Go Topless in Cape Town this summer

Cape Town’s popular City Sightseeing topless red double decker busses are a familiar sight, particularly at the ticket office in the V&A Waterfront, and have been carrying visitors on holiday in Cape Town on a journey to explore the city’s heritage for some 10 years. The Open Top Red Tour Bus is an easy way to explore the sights, history, sounds and attractions of Cape Town.
This summer they have introduced an innovative new attraction; a “Magical Night Tour, departing at 6 pm only from the V&A Waterfront each evening until February. The 2 hour tour winds through the city, and will stop on Signal hill to view the sunset. This side of the Cape Town peninsula faces west, with the prospect of a spectacular, colourful, sunset over the sea every evening, before returning amongst lovely views of the city lights at night. The adult price per ticket is R80. Kids 5 - 15 years R40 and under 5 Free; but the night tour does not operate on 31 December 2010 and 2 January 2011.
If one buys a 2-Day Ticket to enjoy both the Red City Tour and Blue Mini Peninsula Tour, you will get a FREE Night Tour Ticket to be used on either one of the 2 consecutive days of travel.

The topless bus tours offer a convenient hop on hop off service to explore Cape Town starting at the Waterfront, but you may board the bus at any of the stops with a bus coming your way again about 45 minutes later. Choose from 2 tours:

The Red Route City tour offers the best way to see the City, and to get to the Table Mountain Cableway, the V&A Waterfront and Camps Bay. The tour departs from the Waterfront and winds its way around the City Centre stopping at the most important museums and the Cape Town Castle, before climbing to the lower Table mountain aerial cableway, some 350m above sea level. From there you drop down to the beaches of Camps Bay and Clifton before following the Atlantic through Sea Point and back to the Waterfront. There are 13 stops for your convenience.

The Blue Route Tour is really an inexpensive mini tour of the Peninsula with 10 stops to choose from; each with its own attraction. It offers a spectacularly scenic route outside the City Centre along Devil's Peak to the renowned Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens; then through the Cecilia forest and down Constantia Neck to beautiful Hout Bay where you can visit the world of birds in a tropical setting with 3,000 birds and small animals, and enjoy fresh seafood at Mariner’s wharf. From Hout Bay, the coastal road goes past the majestic peaks of the 12 Apostles and a spectacular coastal drive takes one to Camps Bay Beach, reputed to be Cape Town’s own Riviera, followed by Clifton Beach en route back to the Waterfront.

You can hop-on and off as many times as you like aboard the open top double decker bus, and each entire route takes approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes, with the bus departing every 45 - 60 minutes from each stop. What a relaxed way to enjoy Cape Town, with no hassles about driving and parking. In the Cape Town summer the weather is ideal for enjoying the great views from the open top of the bus, and includes interesting commentary and anecdotes about the rich culture and colourful history, in a 14-channel multi-language system for enjoyment of visitors from all over the world, as well as a dedicated channel for children. Kids are more than welcome; and not only can they can plug into their own onboard channel, but they will receive an activity pack to provide hours of entertainment.

You can conveniently book tickets on line and save having to stand in line at the website http://www.citysightseeing.co.za/tickets.
The website also has a range of special offers that will enable you to see even more of the city which include:

• A 2 day tour with free night tour: adults R180. Kids R120; kids under 5 free.
• The Go Cape Town card is a great affordable family tour option as it includes the Red City Tour, a tour up Table Mountain on the Cableway and admission to the Two Oceans Aquarium in the Waterfront: Adults:
R 375; R190; Kids under 4 free.
• Tour and Boat ride : Combine a 1-Day Ticket for the Red or Blue Tour with a 1 hour boat cruise in the bay with the Waterfront Boat Company; depart from Quay 5. The adult price per ticket is R200.
• Enjoy a really exciting aerial view of one of the world’s best loved cities in a helicopter: Combine a 1-Day Ticket for the Red OR Blue Tour with a 30 minutes flight over Cape Town. The adult price per ticket is R1050.

