Douglas Easton Travel Blog - Douglas Easton Travel

March 13, 2007

Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town, without a doubt, is one of the most spectacular cities in the world. Though hardly renowned for its architecture, it more than makes up for this shortcoming in setting. Idyllically nestled between the beautiful blue Atlantic and imposing Table Mountain, Cape Town offers residents and visitor alike an experience matched virtually nowhere else.

Rich with history and culture, the jewel of South Africa is also the continent's fashion capital. Many of Europe's top modeling agencies move here in the frigid European winter.

In the dining department, Cape Town is simply a foodie's paradise. Successive waves of settlers from various ethnic backgrounds have engendered a wonderful (and highly competitive) restaurant scene. An amazing collection of microclimates results in superb produce and sublime wines, and South Africa enjoys an embarrassment of riches in fish, shellfish, meats and game. Alchemizing all of these treats are some world-class chefs, who've graduated from several culinary academies based right here in Cape Town. One thing's for sure: all good intentions aside, it's the rare visitor who loses weight here!

Our guests for this safari have now all arrived and checked into our magnificent and welcoming hotel, the Bantry Bay. Each room is actually a spacious suite, each offering stunning ocean views. However, despite the inviting comfort of our accommodation, as well as a nine-hour zone change and the resultant bit of jet lag, our adventurous guests have immediately plunged into exploring the wonders of Cape Town.

Our first day together was spent at the vast and delightful Victoria and Albert Waterfront. The shopping, restaurants, art galleries and local entertainment kept everyone busy for hours as we devoured a scrumptious lunch and shopped for African art. We have also had the opportunity to visit the adjacent Two Oceans Aquarium, one of the world's finest.

This evening we're planning to head for dinner to one of the city's loveliest coastal neighborhoods, Camps Bay. Then, tomorrow morning, we'll make the first of several planned day excursions outside of Cape Town to the Cape Peninsula, via stunning Chapman's Peak Drive and the Boulders Beach jackass penguin colony.

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