South African Diary Day 8 Capetown

Day 8: Thursday 5 July

There was a sudden change in the vegetation--turning to a lush green upon entering the Western Cape province. The train arrived at 4.30 PM, about 2 hours late.

Capetown is called the "Mother City". Sir Francis Drake (or was it Vasco da Gama?) called it the "Fairest Cape in all the world."

What struck me first about the city was a massive mountain, that stretched almost to the centre of the city. Nearby was an ancient castle, and in front the biggest harbour in Africa.

Feeling stiff after the long train trip, I walked to the Victoria and Alfred waterfront for a bit of exercise, past the Planet Hollywood restaurant that was bombed in 1998, killing two. PAGAD (People Against Gangsters And Drugs), an armed Muslim vigilante organisation is suspected, a taxi driver told me. He said this group is anti-western and anti-gay and have carried out a number of bombings and shootings over the past few years, and he added that in the surrounding areas to the South crime is getting out of control.

Had a beer and snack in Mitchell's Brewery, filling up with young people, many probably just coming from work. Read in the newspaper that the Hard Rock Cafe nearby on the waterfront was closing immediately, after having broken its lease. It was described as a "marketing disaster" by a former marketing manager. There was also controversy surrounding the strict new anti-smoking law for bars and restaurants--many people thought there were more important things to worry about than people smoking themselves to death. Afterwards I passed the Grace hotel--voted two years running best small luxury hotel in the world . Checked out the Victoria and Albert hotel - at about 1000 rand a night, outside my budget.

Returned by taxi to the centre, and checked in at the Tudor Hotel, 195 Rand a night including breakfast. Directly facing it is McGinty's Traditional Irish Pub, part of the Holiday Inn Hotel.

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Capetown

Cape Town was established in 1652 by Dutch seafarers as a replenishment station for ships of the Dutch East Indies Company. Today it is the second largest city in South Africa and is the legislative capital of the country.

With a history of more than 340 years and for many years the gateway to Southern Africa it is a blend of many different cultures - Dutch, Asian, Malay, English, Xhosa, Khoisan - and is a mixture of old and new, east and west.

According to a local newspaper, there is a mass movement, in effect recoiling on the old pioneer routes, back to Cape Province, the region of South Africa in which Europeans first touched land. It is estimated that in five years 80 per cent of the country's Whites will be clustered towards the Cape.

About 7 miles out to sea is Robben Island which until recently served as the infamous maximum security prison where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for most of his 27 year prison stretch.