Get the wind in your hair and the sun on your face and make the most of this interesting and affordable Cape Town holiday touring opportunity.

By  : Affordable Cape Town self-catering accommodation - Fully equipped self catering Cape Town beach Cottages and chalets.

Be captivated by Bohemian Kalk Bay

Cape Town’s equivalent of the Riviera is reputed to be Camps Bay; because it is fronted by one of the most beautiful of the beaches of Cape Town and the main road is lined with trendy, upmarket restaurants and entertainment venues, where the beautiful people go to be seen. Life is very different on the False Bay coast; much more relaxed; where people walk barefoot in the street in their baggies with total disregard for the fashions of Gucci and Tommy Hilfiger. Amongst the coastal gems in the southern end of the Cape peninsula is an interesting and eclectic alternative dining and shopping destination which is the fishing village of Kalk Bay; always bustling on weekends throughout the year, and extremely crowded every day during the holiday seasons. Here people go to sea and to see.

Kalk Bay has a deserved reputation for being bohemian in character, but it has something interesting to offer the visitor on each occasion that one returns. This is why it is so popular with the people of Cape Town, and not only visitors. For a start; the main road of the village is lined with Victorian shopfronts housing antique shops , art galleries, crafts and simply collectable bric-a brac, as well as some outstanding restaurants. Look a little further and you will find quaint shops, boutiques coffee houses and restaurants up almost every one of the little cobbled lanes that lead from the main road up toward the mountainside. Who can resist browsing for an hour or two amongst the collectables in “The Trading Post “ which is located in the old Post Office building next to the railway station. On the third Sunday of the month, you will find the Fresh Etc market located in the community hall, making it the market with the best views in Cape Town . For more info see our Gourmet Markets post.
Fancy having a crepe in an old railway dining carriage? If not, there are many interesting restaurants along the main road; up the narrow alleys and in the harbor. Perhaps the most well-known is the “Brass Bell” situated between the railway platform and the sea; where you can enjoy good fish and seafood with the waves splashing alongside, as well as lovely views of the bay. Others include the harbour house and Polana restaurant in the harbour itself. Another old favourite is the Olympia café and deli where just to get a seat and a table is considered an achievement. Here you will find interesting and outstanding meals, making use of seasonal produce, as well as a bakery whose fame has spread far into the Cape countryside where they supply many restaurants on the wine farms.

Our current favourite is the truly Bohemian “Cape to Cairo” - situated on the beach. Be prepared for a total sensory overload- from the time that you walk up the twisted boardwalk wards what looks like a large beach shack, and enter the bar which serves great mojitos or the dining areas which are crammed with religious icons, myriad chandeliers, bric-a brac, and a variety of cottage and antique furniture where everything in the restaurant is reputed to be on sale. Whether you sit inside or on the small outside dining area you will be sure to have a ringside seat for the activities in the fishing harbour.

Ah … the fishing harbour; beloved of artists and photographers and those who just enjoy living next to the sea, the picturesque fishing harbour as well as the interesting and amusing fishermen and local characters gives so much colour to the village. The little fishing harbor is home to a collection of wooden fishing boats many of which are pained in bright colours and have evocative names like "Star of the Sea". There is a small fish market where you can be lucky enough to get fresh fish off the boat, but the prosperity of the fishermen has suffered because of the dwindling catches in False Bay over the years. During the season one can find good catches of the prized local “yellowtail” and the plentiful barracuda type “snoek” that is the staple of the coloured people; it is also a magnificent fish to be enjoyed on the braai as the South African BBQ is known. Kalky’s is an informal fish and chip sit down restaurant in the harbour which is reputed to offer the best fish and chips in the Cape. Judging by the long line of people at almost any time of the day the locals must agree. If you want to get a flavour of the local folk join the queue for an inexpensive but delicious meal.

