Cape Town

Time to catch up! It’s hard to believe we’ve been in South Africa for over 2 weeks now.

Sept 3-5, 2021 

We landed in Cape Town mid-morning on the 3rd. When we arrived, Michael from Bushlore met us at the airport with our rental car. It was nice to have things so seamless and easy after a long flight. We stopped at the Bushlore depot, signed our rental forms and headed into the city. Driving in Cape Town was stressful–too many cars, pedestrians and quick turns, topped off with driving on the left–but we only had to get to the hotel and then a few days later head to Stellenbosch. 

Our first afternoon in Cape Town we walked around the Woodstock neighborhood to have a look at the murals. There were very few people out. The weather was cold and rainy, but we managed to see a lot. 

Our second afternoon was a tour of the Bo-Kaap neighborhood–the historic center of Cape Malay culture. It’s a heritage site with a museum, a vibrant neighborhood, and the oldest mosque in Cape Town–the Auwal Mosque built in the late 1700s. The houses, later colorfully painted, were originally leased to slaves and laborers from Malaysia and Indonesia. It remains a prodominantly Muslim neighborhood with several mosques, Malay restaurants, and spice shops. 

After our tour of Bo-Kaap, we found a gin bar tucked away in a courtyard behind a chocolate shop. The bar was lovely with finished wood and a winding staircase to the upstairs — not advised to use if you are having more than one gin and tonic!

Before we left Cape Town, we went to the Old Biscuit Mill for a drink and to walk around the market. We found Amarula fudge!

Next Stop — Stellenbosch