Cape Town

I can describe Cape Town in two words: Los Angeles.

The beach, the mountains, the coast, the smell, the sun, the fauna: palm trees, jacarandas, agapanthus, bougainvillaeas, all reminded me of LA.

Also the urban sprawl, the traffic, the shopping malls, and the crushing poverty confined to a few small areas.

Of course, Los Angeles doesn't get gale force winds, or have one of the highest murder rates in the world.  But then again, Los Angeles doesn't rank on the Mercer list of 'most livable cities in the world.' (Cape Town is 86.)

Which, I guess, is kind of the point: Cape Town is a study in contrasts.  But I wasn't there to judge its economy, its social equality, or its political leadership.  I was just there on holiday, and it was spectacular.

First, I need to dispel two myths: 1) Cape Town is not at Cape Point, and Cape Point is not the southernmost point of Africa.  And 2) Water does not drain counter-clockwise south of the equator.

Table Mountain looms over the Cape; on the north side is the sea, with a tiny sliver of apartments in between.  (I thought the sea was south until I saw the sun setting in the east.)  South of Cape Town is the Cape peninsula -- which on a map resembles Baja California.  All along are dotted small beaches, each with their own characteristics: Some are protected from the wind; some are sandy, others rocky; some are cold water (from the Atlantic current) while others have warm water (from the Indian ocean).  The warm water beaches have sharks, with several attacks each year.

On the other side of the mountain, Cape Town sprawls out over 948 sq mi (about half the size of Los Angeles), with a population of 3.5 million.  A few "shanty towns" speak to the poverty of the area--large areas of corrugated metal huts, connected to the electric grid. It is also where most of the crime is; the tourist areas are fairly safe.

The top of the mountain (reached by cable car) offers spectacular views of the ocean and the city.  I'm sorry I didn't get to see the sunset from the mountain, but the fickle weather turned, clouds formed and poured into the gorges like waterfalls, the wind started to blow, and I got down as quickly as I could.  The wind howled all through the night, but the next morning was clear and calm again.

Along "false bay" is Boulders beach, notable for a flock of African penguins (formerly known as "jackass" penguins because of their mating call).  However, November is moulting season, and since they aren't waterproof, they stay out of the water.  (Which means they don't eat, which means they mostly just sit around for three weeks doing nothing.)  I got quite a few photos of them doing nothing.  I also got some photos of a right whale doing nothing, while her calf swam around the bay.

It was hard to remember it was November, because it was spring in the southern hemisphere.  The jacaranda (with their purple leaves) were in full show, the star jasmine perfumed the air, and the proteas (South Africa's national flower) were blooming on the hills.  Days were long, with sunset occurring around 8pm.  The weather varied incredibility, with highs in the low 60s some days, and high 80s the others.  It was, in short, spectacular.

There was much I didn't do.  I didn't visit Kirstenbosch, Groot Constantia, Franschhoek, or Robben Island.  I didn't go to any game reserves.  I didn't go sailing, parasailing, or shark diving.  I didn't visit the aquarium, or see Cape Point.  I did eat my way through Cape Town, enjoying bilkes, rusks, cappuccino muffins, and milktarts. I went to a wine farm and sampled six bottles, and even bought a Riesling.  Friday night I went to an Orthodox synagogue, and Saturday I went to an optometrist and bought new glasses.  (Not related.)

As I told everyone I met: This was my first visit to South Africa, but definitely not my last.  It was as beautiful as I expected it to be, and the people were equally lovely.  It is not a paradise, and it still has a long way to go in terms of social equality, which is being hindered by massive political corruption.  I don't know that I'd want to live there, but I understand why people love it.

[Photos to follow soon.]