Cape Town

Although Vasco de Gama saw this area back in 1497, the first Europeans arrived here in 1652 with the Dutch East India Company. The city grew as a port to supply the ships which travelled to and from East Africa, India and Asia. The British took control after the wars with the French in the 19th century and in 1910 the Union of South Africa was created and became independent.

Probably the first thing most people think of is Table Mountain, which gets its name because the top is completely flat. On one side is Devil's Point and on the other Lion's Head. The highest point is Maclear's beacon at 1086 metres above sea level, named after Sir Thomas Maclear who built a survey point there in 1865. The first man to climb the mountain was Antonio de Saldanha in 1503, or at least the first one recorded.

Very often there is a layer of cloud over the mountain which is locally known as the tablecloth!
Most people who visit Cape Town want to go up it, and you can do so in a couple of ways. I chose to take the cablecar, not because I'm lazy but because I didn't have a lot of time and it was a bit hot. It was full when I got on, which means there were 64 other people. We all enjoyed fantastic views of the Cape, thanks partly to the fact that the cablecar even rotates as it goes up! When we got to the top we found a restaurant, some souvenir shops and some walking trails.
If you want some physical exercise you can walk up, choosing any route you prefer from easy to difficult. In any case it's a good idea to have a good guide book or even take an excursion with a qualified hike leader. It's not such a dangerous place but over the years there have been a lot of accidents, mainly because people are not prepared. Therefore take warm, waterproof clothes and extra food and water. Don't hike alone, stay on the marked paths and come down before it gets dark.

When you are in Cape Town you will hear the Noon Gun - noon means midday. Guns were originally used to announce the arrival of a ship to the port, obviously there were no telephones or radios at that time. It was important as the commercial function of the city was to supply ships travelling to and from the East. Since 1806 the guns have been used to signal the time to the ships -for checking the accuracy of their time pieces which were used to help them navigate. This is the oldest tradition here and the guns are the original ones, the oldest still regularly used in the world. The only time in 200 years that the guns failed was on the 7th January 2005 because of a technical problem.

The city offers lots for tourists to do. You can visit the penguins at Boulders Beach. You can take a boat trip from the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, a modern part of the city with a beautiful marina, lots of good shopping and entertainment and the Two Oceans aquarium.
The beaches are great for all types of surfing, diving, fishing and sailing. You can even go whale watching! However the sea gets quite rough sometimes because of the Cape Doctor - the strong wind which comes in from the south east. It gets its name because it is good for the city as it takes away the pollution.