|
|
Greetings! This week, we finish up our unforgettable trip to South Africa in and around Cape Town. Ready to get up close and personal with nature? I'm talking about seeing whales like you've never seen them before, penguins and even baboons. If you want to find out more, read on. Plus, we'll get an insider's view of some of the area's best hotels. If you're on a tight schedule, you can get a taste of the adventure by watching this four-minute Johnny Jet video. And if staying closer to home is more your style, then tag along with Mike Manna as he shows us Dallas. Yee haw, cowboy!
GEORGE TO CAPE TOWN
I couldn't have been more excited about going to Cape Town, even if it meant boarding a small, 29-seat plane. The three-seat-across Jetstream 41 turboprop was so tight that my carry-on bag, which normally fits under the seat on regional jets, had to be gate checked. But it was okay; I took everything valuable out and the 55-minute flight went by quickly and smoothly. For the entire 200-kilometer journey, we hugged the scenic coastline and the lone flight attendant handed out drinks and pre-packaged chocolate chip muffins. If you're afraid of small planes, the drive takes roughly five hours.
CAPE TOWN
It's always been a dream of mine to visit Cape Town. I've heard so many fantastic things about it. Some say it's the best city in the world, likening it to Sydney and San Francisco, except of course, that Cape Town has the world famous Table Mountain as a backdrop. Unfortunately, the overcast skies prevented me from seeing the mountain as we descended and made our way out to the suburbs.
CAPE TOWN AIRPORT
Surprisingly, the Cape Town International Airport doesn't have many nonstop international flights. Currently, the only long haul is from Amsterdam on KLM. However, Delta Airlines is scheduled to begin one later this year from JFK so that's good news for Americans. As of now, the majority of visitors need to go through Johannesburg, a two-hour flight away.
SHANTYTOWNS
A shantytown is an unauthorized settlement of poor people living in dwellings made from corrugated metal, scrap plywood and plastic. Sadly, they don't even have proper sanitation or electricity. And right outside of the Cape Town airport is one of the largest shantytowns in the world. It's located along the highway and goes on for miles. I was told it's 4.5 kilometers long by four kilometers wide, with over two million people living there. One reason is that South Africa has an unemployment rate of 87%. Crazy, I know. So be prepared to feel a range of emotions when you visit. One moment, you couldn't be happier as you drive to clean, safe accommodations and the next, you're deeply saddened, your heart heavy with guilt. At least, that's how I felt.
CAPE RHINO TOURS
The folks from Cape Rhino Tours picked me up at the airport. My first few days, I had a guide named Brian Cuddle – a very nice Capetonian man who at times, was difficult to understand, with his thick, South African accent, and who didn't always have the most accurate facts. However Waleed, a Cape Malayan guide, finished the tour and was not only articulate, but very knowledgeable. The first thing I learned from Waleed is that Cape Malayans are people originally from the Malay archipelago (mostly from Indonesia). They started their community along the Western Cape of South Africa hundreds of years ago and today, there's a huge Cape Malay community in South Africa. Cape Rhino Tours. tel.: +27 83 3801416, email: caperhino@iafrica.com. Here's a scan of their business card.
THE VILLAGE OF HERMANUS
We drove along a coastal road to the village of Hermanus. It took 90 minutes but the drive was beautiful, even on an overcast day. When I pulled up to the five-star Marine Hotel, I thought my eyes were fooling me. In the Walker Bay, I saw a rock and it looked like it was moving. When I saw a huge spray come out of it, I realized it was a whale that was only about 20 feet away! Then there was another ... and another! I thought I was dreaming. I rubbed my eyes and shook my head and realized that there were 20 whales, some breaching off in the distance. I later found out that there are between three and four hundred Southern Right whales here during the high season
(late June to early December). They come from the cold waters of Antarctica every spring to mate and nurse their young off the "Whale Coast". It's filled mostly with Southern Right whales but Humpbacks, Bryde's and Minkes are occasionally spotted, too. One way to identify a Southern Right whale is by the blow, which is V-shaped – Southern Right whales have two blowholes.