Kalk Bay has an interesting history which began with the Dutch East India company who used nearby Simon's Bay as a winter anchorage for their ships to escape the storms experienced at Cape Town. Kalk Bay was used as a staging point from which to carry supplies by barge to Simonstown as there was no passable road from there on until the British occupation. The name “Kalk” bay comes from the Dutch for lime; the local community established lime kilns here to supply building needs in Cape Town. For a while it was the centre of the whaling industry which was a major income earner for the Cape Colony, but which ended due to almost total extinction of the southern right whale off the shores of False Bay. The fishing community of Kalk Bay comprises mostly mixed-race people known as “Cape Coloureds” who have a wonderful turn of phrase and great sense of humour. Their ancestors include people from the Philippines as well as many freed slaves who originated from Batavia, Java and Malaysia who brought their fishing skills and became influential in the community. Kalk Bay has become one of the trendiest villages on the False Bay coast and recent developments of the two magnificent old hotels and the area behind have seen property prices soar to the kind of levels usually only paid for properties on the Atlantic seaboard.

Although running a self-catering Cape Town accommodation establishment may not be as onerous as running a B&B, we often find our weekends fully occupied attending to the business, and to the needs of our guests. Fortunately we do not get many Sunday check- ins and once the guests have departed we have the Sunday afternoon to relax. One of my wife’s favourite treats is to have me drive her in one of our old classic sports cars to Kalk Bay for the simple pleasure of enjoying an ice cream cone, with 2 mixed scoops, at the Ice Café in Kalk Bay main road. Although we have travelled to many parts of the world, my wife emphatically states that there is no better ice cream available anywhere. Not only is there a great choice of flavours, but it is always packed and even boasts pictures of the famous Jamie Oliver delighting in a cone. After that we usually spend an hour or two browsing the shops before returning home relaxed to face the business again.

Visitors on a holiday in Cape Town should not be seduced into spending the whole time in the bright city lights and its environs, or rushing past in a tour bus to Cape Point– come and see how people really enjoy life on the False Bay coast.








By : affordable Cape Town holiday accommodation

Gourmet Markets of Cape Town

One of the most enjoyable Cape Town attractions is to spend a lazy Saturday or Sunday paying a visit to one of the many markets that are to be found in the various suburbs of our city. Although we have some very old markets; the modern trend is for lifestyle and food markets which attract many visitors seeking good quality fresh home produce.

The Neighbourgoods market is situated in the Old biscuit Mill in Woodstock, just outside Cape Town city. This market is the undoubted leader, and by far the largest, in Cape Town, and features over 100 traders offering artisan bakes, fresh produce, plants and herbs, handmade cheeses, preserved meats and a wide variety of fine food and produce with the emphasis on fresh organic foods and locally produced specialities. You will also find offerings from small wine estates and micro-breweries to enjoy with your choice of things to eat. Some fashion, jewellery, designer furniture and clothing stalls are also available. It is always popular, vibrant and crowded. The downside of this very popular market is that parking is very difficult to find, unless you go very early, and it has become a little pricey. When/Where : The Old biscuit mill 373-375 Albert Street Woodstock, Saturdays 9 am to 2 pm

The Earth Fair Market, Tokai seems to have recognised the opportunity to offer similar fine quality comestibles to the southern part of the Cape Peninsula and has been successful since being established just over a year ago. This market is much smaller, but more welcoming. As you enter you will be faced with the choice of fresh vegetable or fruit juices as well as a choice speciality beers and wine. The number and variety of stalls has been carefully limited and the centre of the hall is dominated by convenient tables and chairs as well as bales of hay where one can sit and enjoy a meal or a snack. Here you will find a delectable range of home produced delicacies including a selection of tasty pies, farm cheeses, bbq meat and kebabs (sosaties) speciality sausages and meat, fresh and smoked fish, organic and farm fresh produce artisan breads and cakes and bakes, olives and preserves, gourmet pizza and crepes, curries and delightful take home meals. It seems that friends and families have discovered that this is a great place to gather and enjoy a different meal each time in an informal environment. Spoil yourself on a Saturday morning with a breakfast pizza or crepe with great coffee ! Plus factor- no parking problems, and not too crowded. When/Where : South Palms (next to Builders Warehouse in Steenberg Main Rd, and is open on Wednesdays 3-8 pm, and Saturdays 9am-2pm

