncan Dock, is off limits to the casual visitor, the Victoria Basin and Alfred Basin, known collectively as the V&A Waterfront (tel: (021) 408 7500; fax: (021) 408 7605; website: www.waterfront.co.za) is one of South Africa’s premium tourist attractions (see Key Attractions) as well as a working harbour. Boat services: Curnow Shipping (tel: +44 (0)1326 211 466, UK; e-mail: reservations@curnow.shipping.co.uk) is a UK company that offers cruises from Cape Town to St Helena (journey time – 50 days) and Tristan Da Cunha (journey time – 5 days) on-board the RMS St Helena (an old Royal Mail ship). Transport to the city: The Waterfront Shuttle runs from the V&A Waterfront to Adderley Street, the hub of public transport in the city centre (journey time – approximately 10 minutes), as well as to Sea Point (journey time – approximately 20 minutes). Getting There By Road Cape Town’s road network is excellent, with both good highways and scenic routes. This, combined with the fact that there is limited public transport, means that driving is often the preferred mode of transport for many tourists. However, visitors should note that South Africa has a very high accident rate, although most major accidents happen on the national highways outside the cities. Roads are designated by an ‘M’ for motorway, ‘N’ for national roads and highways (major routes that crisscross the country) and ‘R’ for the smaller yet still key routes. Local roads, including gravel or dirt tracks, are commonly designated by a ‘C’ or ‘D’, if they are listed at all. The legal driving age is 18 years. Driving is on the left and the wearing of seatbelts is mandatory. The speed limit on highways is 120kph (75mph) and 60kph (37mph) in urban areas. Foreign licences are valid if they are printed in English and have a photograph of the holder, otherwise an International Driving Permit is essential. Licences must be carried at all times. Mandatory Personal Accident Insurance is included in the price of the petrol, however, drivers should not rely on this and extra insurance is recommended. A recent crackdown on drink-driving has made penalties stringent; so visitors should note that the maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is lower than many countries at 0.04%. Foreign drivers need to be aware that car hijacking is rampant in South Africa. Doors should be locked at all times and hitchhikers should be completely avoided. Unfortunately, it is also essential for drivers to carry cash, as petrol stations do not accept credit cards. The Automobile Association of South Africa – AA (tel: (021) 462 4426) provides general information on road travel in South Africa. Emergency breakdown service: AA (0800) 010 101 (toll free) Yellow SOS telephones are available along major routes. Routes to the city: Main routes to Cape Town are the N1 from the Winelands (Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek) and northern destinations, such as Johannesburg, the N2 from Somerset West and the Overberg via the Garden Route, and the N7 from the West Coast and Namibia. Approximate driving times to Cape Town: From Somerset West – 30 minutes; Stellenbosch – 40 minutes; Paarl – 45 minutes; Franschhoek – 1 hour; Johannesburg – 17 hours. Coach services: Cape Town is linked by air-conditioned, deluxe and standard bus services to all major destinations in South Africa, including Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth. Cape Town Station, Adderley Street, is the departure point for all bus services. Service providers include Intercape Mainliner (tel: (021) 386 4400, information or 4444, reservations; fax: (021) 386 4453 or 2488, reservations; e-mail: info@intercape.co.za; website: www.intercape.co.za), Greyhound (tel: (021) 505 6363; website: www.greyhound.co.za) and Translux (tel: (021) 449 3333; fax: (021) 449 2545; website: www.translux.co.za). Getting There By Rail Spoornet (tel: (011) 774 4378 or 4555; fax: (011) 773 5591; website: www.spoornet.co.za) operates all mainline railway services, while Cape Metrorail (tel: (021) 449 3557; fax: (021) 449 6351; website: www.capemetrorail.co.za) operates the suburban services (see Getting Around). While national travel is easy and comfortable, often even luxurious, suburban services are unreliable, not very extensive and can be very dangerous, especially after dark. Rail enquiries should be directed to the Metro Transport Information central toll-free number (tel: (0800) 656 463; website: www.mti.co.za). Metrorail also provides a security emergency number (tel: (0800) 210 081). Cape Town Station, Adderley Street, services both national and suburban lines. The station is in a vast, vaulted building that houses an array of shops and kiosks – some tacky, others quite compelling. Other facilities include information desks, security lockers for hire (R10 per day), a restaurant and, believe it or not, a doctor, dentist and money-lending services. There is also a daily open-air flea market, located immediately outside the station. Rail services: Mainline destinations include Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and East London, as well as international connections to Bulawayo, Harare and Windhoek. Passenger trains to Johannesburg depart twice a day and offer a relaxing alternative to flying, with dining cars and serviced compartments (journey time – approximately 30 hours). The premier luxury train in South Africa is the Blue Train (tel: (021) 449 2672 or 334 8459, reservations; fax: (012) 334 8464; e-mail: bluetrain@transnet.co.za; website: www.bluetrain.co.za), with services between Cape Town and Pretoria (journey time – 25 hours), as well as up the Garden Route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth (journey time – 43 hours 30 minutes). Most departures are in October, November and February and advance booking is recommended. Transport to the city: Cape Town Station is situated right in the heart of the city centre. The central public transport bus depot is situated across the road, on Strand Street (in front of the Grand Parade). Metered taxis and minibus taxis are also available outside the station. Getting Around Public Transport Cape Town is a frustrating city to navigate, simply because there is hardly any efficient public transport to speak of. That and the fact that there is a great big mountain right in the middle of the city can make getting around quite a daunting task for the tourist. Cape Town is, nevertheless, equipped with some trains and buses. Metro Transport Information (tel: (0800) 656 463; website: www.mti.co.za) provides centralised information on all trains, buses and taxis. Cape Metrorail (tel: (021) 449 3557; fax: (021) 449 6351; website: www.capemetrorail.co.za) runs the suburban network of trains, which serve the southern and northern suburbs and Stellenbosch, completely ignoring the Atlantic seaboard and the airport. Nevertheless, the Cape Town–Simon’s Town route, which traverses the coastline, just metres from the ocean, is particularly spectacular. Tourists are advised to keep a watchful eye on their possessions, as pickpocketing is rife, and they should also never travel after dark. Trains run daily 0400-2100 (depending on the route travelled), with regular departures, although there is a more limited service at weekends. Tickets vary in price depending on zone and class – a single-zone, third-class ticket costs R5 or R10.50 in first class. Tickets are available for purchase at Cape Town Station, Adderley Street, as are weekly and monthly Metrorail passes, costing R16.50 and R57 respectively (R34 and R117 for first class). Despite a dubious reputation largely gained through a violent confrontation with the minibus taxis, in what became known as the ‘taxi wars’, a few years ago, public buses still run regular and safe services to most destinations – including Camps Bay, Claremont, Hout Bay, Kirstenbosch, Kloof Nek, Sea Point and the Waterfront. However, tourists should probably avoid taking buses to the outlying areas. Golden Arrow (tel: (021) 937 8800 or (080) 121 2111; fax: (021) 934 4885; e-mail: information@gabs.co.za; website: www.gabs.co.za) has the monopoly on Cape Town’s bus services, which run out of the main bus terminus on Strand Street, just opposite Cape Town Station. Buses run daily approximately 0600-2100 (depending on the route), with a more limited service at the weekend. Bus fares are based on the kilometres travelled and prices vary accordingly. For example, a ticket from the city centre toward the southern suburbs (Mowbray) costs R3. Tickets can be purchased upon boarding or from the main terminus (Monday-Friday 0530-1900, Saturday 0700-1815). ‘Clipcards’ or passes are also available at the Strand Street terminus. Based on travel between the city centre and southern suburbs (Mowbray), these cost R27 for a weekly and R119 for a monthly clipcard. Water taxis (tel: (021) 418 5806) operate daily from 0800 to sunset, departing from the V&A Watefront Marina via the Aquarium, Quay 5 and Quay 6 on specific routes. Taxis Metered taxis can be ordered at any time of day or night and can also be hired for day trips. Although the meters are generally accurate, visitors should ask the driver for an estimated price before setting out, as many of the taxi drivers choose to ignore the meter. Taxi rates are approximately R10 per kilometre travelled, with a R60 per hour waiting fee. There are taxi ranks at the main railway station and at the top of Adderley Street, just below Company Gardens. Visitors should note that the practice of hailing a taxi off the street is virtually unheard of in Cape Town. Besides finding one at the ranks, visitors can call Marine Taxis (tel: (021) 434 0434), Unicab (tel: (021) 448 1720 or 447 1179) and Magic Bus (tel: (021) 934 5455), while Rikki’s (tel: (021) 423 4888) provide a more tourist-orientated open taxi service. Tipping is not common practice in Cape Town, although an extra R10-20 is always appreciated. Minibus Taxis A common sight in any South African city, including Cape Town, is the ten- to 12-seater minibus taxis – the preferred transport option of many a car-less local. This is by far the cheapest transport option at about R2.50 a ride from the city centre to the southern suburbs or Atlantic seaboard, however, it cannot really be recommended to tourists. Although the minibus taxis are getting more organised, especially on the inner city routes, and are probably safer than they once were, they still have a dreadful reputation and a bad track record, as a result of the ‘taxi wars’ (see above). Tourists who do choose to use this service should exercise caution and employ common sense at all times. Passengers, particularly women but men as well, should not board an empty bus, nor should they travel alone, at night, or beyond the city centre and the immediate suburbs. They should absolutely avoid the minibus taxis that are in dreadful shape – with flat or smooth tyres, alarming dents or just a general state of disrepair. Similarly, tourists should absolutely avoid minibuses where ‘co-pilots’ lean out of the window or the door to shout the destinations – tourists should only board the minibuses that have the destinations and corresponding route numbers printed on the back of the bus. A ride in a minibus taxi is also a white-knuckle experience, not for the faint hearted, as the drivers do not pay much attention to the rules of the road. Limousines Limousines are something of a novelty in Cape Town and would certainly be stared at in the street. But for an indulgent day of sightseeing – especially wine tasting – a chauffeured limousine is ideal. Operators include Cape Limousine Service (tel: (021) 785 3100), Rent-a-Rolls (tel: (021) 556 7144) and Limousine Services (tel: (021) 439 3252; fax: (021) 439 3214). Rates are R1500-3000 per day (all inclusive). Driving in the City Due to the lack of efficient and safe public transport, many visitors choose to drive. Driving in the city is usually fairly unstressful, as there are good feeder highways, excellent signage and efficient traffic lights. The scenic routes and meandering country roads are particularly lovely. However, the characteristic Cape Town repose seems