Cape Town Travel

It started in Bo-Kaap. An area full of history and color and culture. We choose to stay in this part of town to make it easy to walk around the centre of Cape Town while not having to reside in the middle of the hustle and bustle. Our bed and breakfast turned out to be nearly perfect in a comfortable and quiet setting overlooking Signal Hill while serving up some of the most fabulous breakfasts every morning. We also were able to walk every evening to the nearby Bree and Long Street for additionally fabulous meals taking full advantage of the 8pm sunsets during the Cape Town summertime. For eight days our taste buds were fantastically tantalized all within a walking distance of our abode.

And speaking of our abode, Bo-Kaap is quickly recognized by the brightly painted, colorful houses which are home to a multi-cultural community which is majority Muslim. It’s a small area nearby the central business district. But it wasn’t always so colorful. Historically this is the area where imported slaves from Malaysia, Indonesia and other areas lived along with other immigrants working as tradesmen, tailors, builders and artists. After slaves were emancipated in 1834 many moved to this area. Originally the houses were all the same color and structure and while there are several different stories about how they became so colorful, a common belief is that it was an expression of freedom and individualism after the end of apartheid.

The Bo-Kaap is also known for their celebrations and parades which many times shut down traffic along the cobblestone streets. We were able to see one such parade on December 16^th which also happened to be a national holiday in South Africa called the Day of Reconciliation. The holiday was established in 1995 after the end of apartheid in order to help the nation heal and bring people together as one South Africa. The theme for 2019 was “The Year of Indigenous Languages: Supporting National Reconciliation Through the Promotion, Development and Preservation of Indigenous Languages.” For Bo-Kaap this parade was also in preparation for their larger New Year parade called Tweede Nuwe Jaar. We watched as marching bands filled the streets blasting their chords into the air late into the night.  

Today the people living in the Bo-Kaap area are fighting to maintain their identity admits new challenges. A good summary of some present-day issues can be found here: Tourism and Bo-Kaap

The Bo-Kaap also maintains a small, quaint museum that was established in 1978 and is definitely worth a visit to hear the stories of the residents and learn more about the history of the area. Here’s a bit more about the museum: Bo-Kaap Museum

Another remarkable part of our wanderings led to us to Robben Island. It is about a 45 minute ferry ride from the mainland. Upon arrival one is greeted by a loud, stoic voice coming out of large microphones urging people to head down the walkway towards the tour buses. One could imagine a time where such voices herded prisoners ruthlessly towards their destination.

The tour begins for us at the prison itself. Unlike the beautiful and lush Prison Island which we visited off the coast of Zanzibar, Robben Island offers quite a stark and a bit unwelcoming landscape. It is abundantly clear upon arrival that indeed you are visiting a prison. The large, towering cement walls, the barbed wire, the absence of color. We meet our guide who tells us his story of being imprisoned at only 21 years old with some even younger than he. His story is what captures you. The prison was home to both political and common criminals and where at first they were housed together, it soon became apparent the political prisoners were influencing others to join their cause which led to the two groups being separated. We pass down the corridors eventually reaching a hallway full of small cells and pass by cell number four where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned from 1964 to 1982. Some members of the crowd were visibly moved. It is an ordinary, plain cell yet emotional scene to see the cell itself after watching, reading and hearing the stories. What history can come from such a small, cramped, dismal place. And while Nelson Mandela’s story is striking for so many reasons, there are others whose stories do not get told as often. Such as that of Robert Sobukwe- the founder and leader of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). Outside a bit removed from the prison is a place we visited called the Sobukwe House. It was a house for single political prisoner thought to be so seditious he was isolated from all the others. In 1960 he was responsible for helping to organize nationwide protests against the “pass laws” which led to the Sharpeville massacre during which he was arrested and imprisoned on Robben Island for six years.

After viewing the prison we also drove around the island itself to see the limestone quarry where prisoners were forced to do manual labor. Nearby here there was a large grave where lepers were buried as Robben Island was also used as a leper colony starting in 1845. We then passed through a small town that is still home to a few people mostly former prison guards and their families.

What struck me most as I ruminated on the day was the similarities between the stories of the Robben Island prisoners and the stories of those such as Kamuzu Banda who was arrested in 1959 during Operation Sunrise as Malawi vied for independence. But it also reminded me of other prisoners such as Jack Mapanje who was imprisoned without cause at Mikuyu Prison in Zomba, Malawi from 1987 to 1991. One difference in part of Malawi’s story is the fear and dread and arrest and imprisonments continued after independence. Whereas Robben Island was a place where political fighters against apartheid rule who longed for a free South Africa went, Mikuyu Prison was a place where some citizens of an independent Malawi went who were threats to the state. And while Mandela’s story and the story of South Africa is remarkable, I’m reminded of the interconnectedness of people and of stories as I also saw glimpses of Malawi’s own evolution in the retelling of South Africa’s story.

The history in Cape Town is endless. And yes, I’ve become that woman in my 30s who goes on holiday to visit museums! Mpha and I visited the South African Jewish Museum, officially opened in the year 2000 by Nelson Mandela, and learned about the immigration and contribution of the Jewish people to both Cape Town and Johannesburg. We learned that between 1881 and 1910 about 40,000 Jews mostly from Lithuania came to South Africa in search of security and opportunity. And prior to this in the 1860s diamonds and in the 1880s gold were discovered in South Africa which also brought many Jews from Britain and Europe. They played a major role in the developing the mining industry. The museum itself was gorgeous. Housed inside a compound also home to a large synagogue and deeply reflective holocaust and genocide memorial. South Africa Jewish Museum

Down a bit further from here was the District Six museum where we learned about the displacement of almost 60,000 people in the 1970s during the apartheid regime. In 1966 the government declared that district six was a “white group area” and the thousands of residents were forcibly removed from their homes and relocated to the Cape Flats over the next 15 years. One quote at the museum read, “What happened after that? You know the country died as a whole. . . by 1966 when District Six was declared “Whites Only”, it was a skeleton. It was a neglected place because apartheid had hit the country since 1948. Everyone was onto passbooks and ID books and on to race legislation. . .” District Six Museum

We also visited the museum at the Castle of Good Hope although we must admit that by this time we had absorbed so much already we were tired and found ourselves actively learning less and meandering more to just enjoy the scenery. The castle is South Africa’s oldest existing building and was chosen in 1665 as the site for building an “imposing fortress.” Construction began in 1666 and finished in 1679. The castle was built by soldiers, sailors and enslaved people. From 1964 until the middle of the 19^th century the administrative and military seat of successive governments and the official residence of the governor, thereafter it served as the British military headquarters until it was handed over to the South African government in 1917. 

In addition to our learning we also took time to explore the beautiful and expansive peaks of Table Mountain. Took a drive down to the Cape Point to visit the Cape of Good Hope while enjoying Chapman’s Peak drive and the beautiful views. We saw the famous African Penguins and some other wildlife on our drive such as baboons and ostrich. And while the Victoria and Alfred (V&A) Waterfront was crowded, we enjoyed watching the seals, shopping, eating, and taking boat cruises in the harbor and canal. And who can forget the ever green, lush Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. We could have wandered there forever. And while the ocean views were spectacular, due to the high winds and chilly water, we didn’t actually swim so much. But that didn’t stop us from being as close to the beautiful, rolling turquoise water as possible almost every day. We also thoroughly enjoyed taking the big red Hop On Hop Off bus all around the city to see all the sites. We even went on a wine tour and visited the beautiful Constantia vineyards.

Visiting Cape Town was a joy and a place we truly felt relaxed just enjoying each other’s company. It was a highlight of 2019 with memories that will last for years to come.