What we had seen in Cape Town so far was a bright and sunny version of landing in a beach city – but it was just one version of a city that serves as a microcosm for South Africa itself: night and day, black and white, jagged and smooth.
The push and pull of Cape Town mirrors the country’s historical opposites, and makes for a round and unforgettable character.
After the first few days of soaking up scenery and culture, we dove into a deeper side of Cape Town – discovering creative boutiques and restaurants by day, indulging in the beautiful wine lands, and finding a dichotomous draw to one of the city’s most popular streets.
People talk about Long Street like it’s Las Vegas. Bars, restaurants, shops, and nightlife suggestions spring from the mouths of locals. Excited to crank up the volume of our stay, we chose Daddy Long Legs Art Hotel on the main drag. Each room here is designed by a local artist and given a unique theme and name. When a cockroach came to bunk with us in the “Far From Home” room, management swiftly ushered us into a larger, prettier Protea room, designed by Tracy Lynch.
The hotel was streamlined and more corporate than the hostels we were used to, but its mid-Long Street locale drew beggars and cat-callers out the front door, waiting for tourists to enter their sidewalk lair. I’d suggest solo female travelers stay in either the Gardens or Camps Bay areas (as females seem to get approached more than males), but for a group of savvy travelers looking to be in the center of nightlife, it works.
Note to budget travelers: A cheaper alternative in a quieter spot is the Ashanti Lodge on Hof Street – you won’t get en suite bathrooms, or the stylish feel of a hotel, but all the essentials are there.
As two young female travelers, we were approached frequently for money. One man outside our hotel held his cup out and followed us until we ran inside. A mother followed us to the door of a supermarket, angrily shouting for money to feed her son. A difficult mix of feelings set in: Do we give money and risk showing them where our wallets are? Do we ignore her and her child? Will that anger her and provoke more following?
We were warned by hotel staff of the country’s dangerous drug problem, and not to further it by giving to beggars, so we stuck to our plan of dressing conservatively, walking confidently, and ignoring any unwanted attention by walking straight past it.
Tip for female travelers: Wear a purse with long straps that go across your shoulder to keep your valuables secure, and leave your expensive jewelry at home.
We learned that Long Street is not quite Las Vegas, but it is full of unique hot spots. Each restaurant and bar happily embraces its brand. One, called Cape to Cuba, boasts lavish Cuban décor and three floors of service, including a floor-level café, mid-level balcony dining area, and a top level “cigar bar” with leather furnishings and elaborate trimmings.
Safety tip for solo travelers: Consider turning in bit earlier (around 11 PM) to return to your hotel while people are still out and about, rather than when people and taxis are scarce.
By day, Long Street offers cool cafes like Pickwick’s and Royale (which Salma Hayek apparently frequents), and boutiques with vintage, handmade and trendy sartorial treats. A budget fashion-lover’s dream, Cape Town offers few retail chains, and instead boasts artsy, whimsical shops with delicate jewelry and funky bags and dresses.
So, Long Street wasn’t quite the volume we anticipated, but Cape Town is fortunately full of diverse areas and affordable activities to explore. Returning to the bustling and family-friendly Victoria and Albert Waterfront, we discovered the Two Oceans Aquarium, which shows exhibits from the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, as well as the famous African Penguins that we would later see first-hand on Boulder’s Beach. An authentic brewery nearby topped off our day with powerful home brews and pub fare.
See our Cape Town photo gallery.
Looking to imbibe in more bona fide South African libations, we scheduled a wine tour though Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Thirteen of us – passengers from all around the world – packed into a spacious van and visited four wineries in nine hours. The trip started with champagne, progressed to olive and chocolate tastings, included lunch, and ended in a room full of cheese: spiced, seared, roasted, drizzled, cut, and prepared in more ways than imaginable. My favorite wine unique to South Africa quickly became Pinotage, a red combination of Pinot Noir and Hermitage.
As we drove through the gorgeous countryside, the mountain stood peacefully in the distance and the land sprawled on both sides of the road that led us back to Long Street. If we learned anything at all, it was that Cape Town could be immeasurable things in one day: the hub of two oceans, the nightlife center, a city evolving from a chaotic past of poverty, and the perfect place to spend a day eating, strolling and shopping.
Cape Town, like South Africa and its history, is a gorgeous anthology of contradictions.
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