to dissolve once the locals are behind the wheel and driving can be hair-raising at times. Drivers are almost always accosted at stop streets and traffic lights, by beggars or entrepreneurs flogging everything from newspapers and roses to bin liners. A wonderful treat for a hot and bothered motorist is to purchase a box of sweet Hanepoot grapes, when in season (late summer). Rush hour is generally 0700-0830 and 1630-1800, when some routes, particularly De Waal Drive, heading out of the city, become quite congested. Getting into the city from the southern suburbs can be quite an adventure for the uninitiated. On what is known as ‘University Bend’, where De Waal Drive rounds the mountain towards feeder roads to the N2 and the Eastern Boulevard, there are many tricky lane changes to tackle, mainly because the exits are to the right of the road despite the fact that driving in South Africa is on the left. A preferred route into the city centre is via Main Road, which feeds into the city centre all the way from Wynberg, through Observatory, Woodstock and Salt River into Cape Town. Although fairly straightforward, here drivers have to keep an eye out for minibus taxis, whose Mad Max antics can be quite alarming at times. It is not advisable for drivers to attempt to challenge the minibus taxi drivers, as this can be very dangerous. Parking is plentiful around the city, with almost every mall equipped with indoor parking. Central car parks are located on Strand Street, the Grand Parade and Plein Street. Parking costs approximately R8 per hour. Other parking lots offer a pay-and-display service. In many free open parking lots, uniformed parking security guards will look after cars for a tip. Tipping is not essential, however, as this is, in most cases, the sole means of support for these security guards, a small tip of around R1 is not much for the average visitor to spare. Street parking is much less simple. Rather than using coins for parking meters, there is a prepaid swipe card system. Cards are available from R20 at newsagents and other outlets. In many instances, informal parking attendants, mostly unemployed people, will offer to assist in the parking procedure. Having purchased many parking cards in advance, they will monitor the meter for drivers – thus taking away the hassle of the driver having to purchase a card and return all the time to top up the meter. They will also look after the vehicle for the price of parking used and a tip. These attendants can be unreliable, however, and may wander off. Car Hire Hiring a car is often the visitor’s preferred mode of transport in Cape Town, especially for excursions to outlying areas. Hotels can arrange car hire for their guests, while all major car hire companies have booths at the airport. Cape Town Tourism (tel: (021) 426 4260/7/8; fax: (021) 426 4266) will also arrange car hire for tourists at no extra charge. Some of the many car hire companies include Atlantic (tel: (021) 934 4600; fax: (021) 934 4549; e-mail: atlancar@iafrica.com); Avis (tel: (0800) 021 111; fax: (021) 423 3601; website: www.avis.co.za); Budget (tel: (086) 101 6622; e-mail: reservations@budget.co.za; website: www.budget.co.za); Caesars (tel: (021) 919 5171; fax: (021) 910 0775; e-mail: info@caesars.co.za; website: www.caesarscarhire.com); Cape Car Hire (tel: (021) 683 2441/2; fax: (021) 683 2443; e-mail: info@capecarhire.co.za; website: www.capecarhire.co.za); Hertz (tel: (0861) 600 136 or (021) 400 9650; fax: (021) 425 8766; e-mail: res@hertz.co.za; website: www.hertz.co.za) and Tempest (tel: (021) 424 5000; fax: (021) 424 4190; website: www.tempestcarhire.co.za). Rates start at R75 per day for a budget vehicle (excluding mileage). Optional insurance is provided by the car hire companies and is highly recommended, particularly against theft. In most instances, drivers must be at least 21 years (and often 25 years) and have a credit card and an International Driving Permit (unless the driver’s national licence is printed in English and bears a photograph of the holder). Bicycle & Scooter Hire Cycling in the city centre requires nerves of steel, and tremendous good luck. It is therefore not recommended. However, country and suburban excursions can be incredibly rewarding, especially through the Winelands and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. Rent-a-Ride, 1 Park Road, Mouille Point (tel: (021) 434 1122; e-mail: bahamba@iafrica.com), hires out bicycles for R85 per day or R350 per week. To beat the beach parking blues, particularly in the crowded summer months, adventurous tourists often choose to hire out Vespa scooters from African Buzz, 202 Long Street (tel: (021) 423 0052; fax: (021) 423 0056; e-mail: skootaz@intekom.co.za), for R145-175 per 24 hours, depending on the season. Business Business Profile Cape Town is somewhat removed from the frenetic business hype of South Africa’s major financial and industrial centre, Johannesburg. However, the Western Cape accounts for 14.3% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the city is home to some of the country’s major financial institutions. These include insurance giants Old Mutual and Sanlam, financial houses like the Board of Executives, Investec, Merrill Lynch and Fedsure, and petroleum multinationals BP, Shell and Caltex (Chevron). The economic mainstays of the regional economy are manufacturing, financial and business services, trade, tourism and agriculture. Manufacturing accounts for 20.1% of the GDP, employing 9% of the workforce, while financial and business services follow fast on its heels with 17.4% of the GDP, employing 6.3%. Trade brings forth 11.1% of the GDP and employs 8.8%. Ever since the cessation of apartheid, tourism has provided employment for a massive section of the workforce (9.3%), both directly in the service industry and indirectly for street traders and other informal operatives. Cape Town receives 7.6 million foreign and domestic tourists a year and tourism accounts for 9.1% of the GDP. The agriculture industry also employs a large number of people at 9%, producing 5.9% GDP – with the emphasis being on wine production and fruit farming. A booming industry in Cape Town is the media. The city is favoured as the ideal location for international film crews, attracted by excellent foreign exchange rates, a first-rate infrastructure, a good film service industry, stunning locations, excellent weather and well-stocked modelling agencies. Other significant industries centred on Cape Town include advertising, technology and shipping. The Port of Cape Town has an annual turnover of approximately R700 million and movement of goods, based on declared customs values, is estimated to exceed R20 billion. Expansion of the port is planned. South Africa’s GDP (R800 billion) has been increasing at approximately 1% over the past four years, and the Western Cape’s Average Gross Regional Product real growth for 1990-2001 stood at 4.06% per annum, while the projected real growth for 2001-2002 is 2.5%. With an 80% adult literacy (95% in the Western Cape) and five residential universities and technikons, Cape Town boasts a highly skilled workforce. This is undoubtedly a city on the grow, annually attracting R1.1 billion foreign direct investment. The official unemployment rate for the city stands at 18.9% (17.5% for the Western Cape), which is considerably lower than the national unemployment rate of 29.3%. Cape Town’s business district is situated mainly around the city centre and Claremont, although business and industrial parks can also be found on the outskirts, such as in Durbanville, Tygerberg, Epping, Blackheath and Philippi East. The recently opened Cape Town International Conference Centre, 13th Floor, Metlife Building, 7 Coen Steytler Avenue (tel: (021) 425 0560; fax: (021) 425 0590; e-mail: info@ctconvention.co.za; website: www.capetownconvention.com), provides extensive conference space, which further stimulates foreign business interest in the city and region. The V&A Waterfront, in the heart of the city, is an extremely popular and expanding business district. The University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business (tel: (021) 406 1338; e-mail: info@gsb.uct.ac.za) is located here, producing some of the big minds in business, both for South Africa and abroad. The Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cape Chamber House (tel: (021) 418 4300; fax: (021) 418 4302; e-mail: info@capechamber.co.za; website: www.capechamber.co.za), was founded in 1804 and is a one-stop shop for business information and advice. Business Etiquette Business practices in Cape Town and South Africa are very similar to those in the UK and USA. Despite the fact that Cape Town is more informal than Johannesburg, most industries do expect a suit and tie. The more modern or artistic industries, such as information technology and the media, tend to display a more informal attitude to dress – particularly in the summer months. However, it is advisable for foreign business visitors to maintain formality and only resort to the casual uniform of shorts, T-shirts and sandals when the after-hours entertainment begins. Business hours are 0900-1700, although many companies finish earlier on a Friday. The exchanging of business cards is an important ritual in Cape Town and a firm handshake between both men and women is common. In some instances, the African triple handshake will be used – this is a normal handshake, then a tilt to the hand is executed to clasp the fingers at a 90-degree angle – but without letting go – and then a return to a normal handshake. Socialising is a big part of the business scene in Cape Town and much business is conducted over lunch. Wine will more than likely be included and visitors should note that South African wines often have a slighter stronger alcohol content than the majority of European wines (usually nearer 13%). Admiration of the local wine will be appreciated, although over-indulgence is certainly not recommended. Capetonians pride themselves on being hospitable to foreign visitors and an invitation to a business contact’s home is not unusual. These will, more than likely, take the form of a ‘braai’ (barbecue), which tend to last throughout the entire afternoon and often into the night. Alcohol flows freely here and a gift of a bottle of wine is always appreciated, unless the host is Muslim, in which instance alcohol is strictly forbidden. In this case, a gift of chocolates, flowers or a speciality gift from the guest’s home country is more suitable. Sightseeing Sightseeing Overview There is so much to do and see in Cape Town, the first-time visitor will find it difficult just to fit everything in. Nevertheless, the city centre itself is small, compact and easy and pleasant to navigate on foot. Table Mountain watches over the proceedings, providing not only a beautiful backdrop but also a handy point of orientation, which makes getting lost quite difficult. Having said that, the city centre is deceptively facing north, rather than south, as many visitors believe. There is an amazing variety of architectural styles, including Cape Dutch, Victorian and Edwardian buildings wedged in between modern skyscrapers. The Foreshore’s V&A Waterfront is a stunning example of urban regeneration, where old-style harbour warehouses and buildings have been transformed into beautiful shopping centres, luxury hotels and a multitude of restaurants. Spreading west toward Signal Hill is the Bo-Kaap (Top Cape) area, also known as the Malay Quarter (Malay is a misnomer for Cape Muslims of Asian descent). This area was home to the freed slaves – their descendants resisted all attempts at removal by the apartheid authorities and were much more successful than the District Six inhabitants, whose homes were bulldozed, following Verwoerd’s orders for racial segregation. Offshore, north of Table Bay, lies Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela and many of the other current top political leaders of South Africa were gaoled by the apartheid regime. The outlying areas of Cape Town are also of great interest to visitors and an organised ‘township tour’, which explores the