The Bo-Kaap in Cape Town is one of the world’s most photographed areas, not just by tourists like me, but also by the professionals who are drawn to the brightly coloured houses as a backdrop for a fashion shoot.
Originally known as Wallendorp, the Bo-Kapp, which means Top Cape, was founded in the 1760s by Jan de Waal to house the slaves that the Dutch brought from their eastern colonies. Read more ›››
We always plan to light every time we go away, but it never seems to work that way. There is always something else t0 throw in the packing “just in case.”
For me, the problem is books. I have this mini library of titles that I must get round to reading some day and holidays always seem like the prefect opportunity. But I have to have a wide selection of fiction and non-fiction because I don’t know what reading mood I’ll be in and the upshot is I end up taking more books than I can possibly read in the time available. Read more ›››
The forthcoming trip to SA has taken over my life, making sure I’ve remembered everything — toothpaste, camera filters, books, clothes, maps, mosquito repellant, maps — the list goes on.
The biggest problem has been finding some shorts. I went into every shop I could think of yesterday, but while there were plenty of t-shirts, it is clearly too early in the year for exposing one’s legs. Read more ›››
After fretting for most of the day waiting to hear from Darling Daughter, an email popped into the inbox this evening saying that she had arrived safely in South Africa, had napped in the sun, snacked on sushi, attended her first staff meeting at 33 South and was about to go off to a braii.
She also learned that her new job title is social marketing ambassador which was news to her! It apparently involves blogging, tweeting, Facebooking etc about what is happening in Cape Town to encourage backpackers to visit. Read more ›››
It has been a strange day — part happy, part sad, but mostly chaotic. I posted before about darling daughters return from the land of diamonds, townships and the rainbow nation. After just five weeks at home, she is returning there again.
And that’s where the happy and sad part comes in. She felt at home in Cape Town, made many friends from other countries and discovered new fun things to do, like surfing and bungy jumping off high bridges. Read more ›››
Our daughter has been rather flat since she came back from her spell in South Africa and is keen to return, as I expected. She has been in touch with the people she met there and has been offered a job working in the hostel where she stayed at in Cape Town.
She leaves in mid-November and will probably be gone for at least a year. It isn’t easy to see your child off to the other side of world, however much you might think it is a good idea. Read more ›››
Our daughter arrived back from her few moths in South Africa yesterday. One of the things we were looking forward to seeing was the DVD of her bungee jump off Bloukrans Bridge. Scary. The gaps in the audio are on the DVD, but the views are spectacular.
Thanks to mobile phones, Facebook and other ways to keep in touch, it seems odd to get a postcard, but one arrived yesterday from Miss P in Cape Town.
She says it pretty much sums up her South African experience — everyone seems to be laughing and smiling all the time. I suppose they can be happy with their climate. Read more ›››