An Eye and a Lens - Cape Town Musician

a drummer entertains the crowd at the waterfront Cape Town

Cheap Eats in Cape Town

After getting fleeced on accommodation in Cape Town, again I predominantly self cater – although the kitchen at Blue Mountain Backpackers is not without its fridge thieves. The following are located on Long Street and Kloof Street (or immediately off these streets) enabling you to eat a decent meal for under ZAR50.

Sultans – these doner kebab specialists are found on based on Long Street with lamb doners served on some strange rolls for ZAR30.

Shwarma Express – another classic kebab restaurant on Long Street which also do decent falafel as well. A choice of lamb/turkey or beef served on Laffa bread for ZAR44.

Arnolds on Kloof Street does excellent and cheap breakfast. Particularly popular with local. My favourite is the eggs benedicts with smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce. They also do decent meals and great and large desserts. Check out the two chocolate mousse or the mammoth chocolate cake.

Simply Asia – on Park Road – This eatery specialises in Thai food. Generous portions and authentic taste for around 50 rand for a main dish, they also offer a take-away service too. They have several restaurants around Western Cape as well as a restaurant in Pretoria and Jo’burg.

Spurs – this predominantly meat orientated place offers hamburgers at just under 50 rand and steaks based on grams ordered. A well-known chain in both South Africa and Namibia, we try their restaurant at the Waterfront although there is another just off Long Street, offering one of the cheaper options in this salubrious part of the city.

The Spar mini-mart on Kloof do good sized salads where you pick your own ingredients. The medium salad costs ZAR22. They also do cheap and reasonable pies and other hot food. I am delighted to note that they sell Dr Pepper but at a whopping ZAR9.95 per can

Cape Town Museums

Whilst the World Cup matches don’t kick-off till 1.30pm, it gives me time to explore some of Cape Town’s museums, many of which are situated in the city centre.
First up is the Holocaust Museum, located I what only can be described as Kosher Corner, next to the Jewish Museum and the synagogue. Not into the Jewish museum – and at ZAR50 beyond my budget anyways, we wander around the complex, where an elderly women is insistent we check out the synagogue.She is a bit of a yenta (a Yiddish word for a chatterbox), quite knowledgeable and gives us the low-down of this impressive building. Donations only, but wearing of the kipper (the small circular cap) for males is mandatory.

The Holocaust Museum is excellent with a full documented history of the Holocaust as well as analogies made with the years of South African Apartheid. Many of the exhibitions were donated and/or copied from the Yad Washem museum in Jerusalem. Again, entry is by donation only. Opening times for these are 10am – 5pm Sunday to Thursday and 10am – 2pm on Fridays. It is located on 88 Hatfield Street, Gardens.

The complex boasts an excellent sand cheap eatery on site.

Next up is the Iziko South African Museum and Planetarium. Although we don’t enter the planetarium, the South African museum has an excellent collection of interesting stuff. Founded in 1825, it is South Africa’s oldest museum. It endeavours to explore the “relationship between us and the World we live in – our biological and cultural diversity, past and present”. It boasts examples of early rock art, the tribal South Africa, Darwin’s travels to Africa, and plenty of stuffed animals, models of whales, sharks and dinosaurs and bones as well. It is open Tuesdays – Sundays 10am – 5pm. ZAR20 with discounts for OAPs and students costing only ZAR5.

My international student card fails to impress the National Gallery, but the ZAR15 that it costs to enter is so worth it. When so many people are discriminated for so long, their creativity can provide a vital outlet – and none more so than here in South Africa. The art covers a wide cross-section, but undoubtedly the most hard-hitting was coming out of Sharpsville in the early 60s. There are many interesting compositions and installations to be seen. Opening times are the same as the other Iziko galleries.

“African art? Never heard of it” - Pablo Picasso (1920)

Situated on 25A Buitenkant street, the District Six museum commemorates the famous sixth district of Cape Town in 1867.

It soon established itself as a vibrant mixed community of freed slaves, merchants, artisans, labourers and immigrants. Such integration soon became fround upon and in 1901 Africans were forcibly removed from the area. Under the Groups Area Act of 1950, through the policy of apartheid the district was declared a ”White Only” zone. And a further 60,00 people were forcibly removed from their community.

The museum documents the area through newspaper cuttings, photographs and first-hand accounts from residence. How South Africa would love to replicate such integration today!

Opening times are as follows:
Monday 9am - 2pm
Tuesday – Saturday 9am – 4pm
Sundays by appointment only.
Admission is ZAR20 for all adults

Of course the "Big One" is Robbens Island, but tours are booked up for three days plus with World Cup supporters desperate to check it out. I fail to get on the tour and cannot spurge the ZAR200 asked. It is meant to be immense however.

Table Mountain Cableway

A must-do in Cape Town is a trip to the top of the iconic Table Mountain.

Table Mountain was under the sea some 600 million years ago where glaciers rubbed it flat before it was pushed out by movement of the tectonic plates.