predominantly black and ‘coloured’ (mixed-race) areas of Kayalitsha, Langa and Gugulethu, is an increasingly popular item on the tourist agenda. A typical tour will include a visit to a significant site of The Struggle, lunch in a shebeen, a visit to a craft market and a stop at a self-help development project. It is inadvisable for visitors to venture into the townships without a guide, as crime levels are very high and tourists are often soft targets. To the west of the city centre and extending southernly toward Cape Point, the Atlantic Seaboard incorporates the Sea Point, Clifton, Camps Bay, Llandudno, Hout Bay, Noordhoek and Kommetjie seaside suburbs. Tacky turns to glitzy, dissolving into chic, rustic and downright wild the further from Cape Town one travels. Meanwhile, curling around the eastern side of the Table Mountain range is the Southern Suburbs, with the world-renowned Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and the Constantia and Tokai Winelands. These connect to the cosy coastal towns of False Bay’s Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek and Simon’s Town. The two sides of the peninsula meet at the windswept and breathtakingly beautiful Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve at Cape Point. Tourist Information Cape Town Tourism Visitor Information Centre Pinnacle Building, corner of Burg Street and Castle Street Tel: (021) 426 4260/7/8. Fax: (021) 426 4266. E-mail: info@cape-town.org Website: www.cape-town.org or www.gocapetown.co.za Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1700, Sat 0830-1300, Sun 0900-1300. This Visitor Information Centre was awarded the 2001 Premier’s MTN Cape Tourism Award. It offers all manner of services, including information, an Internet café, auditorium, travel clinic, art and craft shop, wine bar, restaurant and gift shop. Visitors can also book tours, accommodation and car hire at no extra cost. There is also a new Visitor Information Centre at the Clock Tower Centre on the V&A Waterfront. Other information centres are located at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, The Pavilion in Muizenberg, Sivuyile College in Gugulethu and the Tyger Valley Shopping Centre. Passes There are no tourist passes currently available in Cape Town. Key Attractions Table Mountain Cape Town’s defining landmark is also one of the city’s greatest tourist attractions. A cable car trip to the 1086m (3563ft) summit of Table Mountain takes just six minutes and the gondolas rotate through 360 degrees on the way up (booking is advisable during summer). Once there, more than two kilometres (1.2 miles) of pathways lead walkers over the massif, with breathtaking views of the city and ocean below. A bistro on the summit is by far the most incredible sundowner spot in Africa. A popular option is for day-trippers to take a one-way ticket and then climb down Platteklip Gorge. Visitors should, however, take care. The local Mountain Rescue teams (tel: (021) 948 9900 or 10177 in an emergency) carry out over 100 rescues a year, many involving foreign tourists. The routes up and down the mountain are treacherous and sheer cliff faces with buffeting winds are a very real danger. Peering over the edge of the mountain, no matter how tempting, is simply not a good idea. The signposts warning of restricted areas must be observed at all costs. Furthermore, the weather can change in a matter of minutes and mist and darkness descend very quickly. Hikers should carry water, food, sunblock, a silver ‘space blanket’ to prevent hypothermia and a mobile phone. Tafelberg Road (lower cable station) Tel: (021) 424 8181 or 5148 or 465 3412 (Mountain Club). Fax: (021) 424 3792. E-mail: marketing@tablemountain.co.za Website: www.tablemountain.co.za Transport: Bus from Adderley Street to Kloofnek, then a long walk to Tafelberg Road. Opening hours: Daily 0830-2000 (Nov-Apr); daily 0830-1800 (May-mid-Sep); daily 0830-1900 (mid-Sep-Oct). The cable car operates weather permitting. Admission: R95 (return cable car ticket); R45 (single cable car ticket); R110 (Ride’n’Dine breakfast ticket); R135 (Ride’n’Dine lunch/dinner ticket); concessions available; prices may vary seasonally. V&A Waterfront The creation of the V&A Waterfront was possibly Cape Town’s best commercial idea, transforming this harbour area into a booming centre of tourism, culture, leisure and business. Renovated Victorian warehouses, offices and buildings created in the Victorian vernacular style, and many dozens of cafés and restaurants complete this waterside area. A host of boat and yacht charter operations tout for business and it is worth taking one of the many cruises around the docks, which cost around R10-30 (see Tours of the City). The Waterfront is also home to the world-class Two Oceans Aquarium. Feeding in the huge predator tanks takes place on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 1530 and should not be missed. Aquarium dives can also be arranged. Then, with over 250 retail outlets, the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre is another premier attraction. The Waterfront Trading Company and The Red Shed Craft Workshop supply local arts and crafts, while, in summer, various music acts perform on the bandstand. The newest addition to the V&A Waterfront is the Clock Tower Centre, the departure point for Robben Island cruises. During the initial construction of the Clock Tower Centre, the ruins of the Dutch East India Military installation, dating back to between 1715 and 1726, were discovered and are now on show to the public. Plans for further expansion of the waterfront are currently underway. These will include a canal, the creation of a new marina and linking the harbour to a new convention centre. Coen Steytler Avenue Tel: (021) 408 7600. Fax: (021) 408 7505 or 7605. E-mail: info@waterfront.co.za Website: www.waterfront.co.za Transport: Waterfront Shuttle from Adderley Street or Beach Road. Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free. Two Oceans Aquarium Dock Road Tel: (021) 418 3823. Fax: (021) 418 3952. E-mail: aquarium@aquarium.co.za Website: www.aquarium.co.za Opening hours: Daily 0930-1800. Admission: R45. Waterfront Trading Company Dock Road Tel: (021) 408 7840/2. Fax: (021) 408 7845. Opening hours: Daily 0930-1800. Admission: Free. The Red Shed Craft Workshop Victoria Wharf Tel: (021) 408 7847. Fax: (021) 408 7855. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0930-2100, Sun 1000-2100. Admission: Free. Company Gardens Jan van Riebeek – the first commander of the Dutch colony at the Cape – ordered the planting of Company Gardens in 1652, to serve as a fruit and vegetable supply for the visiting ships, to protect the sailors against scurvy. Nowadays, the gardens are a green lung for the city centre. The park is not just a botanical delight but is also home to St George’s Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament, the South African National Art Gallery, the South African Museum and the Planetarium. The Anglican St George’s Cathedral has been in existence for over 100 years but is also a potent symbol of anti-apartheid resistance. It has been the site of many a political rally in the past and, until 1996, Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu was archbishop here. The Houses of Parliament, which flank the eastern edge of the gardens, are a blend of Georgian and Victorian styles of architecture. Designed by the British architect Harry Greaves, they were completed in 1885, when the parliament became the seat of British expansion into Africa. The building is also an important stop on the political tourist’s itinerary. This is where the ‘architect of apartheid’, prime minister Hendrik Verwoerd, was assassinated in 1966. It is also where Nelson Mandela gave his inaugural speech as president of the ‘new South Africa’ in 1994. The SA National Art Gallery contains one of the finest collections of South African and international art in the country and has regular exhibitions of work from around the world. The SA Museum is an excellent place for visitors to spend a couple of hours learning about the natural and political history of South Africa. It also boasts a superb whale exhibit and a shop, located on Orange Street. In the Planetarium, the real-time night sky displays are an entrancing introduction to the stellar delights of Southern Africa. There is also a delightful restaurant, The Gardens Restaurant & Pub, 88 Queen Victoria Street (tel: (021) 423 1260), where weary walkers can rest their feet and recharge their sightseeing batteries. Top of Adderley Street, Government Avenue (between Wale Street and Orange Street) Transport: A short walk from Adderley Street. Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700. Admission: Free. Houses of Parliament Government Avenue Tel: (021) 403 2911 (enquiries) or 2266 or 2537 (tours). Opening hours: Tours by appointment only. Admission: Free. SA National Art Gallery Government Avenue Tel: (021) 465 1628. Fax: (021) 461 0045. E-mail: sang@gem.co.za Website: www.museums.org.za Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1700. Admission: R5; free Sun. SA Museum 25 Queen Victoria Street Tel: (021) 424 3330 (museum) or 426 2279 (shop). Fax: (021) 424 6716. Website: www.museums.org.za Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700. Admission: R8; free Wed; R15 (combined Musuem/Planetarium). Planetarium 25 Queen Victoria Street Tel: (021) 424 3330. Fax: (021) 424 6956. Website: www.musuems.org.za Opening hours: Shows Mon-Fri 1400, Tues 2000, Sat and Sun 1430. Admission: R10; R12 (evening shows); R15 (combined Museum/Planetarium). Robben Island Museums Visiting Robben Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most profoundly moving experiences to be had in South Africa. The infamous men-only prison and former leper colony was home to a generation of the senior statesmen of Africa, incarcerated because of their political beliefs. The most famous inmate was, of course, Nelson Mandela, who spent 18 years of his 27-year sentence here; but the guided tours are all given by former political prisoners here. The first-class museums, situated both on Robben Island itself and at the new Clock Tower Centre on the V&A Waterfront, offer a wealth of information on this period of South Africa’s history. Robben Island is not all politics and history, however. There is the physical beauty of the island itself, with penguin and seal colonies, as well as the fantastic view of Cape Town. V&A Waterfront and Robben Island Tel: (021) 409 5100 or 411 1007 (museum) or 419 1300 (reservations) or 424 1455 (ferry). Fax: (021) 411 1059 (museum) or 419 1057 (reservations) or 424 1456 (ferry). E-mail: info@robben-island.org.za or bookings@robben-island.org.za or robbenis@netactive.co.za (ferry). Website: www.robben-island.org.za Transport: Ferries from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the Clock Tower Centre, V&A Waterfront. Opening hours: Ferries depart daily 0800-1600 (summer); daily 0900-1400 (winter). Admission: R100 (ferry ticket and admission). Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens Sprawling over a magnificent 528 hectares (1325 acres) and home to 4500 indigenous plant species, Kirstenbosch is one of the top seven botanical gardens in the world, habitually winning gold awards at the Chelsea Flower Show, most recently for the stunning rainbow creation in 2002. With stunningly beautiful formal gardens dotted with Zimbabwean stone sculptures, it is a delightful place for a picnic, a stroll or even an energetic hike through the wild gardens on the lower slopes of Table Mountain. Attractions include trails for the blind and the disabled, bird watching, a greenhouse complete with Boabab tree, a gift shop, bookshop, restaurants and café. Over the summer months (December to March), immensely popular Sunset Concerts are held on Sunday afternoons at 1730, with music that ranges from classical to jazz, African traditional and folk. Rhodes Drive, Newlands Tel: (021) 799 8783 or 8620 (weekdays) or 761 4916 (weekends). Fax: (021) 797 6570. Website: www.nbi.co.za. Transport: Bus from Adderley Street or Mowbray Station. Opening hours: Daily 0800-1900 (Sep-Mar); daily 0800-1800 (Apr-Aug). Admission: R15. Koopmans De Wet House Built in 1701, Koopmans De Wet House reflects patrician life at the Cape in the 18th century. Designed in the distinctive ‘Cape Dutch’ architectural style – a style repeated in many of the grand manor houses on rural estates and recognisable by curly gables – the house is also furnished with fine examples of Cape craftsmanship. Many of these hand-carved items of furniture were designed by slave ‘fundis’ or experts from the East, as was the unique decorative plasterwork on the exterior of this and other buildings. The quiet, cool and darkened interior is also a tranquil retreat from the bustle and heat of the city centre. 