IMAGE BY ishay govender IMAGE BY anita van zyl
Central Business District
Mandela Rhodes Place. Nearby, are the South African Parliament, the Iziko South African museum, and the Planetarium. Not to be missed is Greenmarket Square, a flea market stocked with curios from across Africa. It’s a good place to bargain, chat to vendors and people watch from one of the nearby cafés. The Grand Parade, Cape Town’s oldest public square on Adderley Street, is the place that Nelson Mandela addressed South Africans on his first day as a free man. It was also where Capetonians gathered, leaving flowers and letters in his honor when he passed away. As a daily open market, the Grand Parade is a hub of activity, used often for large gatherings. Notable attractions include the train station, City Hall and the Castle of Good Hope. If you’re looking to party all night, Long Street is your top bet. It’s packed shoulder-to-shoulder with boutiques selling local designs, cafés, bars and clubs. This is the place to be seen over weekends – naturally, a street-wise sensibility should be exercised with large cameras, wallets and handbags, especially at night. Bree Street has undergone a metamorphosis over the last four years and is now the home of bars, a bakery and restaurants frequented by locals. To mingle with them, go to Jason’s Bakery for a bacon croissant, &Union for a craft beer and live music and Public Wine Bar (which operates as a bespoke meat merchant too) for a glass of superb wine and charcuterie or biltong, the dried meat snack adored by South Africans. If you’re particularly intrigued by city life and hanging out with locals and artisans, the recently gentrified neighborhood of Woodstock, containing a large food and clothing market every Saturday on Albert Road is one you should not miss. Walk along Albert Road to visit secondhand ramshackle furniture shops and new bicycle-parts/sandwich dens. It’s a fascinating mix of the old and the very new. Jason’s Bakery: www.facebook.com/JasonBakery
City Hall
the people living here today by sharing their heritage recipes and stories. This is a souvenir worth lugging back home. As you ascend the slopes into the Bo-Kaap, the views out over the neighborhood and across the city become ever more rewarding. While visitors enjoy having their photographs taken against the colorful backdrops of the houses, popular too with the fashion industry, Hollywood and Bollywood, a walking historical tour is highly recommended. Not only will your local guide thread together the history of the Malays, and life up until today, you may also be able to dine with a local family, or even stay with a family. Don’t be surprised if you meet one of the locals featured in BoKaap Kitchen! For tours and home visits, contact Shireen
Narkedien at shireen.narkedien@gmail. com
The Revitalized CBD
A gargantuan effort from various parties has elevated Cape Town’s central business district in the last 10 years from ailing, abandoned and economically depressed to a thriving, polished center with a hip buzz. Visitors to Cape Town can enjoy spending time with locals on the lush green lawns of the Company Gardens (dating back to the 1650s), and walk to the St. George’s Cathedral, the Anglican church where Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu sat as the head for many years. St. George’s Mall, a pedestrianized area leading back to the Foreshore, is dotted with coffee shops, boutiques, the luxurious Taj hotel, and luxury apartments at
&Union: www.biergartencpt.tumblr.com Public Wine Bar: www.publik.co.za Neighborgoods market: www.neighbourgoodsmarket.co.za Cape Town is a thriving blend of African, European and Asian history and energy. Locals remain positive that long after the awards and nominations, visitors will continue to arrive, because in some way, the Mother City houses the spirit of all of us. Bio: Ishay Govender-Ypma is a travel, culture and food writer based in Cape Town, the Mother City. She spends her time weaving stories on the road, cooking with locals and for clients and friends at home. If you're ever in Cape Town, look out for her specialized Fab Food Tours at www. foodandthefabulous.com 71