Capetown 1 – Travels with V

If there’s something here that you just have to do, it’s this: You just have to get up on that mountain. The Table mountain. There are two ways, one being an arduous climb up a narrow path, some people actually do this. Or you can go the easy way with the cable car, a circular thing that rotates while ascending. You queue for tickets first and then you queue for the ride, but eventually you get up there. Go early in the morning when the queues are shorter. But don’t go at all if the top is in a cloud, then all you will see is mist.

UTSIKT MOT SIGNAL HILL, ROBBEN ISLAND UTE I HAVET — WIEV OF SIGNAL HILL, ROBBEN ISLAND BEHIND

DEN VACKRA KUSTVÄGEN NER MOT GODAHOPPSUDDEN — THE BEAUTIFIL COASTAL ROAD DOWN TO CAPE GOOD HOPE

TOPPEN ÄR INTE SÅ PLATT SOM MAN KAN TRO — THE TOP IS NOT SO FLAT, ACTUALLY

ERODERAT BERG SKAPAR MÄRKLIGA STATYER — EROSION MADE THESE STONE SCULPTURES

EN TÖRSTIG RÖDVINGAD GLANSSTARE — A VERY THIRSTY RED-WINGED STARLING

EN ANNAN AV TAFFELBERGETS INVÅNARE — ANOTHER INHABITANT ON TABLE MOUNTAIN

Circa two kilometers west from where we stay there is a very picturesque district called Bo-Kaap. With colourful low houses and a small-town atmosphere, climbing up the slopes of Signal Hill. This is the area the apartheid laws reserved for people, many of them decendants of slaves from Asia. And this is still a part of town that is dominated by them, a large number being of islamic faith. These asians have created their own culture in the city. “Cape Malay” for instance is a distinct type of food with exciting spices and Asian touch.

MED STENLAGDA GATOR KÄNNS DET SOM EN LITEN STAD I JÄTTESTADEN

DEN BRANTA DELEN AV BO-KAAP, MED THE LION'S HEAD I BAKGRUNDEN

By a miracle Bo-Kaap avoided the demolition that hit its neighbour District Six, where an ethnic cleansing took place. The inhabitants were evicted and moved to townships, and their houses were demolished with the aim of creating an “all-white” city. Only one building i District Six was spared, a little church where there is now a museum depicting the lives and tragical fate of the original inhabitants.

Walking around in the city you’ll see groups of young people performing, singing and dancing. Their peformances are enormously colourful and strong, rooted in the traditions of countless generations before them. It’s joyful and prod and it makes you happy to listen to and watch.

We leave the city for a couple of tours in the surroundings, the Cape Province. We taste wines in beautiful Stellenbosch, we are on an overnight visit to a so called “Game park” and watch lots of wildlife. And we visit a township. In the next chapter!

Land of milk and honey

Part 1 – Cape Town

Travels with V

Cape Province, South Africa

Land of milk and honey

Part 1 – Cape Town

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