35 Strand Street Tel: (021) 424 2473. Fax: (021) 461 9592. Website: www.museums.org.za Transport: A short walk from Adderley Street/Grand Parade. Opening hours: Tues-Sat 0930-1630. Admission: R5. Beaches Cape Town boasts some of the most spectacular beaches in the world. With a long summer and balmy winter days in between the rain, these are an irresistible attraction all year round. There is a beach to suit just about every taste – from the trendy spots, where tanned bikini bodies are the order of the day, via the more family orientated, easy-swim sites, to wild and rugged sundowner spots. All beaches are overseen by the Cape Peninsula National Park. Set along the stunning panorama of the Twelve Apostles mountain range, beaches on the Atlantic seaboard are several degrees colder than those on the False Bay side, which are warmed by the L’Agulhas current that diffuses into the eastern end of Cape Point. However, there are still hugely popular beaches on the Atlantic seaboard. One place, Clifton, has four beaches, one of which, Fourth Beach, is Cape Town’s premier beach spot and the best place to pose. All four beaches, however, are often overcrowded in the peak summer months and parking on Victoria Drive above the beach is virtually impossible. An alternative, with a California feel and restaurants and bars close at hand, is the nearby Camps Bay. Further out is the favourite sundowner spot, Llandudno, and the homely Hout Bay. The nearby Mariner’s Wharf fishing harbour (tel: (021) 790 1100; e-mail: mariners@capecoast.co.za; website: www.marinerswharf.com) offers great seafood restaurants, markets, gift shops, boat trips and a fish market selling live lobsters by the kilo, as well as the Cape Town speciality smoked snoek. Noordhoek and Kommetjie, both part of Long Beach, are no longer accessible by road from Hout Bay, as Chapman’s Peak Drive collapsed into the sea in 2000. Plans to rebuild are apparently underway. These far flung beaches are still quite deserted and Noordhoek can be dangerous for lone walkers, particularly after dark. False Bay offers its own set of coastal delights, quite different from the chilly counterparts on the Atlantic side. With warmer waters, the stretch of Muizenberg beach and little coves and inlets of Kalk Bay, St James and Fish Hoek offers delightful swimming, with smaller waves and a family feel. Formerly a whaling station and a prisoner of war camp, Boulders Beach has a string of delightful coves that are always sheltered from the frequent and blustering ‘southeaster’ wind. However, visitors to Boulders will have to share their beach with quite a crowd … of African Penguins. The colony of penguins is protected and although these patient birds are happy to pose for photographs, there is a hefty fine for ‘wilfully disturbing’ them. They also bite – so birdwatchers are therefore encouraged to admire them from a respectful distance. Boulders is just as popular with humans as it is with penguins, so visitors should be sure to arrive early in order to stake their claim to a piece of beach or a boulder. When not taking on the might of Cape Point’s wind ravaged coastline or enjoying the consistently good waves of Long Beach, surfers mainly head for Table Bay to Blouberg Strand and Milnerton, where the incessant wind promises big waves and the location offers incredible views of Table Mountain. Clifton and Camps Bay, access from Victoria Drive (M6) Hout Bay Beach, North Shore Road or Beach Road, Hout Bay Noordhoek, Silvermine Road via Ou Kaapse Weg, Noordhoek Kommetjie, Kommetjie Road (M65), Kommetjie Muizenberg, Baden-Powell Drive, Muizenberg Kalk Bay, St James and Fish Hoek, off Main Road (M4) Boulders Beach, Miller’s Point Road, from Main Road (M4), Simonstown/Miller’s Point Cape Point beaches, several roads off Cape Point Road Blouberg Strand, Otto Du Plessis Road, Blouberg Milnerton, Marine Drive and Otto Du Plessis, Milnerton Tel: (021) 701 8692 (all beaches) or 786 2329 (Boulders only). Fax: (021) 701 8773 or 786 3040 (Boulders). E-mail: capepeninsula@parks-sa.co.za or boulders@parks-sa.co.za Website: www.cpnp.co.za Transport: Train to Simon’s Town (False Bay beaches); bus to Sea Point, Camps Bay or Hout Bay (Atlantic Seaboard); self-drive for others (see routes above). Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free; R10 (Boulders Beach). Further Distractions Bo-Kaap Museum Built in the mid-1760s, the Bo-Kaap Museum was originally the home of Turkish scholar, Abu Bakr Effendi, and is the oldest extant residence in the Muslim community. The furnishings are typical of an 18th-century Cape Town Muslim residence, right down to the main bedroom – an authentic bridal suite. Effendi was a revered Arabic teacher and wrote one of the first texts that documented the emergence of South Africa’s second language Afrikaans (a mixture of Dutch, Malay, German, Xhosa and English). Also available are walking tours of the Bo-Kaap area – the traditional home of the Cape-Malay community, brought in as slaves from Indonesia. It has some of the city’s most interesting history and architecture, as well as fabulous views. 71 Wale Street Tel: (021) 424 3846. Fax: (021) 461 9592. Website: www.museums.org.za Transport: A short walk from Adderley Street. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0930-1630. Admission: R5. Castle of Good Hope Construction began on this five-pointed, star-shaped castle – originally a Dutch fortress – in 1666. Perhaps the most visible symbol of the colonial occupation of Cape Town and South Africa, the Castle of Good Hope became the apartheid government’s military headquarters. in 1948. However, since the liberation of South Africa in 1994, South Africa’s oldest building has done much to polish up its tarnished image and has become very much a museum of the people. The castle hosts alternative art exhibitions and cultural events. Also within the castle, the William Fehr Collection is a superb record of colonial Cape art and culture. Corner of Darling Street and Castle Street Tel: (021) 469 1249 or 1083. Fax: (021) 469 1089. E-mail: casteel@cis.co.za Website: www.castelofgoodhope.co.za Transport: A short walk from the Grand Parade/Strand Street. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1600; guided tours Mon-Sat 1100, 1200 and 1400. Admission: R15 (including guided tour); R7.50 on Sun. William Fehr Collection Tel: (021) 464 1263/4 or 1272 (weekend). Fax: (021) 464 1280. Website: www.museums.org.za Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0930-1600. Admission: R15. Century City A relatively new addition to Cape Town’s entertainment scene, Century City offers visitors not only the delights of the impressive Canal Walk shopping centre but also Africa’s first full-scale theme park, Ratanga Junction, as well as an entertainment complex, complete with clubs, pubs and restaurants. The MTN Sciencentre provides a myriad of scientific distractions, for children of all ages, with a Camera Obscura in the tower offering a unique 360-degree view of the city, Table Mountain, Table Bay, Robben Island and the environs. The 16-hectare (39.5-acre) manmade Intaka Island, is a haven for bird life, while boat rides on the four kilometres (2.5 miles) of canals are also available. Century City, N1 Tel: (021) 555 3377. E-mail: touristinfo@canalwalk.co.za Website: www.centurycity.co.za Transport: By car, exit 10 off the N1. Canal Walk Shopping Centre Tel: (0860) 101 165. Website: www.canalwalk.co.za Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0900-2100, Sun 0900-1800. Admission: Free; parking charges apply. Ratanga Junction Century Boulevard Tel: (0861) 200 300. Website: www.ratanga.co.za Opening hours: 20 Nov-4 May Wed-Fri 1000-1700, Sat 1000-1800, Sun 1000-1700. Admission: R85 (2001 price; 2002 price tbc). MTN Sciencentre 407 Canal Walk Tel: (021) 529 8100. Fax: (021) 529 8179. E-mail: info@mtnsciencentre.org.za Website: www.mtnsciencentre.org.za Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 0930-1800, Fri-Sat 0930-2000. Admission: R28. Westcoast Ostrich Show Ranch The largest birds on earth are on show at this ranch, just 20 minutes from the city centre, near Bloubergstrand, in Philadelphia. Guided tours take place every half an hour. In a bucolic setting, with the stunning panorama of Table Mountain in the distance, visitors can have their photographs taken sitting on top of an ostrich. Afterwards, those with the stomach for it, can enjoy this famous South African delicacy in the restaurant (booking is advisable) or purchase one of the ostrich-related, albeit slightly kitsch, curios on offer in the shop. Van Schoorsdrif Road, Philadelphia Tel: (021) 972 1955 or 1961 or 1669 or 1649. Fax: (021) 972 1905. E-mail: info@wcor-av.co.za Website: www.wcor-av.co.za Transport: By car off the N7 toward Malmesbury. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700. Admission: R26. Tours of the City Walking Tours With its cosmopolitan buzz, street music, markets and busking acts, as well as a multitude of alfresco cafés and restaurants to take a rest in, Cape Town is a great city for strolling around. Tourcape.com (tel: (021) 696 1659; e-mail: tourcape@yahoo.com; website: www.tourcape.com) offers half-day walking tours of the city, costing R220. Tours of Cape Town’s cultural sights and a slave route, starting from the Castle of Good Hope and tracing a course from Signal Hill to Oudekraal, are also offerred. Cape Town Tourism offer ‘Cape Town on Foot’ tours, taking two and a half hours to cover the main sights of the city centre. These take place Monday to Friday at 1100 and cost R50 per person. Bus Tours Hylton Ross (tel: (021) 511 1784 or 556 0700) runs a regular open-topped double-decker bus tour, the Cape Town Explorer, which takes in all the major sights of Cape Town, with a running commentary. These two-hour tours depart from the Cape Town Tourism Visitor Information Centre on Burg Street, the V&A Visitors Centre at the V&A Waterfront and the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay. They take in Sea Point, Signal Hill, District Six and Clifton. The R60 ‘hop-on hop-off’ tickets are valid all day and allow for discounts on various attractions around the city. All-day Cape Peninsula tours and night tours are also available. Tickets can be purchased on the bus, at the Cape Town Tourism Visitor Information Centres or in advance from Computicket (tel: (083) 915 8000; e-mail: info@computicket.com; website: www.computicket.com). Cape Team Tours (tel: (083) 310 6454; fax: (021) 949 0324) offers a three-hour Township Tour incorporating District Six, a visit to a spaza (township shop), a shebeen and the open-air meat market of Nyanga. Tours cost R180. Boat Tours Waterfront Boat Company (tel: (021) 418 0134; fax: (021) 425 3816; e-mail: info@waterfrontboats.co.za; website: www.waterfrontboats.co.za) offers a range of tours, from harbour tours to excursions and champagne cruises, departing from the V&A Waterfront Quay 5. Tours take between one and three hours and cost from R25 (harbour tour) to R650 (dive and braai cruise). Hylton Ross (tel: (021) 511 1784 or 425 0200) operates a 30-minute cruise of the Waterfront on the Lady J, departing from Quay 5 and costing R25. The Waterfront Information Office (tel: (021) 408 7500 or 7600; website: www.waterfront.co.za) provides information on other tours available from the V&A Waterfront. Boat tours to see the Cape Fur Seals on Duiker Island in False Bay are operated by Drumbeat Charters (tel: (021) 