Cape Town, South Africa
I spent a week in Cape Town, South Africa back in September 2018 on business as my organization has an office there. I went to meet with staff in person and do some training for them on our software system. I’m blessed with a job that allows me to do what I love and travel at the same time. But what’s a business trip, to Cape Town if you can’t fit in some fun too right?! I received some great recommendations from my co-workers on things to do while in town. Although I was there for a week, i was still “working” from 9-5 so my time to sight-see was limited to the evening and on the weekend.
With the recommendations on what I absolutely must see in Cape Town, here is how I maximized my time there. Let me know in the comments if you’ve been to Cape Town. I will be returning in September 2019, so stay tuned for an updated blog on places visited during that trip.
I decided to do a full day bus tour with City Sightseeing South Africa. I chose to do the Cape Point & Penguin Explorer Tour that visited Boulders Beach to see the Penguins (yes Africa has it’s own breed of Penguins), Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. The ticket for the 8 hour tour cost ZAR420 which is roughly USD $28 and included round-trip transportation and entry into both stops.
Boulders Beach: A stop at Boulders Beach is a must do to see the African Penguins.
Cape of Good Hope: One of the greatest views ever
I chose to do Robben Island over table mountain simply because the weather permitted for the boat ride there. Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 kilometres west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. The name is Dutch for "seal island”. Former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela was imprisoned there for 18 of the 27 years he served behind bars before the fall of apartheid. To date, three former inmates of Robben Island have gone on to become President of South Africa: Nelson Mandela, Kgalema Motlanthe, and Jacob Zuma. What is unique about the tour is that a former prisoner takes you on the tour of the prison grounds and gives you a first hand account of what transpired there. It really puts into perspective the type of treatment the prisoners received hearing it from a former inmate. If you are planning to go, I suggest you go sooner than later because they can’t live forever, and the tours will be done by others so if you travel to South Africa, I highly recommend going.
Entrance to Robben Island
Nelson Mandela’s prison cell on Robben Island
Truth Coffee Roasting for my coffee lovers out there is a quirky cafe that's a steampunk world of pipes and old metal, with gourmet, home-roasted coffee. You can also learn how to become a barista at the Truth Coffee Barista School. Barista Noel was nice enough to give me a tour around the shop and the school.
District Six Museum is a museum in the former inner-city residential area, District Six, in Cape Town, South Africa. The museum was founded in 1994, as a memorial to the forced movement of 60,000 inhabitants of various races in District Six during Apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s. Pieces that can be found in the museum are old traffic signs, exhibits of historical moments and lives of families from the area, historical declarations, and exhibits about the demolition.
Old Street Signs in the District 6 Museum
The Old Biscuit Mill is in the Woodstock neighborhood which is one of the oldest suburbs in Cape Town and it is also one of the hippest. There’s an incredible mix of diversity and cultures here as well as art. I went on a day where it was not really busy and a few shops were closed for the day so it didn’t really strike me as someplace I would like to come back to explore more.
The Old Biscuit Mill
The V&A Waterfront is also a must stop when in Cape Town. The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is one of Africa's most visited destinations and attracts 24 million people every year. Its setting, in the oldest working harbour in the southern hemisphere, is simply spectacular: it has Table Mountain as a dramatic backdrop as well as extensive views of the ocean, city bowl and the mountain peaks of the Hottentots-Holland Mountains. There are plenty of local shops and restaurants with some of the most delicious food you’ll ever eat. At the Waterfront is also the Cape Wheel. The Cape Wheel is a giant observation wheel that offers a spectacular 360 panoramic view of Cape Town from the vibrant V&A Waterfront. If you are not afraid of heights, check it out. I promise it doesn’t move fast!
View from The Cape Wheel. It was a cloudy day!
Let me know down below if you’ve ever been to Cape Town. What are some places you recommend I visit on a return trip?.