Triangle Square market : Noordhoek/Sun Valley. This food market has moved from its original location in sleepy Fish Hoek to the Sun Valley mall. On offer are a range of fresh and organic produce, freshly baked pies, cakes and cookies, artisan breads, delicious homemade filled pastas (think Portabello mushroom tortellini, Spinach and Ricotta panzeroti), olives and olive products including delicious Tapenade, smoked fish and pates, relishes and chutneys. One stall holder claims to be the great granddaughter of the famous Mrs. Balls, whose chutney fame has spread all over the globe with the South African diaspora, who also claims the mass produced product is no longer true to the original and she offers the “real” stuff. Finish your visit with a platter of meze, inspired by the Levant; delicious and healthy. This market is within strolling distance of our self-catering cottages, and we encourage our guests to enjoy the fine food and produce on offer. When/Where : Saturdays from 9 am to 2 pm. Sun Valley Mall, Noordhoek. The stall holders also operate in the Long Beach Mall on a Wednesday morning

Kalk Bay Fresh Etc Market is situated opposite the sea in a pretty 1906 double storey building. With only 20-25 stalls and its enviable position overlooking the sea and a large parking lot, the market is promoted as being small and personal and a great opportunity to hang out with friends or make a few new ones. On a recent Spring day visit, we found very little of interest on offer, not much choice and not many customers, in spite of the offered great opportunity to hang out on the centre’s balcony while savouring the food and watch out for whales in the bay opposite. We did enjoy the vegetarian Biryani, along with Samosas which was the best food on offer. Perhaps the summer weather and influx of tourists to this popular coastal village will improve the market’s fortunes. If you go and don’t find too much, be consoled by the wide range of restaurants and shops that line the main Road of Kalk Bay which can beguile you to spend the day. Where/When: Community Centre, Kalk Bay, Cape Town; 3rd Sunday of every month from 10am to 3 pm

Simonstown Lifestyle Market at Southern Right hotel : This new market is billed as offering arts, crafts, home bakes, produce, preserves and clothing, and has only recently opened. In spite of the signage and newspaper ads and our knowing the Southern Right hotel so well, it was difficult to even find the market, which we finally located in the back of the hotel. Our visit took just 10 minutes as there was little of interest on offer. The available space is limited for growth and perhaps the best thing to do, is sit on the hotel deck with a cold beer enjoying the view with a plate of local seafood- which is perhaps what the promoters intended, along with their fibreglass Southern Right whale tail that has been planted in the sea opposite. Where/When : Southern Right hotel and restaurant, Glencairn Simonstown, Saturdays 9:30 am to 3 pm

Solole Reserve Market : The Southern peninsula boasts its own Game Reserve at Solole, and is now promoting a new market for local producers of food and crafts as well as wine producers. To encourage families they will have a range of activities for kids. This market will commence on 3 October from 11 am to 4 pm. Where : Kommetjie Road, Capri.

All of these markets can be found within a short drive from our self catering Cape Town accommodation and add to the enjoyment of your Cape Town holiday

By : affordable Cape Town accommodation

Wild Flowers will not disappoint at Kirstenbosch this spring

Spring is a wonderful time for those of us in the business of accommodation in Cape Town; when the roads into our beautiful city are lined with seemingly perpetual old trees and lovely indigenous flowers are in bloom. It is sheer pleasure to take a drive over the Old Cape road (Ou Kaapse Weg ) which leads from our affordable self catering accommodation to the highway into the city. This route over the Table Mountain reserve is lined with beautiful yellow pincushions and Watsonias as well as colourful daisies, and a detour into the hiking entrance to the Silvermine reserve will be rewarded by some spectacular Proteas in bloom. It is a pity for tourists to the Western Cape that the late and sparse winter rains, followed by unseasonable hot weather this year , seems to have resulted in a disappointing flower season in the traditional viewing areas of the Western Cape.

