WESTERN CAPE: OUR BONUS WEEKEND IN CAPE TOWN
In our previous post, we ended our big western cape trip. We’ve travelled from the garden route all the way up the west coast. But we were handed one last bonus weekend in Cape Town.
T had to go to Cape Town for some work since he’s started working again and trying to make the most of our stuck time in SA. We naturally then added a weekend so that we could squeeze every bit of fun out of our time in SA.
Gordons Bay
We started off wanting to stay on the beach at Blouberg. Blouberg always gets the shortest end cause that’s our last stop before the airport, and by that time, we’ve run out of time.
Well, we still didn’t give Blouberg the necessary attention. Somehow we ended up staying in Gordons bay.
The best thing about our time there had to be the view.
Surfers
We arrived at our spot latish on Friday afternoon. And it was pandemonium.
When we were in primary school, there was a program on tv (I can’t remember the name) that my sister and myself would watch.
A lucky kid had two 60 second sessions.
1) to run through a toy store and have a look at where everything is,
2) and the second time around to grab as many toys as they could, and then get to take that home.
At first, we didn’t realise it, but the surfers rocking up there had that same urgency going as the kids in the toy store. They would race there, jump out of the car, get dressed in wetsuits (if not already on), grab their surfboards and run.
It was surfers everywhere, and we had front row seats to the action.
We just made it out to be; everybody wants an after-work surf on a Friday afternoon. They went on way beyond sunset. I started getting nervous for their part since it’s known as great white territory.
And then… Calm waters, no waves and no surfers for the rest of our stay.
Later we found out that the waves were a freak due to the volcanic eruption in Tonga.
I think I’ve mentioned this before, but you should really utilise every opportunity. I thought I would have all weekend to take action photos of the surfers. And had I known this was a rare occasion, I would have made more of an effort to maximize this photo opportunity.
Pajamas & Jam
We scored one of the hottest weekends the cape had the entire summer. Thus we’ve spent most of our time in the pool or in our aircon room.
T has a superpower when it comes to finding restaurant gems. He had big shoes to fill after the Bayleaf Cafe in George but has managed to find another stand out location.
Pajamas & Jam gives nothing away from the outside. Once inside, it’s a mixture of culinary explosions and a pawn shop. It’s inside an industrial-looking venue, with grouped second-hand items (I think it’s for sale) for decor. Even the crockery has character, and we could see thought went into every detail.
The food was a modern twist on some classic or traditional dishes such as Mosbolletjie (a traditional South African sweet brioche) & Jam.
It’s far from a hidden gem cause by the time we left, most of the tables have been filled.
Chapmans Peak
We were still in the middle of a heatwave but had to check out. This left us with quite a few hours to burn (excuse the pun) before we could catch our flight. Then, our only option was lunch and a scenic drive in the cool car.
Chapmans Peak is one of the most scenic drives you can take in South Africa. Due to landslides and maintenance, it’s not always open for the public, but we were able to take the drive with our holiday luck.
The conditions kept changing with some clouds and mist rolling over the mountains and floating through the valley.
I’ve captured two (very different looking) arty photos of this spectacular view.
After all this time, the Cape still managed to surprise us, and I wished we could visit all these destinations numerous times, as the photographic opportunities are endless.
Jakes
I’m sorry, but here is another restaurant worth mentioning. By now, I’m starting to feel like a restaurant blogger, but the Cape makes it impossible to dial it down. I think what wowed us repeatedly was each restaurant’s individuality.
Jakes is at the foot of Chapmans, and the little that it lacks in view is made up by everything else. Their food was first class, they had an interesting drinks menu, the decor was unique, and the staff were friendly.
Final words
I truly understand why the Cape can compete with the top-notch travel destinations out there. It’s stunning scenery, good food and friendly people. Save the money and take the time to explore this piece of magic, even if it’s in your backyard.
Every time we go somewhere new or old, it seems more magical than the previous trip. I’m starting to think that the locations aren’t the magic ingredient or secret, but it’s my travel companion, best friend and husband. Thank you once again for an amazing time and trip.
After about four months for me and two months for T, we were able to head back home to Dubai. The time in our home country and western cape did both of us the world’s good.
Back home, Expo2020 is waiting, and we’ve got a bit more than a month left to try and see as much as possible. In our next post I’ll try and share everything we were able to see and experience.
Wandering off now…
T & Me