THE MARINE HOTEL
It was only fitting that the keys to rooms at the Marine Hotel came with a whale tail keychain. The Marine Hotel is a beautiful hotel with a bright white exterior, perched atop the cliffs of Walker Bay. Inside, you'll find 43 individually decorated rooms with large bathrooms, each with a separate tub and shower. There's also a heated towel rack, which was a nice touch since it got a bit chilly at night. The hotel offers free wireless Internet access but ... it doesn't actually reach the rooms. You can only access it in the sunroom, the gorgeous lobby with huge picture windows so that guests can enjoy the view. At first I thought it was a pain to lug my computer down there but it turned out to be a grand thing. When I Skyped my friends/family, I was able to share the view with then by using my webcam. If it's possible, I think my niece Amanda was even more excited about seeing the whales than I was.
THE STAFF
Sitting there, in that gorgeous lobby, enjoying my bottled water that cost four times what it should (12R=$1.67), I found myself observing the staff and guests. Many of the guests I saw were older, wealthy, loud Americans on a Butterfield and Robinson tour. And for the most part, I found many of the white staff members to be a bit snooty (not this guy). Yet all the blacks I encountered couldn't have been more kind and friendly. I don't normally categorize people by race but it's near impossible not to notice these things in a place like South Africa, with its deep history of race issues. Here, they speak in terms of black, white and colored. It's just a way of life here.
DINING
The Marine Hotel's seafood restaurant is supposed to be one of the best eateries in South Africa. But we must have been there on an off night; not one person in our party of eight raved about the food. Neither did any of the guests at the table beside ours, who I made friends with. What's ironic is that I was the only one who had a non-seafood dish -- chicken paella -- and I loved it. However, the Marine's breakfast buffet made up for the so-so dinner. It was elaborate and tasty! Sitting on the outdoor patio, watching whales breach just yards away in the warm sun was surreal and worth every penny. Rates start at R1350 ($187) per night for a single in low season. Marine Hotel, Hermanus, South Africa; Tel: +27 21 794 5535.
EXPLORING TOWN
I walked along the path and the shoreline to get up even closer to the giant, gentle mammals. The landscape of cliffs and ocean reminded me so much of Palos Verdes and La Jolla, California. But as soon as I made it to the center of town (two blocks away) to the daily outdoor market, where sellers capitalize on the flow of tourists by selling all things African, I realized I was indeed a long way from home. I ended up purchasing some salad tongs for 50R and a souvenir refrigerator magnet with a fitting slogan – Hermanus: The best land-based whale watching in the world.
WASH TUB
I always try to avoid spending the beaucoup bucks hotels normally charge to wash clothes, nor did I feel like washing my skivvies in the sink. So I went looking for a laundromat. Two blocks from the hotel, down a hidden alley off of the main street, is the Wash Tub. It's not a self-service laundromat but rather a full-service. I asked the women working there if they could get my clothes back to me in a few hours before I split town. They were very nice but said they were very busy and it would take longer than a few hours. I was desperate to get my one load done because this load was all of the clothes I had brought and they were dirty. So I asked if they'd do it for double the price. They were reluctant at first but when they saw how desperate I was, they finally agreed. Then I asked the golden question, which should have been the first one I asked: How much? Not matter how much it was, I knew it'd be much cheaper than what the hotel was charging. But I wasn't expecting them to say 25R ($3.50) a load. Can you believe it was that cheap? When I returned to pick up my freshly laundered clothes, I brought the kind women a bag of designer toiletries that I'd collected from other hotels and a bottle of wine, which they greatly appreciated. For more information on Wash Tub, here's a scan of their business card.
SHARK CAGE DIVING
Next stop was 20 miles east to Grootbos, directly across the bay from Hermanus. Along the way, we stopped off at the Gansbaai
fishing village, which is where all the Great White Shark diving boats depart from. I had an opportunity to go out on the four- to five- hour cage diving expedition but declined. Listen: Even if I'm safe in a cage, I have no burning desire to go out five miles in rough, freezing cold waters to get face to face with a shark the size of a school bus. It just doesn't appeal to me. My friends who went enjoyed it, even though five of the 25 divers got seasick and were puking their heads off.
FALSE BAY
What I would like to do is go out early one morning and see Seal Island in False Bay. It's about 7 kilometers out and it's where all those famous pictures
are taken of sharks
jumping out of the water chasing baby seals. FYI: Days later I did drive by False Bay and spoke to one of the shark spotters. The day I was there it was overcast and I asked the spotter if he himself would surf with the hundreds of people out there. “Not in these kind of conditions; only when it's sunny so the spotters can actually spot the sharks and warn the surfers,” he said. Note: There hasn't been an attack in over a year and when spotters see a shark, they raise a flag and sound an alarm and watch the surfers swim like hell.
