"Cape Town ~ My other mother :) " a Cape Town Travel Page by Jenniflower

My other 'mother' is the 'mother city' of Cape Town. I was born in Cape Town, moved to Johannesburg when a toddler, and moved back when I turned 22. I lived here until I came to live and work in London in 2002.

The Cape is one of those places that grips you. One naturally longs for one's home, but this peninsula has something extra-special to offer it's inhabitants. It is without doubt, one of the most spectacular places on this planet. Every visit never fails to make me hold my breath at it's majesty and beauty.

Table Mountain is famous for its 'Table cloth' - a thin, white and whispy cloud formation that flows effortesly over the top like a waterfall, only to disappear into thin air halfway down the slope. Legend and myths abound... most saying that a retired pirate, on climbing this flat-topped mountain, met up with the devil himself! Trying to protect his soul, and feeling desperate, the pirate challenged the devil to a smoking competition. They then stoked up their wooden pipes and have been smoking ever since! A quaint tale indeed :)

The scientific (and more boring!) explanation is that the summer anti-cyclones bring warm, moist air up from the south, which then condenses to form a white cloud layer on the much cooler mountain top, which then spills over the city side to only disperse at the warmer, lower altitude. Quite something hey?

The Cape Peninsula was once two islands separated by the Fish Hoek (Silvermine) Valley which was then a passage for the sea. During the Ice Age the waters receded and were replaced by shifting sand dunes blown in by the very strong south-easterly winds (these are still really strong today!). In modern times alien plants were introduced into the area to try and stop the shifting of the dunes. These are now being cleared, to make way for indigenous vegetation, flora and fauna.

My father and uncles, as well as my husband had their childhood scrambling up and down these dunes. Their faded pictures tell many a story. Such a pity that they are now lying silent beneath the concrete of people's foundations of their homes.

Fish Hoek is archeologically famous for Peers Cave: In 1926 Victor Peers and his son Bertie excavated a cave on the hillside in the Fish Hoek Valley, now known as Peers Cave. They found many stone tools and the remains of 9 people of varying ages, one of whom became famous as 'Fish Hoek Man'. This skull has the largest brain area of any skull of its age found up until that time. It has been dated at 12,000 years old!

Remember, when visiting Cape Town, never go anywhere without your camera close at hand - this is an area of unrivalled beauty with her stunning beaches, mountains, sea and dramatic skies.

Some of our favourite Cape websites are:
Western Cape Tourism
Cape Town Tourism
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Spier Summer Festival
Cape Town happenings
Events in Cape Town