Those visiting Cape Town, however, need not be disappointed, because Kirstenbosch National Gardens has a spectacular display of a wide variety of indigenous flowers to awe the visitor. We visited Kirstenbosch recently on one of those amazing warm and wind free Spring days that make Cape Town seem like paradise, with the temperature soaring to 27C; so warm that my wife had occasionally to rest during our walk on one of the many benches that can be found under the shade of a convenient tree, nestling in enchanting little glens.

Spring is the most colourful time in the Gardens, and we were rewarded with magnificent vistas of colour at every turn. This commenced at the entrance with magnificent displays of orange Clivias growing in the shade of century or more old trees lining the avenue built by Cecil John Rhodes, the one time owner.

There can be few more uplifting sights than fields of Namaqualand daisies turning their bright faces of white, orange, yellow and purple toward the sun, as well as equally colourful vygies that carpet large areas of the Garden. In the fynbos garden many plants are in flower, and the arrays of Ericas were absolutely splendid. My favourite section is the clearly signposted Protea Garden, higher up toward the mountain slope where bright pincushions with their brilliant oranges, yellows, peach and red colours were dazzling. Although they tend to be at their best in the early Summer; we were rewarded with several bushes of the majestic King Protea in full bloom. Who can fail to be impressed by this beautiful flower that symbolises our country, South Africa? Unfortunately we missed the brilliant Cape bulbs, including my own favourites Babiana and Sparaxis because we did not realise that the flowering bulbs are kept in the Conservatory to protect them from the voracious porcupines.
In a cleft is a riverine glade and amphitheatre filled with amazing, semi-prehistoric cycads and tree ferns, offering a welcome respite from the heat and an opportunity to admire these unusual specimens that are so sought after by collectors that a permit is required to keep just one in your garden.

Kirstenbosch Gardens covers 36 hectares in a 528 hectare estate including protected mountainside with natural forest and fynbos set against the Eastern Slopes of Table Mountain, and one cannot be unmoved by the awesome setting of the gardens against this magnificent backdrop. Kirstenbosch was the first botanic garden in the world to be devoted to a country's indigenous flora, and is the first botanic garden in the world to be included within a natural World Heritage Site as it forms part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, which in 2004 was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There are 3 choices of restaurant or refreshment in the Gardens, but do enjoy the flowers while waiting and don’t be in any hurry as it might otherwise spoil a perfect day. Entrance to the park is an affordable R37 per adult, with lesser rates for students and children; but it is worth noting that SA senior citizens are admitted free (on production of ID) on Tuesdays.

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is just one of the many spectacular attractions that are within easy reach of our Noordhoek beach cottages

By : affordable Cape Town accommodation

See Cape Town's False Bay beaches by train

Very few visitors enjoying a holiday in Cape Town know about an economical and unique way to experience a tour of the southern peninsula of Cape Town and the coastal suburbs of False Bay. The suburban rail service that serves the suburbs along the line from Cape Town to Simonstown is not just for commuters. It is an inexpensive and relaxing way to travel and see so many of the attractions from a perspective that you might not otherwise enjoy. Although it is an interesting trip for adults, your kids will really love you if you take them on a train journey from Muizenberg to Simonstown.

