Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town is one of the loveliest cities in the world situated at the tip of the African peninsula. It is a melting pot of cultures and, just as the waters of the Indian Ocean mingle with the Atlantic Ocean around its pristine coastline, the people of the world make up the population of this city. You will find members of various tribes of northern Africa, people of Indian, Chinese, Dutch, French and British origin all living here in harmony.
It now seems incredible that apartheid held its sway here for so long and that South Africa was isolated from the rest of the world by international sanctions not so long ago.
Today, the prison on Robben Island, where freedom fighter Nelson Mandela and other Black leaders were imprisoned for years, is virtually a place of pilgrimage for South Africans and tourists. Robben Island is now a World Heritage Site.
The city of Cape Town is dominated by the huge Table Mountain at whose foot it nestles. The one thousand meter high mountain is a part of the Table Mountain National Park. The forest is virtually in the heart of the city. Periodic climatic changes bring on the Cape Doctor, southeasterly winds which cover Table Mountain with a tablecloth – a cloud over its top. It could be a gentle breeze or a howling, forceful gale, particularly in the spring.
The top of the mountain can be accessed by several paths or by revolving cable car. It offers wonderful views of the city and the ocean. Bungee jumping, paragliding, biking and hiking are all popular sports here. Kleefing or canyoning, which involves climbing, hiking, swimming and jumping is something the brave indulge in at Kamikaze Canyon.
The waters off Cape Town provide ample opportunity for surfing as well as shore or boat diving. One can explore the bottom of the ocean for corals, wrecks, caves and wonderful fish. If you are brave enough you can go diving with the sharks, inside a cage of course!
Cape Town offers a rich variety in its food, music and cultural activities, a range as wide and mixed as its people.