GROOTBOS NATURE RESERVE
All I can say about the Grootbos Nature Reserve is ... wow! It's a 25-unit, all-inclusive resort (meals and activities, not drinks) on a 1,600-hectare (3,952-acre) piece of property. There are two separate “camps”. One is family-friendly with nine privately situated cottages at the original Garden Lodge, while the adult-only crowd can enjoy the 16 brand spankin' new cabins of the Forest Lodge. They are about half a mile apart along a dirt road.
FOREST LODGE
My first impression of the Forest Lodge was that it has a similar feel to Longitude 131 in the Australian outback, except with an incredible ocean view. I have stayed at some spectacular lodgings before and this one ranks up there with the best. Not only is the Forest Lodge new but it sits on the hillside in the middle of a 1,000-year-old Milkwood forest. Guests follow a winding brick, flora-covered path to get to their suites and everything is very secluded but for the balconies. No wonder Brad Pitt and other celebrities have stayed here.
SUITES
Unlike the lodge in Australia's Daintree Rainforest, it's not scary walking to your room at night because the path is well lit. And coming back to your room after dinner is a treat because the night maids light a fire and burn floating candles next to the tub. It doesn't get much more romantic ... too bad I was all by myself. The villas all have three rooms: A living room with a fireplace, a bedroom with a king-size, mosquito net-covered bed and a giant bathroom with a walk-in shower and a bathtub pressed up against the picture glass window. Even though Walker Bay is a good mile or two away, I could still see the splashes from breaching whales while I was soaking in my tub! Totally unreal.
GROOTBOS ACTIVITIES
Don't let the bed's mosquito nets frighten you. I think it's just for decoration as there was no sign of bugs in my room. I hear there are baboons in the area but I didn't see any. Instead, I woke up in the morning to birds chirping. I lay there, contemplating what I should do for the day: a whale watching tour (one is by boat, the other by plane), a fynbos (natural shrub land) drive with the resident botanist and/or an hour horseback ride. I chose the latter two and they were both worthwhile. But the place is so cozy I would have been perfectly happy to just lounge in my room and fill my Buddha belly with Grootbos' incredible food.
GROOTBOS FOOD
Speaking of food, meals are served in the main building. For dinner, I couldn't decide on two dishes so the waitress suggested I have both ... half gnocchi and half butternut ravioli. Yum! The same went for dessert. I highly recommend the white chocolate brownie with a side of chocolate and coconut mousse and a scoop of coconut sorbet. Don't even get me started on their divine breakfast buffet - I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Rates begin at $300USD per person. Grootbos Nature Reserve; tel.: 028/384-8000.
GREEN FUTURES
If I had to find something to complain about it would be that the room lights are difficult to find and the drains in both the sink and tub were hard to figure out. There was also no Internet access in the rooms and the free computers in the main building offered patchy service at best. One of Grootbos' best attributes (besides the fact that they are eco-friendly) is that they created the Green Futures school. This is where 12 dedicated underprivileged locals (who meet the criteria: 18-35, education til 9th grade or higher, hasn't had a job in a while) get to work in their school, which teaches them about planting and the importance of the environment. The class lasts from July to July and the top three students get sent to the U.K. to spend three weeks working at the Eden Project. For more, visit the Green Futures website.
FRANSCHHOEK (WINE COUNTRY)
An hour and 45 minute drive from Grootbos is the touristy town of Franschhoek, one of South Africa's oldest towns. It's in the heart of South Africa's wine country and the trip over the mountains alone is worth the drive. The views are outrageous. Franschhoek was settled in 1688 by French Huguenot refugees and the Dutch name Franschhoek means “French Corner”. Today, there are 13,000 residents and it has eight of South Africa's best restaurants and 29 wine cellars. There are a lot of shops though none particularly interested me with the exception of the grocery store (I stocked up on South African candy for souvenirs). Franschhoek has a similar feel to the towns in and around the Blue Mountains of Australia. Sorry for all the Australia references but I can't help it – they are similar in many ways.