438 9208 or 790 4859; fax: (021) 438 8554). All cruises, which depart from Hout Bay Harbour, cost R40. There is also a one-way trip from Hout Bay to the Waterfront. Bicycle Tours Daytrippers (tel: (021) 531 0722 or 511 4766; tel/fax: (021) 531 3274; e-mail: trippers@iafrica.com; website: www.daytrippers.co.za) organises fully catered bicycle rides for around R195-995, for anything from a day trip hiking and biking around Cape Point (R265) or exploring the Winelands (R265-285) to mountain-biking in the Constantiaberg Mountains and Tokai Forest (R285). Pick up and drop off at hotels and guesthouses is arranged. Adventure Village (tel: (021) 424 1580; fax: (021) 424 1590; e-mail: thrills@adventure-village.co.za; website: www.adventure-village.co.za) operates a similar service. Other Tours Vintage train lovers travel from all over the world for the opportunity to ride South Africa’s unique steam trains – some of the last surviving relics of early train travel left in the world. Options include one-day excursions to the Winelands, for example, the one-day excursion to Spier Wine Farm in Stellenbosch (journey time – 1 hour), which costs R75 (return), operated by Spier Vintage Train (tel: (021) 419 5222/3; e-mail: spier7@iafrica.com; website: www.spier.co.za). Alternatively, longer, fully catered guided trips of up to two weeks can be experienced and prices vary accordingly, from R75 to R10,500. Rovos Rail (tel: (021) 421 4020; fax: (021) 421 4022; website: www.rovos.co.za), operates various sightseeing trips, including Pretoria (journey time – 49 hours) and George (journey time – 27 hours along the Garden Route), as well as an annual trek halfway across Africa to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania (journey time – 13 days/287 hours). Civair (tel: (021) 419 5182; fax: (021) 419 5183; e-mail: civair@mweb.co.za; website: www.civair.co.za) offers 20-minute, 30-minute and one-hour helicopter tours, departing from the V&A Waterfront. These cost R2000, R3000 and R6000 respectively, for a four-seater helicopter. Excursions For a Half Day Cape Point: This windswept peninsula, where the cold Benguela Current and the warm Mozambique current converge, is the mythical meeting place of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans – the physical meeting place is actually 100km (62 miles) to the east, in Cape L’Agulhas. Cape Point (tel: (021) 780 9010; website: www.capepoint.co.za), is situated in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve (tel: (021) 780 9100 or 9204), at the far tip of the enormous Cape Peninsula National Park (tel: (021) 701 8692; fax: (021) 701 8773; e-mail: capepeninsula@parks-sa.co.za; website: www.cpnp.co.za). Located 35km (22 miles) from the city centre, along the M3 towards Muizenberg and M4 via Simon’s Town, Cape Point is home to a splendid array of wildlife, including zebra, lynx, bontebok and baboons, as well as some of the rarest plants on Earth. Visitors should, however, beware of the baboons as they can be dangerous, particularly where food is involved, and there is a fine for feeding these animals. An added bonus is the Two Oceans Restaurant (tel: (021) 780 9200/1; fax: (021) 780 9060; e-mail: info@two-ocenas.co.za; website: www.two-oceans.co.za), which is perched on the cliff above the Atlantic Ocean, as well as curio shops (tel: (021) 780 9202 or 9110). Admission to the reserve costs R35 per adult and it is open daily 0700-1800 (summer) and 0700-1700 (winter). Constantia Wine Route: Located approximately 17km (11 miles) or a 25-minute drive south of the city centre, the Constantia Wine Route offers a handy alternative to a longer trip to the Boland. The Constantia Valley area is home to five of the Cape’s top wine estates – Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, Buitenverwachting, Constantia Uitsig and Steenberg Vineyards. South Africa’s oldest wine estate, Groot Constantia, off the M41 Constantia Road (tel: (021) 794 5128), with is original manor house and wine museum (tel: (021) 794 5067), gives a fascinating insight into early colonial life in the Cape. There is also a restaurant (tel: (021) 794 6255), while the tavern (tel: (021) 794 1144) is open daily for wine tasting 1000-1700 (May-December) or 0900-1800 (December-April). Wine tasting costs R8 (entrance to the estate is free). The family owned Klein Constantia, Klein Constantia Road (tel: (021) 794 5188), is open weekdays 0900-1700 and Saturdays 0900-1300 and has some choice Cape wines for tasting in extremely friendly company. Buitenverwachting, Klein Constantia Road (tel: (021) 794 5191), is renowned for its exclusive restaurant (tel: (021) 794 3522) and pleasant picnic area. The estate is open weekdays 0900-1700 and Saturday 0900-1300. Contantia Uitsig, Spaanschmat River Road (tel: (021) 794 1810), translates to ‘Constantia View’ and the farm offers visitors not only excellent wine but also two restaurants (tel: (021) 794 4480 or 2390) and the charming Spaanschemat River Café (tel: (021) 794 3010). The estate is open for wine tasting on weekdays 0900-1800 and Saturday 0900-1700. Finally, Steenberg Vineyards, Steenberg Road (tel: (021) 713 2211), makes up for its dubious location opposite Pollsmore Prison with an exclusive hotel, a golf course (tel: (021) 713 2233) and restaurant (tel: (021) 713 2224). For a Whole Day The Boland: A tour of the Boland (‘uplands’ or ‘toplands’) reveals a world of dramatic mountain ranges, crystal clear rivers teeming with trout, beautiful valleys and the Western Cape’s bucolic Winelands, dotted with historic wine estates, many of which are open to the public. There are ten officially designated ‘wine routes’ incorporating a multitude of wine estates that are open to the public. Many are contained with the Boland region. Specialist tour operators include Vineyard Ventures (tel: (021) 434 8888; fax: (021) 434 9999; e-mail: viven@iafrica.com), Capevine (tel: (021) 913 6611; fax: (021) 913 4580; e-mail: capevine@iafrica.com) and Window on Cape Wine (tel: (021) 866 1002). Bacchanalian tourists who choose to go it alone with one of the many route maps obtainable from Cape Town Tourism, should always make sure there is a designated driver who abstains from quaffing. The Central Winelands Tourism Office (tel: (021) 872 0686) can also provide further information. Somerset West is half an hour from the city centre on the R44 off the N2 highway. This bustling town nestles in a basin created by the towering peak of Helderberg (‘Clear Mountain’) and the Hottentots Holland mountain range. Here, the Vergelegen wine farm, Lourensford Road (tel: (021) 847 1334; website: www.vergelegen.co.za), was built in 1700 and is one of the most gracious and perfectly located of all the old Cape Dutch homesteads, offering wine tasting, cellar tours, a superb restaurant and library containing rare volumes of early Africana. The farm is open daily 0930-1800 and entrance is R10. The Helderberg Nature Reserve (tel: (021) 851 4060; e-mail: information@helderbergnaturereserve.co.za; website: www.helderbergnaturereserve.co.za) is located just before the turn-off to Vergelegen and is open daily 0700-2000 (summer) or 0700-1800 (winter) and comprises several kilometres of hiking trails and paths with magnificent views over the Helderberg Basin. Entrance is R4 per vehicle and a further R5 per person. South Africa’s second oldest town (founded in 1667), Stellenbosch, is located on the R310 off the N2 highway. Named after the Dutch governor, Simon van der Stel, this university town is one of the best preserved of all South African towns. The Stellenbosch Village Museum, on the corner of Church and Ryneveld Streets, consists of four buildings over two blocks, incorporating Grosvenor House (1782), Bletterman House (1789), Schreuder House (1709) and OM Bergh House (1850). South Africa’s ‘French quarter’, Franschhoek, was named after the French Huguenots who fled Catholic persecution and began arriving at the Cape in 1688. Today, the valley is famous for its wine and good food. Located off the N1, the area is key to much of South Africa’s distant and recent history. The Huguenot Memorial, Lambrecht Street (tel: (021) 876 2532), traces the history of the Huguenots (entrance is R4), while to the west, on the R303, is the Victor Verster Prison, from where Nelson Mandela walked to freedom on 11 February 1990. Overberg: Over Sir Lowry’s pass and beyond South Africa’s oldest inn, the Houwhoek Inn, the Western Cape landscape transforms into the harsh beauty of the Overberg, approximately 170km (106 miles) from Cape Town at its central point. This region is the gateway to Africa’s southernmost tip, Cape L’Agulhas – located approximately a three-hour drive southeast of Cape Town, accessible on the N2. Here, the two oceans meet in a spectacular show of natural beauty. The L’Agulhas Lighthouse (tel: (028) 424 2584) and Zuidste Kaap (tel: (028) 435 6034) restaurants both provide a unique location in which to dine out – the fully operational lighthouse, which is over 150 years old, also doubles as a museum and curio shop. However, since a tourist injured herself a few years ago, visitors are no longer permitted up the lighthouse tower. The southernmost point is located one kilometre (0.6 miles) west of the lighthouse. Visitors should take note, however, not to book any tours that involve 4X4 driving on the beaches and dunes as this is not only incredibly harmful to the delicate seafront wildlife – some of which are endangered species – but also illegal. Nearby, the 14km (nine miles) of continuous white sand beach – the longest in the Southern Hemisphere – of Struuisbaai offers stunning bathing. Further afield, the virtually untouched charm of Arniston delights visitors with a traditional fishing village, Kassiesbaai, which has been declared, in its entirety, a national monument. Hermanus, another coastal town in the Overberg region, dubbed ‘the Riviera of the Overberg’ for its wealthy stature, is the principal whale-spotting location, one of the best in the world, with an annual ten-day Whale Watching Festival in September (tel: (083) 910 1028; website: www.whales.co.za or www.cape-whaleroute.co.za). Many other towns, such as the fruit farming paradise of Grabouw and the austere charm of Napier, offer visitors a variety of ways in which to spend a good day’s worth of sightseeing in the Overberg. Southern Tip Tours (tel/fax: (021) 952 7578; e-mail: stt@global.co.za; website: www.southerntours.co.za) offer tours to the area, as well as tours for whale watching enthusiasts. The Suidpunt Tourism Bureau (tel: (028) 424 2584; fax; (021) 425 2731; e-mail: suidpunt@brd.dorea.co.za) and Overberg Tourism (tel: (028) 214 1466; fax: (028) 212 1380; website: www.capetourism.org) both provide further information on destinations within the Overberg. Sport Sport has proved to be a wonderful way of bringing together the people of South Africa and various steps to break down the traditional racial stereotypes of certain sports have been taken and seem to be working well. Four big sports dominate life in Cape Town. These are rugby, soccer, cricket and horseracing. The city is home to one of rugby’s most famous teams, the Stormers (website: http://stormersrugby.com), who – despite a run of unsuccessful seasons in the Super 12 series – are still rated as one of the toughest teams in international competition. Newlands Rugby Stadium, 11 Boundary Road, Newlands, is home to these local heroes as well as the comprehensive SA Rugby Museum (tel: (021) 659 6768). This is a sport that commands a massive following from all sections of the South African public. The home union is the Western Province Rugby Football Union (tel: (021) 689 4921; website: www.wprugby.com). South Africans are also soccer mad, although most of the top teams are based in Johannesburg. The three top local teams – Ajax Cape Town (website: www.ajaxct.com), Hellenic and Santos – all feature strongly in the national Premier League, with Santos the most recent winner, when it took the title of the Premier Soccer League Championship 2002. This was a particularly impressive feat, seeing as the team had been in the Federation League during the apartheid years