The plateau is seriously beautiful and has 3 nature walkways to explore. Its altitude is some 1085 metres at its highest point.

off the summit at sunset

The cable car was constructed more than 80 years ago, and each cable car can hold 65 passengers. The car revolves as it climbs and descends down the mountain top with a maximum speed of 10 metres per second and carry some 4000 litres of water as ballast. Each cable is some 1200 metres each.

The cost is ZAR160/ZAR105 for adults/students return, although there is a walkway which I am reliably informed takes some 2 hours to hike.
More information can be found by clicking here.

Cape Town at dusk from Table Mountain

Bo Kaap

This charming and picturesque suburb of Cape Town was once known as the Malay Quarters and traces its roots back to the 1700swhen it was home to freed slaves, craftsmen and free traders. About 90% of the community are Muslim and the streets are lined with some beautiful mosques.

Great White Encounter

I am a believer in confrontation of one’s fears.

After a near death climbing experience at Breen Down in UK, i had some serious problems with heights. Throwing myself off a bridge in Queenstown, New Zealand for a bungy jump helped.

After watching Jaws on its release as a kid, it took several years before i felt comfortable entering the ocean. Even the sight of small reef sharks whilst diving, regularly caused me to hyper-ventilate.

However, it is time for me to confront my fears.


Situated 2 hours South East of Cape Town is Gansbaai, which is the main jumping off point for a Great White shark encounter. Some 10kms off-shore lies Dyer Island and Geyser Rock which forms what is known as "Shark Alley". Attracted by the Cape Seals as well as some 45 smaller shark species, this area is frequented by passing Great White sharks.

There are several operating outfits that offer both cage and boat viewing, and based on price I opt for White Shark Ecoventures.



Many visitors complain of particularly rough seas, but after two fine days of weather, this is not a problem and conditions are near perfect with a surface temperature of some 18 degrees and the visibility is about eight metres.

The boat anchors and with 5 minutes we see our first shark circling from the boat, Chub is thrown overboard and a tuna head is slung overboard as bait.


The cage holds five people, and with about 25 people on board there is a waiting queue. Nonetheless, even in a wet-suit, I immediately feel the coldness entering the water. The cage stays at the surface and we are asked to wait for instructions from our Divemaster.

Using a weight-belt he asks us to go down as a shark approaches. My eyes scour the waters. These big beasts are real fast and one blink and you can miss them. Some come real close to the cage, eyeing us carefully, and occasionally we have them bashing the cage ferociously with their tails.


Almost all the Great Whites encountered are juveniles and female, as they tend to be the more curious of the genders. They are between 2.5 – 3.5 metres. However, we are particularly lucky to see a 4.5 metre adult male. After two sessions in the cage and some 3 hours we have indeed been fortunate to see at least 8 individuals.

The trip, including snacks, drink and two meals costs ZAR995 booked through One World Tours on Long Street. Worth every rand!

During Southern Right whale season (July – September/October) they also do whale-watching sessions at nearby Hermanus.

The following images were taken on a cheap disposable underwater camera.

Englishmen Behaving Badly

Since arriving in Cape Town every night's sleep has been disturbed through incidents (normally vuvuzelas) outside on long street.

However, last night was particularly bad, with drunken English fans chanting menacingly all night. The police are regularly on hand, but last night, probably based on the reputation of the English supporters) Long Street is full of police cars and vehicles, and indeed by midnight the street is cordoned off for an hour or so and alcohol consumption fuels the chants and abuse being dished out.

Usually my MP3 player is able to drown out the noise, but it fails on this occasion. England play Algeria here in Cape Town tonight at 8.30pm. I’m totally embarrassed to be associated with these “fans”.

I’m off out to play with the Great White sharks today, but will be back in time for the match tonight.

Cape Peninsular

the Cape of Good Hope

On my two trips to Antarctica in 2004 and 2007 the boat passed by Cape Horn – the most southerly point of South America. It therefore seems appropriate whilst in Africa to check out the Cape of Good Hope.

John and I head down today to Cape Peninsula on the Baz Bus tour costing ZAR540. We’re picked up at Blue Mountain Backpackers at 8.30 for a full day’s tour of Cape Peninsula.

The first stop is Hout Bay Harbour where we take the Drumbeat charter to visit a Cape Fur seal colony. Though the ride isn’t far, the seas are not very calm, which is close to The Dungeons – a World renowned surfing Mecca where waves can reach some 20 metres high. Cormorant and black back gulls keep the boat company.

Hout Bay

Fur Seals

A drive up over the bay takes us to Simons Town and Boulders which boast a sizeable African penguin colony. Also known as the Jackass penguin, this unusual bird certainly mimic donkeys somewhat uncannily. New born babies grow fast, and easily spotted by their soft down.