At the start of your journey you will board the train at the historic Colonial red brick and stone faced station building with a teak clock tower, built around 1913. It houses a couple of antique shops and a popular restaurant overlooking the sea. The train journey offers a unique viewing opportunity, as you travel along the spectacular False Bay Coast where the train travels right along the shore, passing beautiful beaches, tidal pools and at times skirting the sea with just a line of rocks between the rail and the sea. Open the carriage window so that you can inhale the fresh sea air, as you marvel at the spectacular view that you will have across the whole of False Bay. Look out for Cecil John Rhodes Western Cape beach cottage as the train passes. At St James you will see the colourful bathing boxes on the beach and watch the bathers at play in the tidal pool. As the train proceeds you will undoubtedly see surfers riding the waves as they speed towards the rocks, and Kayakers paddling across the bay. Further down the line is Kalk bay; still a working fishing harbour, but a popular destination with both locals and tourists because of the main road being lined with galleries, restaurants, antique shops and other delights for browsers and collectors. There is an ice cream shop in the main Road that is so popular that even Jamie Oliver has eaten there. You are bound to delight in the colourful fishing boats bobbing at their moorings in the harbour, and perhaps succumb to the temptation to alight for a shopping and photographing opportunity.

As the train rounds the corner towards Fish Hoek, it runs right along the sea and affords a marvellous opportunity to watch the whales basking and at play. You may be lucky enough to spot one just a few metres from the the train line. Clovelly station comes up just before Fish Hoek – look out for the unusual sign- it is the only station in the world with a sign prohibiting fishing from the platform. The train will continue along Fish Hoek beach where you might spot fishermen pulling their catches in. Continue the journey, hugging the shore of Simon’s bay, with plenty more opportunities for whale watching as the bay abounds with these magnificent creatures between June and October each year. Simonstown is the home of the South African Navy and it is not unusual to see one or more of the warships or submarines manoeuvring in the bay, which will undoubtedly delight the children. At your journey's end in Simonstown you will find another historic station building. There is much to keep you in this Naval town, and you might want to spend the day here before making the return journey. A walk to the centre of the town will take you through the interesting historic mile with its eclectic selection of historic buildings. Perhaps you might want to take a cab to visit the famous African penguin colony at Boulders Beach which was recently rated by a UK magazine as the best family beach in the world.
Whilst you can purchase your train tickets at Muizenberg station, Metrorail Southern Line Tourism Route also offers a hop-on hop-off ticket from Cape Town to Observatory, Newlands, Muizenberg, Kalk Bay and Fish Hoek Stations for just R30 per one day ticket OR R50 for a 2-day ticket. You might want to take advantage of this great opportunity to stop at one of these charming beach towns and spend the night in one of the many affordable family accommodation establishments before continuing your journey. If you purchase the hop-on-hop off ticket you will also be provided with a map showing all the attractions of each of the suburbs within a 2 km walking distance . You can find the details at this URL
http://www.capemetrorail.co.za/Marketing/Product_Definition/Tourism/hopon_map.jpg

A further innovative partnership project between Cape Town Tourism, Metrorail Western Cape and The Green Cab, known as the Rail and Ride initiative, was launched at Noordhoek Farm village on 27 May 2010. It will offer tourists a scenic travel opportunity by rail and eco-friendly cab from Cape Town to Simonstown, commencing in the first week of June 2010, in time for the World Cup. The route will include a Southern Line train ride from Cape Town to Fish Hoek, followed by a “Green Cab” taxi ride along the scenic coastline to Cape Point, with a return to Simonstown. The tour can be pre-booked and visitors travelling on the Southern Line Tourism Route will travel in a designated carriage accompanied by informed tourist guides and dedicated security guards. Green Cabs are available at Simonstown station to take you on a guided tour through Simonstown by way of the famous African penguin colony at Boulders beach to the spectacular Cape point nature reserve. The cost of ZAR 600 (US$80) includes transport, tour guide, security as well as entrance to Boulders Beach Penguin Colony and Cape Point Nature reserve, making it excellent value for money. The Rail and Ride service will be offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, departing from Platform Five at Cape Town Station.

