The long weekend had just begun and Cape Town was abuzz with skateboarding kids and families picnicking on the beach. Those with fancy convertibles were out enjoying a drive while others flaunted their seriously fit bodies while playing beach volleyball. The sky was a perfect shade of blue and my first impression of Cape Town was that the city knows how to make the most of a holiday.
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As I went about exploring Cape Town, I realized that this city was unlike any other place I had been to. The southern most tip of Africa is a mesmerizing landscape of mountains, the ocean and has even made a significant contribution to world history. Here are some of the unique things I encountered during my stay in Cape Town.
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1. Where the mountains meet the ocean.
Cape Town’s pristine beauty comes from the mountainous backdrop that meets the white sandy beaches of the Atlantic shoreline. The mountains give a strong majestic look to the city while the beaches add an elegant touch.
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2. Ride to Table Mountain:
Table Mountain – the city’s most iconic landmark is stunning by itself. But the cable car ride to reach the top of the mountain is something extraordinary. The rotating floor of the cable car gives you a 360 degree view of the city and is a guaranteed jaw dropper.
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3. Sunset from Table Mountain:
Thankfully, the weather Gods were on our side when we visited Table Mountain. The clear skies ensured that we could stay to witness the dramatic sunset.
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4. Cape of Good Hope:
Oceans are so large and limitless that even after reading about the Cape of Good Hope in school text books, knowing that this point is almost the edge of the Atlantic ocean seems surreal.
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5. The strategically placed benches:
It’s not just the natural beauty but also the careful attention given to simple things that makes Cape Town such a pleasure to experience. The benches for example, are placed at just the right spot where you can sit, enjoy your picnic lunch and take in the spectacular view.
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6. Beach umbrellas are colour coordinated with the sky:
Like I said before, Cape Town knows the importance of aesthetics. May be that’s why it’s home to one of the top 25 beaches in the world according to Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards 2014.
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7. Penguins ahead:
Penguins walking around on the road with locals slowing down their cars to let them cross is a regular sight in Simon’s Town. These flightless birds may be in a hurry to head back to the beach but will spare a moment to let you take their photographs. I guess they know that people from other parts of the world don’t get to see them often.
8. Baboon mania:
What can I say.. I am from India. Monkeys are everywhere and we still don’t put up a warning like this. I didn’t see any baboons in Cape Town but I saw more than one signboard like this.
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9. Even the clouds bow down to Cape Town:
My heart skipped a beat when I saw this for the first time. The strip of clouds that forms on top of the mountains is colloquially called ‘tablecloth’ here. I wish we could get a table cloth like this in Bombay.
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10. Mama Africa – Live music!
There’s nothing like some fun loving, free-spirited and soulful African music. The live band in Mama Africa even made a baby groove to their peppy beats.
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Bharti believes that every suitcase tells a story and she likes sharing these stories on her blog ‘Suitcaseofstories.wordpress.com‘. In addition to writing about travel, she also likes taking street photographs with her phone camera.