and sustained itself without a sponsor. Football’s governing body, based at Hartleyvale Stadium, Willow Road, Observatory (tel: (021) 448 8653 or 8652, for bookings), is the Western Province Soccer Association (tel: (021) 448 1648). With a strong English colonial history, Cape Town is one of the main feeding grounds for the South African international cricket squad, the Proteas. The home of Western Province cricket is at the Newlands Cricket Oval, 146 Campground Road, Newlands, where the governing body, Western Province Cricket Association, 161 Campground Road (tel: (021) 683 6420; e-mail: info@wpca.co.za; website: www.wpca.cricket.org), is located. Matches are played on most weekend in summer, with international tests between South Africa and its main rivals – Australia, England, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, the West Indies and New Zealand – regularly on the agenda. The Cape Town venue is popular with both local and international teams, largely due to the beautiful location and the super-friendly crowds, whose cheerful antics and laid-back attitude set players at ease. Night cricket is probably one of the most popular pastimes in Cape Town and a good excuse to down beer and cheer at every ball that gets hit. With South Africa all set to host the World Cup Cricket in 2003, Cape Town has been chosen as the home base for the national heroes – although the final will be played in Johannesburg. Horseracing is as much a social event in Cape Town as it is a sporting one. The annual J&B Met (website: www.jbmet.co.za) is held at the Kenilworth Race Track, Rosmead Avenue, and is an event where the hats seem to receive more attention than the horses. The daily newspapers carry regular racing supplements. Tickets to sporting events are available for purchase from Computicket (tel: (083) 915 8000; e-mail: info@computicket.com; website: www.computicket.com). Adventure sports: The spectacular natural setting of the city means that adventurous sports enjoy a huge following. There are several operators who offer a range of adventure sports, from mountain biking to abseiling, rock climbing to sky diving, hiking to bungee jumping, surfing to shark diving and canyonning (known locally as ‘kloofing’, which entails hiking into romote mountain ranges and then swimming and jumping down the gorges). Daytrippers (tel: (021) 531 0722; fax: (021) 531 3274; e-mail: tripper@iafrica.com; website: www.daytrippers.co.za) offers tours, bike hikes and kloofing, while Adventure Village (tel: (021) 424 1580; fax: (021) 424 1590; e-mail: thrills@adventure-village.co.za; website: www.adventure-village.co.za) offers a full range of adventure and extreme sports options, tours and expeditions. Fitness centres: Virgin Active (tel: (021) 710 8500; fax: (021) 710 8800; website: www.virginactive.co.za) has the monopoly on the fitness centres around the Western Cape, each offering a variety of facilities including gym equipment, swimming, squash, tennis and other sports. Club locations include Claremont, Main Road (tel: (021) 683 2402), Constantia, Main Road (tel: (021) 794 5010), Durbanville Palmgrove Centre, Main Road (tel: (021) 975 5210) and N1 City Value Centre, N1 (tel: (021) 595 3030). Membership is required and a one-month pass costs R500. Golf: There are many golf courses in and around Cape Town, as well as almost every small town outside the metropolitan area providing courses. Many are open to the public. The Western Province Golf Union (tel: (021) 686 1668; fax: (021) 686 1669; e-mail: wpga@global.co.za) is the umbrella body. Eighteen-hole golf courses that are open to the public include the Rondebosch Golf Club, 3 Klipfontein Road (tel: (021) 689 4176; fax: (021) 685 1447), the Royal Cape Golf Club, 174 Ottery Road, Wynberg (tel: (021) 761 6551; fax: (021) 797 5246), and the Clovelly Country Club, Clovelly Road, Clovelly (tel: (021) 782 1118; fax: (021) 782 6853). Green fees vary from R210 for 18 holes at the Rondebosch Golf Club to R280 for 18 holes at the Clovelly Golf Club. Further afield, Spier Country Club, off the R44 toward Stellenbosch (tel: (021) 809 0669), is an 18-hole course located beneath the Helderberg Mountain range. The club hosts the Golf Summer Festival as well as a Ladies Day on the last Thursday of every month, when 18 holes cost just R100, as well as a Twilight Round every Friday (tee off 1500-1600), costing R80 for nine holes and sundowners on the balcony of the clubhouse (booking is essential). Swimming: The City of Cape Town’s Parks and Bathing Amenities (tel: (021) 400 3823) oversees Cape Town’s public swimming pools. Newlands Pool, Sans Souci Road, Newlands (tel: (021) 674 4197), is the centre of competitive swimming, diving and water polo. The Long Street Baths, Long Street (tel: (021) 400 3302), is an indoor, heated pool, adjacent to the Turkish Baths (tel: (021) 400 2202). Entrance to the pools is R6. Many Virgin Active clubs (see Fitness centres above) provide swimming facilities. The Camps Bay Tidal Pool, Camps Bay beach (tel: (021) 438 1244), provides an alfresco bathing opportunity. Tennis: Although there are scores of recreational tennis clubs dotted around the city, it is extremely difficult to access the courts unless accompanied by a member. Several of the golf clubs (see Golf above) also provide tennis and lawn bowl facilities. Likewise, many of the Virgin Active clubs (see Fitness centres above) also provide tennis courts, as do several major hotels. Tennis Western Province, Lovers Walk, Rondebosch (tel: (021) 686 3055; fax: (021) 685 5293), can provide further information. Watersports: Cape Town is an extremely popular destination for watersports enthusiasts. African Sea Kayaking (tel: (021) 788 8288) offers sea kayaking, which is a new and popular pastime, involving gentle coastal cruising to more energetic wave surfing and adventure paddling. Zandvlei, in Muizenberg, is still quite popular with windsurfing and small craft yachting, although hardcore windsurfers have tired of the area as it has developed and consider it a beginner’s beach, prefering to brave the breakers off Blaauwberg, Long Beach and Cape Point or the Dungeons off Hout Bay. False Bay is considered somewhat dangerous, as this is the favourite spot for other watersports enthusiasts, namely Great White Sharks. Ocean yachting mainly takes place in the Table Bay and False Bay. The Royal Cape Yacht Club, Duncan Road, Table Bay (tel: (021) 421 1354; fax: (021) 421 6028), can provide further information. The Wind Report (tel: (021) 788 8226 or 5965) provides regular updates on the wind situation, while the Surf Report (tel: (021) 788 1350) keeps surfers up to date on wave conditions around the peninsula. Surfing information and tips are also available online (website: www.wavescape.co.za). Shopping Despite frequently sloppy service and primarily thanks to the excellent exchange rate, shopping is a popular pastime for visitors to Cape Town. The city has embraced American mall culture with abandon and most shopping precincts in Cape Town have been decentralised to suburban shopping malls, with hundreds of shops under one roof. Nevertheless, there are still scores of little shops to be found, all offering plenty of bargains. And the mall culture cannot hold back the markets, mostly informal, that continue to flourish in the city centre and along main roads in the suburban areas. While shopping malls are generally open 0900-2100 Monday-Saturday and even Sunday until around 1600, central city hours are 0830-1700 Monday-Friday and 0830-1300 on Saturday. Muslim-owned businesses close 1200-1300 on Friday. Since the end of apartheid, Cape Town has become a Mecca for traders from all over Africa and it is possible to buy African art from all corners of the continent within a few city blocks. A sightseeing destination in its own right, Greenmarket Square, Shortmarket Street, in the city centre (website: www.greenmarket.co.za), has a market that is open Monday-Saturday, stocking an eclectic range of goods, including African art, local jewellery, handmade clothing, music, books and antiques. Most of the streets that fan out from Greenmarket Square are also packed with street traders selling African goods, while The Pan African Market, 76 Long Street, is an experience within itself. Wall-to-wall African art and curios crowd into the indoor labyrinth of shops, open Monday-Friday 0900-1700, Saturday 0900-1500. Tiny tin can sculptures sit alongside wooden behemoths of tribal masks, while leathersmiths, hair braiders, djembe drum tutors and West African tailors practise their crafts and an informal café offers refreshments with seating on the balcony overlooking vibrant Long Street. For more arts, curios, clothing and crafts, the Waterfront Craft Market, located in the Blue Shed at the V&A Waterfront, next to the Two Oceans Aquarium, is just the place for visitors to pick up a few trademark Capetonian gifts. The Green Point Fleamarket, outside Green Point Stadium, Somerset Road, is held every Sunday and public holidays 0830-1800 and is the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, boasting a vast number of stalls selling everything from African art and antiques to fake international labels. However, pickpockets like this area even more than bargain hunters do. The Constantia Craft Market, takes place on the Alphen Common, on the first and last weekend of every month, and is particularly lively, especially toward Christmas. As is the Hout Bay Craft Market, held every Sunday on the Hout Bay Common. An excellent lightweight gift that is truly indicative of Cape Town, is wire sculpture – from as little as R10 for a wire daisy to R600 for a replica African hut. Streetwires, 77/79 Shortmarket Street, is an initiative to empower unemployed South Africans and supplies all manner of creative wire products, which can be made to order. For a tasty South African speciality, biltong (dried meat) – at about R100 per kilogram – is available at PJ’s Biltong Bar kiosks, located at almost every shopping centre. Visitors should note, however, that importing biltong might be illegal in some countries. A far safer exportable gift would be wine, which is available en route on a Winelands tour for as little as R20 a bottle. Other South African specialities include Rooibos tea, hand-stitched leather or African rubber sandals and Sangoma herbs. Antique lovers should stroll up and down Church Street and the section of Long Street just off Church Street. Also in Long Street, the fashion aficionado will be spellbound by the incredible offerings on show at Yin, Long Street, an eclectic boutique that specialises in clothes designed and handmade by women from various African communities and countries. While most of the suburban shopping malls cater for the domestic consumption market, there are several worth visiting for uniquely South African fashions, decor items, artwork and architecture. These include Victoria Wharf, at the V&A Waterfront (website: www.waterfront.co.za), Cavendish Square, Cavendish Street, Claremont (website: www.cavendish.co.za), and Canal Walk, Century City, off the N1 (website: www.canalwalk.co.za). VAT stands at 14% on all goods sold in Cape Town, although this is largely ignored in the markets, and visitors can reclaim this upon departure for purchases over R250, provided all receipts have been kept and the appropriate Tax Invoices have been filled in, where necessary. These, along with the goods, must be presented to the VAT Refund Administrator at international departures terminal in the airport. A refund is then paid after passing through Passport Control. The VAT Refund Services (tel: (021) 421 1612; website: www.taxrefunds.co.za) provides further information. JAS Forwarding (tel: (021) 551 7544; fax: (021) 551 7590/1; e-mail: cpt-sales@jassouthafrica.com) offers an international shipping service for visitors with excess wine or purchases. Culture There are many cultural influences at work in Cape Town, which makes the city a particularly interesting one for the arts. However, much like the rest of South Africa, Cape Town is still trying to leap a cultural hurdle, as far as organised cultural events go. In the