For more information about the tours contact Metrorail : : railtourism@metrorail.co.za or the Green Cab +27 (0)86 184 3473 or call Cape Town Tourism on +27 (0)21 487 6800.

For affordable self catering family accommodation convenient to all of these wonderful attractions, take advantage now of the low “Secret Season” winter rates at Horizon Holiday Cottages in Noordhoek.

Markets of Cape Town-an enjoyable shopping alternative

One of the activities that you should explore during your holiday is the wide variety of craft, produce and flea markets that you will find all over the Peninsula. Capetonians love to be out of doors and enjoy their city over the weekend. A favourite activity is to visit the many markets that will be found offering a wide selection of choice not usually find in regular stores. Wherever you will be staying during your holiday in Cape Town, you will find that there is a market near you.
City Centre : in the heart of Cape Town's CBD is the famous market at Green Market Square. This is one of the city's oldest markets, and is set in a picturesque stone cobbled square surrounded by many beautiful examples of the architecture of days gone by- including a historic Cape Dutch townhouse which is now a museum. The history of this market dates back to the days of sailing ships when the masters would stock up on fresh produce before continuing the long sea voyages. Although it was for many years a true flea market, today it offers primarily African curios, handmade clothing and other crafts. You will find a number of restaurants and cafes surrounding the square if you need refreshment after your day of shopping. The location of the market which is open Monday to Saturday, is in the square between Burg Street, Long market and Short Market streets.

Church St. Antique Market : If it is antiques and collectables that you seek, you will find an open air antique market open every day(except Sunday) in Church Street; just a block away from Green Market Square, as well as a number of antique shops and galleries, all situated amongst pleasant pavement cafes. You can spend a happy hour or two browsing the many interesting little bits and pieces, but perhaps also enjoy the characters who own the stalls as much as you do the browsing.

Greenpoint Stadium Flea market: you will find Cape Town’s biggest flea market- in the shadow of the new stadium built for the soccer World Cup 2010, at Greenpoint . It opens on Sundays and public holidays and is always busy. You will not only enjoy browsing here , but will be able to get a great cross-section of Cape Town's people at play. Invariably you will find buskers, musicians and others seeking to use the visitor in return for some small change. In past years it was a great place to look for collectables and bric-a-brac, but now offers mostly African curios, textiles and various interesting and amusing handicrafts. There are still, however, many stores that offer domestic and home items, second hand books, CD’s, tools and the like.

Milnerton Flea Market : About 10 minutes drive out of the city towards the West coast highway and situated in an industrial area along the shore you will find Cape Town’s only remaining true flea market. This is a must for those looking for antiques and collectables. Some of the stalls belong to the dealers who bring their smaller items for this weekend market (it is open Saturday and Sunday). There are, however, many of the stallholders who use this opportunity as well as the other markets to generate a living. You are also likely to find here all kinds of second-hand stuff for the home and kitchen, parts for old cars, second-hand DVDs and CDs, and other handicrafts. The food stalls here offer an excellent variety of food including local Cape Malay specialities, the so-called “boerekos” of the Afrikaner people, but you as likely to find German sausages and even Greek lamb on offer and all at very affordable prices.

Hout Bay Sunday Craft market: This is definitely worth a morning, or a day, outing; located in a field at the foot of the mountain in one of the most beautiful and picturesque villages of Cape Town Peninsula. This is a relatively small market , but attracts potters, painters and other artists who exhibit their craft. The stalls offer excellent quality and interesting handicrafts including home bakes and preserves as well as a variety of African curious, pottery and wire crafts. There are always a few stores that offer delicious snacks and light meals to keep you nourished, or to take home . Although it is a relatively small market you will find many other attractions in Hout bay, including a beautiful clean beach and nearby Fisherman's wharf with many restaurants and a sit down fish and chip shop in the working harbour.

