Cape Town – South Africa

by Alyssa Ramos

Although I’d never been there before, Cape Town seemed familiar, as if I’d visited it in a past life or a lucid dream. It might have been due to my extensive research, or my curious project to interview local Cape Town bloggers before arriving, but the map of the town was embedded in my mind like a subconscious thought.

It took thirty minutes to get to the hotel, as I expected since I Google mapped it before I left. The driver I pre-arranged to pick us up from the airport was there on time, and we shared the drive with a lovely family from Kuwait, who had coincidentally vacationed in Florida last year, and chose Cape Town this year for holiday. We passed what I later learned is called a township on the way there; an area of four by four “homes” made from sheets of tin that are so closely packed together that it could have been mistaken for a scrap metal junkyard. This is a type of area where many people live, including the children who we would be volunteering with in Muizenberg.

The Harbouredge Apartments were exactly like the photos I saw online, and I instantly wished I could somehow take our apartment back home to LA with me, especially since it was only 1350 Rand ($135 USD). The modern, chic exterior matched the spacious interior of our three bedroom, two bathroom, full kitchen and laundry, self-catering apartment. After freshening up, we decided that doing the City Sightseeing Hop On – Hope Off bus tour would be the best way to see all of the things that my bloggers recommended seeing. It’s funny how much I love those big red buses when they are anywhere but where I live.

Our first stop was driving through the Downtown area on Long Street towards the infamous Table Mountain and Lions Head. These were all places one of my featured bloggers, Baydu recommended as must-sees. Cashmere clouds pillowed powerfully yet gracefully over the mountaintops like watchful guardians, unbothered by the thousands of spectators reveling at their majestic splendor. Lush jungle troposphere clothes the base and midriff of the grand mountains, while the tops expose the fine, jagged details that define the storm-grey stone. It’s hard to stop staring at the massive natural monuments, which seemed enhanced with HDR due to the cold and dreary weather.

Next was off to the prestigious Camps Bay, a place that all of my bloggers hyped up to be the “sexy” side of town and where celebrities and people go to see and be seen. It definitely lives up to its name. Like a mixture of Rodeo Drive meets Malibu, luxurious restaurants and hotels line the street facing the white sand and twinkling ocean, flanked by picturesque mountains. We were immediately approached by a man in a Rasta beanie who quickly unrolled numerous canvases on the grass before us with hand paintings of elephants, giraffes, a township, and the continent of Africa. My attempt at haggling partially worked, and I got two beautiful pieces for 500 Rand ($50 USD).

Although the weather was freezing and drizzling all day (it’s winter in August), the sun broke out for a good twenty minutes, allowing me to run around like a child in the warm sun and sand. I walked across the street to the first restaurant patio that caught my eye – an elegantly decorated spot with white furnishings and tropical fauna called Zen Zero. I was beyond happy with the 40 Rand ($4) price of the Chenin Blanc that I ordered, accompanied by a sautéed prawn flatbread with a garlic aioli spread. One thing that I learned immediately is that wifi is available at most restaurants upon requesting the password, and extremely helpful for checking email, Whatsapp, and social media. The unplanned sunset over the beach was an added bonus to the end of my experience at Camps Bay.

On the way back we passed by Sea Point, the area along the coast just North of Camps Bay where many Capetonians live in houses similar to the ones in Malibu and the Pacific Palisades, many with small glass elevators to get up to them. We passed the world-renowned stadium that was home to the 2010 World Cup games, and the V&A Waterfront, before getting dropped off near the hotel (hint: make friends with the bus drivers, they’ll help you out with getting around).

As advised by my bloggers, I quickly learned that layering clothes is essential since Cape Town can drastically vary in temperature. By the time I got back to the hotel I was frozen and had to layer on two tanks, a long sleeved shirt, zip-up jacket, and leather jacket before heading out. We purposely stayed in the City Centre so that we could go out in the “downtown” area, which is mainly along Long Street. Bars, cafes, restaurants, and shops line the busy street like a cleaner version of New Orleans.

I had purposely asked my bloggers what the popular places for locals were, and Karisa from CapeTownMyLove.com came through again by suggesting La Parada – a trendy tapas bar on Bree Street. Once that died down, we attempted to go to another recommended place, Weinhaus and Biergarden, however it was outside on a patio, and I wasn’t trying to catch pneumonia on my first day in Africa.

Since Long Street is known for its bars and night scene, we ventured further down it, weaving between both locals and tourists who were laughing and stumbling down the crowded sidewalk. The second floor balconies on either side of the street were all packed, so we chose a random entrance that seemed most appealing. Sergeant Pepper’s was like your typical bar in the U.S., except everyone was friendly, happy, DANCING, and NOT on their phones. It was extremely refreshing. The night finally ended with some take away food from a Bollywood restaurant across the street, and then it was back to the hotel to get ready for Day 2.