Capetown (2023)

A pleasure trip to the ‘Mother City’, one of the most beautiful cities in the world

Cape Town

We responded relatively spontaneously to our friends Uschi and Uwe's suggestion that we should travel to Cape Town together. Our travel reports about fascinating landscapes, great people, delicious food, incredible wines and heavenly golf courses had aroused their curiosity. In the fall vacations of 2023, the time had come. Turkish Airways took us from Luxembourg with a stopover in Istanbul to the “Mother City” in 15 hours on October 13. Uschi and Uwe followed on Monday from Frankfurt. I have marked the places we visited on the map.

Cape Town, the oldest and second largest city in South Africa (3.7 million inhabitants), is always at the top of the list of the most beautiful cities. The imposing Table Mountain offers a breathtaking view of the city and harbor, framed by white beaches.  Two world heritage sites, the lovely wine country, untouched nature reserves, a botanical garden worth seeing and the lively waterfront are waiting to be (re)discovered by us. 
The coastal city is surrounded by two seas and an impressive mountain landscape. A varied paradise for anyone looking for action. Culturally and culinarily, the Cape region combines the most exciting influences in Africa.
Cape Town's strategic location at the southern tip of the African continent has attracted visitors for more than 600 years, all of whom have contributed over the centuries to the unique blend of cultures that make up today's modern Cape Town.

After arriving at the airport, we take a small rental car directly to our friend and former colleague Gaby, who has offered us her vacation apartment. 

The location, on the outskirts of Vredehoek, at the foot of Table Mountain, is ideal for us. Just around the corner, a 5-minute walk away, is the Deer Park Café, which we already know well from previous visits.
We used the waiting time until Uschi and Uwe arrived on Monday for two rounds of golf. On Sunday we enjoyed Erinvale in Somerset-West and on Monday the proximity of King David Mowbray to our accommodation came in very handy.

For Sunday dinner, we went to Café Paradiso, which has been one of our favorites since it was “discovered” a few years ago. It has since risen to number 64 on Tripadvisor (out of 891 restaurants in Cape Town). As you can easily see from the photo, it was delicious again this time. Uschi and Uwe arrived on Monday afternoon. They rented an apartment on the 14th floor of the striking “Tampon Towers” (Disa Park).  These eye-catchers, built in brutalist style and visible from afar, defy familiar architectural norms with their “raw concrete aesthetics”. In the meantime, the three towers are getting very old and the concrete is crumbling everywhere. Almost all of the apartments in Tower 3 (Silverstream) can be booked via AirBnB. Even though the windows rattled and the wind made the tower sway, the view of the harbor and city was bombastic.

The city centre

On several walks around the city, impressions of the busy tourist waterfront remain as memorable as the views from the Red Rooftop Bar (Radisson Hotel) or the sunset, enjoyed from the terrace of the hip Mantra Café restaurant in Camps Bay. And while we test the Bay Harbour Market in Hout Bay, Zürkers explore the Cape Peninsula with a stop at the Cape of Good Hope, the southernmost point of the African continent. 

Table Mountain

Table Mountain is a must-see on your first visit to Cape Town. The weather forecast announced a clear view for the second day of our vacation. We encourage Uwe to book tickets immediately. Despite online tickets (almost lane🤣), we have to queue for an hour. The magnificent panoramic view, combined with an extended hike, made up for it. Thank you for the invitation.

Visit to the ‘Two Oceans’ aquarium

Thalita, Gaby and Alan's daughter, is a marine biologist and works on a turtle project at the Two Oceans Aquarium. She specializes in sea turtles and has been committed to protecting this endangered species for years. We gladly took up her offer of a private tour and were absolutely thrilled. The aquarium is definitely worth a visit. With the additional information from Thalita, the afternoon was undoubtedly one of our highlights. The room for school classes, with hands-on marine biology, also impressed us professionally.  

Hermanus
The eastern excursion takes us 120 km to Hermanus. A special feature here is the chance to observe southern right whales from the cliffs. They frolic with their young in the bay, sometimes up to 150 of them.
The top-class 27-hole golf course (great club polos in the pro store ;-) and the choice of restaurants are further reasons to make a detour to Hermanus. For dinner we chose the “Rock” again, which unfortunately has declined in quality compared to our previous visits. But no problem, we enjoy the evening in our hip apartment “Perla” and regret not having booked here for longer.
A hike on the cliff walk, which is partly paved with wooden walkways, rounds off the whale experience perfectly the next morning. It leads along the sea through fynbos vegetation and rock formations, past small bays and beaches with views of the sea and whales. 

Bettys Bay
On the way back to Cape Town, we wanted to stop by the penguins in Bettys Bay. Fortunately, there are only a few tourists around and we can watch the little stinkers in peace and quiet. Due to heavy storms a few weeks ago, Clarence Drive is closed and we have to return on the N2. 
In Somerset West, on the eastern edge of Cape Town, we make a stop at the Morgenster wine estate. We were so impressed by the wine tasting on offer that Morgenster is now one of our favorite wines.

Langebaan

The two-day trip to the west coast takes us to Langebaan. This is our 3rd visit to the picturesque coastal town. We stay overnight again at the Olive Acres winery and learn interesting facts about winegrowing and olive oil production from the owner, Rodney. A small wine tasting is included.
For dinner, we didn't want to deprive Uschi and Uwe of a visit to “The Strandlooper” restaurant. The 10 courses, all prepared outdoors over an open fire, are great as always. During the meal breaks, we listen to the original guitar music, let ourselves be inspired by the high waves or take a rest.

The next morning, Sabine and I enter a friendly competition on the Langebaan golf course. As is so often the case in SA, the course was designed by golf icon Gary Player. We start early because the sea wind makes playing almost impossible or at least disproportionately difficult from 11am.
Uschi and Uwe use the time to look at a few animals in the nearby Buffelsfontein Game & Nature Reserve. With stops at the Darling Brewery and Bloubergstrand, we head back to Vredehoek.

False Bay

After a relaxing round of golf on the Clovelly Golf Course, we treat ourselves to a sumptuous meal at Live Bait in Kalk Bay. The fish platter is delicious, but completely overpriced by South African standards. We are compensated by thunderous waves crashing directly against our window and funny sea lions on the pier.

Wine enjoyment

Since the truth is said to lie in the wine, our excursions to the surrounding wine regions are mainly devoted to the truth.

Before the wine tasting at Groot Constantia Estate, the oldest wine estate in South Africa and purveyor to the court of Napoleon III and Bismarck, we stop by the National Botanical Garden in Kirstenbosch. In addition to the immense plant splendor, a few young owls attract the attention of the visitors.  
During a visit to Ernie Els' winery, I manage a hole-in-one with a chip-in on the terrace. We had to forgo the prize, a bottle of wine, so as not to miss our dinner appointment at the famous Guardian Peak restaurant. Just around the corner, we discover the noble UVA MIRA winery. 

Golfcourses

Finally, information on the golf courses played with our rating (0-5).
This should help us to keep an overview.