I got up a little earlier today, wanting to get out to
breakfast early. It was a Friday, I expected things to a be a little more
crowded than it was yesterday; some of this is from experience. When I came to
Cape Town three years ago I also left on a Saturday, that time Saturday
morning. Friday was packed everywhere, and I expected more of the same. I got
more of the same. I wanted to go to Vovo Telo again, but all the outdoor tables
were full – I don’t really see the point of eating indoors in Cape Town.
Instead, I walked over the side of the Waterfront that had a nicer, clearer
view of table mountain, and ate at OYO restaurant, which was the hotel restaurant
of the Albert Hall. There the Continental Buffet was 220 rand, and the
Continental Buffet plus one breakfast entrée item was 240, so I obviously went
with the latter. The buffet included smoked salmon and oysters(!), so I loaded
up on those, awaited my eggs, and basked in the view and the wind.
I only had one ‘to-do’ on my list for today, which was a
trip to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, probably the most notable tourist
attraction in the Western Cape that I missed out on last time. I had penciled
that in for the afternoon, so I had, again, a few hours to kill. I learned
quickly during this trip that going back to a place, especially just three
years later, has its negatives. I decided to venture inside the one area of the
Waterfront that was not there two years ago, the large warehouse-style African
Craft Market, called the Water-Shed – I guess so called because it was a shed
and it was on the water.
It is huge, with about 50 different stalls selling all kinds
of stuff, from carved wood and metal and stone and ostrich eggs, to various
textile-based stuff, to paintings, to jewelry, to even some food and drinks. It
is an amazing site, especially with everything seeing pretty high quality. I
bought a few little trinkets to be gifts for various people, but spend way too
much time just walking around soaking it all in.
Following my time gallivanting around the craft market, it
was basically already lunch time. I first stopped for a Milk & Honey, and
then made my way up the Victoria Wharf Mall outside area to City Grill, the
place I went to last time – the place that gave me Campari on the house for
some reason. I kind of decided to go there on a whim, but it was definitely a
well made choice.
I decided to stay a bit light during lunch, but still did
something I never, ever do; I ordered wine. And not only wine, but a whole
bottle. Needless to say I didn’t finish the bottle, but it was reasonably
priced (equated to about three glasses). I sat there, took in the amazing view,
and actually rested on the wine for a bit. For my only main, I got the Warthog
Skewer with a delicious mushroom and potatoe sauce. The food was great, the
sightlines were better, and I was glad to be going back to The City Grill.
Following lunch I finally ventured away from the Waterfront,
hitting the one main tourist attraction I missed the last time, going to
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Situated on the other side of the Lion’s Head
and Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch is about 20 minutes from the City Center –
part of the reason I didn’t get to go last time. The entrance is a bit plain,
but once you get past the gate and start waking in the expansiv park, you
realize that even the other side of the mountain, when you can no longer see
the distinctive fat-top of Table Mountain, the views in South Africa are
spectacular:
The Gardens are huge. Ther is a map that can be used, but
the usefulness is liited by the lack of corresponding signs in the park. In
reality, Kirstenbosch is a place that is better experienced by just wandering
around and getting lost. Other than the distinctive ‘Canopy Walk’ and
‘Enchanted Gardens’, with overhanging trees covering the pathways, the rest of
the Gardens is just a meandering walk across and through large fields and all
the while the mountains hang over you with a commanding presence. This was a
place my Mom would lose a whole day just soaking it all in/ Even as someone
with a very light green thumb, I enoyed each view and photo opportunity.
Kirstenbosch was a wonderful experience, well deserving of its #2 ranking for
attractions in Cape Town.
Following my time in Kirstenbosch, I went into town and
milled around the Long Street area, just passing time until the start of the
sun-set when I wanted to head back to the Waterfront. Long Street was as fun as
ever, but soon enough it was nearing six o clock, and I wanted to head to my
‘home’ in Cape Town.
The V&A Waterfront is a bit commercial, but it is also
that for a reason, but then n the weekends you see more locals than anything
crowding the place, again for a reason. The views are stunning, the restaurants
and bars are great, mostly all have outdoor seating. It is the real life-blood
of Cape Town, and I wanted to experience all of it. I started with a drink (or
two) at De Kamp, a Beligan bar on the waterfront over at the ‘Abert’ end, the
ore high-end area. The views here were amazing, with a great prespective of the
sun slowly setting over signal hill, and the wonderful colors that reflected
onto Table Mountain.
I then waded from De Kamp, and milled around the Waterfront
area while my Table and KaRiBu (the restaurant right next to City Grill) was
getting my table ready. I had asked for a table right on the edge outside that
would give the best view of the end of daylight ending and nighttime rising.
They came through and the view was, again, spectacular. Cape Town is a Top-10
site in the world even if there was nothing else to do but stare mouth agape at
the wonder around you.
My dinner setting gave me the inspiration to get another
bottle of wine, this time a Pinotage, a South African favorite, and sip that
under the lights. The manager of the restaurant was surprised I asked to sit
outside, and even more surprised when I asked him not to put the heater on – I
told him that the temperature straggling 60-75 degrees is about as perfect as
it gets. The food was about as good, first a Biltong plate with cured Biltong
pieces, and then a main of Zebra, which was fantastic. I did not have Zebra the
last time I came to Cape Town, and it was about as good as I could have imagined,
a bit softer than Beef more of a lamb taste. I wrapped up dinner around 10:00,
wanting to go to a few different spots before heading home.
The first was Quay Four Tavern, which by this time had
transitioned over to being a bar. They have a ton of outdoor seating which is
over the water, and while there Is no view of Table Mountain, in the dark the
view of the bay is better. Next I went back to good ol Mitchell’s Pub and threw
down a few more beers and enjoyed my time with the locals. Cape Town is a great
place, and even if I restricted myself largely to the Waterfront area this time
– at least more than I did last time – I did not feel like I missed out. Cape
Town’s Waterfront is pretty perfect.
