19th Dec. Cape Town

19th Dec Is Cape Town the best place to live on earth?

For one Cape Town boasts the best public transport system in Africa. At least according to big brother N who lives here. For my brother and I it is just a relief to drive down those wide, smooth and clearly marked roads. Everything has a fresh lick of paint in contrast to the layers and layers of rust which dominates Zimbabwe’s towns and cityscapes...the overwhelming evidence that where Zimbabwe time has all but stood still,  South Africa  in stark contrast, has kept the infrastructural clock ticking almost  in tandem with the developed world.

This clearly promises to be a much more civilized experience than the Zimbabwe trip. With safe tap water to drink, and lots of fresh sea air, we felt instantly revived from the general tiredness and malaise that had hitherto hung over us.  This is a city with pretty skyscrapers in the CBD and spacious bungalows in residential areas, set against a backdrop of mountains also flanked by white sandy beaches and of course the dreamy blue Atlantic ocean. Table mountain it’s crowning glory, can be seen from almost every angle of the city, and our major accomplishment this year will be to scale its heights, and drink in the  views from the top, having never done any notable mountain climbing before!

Cape town is a lot more touristy than Johannesburg, with a buzzing night life  to take advantage of the dry and warm weather plus approximately 16 hours of gloriously bright daylight at this time of the year. It is also well serviced with an array of classy restaurants serving fish, seafood and others serving large amounts of braaied meat (plus  vegetarian ones which sadly, we didn't get round to.) The Cape Town Fish Market and the Ocean Basket are two cost effective and  impressive seafood restaurants that I can personally recommend for quality of food (fresh locally sourced, cooked to a perfect, tender and succulent consistency !) and friendly 'unrushed' service. We must not forget that there is no hurry in Africa....and Capetown is no exception (this is after all a holiday)! 

The Cape Town Fish Market at the  Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, serve  starters and drinks really quickly and the waiters were extremely friendly and personable. When in Cape Town a seafood platter  with a selection of plain perfectly cooked samples of  the days catch  is an absolute must.The first thing you notice is the freshness and melt in the mouth taste of the sea food. Then there’s a variety of ceamy, garlicy , tangy and spicy dips...or just plain salt, pepper and lime. We get through 1 or 2 glasses each of fine but reasonably priced wine before the main course arrives, maybe because it's a busy evening or because I have ordered  sea food potjiekos, pronounced poike. This is a fruity and spicy dish which comes in the little 3-legged cast iron pot used to cook it and is served on a bed of spongy boiled rice. (Traditionally, the recipe includes meat, vegetables, starches like rice or potatoes, all slow-cooked on an open wood fire, with Dutch-Malay spices, the distinctive spicing of South Africa's early culinary melting pot. Other common ingredients include fruits and flour-based products like pasta.) This explosive flavour cocktail and texture fest is one of my most pleasantly memorable culinary experiences yet.

At the Ocean Basket  we paid an average of  R50 per Sushi starter and R350 for a main course of mixed seafood platter  and chips to share plus large Greek salad for R140 accompanied by slabs of freshly backed bread.  All in the meal cost around R750, (approx. 50 pounds) including drinks for 5 adults. For an upmarket seafood restaurant, this makes it cheaper than Zimbabwean prices, as the restaurateurs take advantage of the stronger US dollar to overcharge tourists. (Hence, in Zimbabwe a Nando’s meal costing $90 equates approximately to  70 pounds for 5 adults.)

Spicy Chicken livers, a Portuguese roll and large Greek salad to share plus diet coke. An  ideal light summer's  lunch  from Nando's for only £5 (approx) a head.

While we were in Cape Town we rediscovered Wimpy  which is booming down there an excellent choice for breakfast. Not only for the dirt-cheap prices, but for the generous portions of real food,  and wide range of options including Continental breakfast of cold meats and pastries, omlettes, pancakes, full English, breakfast cereals and a  range of healthy options including fruit juices, smoothies, oats porridge, mueseli/granola, fruit salads , yoghart, whole-grain or carrot muffins with cream cheese and blueberry jam (my choice) and most importantly good filtered coffee!