past, homegrown talent has been locally regarded as somehow inferior to international cultural imports – an attitude that still persists in some sections of the public. There is also the issue of an apartheid hangover and the resulting perceptions that cultural institutions are white-orientated and out of touch with the people at large. Yet another problem is purely logistical – the segregation laws of the past coupled with an inferior transport system have conspired to make cultural events quite literally inaccessible to large sections of the public. Nevertheless, time, several cultural projects and the natural buoyancy of cultural expression are slowly breaking down these barriers and Cape Town is coming into her own as a culturally rich and diverse city. Cape Town’s two biggest contributions to South African culture have probably been in the fine arts and in the unique Cape jazz style, epitomised by musicians like Abdullah Ibrahim, Basil ‘Manenberg’ Coetzee and Robbie Jansen. All major cultural events can be booked through Computicket (tel: (083) 915 8000; e-mail: info@computicket.com; website: www.computicket.com). Tickets for Artscape events are available through Artscape Dial-A-Seat (tel: (021) 421 7695). Listings information can be found in the Friday editions of the daily press – The Cape Argus and Cape Times. These are both subsidiaries of The Independent and listings can be found online (website: www.iol.co.za). The monthly publications, Cape Review and Citylife, are excellent sources of information and listings for cultural events in and around Cape Town. The Mail and Guardian (website: www.mg.co.za) has cultural listings for Cape Town. Other websites with listings include www.artthrob.co.za, www.ananzi.co.za and www.capetowntoday.co.za. A good online events guide is www.capetownevents.co.za. Music: The Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (website: www.ctpo.org.za) performs regularly at the City Hall, Grand Parade (tel: (021) 465 2029), as well as various other venues – details are published in the local press. The city’s two major cultural centres are the Baxter Concert Hall, Main Road, Rondebosch (tel: (021) 685 7880 or 680 3989, for bookings; website: www.baxter.co.za), and the Artscape Theatre Centre, 1-10 DF Malan Street, Foreshore (tel: (021) 410 9800 or 421 7839 or 5470; fax: (021) 421 5448; e-mail: artscape@artscape.co.za; website: www.artscape.co.za). Both feature regular opera from the Cape Town Opera (website: www.capetownopera.co.za) and classical music, as well as jazz and popular music. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats was recently produced with great success at Artscape. Performances also takes place at the South African College of Music, Main Road, Rondebosch (tel: (021) 650 2640). Further afield, the Spier complex, Lynedoch Road, Stellenbosch (tel: (021) 809 1100; e-mail: info@spier.co.za; website: www.spier.co.za), is now well established as one of the Cape’s major performing arts and music centres, with an annual arts festival from November to March (tel: (021) 881 3190). Shows performed at this festival have gone on to achieve considerable international acclaim, such as The Mysteries, an African interpretation of the mystery plays. Theatre: Besides the Baxter, Artscape and Spier complexes (see Music above), which all host regular and varied theatrical productions, the Theatre on the Bay, Link Street, Camps Bay (tel: (021) 438 3301; website: www.theatreonthebay.co.za), is the city’s other major theatre. The Little & Arena Theatre is part of the University of Cape Town drama department, located at 37 Orange Street (tel: (021) 480 7129; website: www.uct.ac.za/depts/drama/location.htm), is another increasingly popular venue for theatrical performance. There are also frequent amateur and professional performances in the many community halls dotted throughout the city – the daily press provides details and updates. Dance: Cape Town’s premier contemporary dance company, Jazzart (tel: (021) 410 9848 or 9828; fax: (021) 419 1907; e-mail: dance@jazzart.co.za), stages regular performances at Artscape Theatre Centre, DF Malan Street, Foreshore (tel: (021) 421 5470; website: www.artscape.co.za), and other venues. Visiting national and international dance and ballet troupes frequently appear at the Baxter, Artscape and Spier complexes (see Music above). Film: Although Cape Town has a huge film and television industry, locally made feature films mainly come out of Johannesburg. The South African film industry, although packed with new talent, is yet to receive the necessary funding and attention it deserves to truly take off. Nevertheless, one of the city’s favourite pastimes is cinema. Every major shopping centre has a cinema complex showing mainstream movies, either run by Ster-Kinekor or Nu-Metro, with advance booking through Computicket (tel: (083) 915 8000; e-mail: info@computicket.com; website: www.computicket.com). Ster-Kinekor outlets are located in various shopping centres, including Blue Route, Tokai Road (tel: (021) 713 1280) and Cavendish Commercial, Cavendish Square, Dreyer Street, Claremont (tel: (021) 683 6328/9). Nu-Metro cinemas are located at N1 City, Louwtjie Rothman Street, Goodwood (tel: (021) 595 1820/1), and Victoria Wharf, V&A Waterfront (tel: (021) 419 9700/1). Arthouse and independent films are equally as well catered for, with Ster Kinekor’s Cinema Nouveau outlets located at Cavendish Nouveau, Cavendish Square, Dreyer Street, Claremont (tel: (021) 683 4063/4), and V&A Nouveau, Kings Warehouse, V&A Waterfront (tel: (021) 425 8222). The Labia Theatre, 68 Orange Street (tel: (021) 424 5927; website: www.labia.co.za), is the city’s oldest and most Bohemian arthouse movie theatre. Another popular arthouse spot is the Art Independent Armchair Theatre, 135 Lower Main Road, Observatory (tel: (021) 447 1514). Lovers of giant-screen movies are able to visit the IMAX Theatre, BMW Pavilion, V&A Waterfront (tel: (021) 419 7365; website: www.imax.co.za). Cultural events: There are many cultural events that take place throughout the city. Among the scores of food and wine festivals, flower shows and dogs shows, there is the annual summer Maynardville Shakespeare Season, which takes place at the Maynardville Open Air Theatre, Wynberg (tel: (021) 400 2507), from December through to March. One of the most popular annual cultural events of the season is Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts (tel: (021) 799 8783), held on the lawns of Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens amphitheatre at 1730 every Sunday, December-March. Crowds of over 5000 picnickers start gathering from early afternoon, to enjoy an eclectic evening of classical, ethnic, jazz and popular music. Often the musical style is irrelevant, as many turn up to enjoy the vibe, sunlight and spectacular setting. The September Cape Town One City Festival is a fairly new event (established in 1999) on Cape Town’s cultural calendar, celebrating the diversity of the city’s people through music, dance, drama, film and other cultural and religious events featuring local artists and personalities. The oldest and arguably the most quintessentially Capetonian cultural event is the Kaapse Klopse or ‘Coon Carnival’ – despite the controversial moniker and many attempts to re-label the event, the name sticks. This carnival originates from the days of slavery in Cape Town, when the Malay slaves paraded through the streets on the Tweede Nuwe Jaar (Second New Year). Nowadays, it is organised by the Cape Minstrel Association (tel: (021) 418 5614; website: www.espafrika.com) and is largely the mainstay of Cape Town’s ‘coloured’ community, those decended from the Malay slaves, who dress up in elaborate costumes and paint their faces to march in a noisy, jazzy, jubilant and colourful parade through the streets of Cape Town, past the Grand Parade to Green Point Stadium, where prizes are awarded for the best costumes. This is a particularly pertinent event, seeing as it stood the test not only of time but also of apartheid oppression. Literary Notes Ever since Sir Francis Drake describe the Cape Peninsula as ‘the most stately thing and the fairest cape in all the whole circumference of the earth’, Cape Town has featured strongly in international literature. Most often, the city has been used as a metaphor for the system of apartheid and as a symbol of white oppression in black Africa. However, since the release of Nelson Mandela and the end of apartheid, Cape Town has become a symbol of freedom and democracy, with many of the major political works on South Africa – by figures such as Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Govan Mbeki – written in the city. The writer who has, perhaps more than any other, defined South African literature is J M Coetzee – twice winner of the Booker Prize for literature. His novels, which include Disgrace (1999), Foe (1986), Waiting for the Barbarians (1980), The Life and Times of Michael K (1983) and Dusklands (1974), go to the very heart of the South African psyche and delve deep into the political and social landscape of the country. Coetzee was born in Cape Town and is professor of English at the University of Cape Town. Another literary figure at the university is André Brink, three-time winner of South Africa’s premier literary prize, the CAN Award, twice shortlisted for the Booker Prize and winner of the 1980 Martin Luther King Prize and French Priz Medicis Etranger. Brink’s eight novels include Looking on Darkness (1974), Rumours of Rain (1978), A Dry White Season (1979) and An Act of Terror (1991). South Africa’s premier playwright, Athol Fugard, based his powerful two-man play, The Island (1973), on the political incarcerations on Robben Island. Lesser known internationally but the unofficial king of Cape Town musicals, David Kramer penned a magnificent memoir of Cape Town’s darkest moment when he captured not only the grief, hatred and confusion of the relocations but also the spirit and wonder of this tragic area in his musical, District Six (1987). Kramer has recently achieved acclaim for his musical, Karoo Kitaar Blues (2002), and has exported his work to London stages. Another lesser known Capetonian writer who has caught a remarkable and peceptive glimpse of the city is Menán du Plessis, in her novel, Longlive! (1989), about a group of students in a politically turbulent Cape Town during the 1980s. On a more factual level, in A Mouthful of Glass (1998), Dutch writer Henk van Woerden documents with clarity and remarkable sensitivity the events that took place in Cape Town, when Demitrios Tsafendas stabbed the then Prime Minister, Hendrik Verwoerd, in the chamber of the South African Parliament in 1966. Nightlife Cape Town is a party town, especially in summer, when tens of thousands of tourists – foreign and local – descend upon the city. But even during winter, the action never stops. Much of this action is concentrated on a handful of popular city streets and suburbs. The city has become an international Mecca for DJs, running huge rave, trance and ambient parties – often held in stunning locations on beaches or in forests. The city is also firmly entrenched on the international rock music touring circuit. There are several distinct nightlife districts. Long Street and Kloof Street in the city centre are alive with restaurants, live music clubs, bars, coffee shops and the occasional strip club. On the outskirts of the city centre, Somerset Road in Green Point has a string of gay and gay-friendly clubs and restaurants, while the V&A Waterfront is simply awash with nightlife hotspots popular with both tourists and locals alike. Toward the southern suburbs, Lower Main Road in the suburb of Observatory and the nearby River Club is the territory of Cape Town’s students and offers up a more Bohemian and laid-back style of entertainment. This is the place for local alternative music, slightly seedy pool halls, philosophy, poetry, stand-up comedy and vegetarian food. On the N1 highway, north of the city centre, the Century City development combines a state-of-the-art amusement park with scores of restaurants, several sound