GRANDE PROVENCE ESTATE
I had lunch at Grande Provence at a popular, expensive, snooty restaurant. The herb- crusted Karoo lamb with soft polenta and ratatouille topped with black olive lamb jus (how's that for a mouthful?) was not as tasty as the locals boasted and the service could definitely use some work. But still, the Grande Provence estate is worth visiting and like all the other wineries, they offer wine tastings. If you can afford it, book a room at the Owner's Cottage. It's ridiculously nice and its sister property is the world famous Huka Lodge in New Zealand. Grande Provence Estate, Franschhoek, Western Cape, South Africa; Tel: +27 (0)21 876 8600, Email: enquiries@grandeprovence.co.za.
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
The first South African wine was created in 1659. If you want to go off the beaten path to try a new vineyard, I suggest you visit Dieu Donné. It's up a rocky dirt road but the view from their home/cellar of the Simonsberg Mountains is worth the trip. Dieu Donné Vineyards, Franschhoek; Tel: +27 21 876 2493, info@dieudonnevineyards.com.
MOUNT NELSON
From Franschhoek, Cape Town is just a 45-minute drive. The Mount Nelson is one of the city's best hotels. It's managed by Orient Express so you know it's up to par. Like Raffles in Singapore and the Moana Surfrider in Waikiki, you can just feel the history and see tradition being kept alive. The Mount Nelson opened to wealthy travelers in 1899 and was designed to emulate London's finest hotels. You would think the hotel is filled with an older crowd but by the looks of the happening Planet Bar in the lobby, the clientele might be getting younger.
SAFETY
Entering the gated compound that has a clear view of Table Mountain, you feel secure. But a sign in the room warning guests not to leave anything valuable unless it's in the in-room safe is a little disconcerting. In addition, they suggest that laptops be brought to the front desk. I know it's just a precaution and perhaps this should be the norm at hotels all over the world, but when you see it written out as a warning, it kind of makes it more real. A better solution would have been larger in-room safes that could hold computers.
THE SERVICE
My mom would have loved the Mount Nelson. The hotel has a pink exterior and the rooms are filled with antique furniture. She also would have loved the afternoon tea and hands-on service. I was warned by one of the Butterfield and Robinson's tour guides that the staff at the Mount Nelson would be knocking on my door often to make certain everything was alright. Sure enough, five minutes after being escorted to my room, the bellman came in with my bags. Five minutes after that the phone rang, a call from the front desk to make sure everything was okay and five minutes after that, two night maids knocked on my door to turn down the room.
MY ROOM
I got lucky and was upgraded to one of their suites with high ceilings. I had a monster living room, bedroom and an opulent bathroom of wall-to-wall marble and L'Occitane bath products. The towels were soft but smelled terrible. Back in the day, the disguised Jack-in-the-Box TV stand in the bedroom probably earned some ‘oohs' and ‘aahs' from guests but when I popped it up and saw the TV was from 1990, I exhaled an ‘ouch'. It's time to get a flat-screen, people. The pool could also use an upgrade. I didn't get a chance to see the gym, spa or tennis courts but heard they were nice. Internet access is available but it's not cheap: 50R for 30 minutes or 220R for 24 hours of ‘use it or lose it' service. Mount Nelson Hotel, 76 Orange Street, Cape Town; Tel: +27 21 483 1000. USA reservations: 1-800-237-1236.
THE CHEF'S TABLE AT THE COLONY RESTAURANT
The food at the Mount Nelson was very good, from the vast breakfast buffet, which included bananas in butterscotch (yum!) to the Chef's Table in the Colony Restaurant. If you're looking for a top dining experience, arrange for the exclusive table where diners get a bird's-eye-view of the Colony Restaurant's kitchen. Executive Chef Ian Mancais and Executive Sous Chef Nick Haszard serve contemporary South African food with an interesting Asian influence.
It all begins with a ceremonial greeting between an army of chefs banging pots to welcome you when entering the kitchen. There's no bad seat at Chef's Table as a giant mirror hangs in front of those with their backs to the stoves. The four-course dinner includes sparkling wine, canapés, personalized menus and a chef's apron. A minimum of six people and a maximum of 10 are required and the cost is 700R ($98) per person. For further information and bookings: Tel: +27 21 483 1737.
