Like most people who were part of the great reverse-trek (born in Joburg and moved to Cape Town), I have long since shed my ‘vaalie’ exoskeleton and quickly adopted the Capetonian cloth. I easily converse with other ex-vaalies about how ‘when we were there it was much better. Safer, really. But it’s changed now. Joburg is just so different’ and quickly change topics to how much better it is to live in the Cape.
After the torrential downpour of the last two days, the winter Cape Town emerged clean and shiny from the cloudy cocoon and presented us with one of these perfect winter days. It just reminded me HOW lucky I am that the folks decided to venture off in search of a better life.
#1: Table Mountain
Ja ja, so I’m clichéd. I admit it. But there is some kinda crazy magic about that mountain that just makes it so unique. It’s no surprise the view from Blouberg beach has been voted third best in the world. (Incidentally, I live in Blouberg so I love having something like that to boast about).
But it’s not only the view of the mountain that counts. Almost every capetonian likes to use the mountain as a reference guide for directions. “You need to like, turn right, but just like, make sure that the mountain stays like north-east of you. No wait, like, make sure it’s on your right hand side and you can’t go wrong.” And it works, too.
Climbing up the mountain (and trust me, it’s do-able. There are routes spanning from man-I-want-to-feel-the-burn to more of a stroll through the hills. I’ve even pushed a pram up) and then rewarding yourself with a wine picnic is definitely way better manner to spend a Sunday that a trip to Leeukop prison.
Bru, its laaaaank cool.
No walk up Table Mountain is complete without finishing it off with a picnic in the botanical gardens. Kirstenbosch summer concerts are the single best way to spend a lazy sunday afternoon. The biggest names come and play and you can enjoy anything from the Philharmonic to the Parlotones (if you’re into that sort of thing) with your choice of Sauvignon Blanc (I recommend Uva Mira) and a selection of cheese and figs. The dramatic backdrop of the sun creeping away behind the back face of the mountain, the hot sweet heady smell of proteas and the general happy vibe of the people contribute so much more to any concert. Warning: get there early because everyone else feels the same way I do! Also, just expect everyone to be a little pretentious. We’re capetonians. It’s what we like to pretend we are.
Ok sure, you can get wine anywhere, so on it’s own it isn’t really a unique characteristic. But we have the wine farms too. The most amazing part of the wine industry around here is how unbelievably diverse the various areas are. It really depends on what your mood is. If you enjoy lazy, slow wine tastings without too much hustle and bustle, talking to the farmer and taking things easy, then the Robertson valley is where you want to go (take an Afrikaans friend along though!). If you want tourists by the dozen and students intermingled, plus a healthy dose of families, babies and just about everyone, then Stellenbosch is more your area (I may have made it sound horrible, but actually its amazing). If you want a short route with loads of farms, after which you can go and tan on the beach, Durbanville is where you are headed. And if you want to experience the snooty English pretension of Cape Town (well worth a visit), the Constantia valley is where you should go.
Because I’m a Stellenbosch girl, I am biased towards the area. I am also stuck on the wines of the Hidden Valley, Rust en Vrede and Uva Mira. If you haven’t been, then you haven’t seen wine farms.
# 4: Wine Festivals
As if the above couldn’t get any better (wine on my doorstep), the farms now come together and have festivals where you can see, taste and experience all the wines. It’s actually hard to keep track of how many there are! The favourites still remain the Stellenbsch Wine Festival which is something around 100 farms, 2 tents and all the wine you could possibly taste! (Not to be taken lightly and you should ensure that there is someone to carry/drive you home). Next is the Bien Donne Cheese Festival in Franschoek, which has a similar idea to the previous festival, but adds in a million different cheese tents and olive tents. And lastly, the Wacky Wine Fest in Robertson, which is a weekend away with a wine passport in one of the oldest wine areas in the Cape. Mountains everywhere, camp sites full to the brim, people from all over the country come and spend the weekend just wallowing in the wine of it all.
# 5: Friendly people
The old idea of the stuck-up capetonian has fallen largely to the wayside. While there may still be some stalwarts in the Republic of Hout Bay, and Constantia mums who never leave Cavendish, in general people around Cape Town are pretty friendly. There is a lack of that suspicious mistrust that seems to permeate Joburg air and so people are more inclined towards each other. Wander through Long Street on a Friday night and you’ll se what I mean!
# 6: Nothing is far away
I mean it. Nothing is far away. In Joburg, everyone drives everywhere and nothing is really close. I used to drive 45 minutes to school every day. When you move to Cape Town, you quickly start changing your tune. Claremont (10km from Cape Town) starts looking ‘too far’ to drive just to go party. If you drive more than 30km to work, you live in the wrong place. Living in Stellenbosch has made it even worse since all my friends/work/study/play/party place/shopping etc is within a 4km radius. If I have to drive much more than that, I make sure I can stay over.
# 7: It just never really gets that cold
What? It doesn’t. Winter temperatures of 12 and 16 are not shocking. Even when it goes down to 7 degrees, it’s not like its freezing or anything. Temperate and Mediterranean, I’m quite happy with that.
# 8: 8 ‘o clock summer sunsets
I remember the car trip when we moved to Cape Town. We left Joburg at some ungodly hour in the morning and went through stop-go-traffic due to road works in the Karoo. 4 hungry tired children, sick of eggy-mayo sarmies and warm golden delicious apples are not the most fun passengers in any car. But as we drove over Hospital Bend for the first time and saw the sun twinkling over the harbour (at 19h45!) a hush descended over everyone in the car. There have been countless days since then of running up Lion’s Head at half past seven, watching my brothers kite board until just before 8 and having sundowners in camps bay and not leaving until it gets dark at 9pm. Us capetonians get extra hours in our day so that even if we work shitty office jobs in the city, we can walk along Sea Point’s board walk, or have drinks at the Radisson after, and somehow it just takes the edge off it all.
# 9: Cape Coloureds is mos kief, my bra!
It has to be said. I used to take an Atlantis bus home from work (! I know). My Afrikaans was never really good, but boy did I learn some interesting phrases from those trips home! (Not expressions I could ever repeat in polite company, of course, but there have been a few situations in my life where I’ve used the cursing in my head). Coloureds in Cape Town speak their own special blend of Afrikaans, English and slang. They are the heart and soul of the cape and their unique language shapes so many of the cape expressions. To be fair, no real cape street scene would be complete without the shrill cries of one bergie swearing at another informing him “jou ma se soup tastes nice”; or two brasse greeting each other with “aweh, my laanie!” and the inevitable skimp “gee vir my ‘n entjie”!
(For more of these colourful terms, check out http://kakduidelik.co.za/2008/10/22/cape-town-slang/)
# 10: There is always something to do
And I mean ALWAYS. Even when you’re broke and sad and desperately waiting for this month’s pay check, there is still entertainment. It’s still safe enough around here to go walking in the mountains. There are beautiful botanical gardens (the ones in Stellenbosch are still free) to wander through and chill on a blanket and read a book. Cape Town central is a tightly-packed activity ground. If you have just a little bit of cash, then you can wander through art galleries, the Planetarium, museums and the Turkish baths of Long Street. With a little more in the pocket, there are lunches on wine farms, vertical tastings, beer tasting in Hermanus, apple picking in Elgin, cherry picking in Ceres. As winter settles in, there are roaring fires and amazing food (always complimented with the finest wine SA can offer). There are conventions and festivals and trance parties and rocks fests and cycle races and road races and tourists and *out of breath exhausted sigh*. The best part about Cape Town is that you will never get bored. Never.
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