Cape Town and Robben Island

SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Town is a beautiful city, full of contrasts. Here you get the best food, best wine, best hiking, kiting and beach life. But visiting the city you are also forced to reflect over the grim history of South Africa.   

Cape Town is situated at the foot of and surrounding Table Mountain. The city has picture perfect beaches and a lot of activities.

Because of the different people that has migrated to the Cape area, the culture and culinary impulses are many, and the cooking is superb. The wine from the sorrounding wine districts also adds to making Cape Town a perfect culinary spot to visit.

For hikers Table Mountain is perfect with its many paths up and down the hills.

In the areas to the west coast you can find the beaches of Bloubergstrand, Tableview, Big Bay and Sunset Beach. Perfect spots for kiting.

On the other side of the city you find the surf town of Muizenberg.

But driving to Cape Town from the airport you pass the big township areas of Khayelitsha before you enter the city. This is the largest and fastest growing township in South Africa. The hardship for many people from the townships is ever present in the the beautiful city. Walking the streets of Cape Town you still see the division among people, and you see the desperation in the eyes of the poor people that are strugglig. That is always hard.

It is not that long ago Apartheid was abolished in South Africa (1994), and a visit to Cape Town and Robben Island where Mandela was held prisoned, is a good opportunity to learn about this dark history and understand how different the system treated people.

Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities I know, but also one of most difficult cities to visit. Difficult because you have to take a stand about the history and the injustice that is still effecting the south african people. Also difficult because you do not want to leave after getting the feel of the place. It is one of those cities that finds its place in you heart, and stays there.

Read my other travel stories from South Africa here: Animals and Popular Garden Route