Cape Town I – Up the mountain & on the beach

Wonderful people, fantastic homes, stunning nature and great design. These are a few things that make Cape Town stand out for me. And also a lot of really cool restaurants, cafes and shops. Love the fact that the sea is so close to town with all those tantalising, beautiful beaches with the fierce waves crashing down thunderously on them. But alas the water is icy cold, even for a Swede like me! Spent a month here but it went by way to fast!

I’m in the Mother City. At first I thought it somehow referred to Africa being the birthplace of mankind. But then I read: “Legend has it that in the 1930’s a local Cape Town newspaper claimed that Cape Town was the only city in South Africa that could justly call itself a metropolis. The public took to this description and because the word metropolis is taken from the Greek derivative of meter or metros meaning mother and polis meaning city, the nickname of “Mother City” was born.” (traveller24)

Cape Town, or Kaapstad in Afrikaans, Ikapa in Xhosa, is one of the most multicultural cities in the world they say, due to it’s role as a mayor destination for immigrants and expatriates. I won’t go into this or the fact that it has a complicated and troubled history of racial segregation problems, of corruption or dealing with how to make the justice system work well. What I realise is that even though the system of apartheid is banned since 1994, when people have been forced to live apart from each other for a long period of time, it takes a bit more than some 20 years to heal and to truly integrate again…

The Table Mountain is ever present and a stunning backdrop from nearly wherever you are. Some days are very dramatic when the clouds are pouring down from it like a waterfall. The Table Mountain is also crowned as one of the world’s new seven wonders of nature.

So time to go up and see this wonder with my own eyes. And camera.

They say that Cape town is the ultimate Feng Shui city as it’s configuration is that of an armchair. It’s protected from the back by Table Mountain, have armrests to the side; Lion’s Head and Devil’s Peak, and an earthen seat to the front, facing the sea. The sea is the “Ming tang” which means “space in front of site”. It is a place where ”chi”, energy, is received and retained. Robben Island, in the bay, ensures that the ”chi” slows down before it reaches the harbour. The high back rest and arm rests form a barrier so that the ”chi” that enters isn’t lost. Instead, a harmonious flow of energy is created in what is called the City Bowl today. You kind of feel this when you are up here…

They also say that the mountain represents yin and the ocean yang and that this is beautifully balanced here. I don’t know about that but I do know now that it’s stunningly beautiful.

Table Mountain has one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. As a protected area and as a World Heritage Site it’s estimated to have 2,200 species of plants here. Many of these species can be found nowhere else.

I was lucky enough as it was a clear day with perfect visibility when I decided to go up there. And no wind either. Cape Town is otherwise famous for being the city where one can experience four seasons in one day. The view is really stunning and well worth the queue. Mountains always fascinate me and when they are close to the sea it’s the best of both worlds for me.