stages and the Dockside multilevel club and live music venue. The seaside suburbs of Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek and Simon’s Town, although traditionally family orientated and ‘dry’, are becoming increasingly trendy for nightlife beyond the city limits – although this is largely centred upon restaurants. There are no strict licensing hours in Cape Town and many clubs stay open until sunrise and beyond. Dress code is almost always as casual as you wish, although shorts and trainers are not appreciated in some venues and a ‘no effort no entry’ rule is sometimes enforced. Admission prices to clubs and raves range from R20 to R70 – many are free before 2300. The legal drinking age is 18 years, although some pubs demand a 21-year age limit for entrance. Alcohol is extremely cheap for foreigners, at approximately R8 for a beer. The monthly publications, Cape Review and Citylife, are excellent sources of information and listings for Cape Town’s nightlife, while The Gayteway Newspaper (website: www.gayteway.co.za), is a free monthly publication focusing on Cape Town’s gay nightlife. Information on Cape Town’s club scene is available online (website: www.clubbersguide.co.za). Bars: South Africa has strange laws concerning the sale of alcohol and bars must, by law, be attached to hotels or alternatively be part of a restaurant/café. For this reasons many bars masquerade as places to eat. In the city centre, the Long Street Café, 259 Long Street, is one of the trendiest haunts in town, while its sister, Café Bardeli, in the Longkloof Studios Centre, Darters Road, is where Cape Town’s film, television and modelling community strut their stuff in the recently revamped interior. The equally trendy Café Camissa, 80 Kloof Street, features live music, stand-up comedy and poetry readings. Spirit of Greenmarket, the restaurant attached to the Holiday Inn, Greenmarket Square, has a roomy terrace overlooking the market – an excellent place to enjoy an ice cold Castle lager or Savannah cider after a hard day of shopping. The V&A Waterfront has dozens of bars and cafés, many with beautiful sea and mountain views. The perennial favourite is Quay Four (website: www.quay4.co.za), with wooden benches and tables on a deck overlooking the harbour. Rolling Stones, Lower Main Road in Observatory, is a laid-back but crowded pool hall with a balcony overlooking the busy Lower Main Road below, where you would find the terminally hip Obz Café serving up cocktails to beautiful bohemians. Further south, on Rondebosch Main Road, Kuzmas is a cheap and cheerful Mediterranean-style restaurant and bar, popular with strapped-for-cash students. Despite facing east rather than the setting sun, the informal Brass Bell, Main Road, St James, has long been a favourite of tippling locals. One of the best venues in which to watch the sun go down is La Med, at the Glen Country Club, Victoria Road in Clifton (website: www.lamed.co.za). Bikinis are optional. Another trendy sundowner spot favoured by those who have had a trying day sunbathing on the fabulous beach below is Clifton Beach House, 72 The Ridge, Fourth Beach. Just down the road, Baraza, 9 The Promenade, off Victoria Road, Camps Bay, is one of the trendiest haunts of the international jet set who summer in Cape Town. But for the best view in town, enjoy the sunset from Table Mountain Bistro, perched right on top of the mountain – a siren is sounded if the wind picks up and to mark the sunset. It also warns drinkers when the last cable cars are getting ready to leave (so go easy on the Savannahs). Casinos: There are three casinos in the Cape region and the finest of these is undoubtedly the Grand West Casino & Entertainment World, 1 Vanguard Drive, Goodwood (website: www.suninternational.co.za). This massive complex is a reconstruction of various historic Cape Town buildings and includes two hotels, an Olympic-sized ice rink, several restaurants and, of course, the casino itself, complete with 1750 slot machines and 66 tables, bars, lounges, restaurants, nightclub and revue bar. The gambling areas are open for those over 18 years, dress is smart-casual in the gaming halls and a passport or ID is required. Clubs: There are literally hundreds of clubs in Cape Town, varying from your average disco playing standard dance fare to deeply alternative clubs where bouncers assess dress, body piercings and language before deciding whether or not patrons make the grade. The River Club, Observatory Road, hosts club nights and massive rave parties, such as an annual New Year indoor and outdoor party and the gay-orientated and extremely lavish Twinkly Sea Project. The Purple Turtle, Long Street, and the Moomba Club Sociale, 77 Hout Street, offer a mixed bag of alternative music, theme nights and live music. Meanwhile The Jet Lounge, 70 Long Street, and The Piano Lounge, corner of Loop Street and Wale Street, play a mix of house, jungle, trance and jazz. More hardcore is The Shack/Blue Lizard, 41 De Villiers Street, District Six, with a goth-grunge atmosphere and clientele. Located in Cape Town’s ‘gay village’, De Waterkant Village, Sky/Angels, Bronx Action Bar, Spilounge and 55 Club, all on Somerset Road in Greenpoint, are Cape Town’s most popular gay clubs. Baseline, 72 Long Street, provides two dance floors with DJs playing deep and funky house, R&B and hip hop. Marvel, Long Street, corners the market of electronica and ‘intelligent dance music’ every Sunday, while Chilli ‘n Lime, 23 Somerset Road, combines deep house sounds and live bands with a designer fashion shop and photographic studio. Comedy: Laughter is the best medicine and has helped South Africa over the apartheid years, both politically and emotionally. Cape Town plays a large role in continuing to split the sides of her people. The main venue in Cape Town is the Comedy Warehouse, 22 Somerset Road, while next door, On Broadway, 21 Somerset Road (website: www.onbroadway.co.za), is an extremely popular dinner and cabaret venue featuring a mixed bag of music, dance and drag shows. The Cape Comedy Collective Circuit provides the laughs at a variety of venues, while the Baxter Theatre, Main Road, Rondebosch, hosts regular shows of South Africa’s finest comic talent. One of the city’s most famous sons, Pieter Dirk Uys, the political satirist and anti-apartheid activist best known for his role of the first lady of South Africa, Evita Bezuidenhout, has opened a theatre/comedy workshop, Evita se Perron, in the disused Darling Railway Station, in Darling, a small town just 45 minutes out of Cape Town. Live music: Live music fans would do well to check the local press and listings magazines for details of live music events, as many take place in obscure venues and on an irregular basis. A popular spot for hectic rock, local stars and alternative sounds is The Jam, 43 De Villiers Street, District Six, a venue that is owned by heavy rockers and Cape Town locals, the Springbok Nude Girls. Marco’s African Place, 15 Rose Lane, in the Bo-Kaap area, is a popular spot for Cape Town’s ruling classes, who come to enjoy the indigenous cuisine and music. Mama Afrika, 178 Long Street, also provides great local food with live music. The Drum Café, 32 Glynn Street, provides African sounds with a drum workshop every Monday. Cape Town excels at jazz and for regular live performances, The Green Dolphin, at the V&A Waterfront, is Cape Town’s premier jazz venue, while Hanover Street Jazz Club, Grand West Casino, Goodwood, is another classy jazz venue. Big-name concerts featuring international artists are usually held at the Greenpoint Stadium, Somerset Road, and the Bellville Velodrome, Cronje Drive, Bellville. City Statistics Location: Western Cape Province, South Africa. Country dialling code: 27. Population: 3,021,819 (metropolitan area); 4.5 million (Western Cape Province). Ethnic mix: 57% ‘coloured’ or mixed race, 24% white, 18% black, 11% Asian. Religion: 90% Christian, 6% Muslim, 4% Jewish, Hindu and other. Time zone: GMT + 2. Electricity: 220/230 volts AC, 50 Hz; round two- or three-pin plugs are standard. Average January temp: 21°C (70°F). Average July temp: 12°C (54°F). Annual rainfall: 508mm (20 inches). Special Events African Redux Festival, informal film festival dedicated to South African production talent (website: www.film-fix.com), fifth day of every month, The Armchair Theatre, Observatory Kaapse Klopse (Cape Minstrel's Carnival), parade through the city, 1-2 Jan 2003, city centre to Green Point Stadium Tweede Nuwe Jaar (Second New Year), informal public holiday, 2 Jan, throughout the city Maynardville Shakespeare Season, open-air theatre, Jan, Maynardville Park, Wynberg J&B Met, Western Cape’s premier horserace (website: www.jbmet.co.za), early Feb, Kenilworth Racecourse South African Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, late-Feb-early Mar, Cinema Nouveau Waterfront KFM Outdoor Adventure Africa Expo, late Feb, Canal Walk, Century City Proms Military Musical Extravaganza, late Feb, Castle of Good Hope Cape Town Marathon, late Feb, city centre Community Chest Carnival, fair and fête, late Feb-early Mar, Maynardville Park, Wynberg Human Rights Day, commemoration of the martyrs of apartheid, 21 Mar, throughout the city UCT Rag Show, university float procession, weekend in early Mar, city centre Cape Argus/Pick ’n’ Pay Cycle Tour, the world’s biggest bicycle race with over 40,000 amateur and professional participants, Sunday in early Mar, around the Cape Peninsula Cape Town One City Festival, cultural and religious festival, Mar, various venues Castle Surf Championships, surfing competition, Mar, Muizenberg African Harvest North Sea Jazz Festival, Africa’s biggest jazz festival, late Mar, Good Hope Centre in the city centre Two Oceans Marathon, 56km (35-mile) race (website: www.twooceansmarathon.org.za), late Mar/early Apr, around the peninsula from the Indoor Sports Centre, University of Cape Town Freedom Day, commemoration of South Africa’s first democratic elections, 27 Apr, throughout the city International Kite Festival, late Apr, Zandvlei, Muizenberg Cape Gourmet Festival (website: www.capegourmet.co.za), May, Good Hope Centre Youth Day, anniversary of the 1976 student uprising against apartheid, 16 Jun, throughout the city National Women’s Day, celebration of the role of women in the anti-apartheid struggle, 9 Aug, throughout the cit Hout Bay Snoek Derby, Aug, Hout Bay Cape Times Watefront Wine Festival, late Aug, Waterfront FNB Vita Dance Indaba, mid-Sep, Baxter Theatre, Rondebosch Evita Art Festival, mid-Sep, Darling Smirnoff International Comedy Festival, mid-Sep-late Oct, Baxter Theatre, Rondebosch Hermanus Whale Festival (website: www.whalefestival.co.za), late Sep-early Oct, Hermanus Sithengi, international film festival and television market (website: www.sithengi.co.za), mid-Nov, Artscape Dragon Boat Festival, Nov, V&A Waterfront European Federation of Sea Angling Big Game Championships, Nov, Miller’s Point, False Bay SPCA Wiggle Waggle Walkathon, Nov, Constantia Spier Festival, jazz, opera, comedy, dance and classical concerts, Nov-Mar, Spier Estate, Stellenbosch Obs Festival, arts and crafts festival, Dec, Observatory Old Mutual Telkom Choir Festival, Dec, various venues Obs Festival, street festival, early Dec, Observatory Carols by Candlelight, Christmas carol singing led by a choir, mid-Dec, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens Mother City Queer Project, gay and lesbian theme party, mid-Dec, various venues Reconciliation Day, day of national unity across political divides, mid-Dec, throughout the city Jubilee Square New Year’s Eve Party, 31 Dec, Simon’s Town Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts, open-air concerts, Dec-Mar, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens Cost of Living One-litre bottle of mineral water: R5.95 34cl bottle of beer: R3 Financial Times newspaper: R11.80 36-exposure colour film: R35 City-centre bus ticket: R2-3 Adult football ticket: From R20 Three-course meal with wine/beer: From R90 1 Rand (R1) = £0.08; US$0.12; C$0.18; A$0.20; €0.11 Currency conversion rates as of February 2003 Copyright © 2003 Columbus Travel Publishing Ltd.