Some Cape Town Highlights

(5th-11th Dec 2022)

We spent a week ‘doing’ Cape Town, and what an incredible city it is. With more activities and sunsets than you can shake a stick at, we will just give you a run down of what have been some of our highlights:

Monday:

A reunion with a friend from the Father’s House in Durbanville – yet MORE stunning vineyards (as if we hadn’t seen enough already!). Picnic supper on the beach at Llundudno (a very picturesque spot where most go and catch the surf after work) and STUNNING sunset…photos below for evidence.

Tuesday:

A hilarious shopping trip which involved being in the dark for most of it – getting used to loadshedding out here! Yet more pretty sunsets at Clifton Beach (more photographic evidence below).

Wednesday:

Early morning kayak off Green Point, spotting dolphins and seals from our boat! Followed by the best coffee and buns at Jason Bakery (Melk Tart Brioche Doughnuts, yum) and then a day at Cape Point Nature Reserve. Baboons and pyjama sharks were the main threats, but didn’t spoil how stunning the beaches are at Platboom, Buffels Bay, Dias Beach and a lovely walk between Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. Finished the day with a food and community market at Noordhoek Farm. Perfectly exhausted by the end of it!

Thursday:

A bit more of a chilled one but had the joy of seeing my previous boss who recently married and moved to Cape Town! Ben braaied for them and found the whole process of braaiing for ‘a proper South African man’ rather intimidating! Thankfully, said manly man shared his BBQing wisdom with Ben and we shared an evening of reminiscing and acquainting ourselves with our respective ‘lockdown spouses’.

Friday:

Another fun fuelled day – starting with a surfing lesson at Muizenburg. Ben spent most of the time on the board, Beth, most of the time under the water! Then off to the Rugby 7s, where we saw some very impressive men’s and women’s rugby. Learnt more about the role of rugby in Mandela’s mission to unify the country post-apartheid - really quite inspiring stuff.

Weekend:

Watched the World Cup at a local hotel (rather disappointing) and Ben bumped into an old friend and colleague from London (made up for the disappointment!). Went to the beautiful Kirstenbosch Gardens for a Christmas Market (in attempts to feel more festive!). Attended Common Ground church for an evening of worship and teaching, always good to feel part of something when you’re abroad.

We finished our time in Cape Town on 22nd December, and managed to squeeze in a trip to Namibia before we left (another blog post), but we cannot quite put into words how beautiful this place is, despite the difficulties still faced by many and the painful past it’s recovering from. We felt so welcomed by our neighbours and started to feel quite at home in Newlands suburb. Who knows, we could be back…!