MARCO'S RESTAURANT
For something totally different, check out Marco's Restaurant, which is popular with tour operators. Chef Marco is the first black restaurateur in Cape Town and he offers decent, inexpensive traditional African food. But the two-floor restaurant has a lot more to offer than just food. Dining at Marco's is an experience: The waiters/waitresses are all dressed in traditional garb, the tablecloths have zebra and cheetah patterns and there's live African music with dancers. When I was there, the Bambanani Marimba Band was playing (their song was featured in last week's video). Check out the menu online to see their traditional African food dishes. Marco's Restaurant, 15 Rose Lane, Bo-Kaap, Cape Town; Tel: 021 423 5412.
CAPE TOWN
To be honest, I was a bit disappointed by the actual city of Cape Town. I don't know if it was that I had such high expectations or that the weather was so bad that I didn't leave with the best impression. I thought for sure it was going to be my favorite city in the world but it didn't even make my top 10. But I have a feeling that will change if I go back. But two of the places I visited I have no burning desire to see again: Long Street (it's a lot like Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco) and the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (similar to the touristy Darling Harbour in Sydney). After 45 minutes at each place, I was ready to split.
PENGUINS
I was supposed to visit Robben Island (the penitentiary 10 kilometers off shore, where Nelson Mandela was held captive) and hike up Table Mountain (it's over 1,000 meters [3,300 ft] high and 3km [1.8 miles] long) and take the steep cable car down but weather was so bad they closed both. Instead, I took a drive 45 minutes south (about 50 kilometers) to Boulders. It's one of the most popular destinations in Cape Town because here, visitors get a chance to get up close with the African penguins. They are the only penguins that breed in Africa. After paying the entrance fee (25R ($3.50) for adults and 5R ($.70) for children), it's a short walk down a fenced-in wooden pathway to the beach. This is where the penguins roam free in their natural habitat. It's so cool to watch them and learn about them. Did you know penguins are flightless? They date back 60 million years and Emperor penguins can dive up to 535 meters and remain underwater for 18 minutes!
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
The tour guide we hired
for the Table Mountain hike (full day 450R, ½ day 350R) showed us around the Cape Point Nature Reserve instead. From Boulders, it's a 30-minute drive south (75 kilometers from Cape Town). The entrance fee is 55R for adults and 10R for children and is well worth it. First of all, The Cape of Good Hope is the most southwesterly point of Africa and it's a candy store for nature freaks. There are over 250 species of birds, 1,100 indigenous plant species (some of which are not found anywhere else on earth), plus a variety of bucks, baboons and other animals. It's called the Cape Floristic Kingdom and though it's the smallest of the world's six floral kingdoms, it's the richest.
FYI: The Cape of Good Hope is not where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet as many mistakenly think. That meeting point is nearby at Cape Agulhas.
CAPE POINT LIGHTHOUSE
There are numerous scenic walks and trails. For starters, we walked up to the Cape Point Lighthouse. It's 214 meters (702 feet) above sea level and for those who don't want to walk up the steep stairs, there's a funicular. The Flying Dutchman Funicular replaced the Flying Dutchman shuttle bus in 1996. It's named the Flying Dutchman after one of the Cape's most famous shipwrecks. The Flying Dutchman is believed to have shipwrecked off the coast in 1680 but legend has it that it still sails the Cape's waters to this day and there have been many claims of sightings.
The views from the lighthouse were remarkable but the best thing I did was go on an hour hike down to the Cape of Good Hope. Warning: There are baboons so do not bring food and hide your water bottle or risk getting jumped. The views along the path were breathtaking and at times it was scarily steep with no guardrail. By the end, it kicked in that I was standing at Africa's lands end. I had made it to one of those places I had always dreamed about there I was. The waves pounded the shoreline and if I traveled straight from that point, the next landmass I would reach would be the South Pole, 3,000 miles away. Incredible. Just like my entire trip to South Africa.
VIDEO
Here's a four-minute Johnny Jet video of my trip to Cape Town and its surrounding areas. We also have all the Johnny Jet videos ever made on YouTube.
NEXT WEEK
We head back to America and ?
Happy Travels,
Johnny Jet
*PLEASE tell us what you think of this week's newsletter!
All information presented here is accurate at the time of publication but prices, dates and other details are all subject to change. Please confirm all information before making any travel arrangements.
All images are the property of Johnny Jet Inc. and cannot be reproduced, in whole or in part, without our express permission. If you would like to reprint an image, please contact us at info@johnnyjet.com for image re-use rates.
Note:
This trip was sponsored by the
South Africa Tourism board.
Copyright 2007 JohnnyJet, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.