Heading on further the last stop is to the continent’s edge. We cycle for about 6kms before picking up our bus again. Cape Point is marked by a lighthouse. Made of cast iron in 1860, although it boasted a beam of some 2,000 candlepower and could be seen for some 68kms, unfortunately it proved ineffectual. Built 248 metres above sea level it was often shrouded in low cloud causing several notable accidents, not least the sinking of the Lusitania in 1911. The new lighthouse on Dias Point is at an altitude of some 87 metres above sea level.

the old lighthouse at Cape Point

The whole region is part of the Table Mountain National Park and boasts an extremely rich ecosystem including some 1100 endemic flowers and plants of which several are found nowhere else on the planet. There are also some 250 bird species. We also manage to see bontebok (a highly endangered gazelle), ostrich and chachna baboons.

a lone baboon

The day ends perfectly as we run into friends from Namibia. Austrian Barbara flies to Paraguay tomorrow and the sweet Rene drops her off before returning back to Windhoek to continue his African adventures. They insist on sharing a beer and I have no real choice to acquiesce.

The area is gorgeous and a one day excursion does not do this place justice. A two day hike can be booked at the National Park office (although places are limited) and it is hoped that it will soon be possible to complete a 6 day hike from Cape Town to the end of the peninsular.

Green Point Stadium

a stadium fit for a World Cup

The impressive stadium in Cape Town is at Green Point with a capacity of 68,000. The roof is unique, made of glass and based (apparently) on a bicycle wheel. Security is high and as yet i am unable to get up close and personal.

England play Algeria here on the 19th June and i feel obliged to hang on here until after this game before travelling on to Port Elizabeth for England’s last group game against Slovenia.

Meanwhile, despite the efforts of Austrian Barbara, no ticket has materialised for England’s opening group match against the United States in Rustenburg. Thus my American travelling companion John will be forced to watch this with me in a Cape Town bar. To him, beautiful Ying, Carie the Book et. al. - be prepared for a whipped ass – i hope.

Six matches are scheduled to be played here, including the 2nd match of the tournament, France versus Urugauy, England against Algeria, a quarter final and semi final match.

Are You Ready For The World Cup?

Whilst Jo’burg held their World Cup party on yesterday featuring “international stars”, Cape Town celebrated their opening event today, featuring a veritable feast of local African groups headlined by the well known academic, Dr. Victor and the Rasta Rebels – not quite sure what his Doctorate paper was though!

Cape Town is clearly ready for this Global football fest.

up for the craic?

wild hat guy

News channels both local and international talk of little else, and the anticipation for the kick-off tomorrow is immense.

Bafana Bafana play Mexico in Jo’burg in the tournament opener whilst France will meet Uruguay here in Cape Town. Both Les Bleu fans and the Uruguayans have been a heavy presence here in Cape Town.

Back in December i gave my own World Cup predictions, and although several sides have suffered some high profile injuries including Rio Ferdinand (England), Arjen Robbens (Holland), the highly Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Nani for Portugal and Michael Ballack for Germany i’m sticking with my predictions.

For those not tired out of football here in Cape Town, check out The Labia cinema (maybe it means something completely different in Afrikaans?) on Kloof Street showing a series of football related films and documentaries over the next few days.

Bafana Bafana

two local Bafana Bafana supporters on the streets of Cape Town

A few weeks ago, World Cup Host Nation South Africa (Bafana Bafana) named their provisional 29 player squad. Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira listed only two white players, reserve goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez and defender Matthew Booth. This is in stark contrast to the World Cup winning rugby team that consisted almost exclusively of all white faces back in 1995.

The crowd expects, but it is clear South Africa will have a battle on their hands if they are to finish in the top two positions of their group to qualify for the second round. Recent victories against Jamaica and a nil- nil bore draw against North Korea haven’t inspired much confidence in the host nation. Expect heads to roll.

Meanwhile, all South Africans are fully behind Bafana Bafana, but realistic about their team’s capabilities. Most expect the team not to proceed beyond the group stage, with France and Mexico the more likely to progress further. A recent survey suggests that South Africans will switch their allegiances to tournament favourites, Brazil.


Cape Town is awash with noise and sporting fervour, from both locals and visiting supporters, and we haven’t even kicked off yet! The French and Uruguay supporters are here in force with their opening match kicking off in Cape Town on Friday.

There is a “Welcome Party” tomorrow in Cape Town with street parades and music from 2pm. It should be awesome.

Arrival into Cape Town

Cape Town Harbour - Table Mountain an impressive backdrop

Arriving into Cape Town with just 3 days before the kick-off to the World Cup, the place is clearly up for a month long party.

The city is one cool, cosmopolitan, happening place. A mix of modern and historical buildings create an excellent urban centre with a number of choice bistros, restaurants and bars.

the Waterfront at sunset

Heading to the harbour the FIFA World Cup box office at the Spearheart Building is selling their final stock of World Cup tickets and after less than half an hour wait, i am able to procure a ticket for England’s final qualifying game against Slovenia on 23rd June in Port Elizabeth. This Category A ticket costs R1120.

Staying at Cape Town Backpackers in a good central location. However, prices have been escalated by 500%! Shocking treatment for visitors to the country. A few desperate emails have been sent to ex-colleagues from South Africa and seriously hoping cheaper alternatives can be found for the month duration of the tournament. Otherwise Lesotho or Swaziland might provide an alternative base where prices have not been so severely escalated.

With 64 matches to be played i am hoping to watch as many of these as possible as ALITD goes into soccer overdrive over the month. You have been warned!