Chloe has become quite ill and we thought it best that we change to a hotel instead of the backpackers. Luckily for us Daddy Long Legs Hotel is the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in. It’s designed by artists with every unique room themed with a wacky design. It turned staying in your hotel room quite an experience. Our first two nights were spent in the Protea room and the last in the Emergency room, quite fitting considering Chloe’s condition, but it seamed to do the trick as she started feeling better.
We hired a scooter and decided to hit the coast. After zooming over the superb Table Mountain and getting a great view of the town we traveled along the West coast of the Cape of Good Hope. It reminded me of the Great Ocean Road, only South African. It even comes compete with road cut into the cliff faces and their own version of the 12 Apostils. It was a simply superb afternoon (despite the wind that threatened to sent us seaward more than once) and we made it to the Cape of Good Hope, the most South Westerly point of Africa before heading home along the picture perfect East Coast. Along the way we were treated to view a family of Baboons walking along the road and later some Ostriches meandering too.
As we bid farewell to central Cape Town we decided it fitting to see how the rest of the Captonians live. This involved a trip to the Township of Khayelitsha where over 1,300,000 black or coloured Captionians live in varying states of accommodation, ranging from wooden and tin shacks in shantytowns, to “The Beverly Hills” with proper constructed brick buildings. We slept the night at Vicky’s B&B and she welcomed us to the township. She’s been operating her B&B for 10 years and encourages as many people to visit as possible. Her philosophy was not to show the poverty or to make them depressed, but rather the opposite and break down the stereotypes. She explained how the area worked, that each street has its own leaders or protectorates that help look over their respective street and work together with government and councils to improve the standard of living in the district. All formal settlements have running water, flushing toilets and electricity, although sometimes shared between a few families. A night in Khayelitsha and a walk around the streets was defiantly one of the highlights of our trip so far.
Onward and outward we start our great trip east. We got as far as Stellenbotch, 50kms east of Cape Town before we succumbed to the beauty of the region… and the fine wines they have to offer. We tried some Zinfandel for the first time and it was a winner with both of us. We continued our journey to the great east, but got only 20kms further before the wine of Franschhiek, the gastronomic capital of SA grabbed out attention. A R5 ($0.80) donation to help street children was placed on our bill, but we both decided that if we had enough money to consume such a delicious meal as we did, we should donate a 1:1 ratio to the charity. The waiters looked surprised when we asked to change the donation amount to the same as the entire bill. We thought it necessary though as it can be difficult to turn away children begging, this way we are helping them the right way.
We’re currently in Paal, a wine land only 20kms from our last night stay, but again Chloe has become ill and rest is more important that distance. It does however give me some free time. I think I might venture out and do a little wine tasting.
Next stop The Karoo (if we get there this time), so until then “Hamba Kakuhle”
www.daddylonglegs.co.za
www.nomvuyos-tours.co.za/vickys.shtml
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