Kirstenbosch craft market : Diagonally opposite the entrance to the famous gardens on the corner of Kirstenbosch drive and Rhodes avenue, you will find more than 150 stalls of arts and handicrafts , home bakes, food and delicacies, and a number of attractions for children. Muizenberg Flea Market is held at Sunrise beach, Muizenberg everyday between 08:00am and 16:00, although it is usually only fully stocked and manned on weekends when it is always busy and presents a vibrant and exciting view of some of Cape Town's peoples at leisure . Here you will find everything, including a kitchen sink, although it is not a market for antiques and collectables. Many local people use it as a cheaper alternative to shop for things for the home including job lots of cleaning material and even canned food. There are a number of food stalls but, unlike the previous markets that I have mentioned I would not recommend eating at this market.
If you are stricken by hunger pangs, take a five minute drive into the historic town where you will find a number and variety of restaurants overlooking the surfers at play on the beach.

Whilst other markets seem to come and go these are institutions that have been around for a long time- their permanence ensured by their ongoing popularity. Not only will you find affordable things to capture your attention at the markets, but if you are earnestly looking for
affordable self catering accommodation conveniently situated to the markets; you will find it at
Horizon Holiday Cottages in the restful and romantic Noordhoek valley.

Cape Town Beaches – is it safe to go in the water ??

Recently, when the Cape was enjoying some really prolonged hot summer weather and thousands of people filled the beaches of Cape Town, a man was savaged by a shark at Fish Hoek Beach. This unfortunate swimmer was savaged several times by the shark which kept returning to feed on him according to eyewitnesses; creating the most sensational reporting in the media. For many of us who grew up having watched the spectacular Stephen Spielberg movie “Jaws”; the thought of such a horror makes the blood run cold.

Should this tragedy put visitors off swimming on the beautiful beaches of Cape Town or to have a negative impact on tourism? When you are planning your holiday and choosing your Cape Town, South Africa, holiday accommodation, will you wonder if the beaches are unsafe and that your life may be threatened by an ocean predator?
False Bay abounds with sharks, especially the fearsome great white shark, but an abundance of prey keeps them far offshore as a rule. I have been swimming in these waters since I was a boy, and shark attacks are relatively rare. Certainly this is the first ever recorded attack on Fish Hoek beach. Although there have been some 17 shark attacks off the Cape Town’s coastline since 2000, only 4 of them were fatal. Since the shark spotter programme was introduced, the incidence has decreased significantly. This active shark spotter programme began as a community programme that started at Muizenberg beach in October 2004. The huge success of the programme has shown shark spotting as an effective safety and resulted in funding being provided by WWF through the Table Mountain Fund and the City of Cape Town.
The website of the shark spotters www.sharkspotters.org.za gives the following information about their activities : Shark spotters programmes run from various beaches along the Cape Peninsula at these times: Muizenberg beach corner, St James beach, and Noordhoek beach: 7 days a week from 8 am to 7 pmFish Hoek beach: 7 days a week from 8 am to 6:45 pmClovelly beach: Weekends, public and school holidays 8 am to 4 pmGlencairn beach: Weekends, public and school holidays 8 am to 7 pm
Swimmers are encouraged to use areas where shark spotters are on duty. When you choose a beach for bathing or surfing, do chose one where you are able to see the shark warning flags and note that these are :
Black Flag: Shark spotter is on duty but the visibility is poor; difficult to determine if there are sharks in the area.Shark Flag (white flag with a black shark on it): A shark is currently in the area. Swimmers are advised to stay out of the water until this flag is lowered and the siren has stopped sounding.

If these measure do not reassure you , let me tell you something of the many lovely, walled tidal pools and protected beaches in our Bay, where both children and adults can swim and play without having to keep a wary eye out for any dangers, except perhaps too much sun, because Cape Town, South Africa, has such great summer sunshine.

Just past the popular surfing beach of Muizenberg lies the elite suburb of St James Beach which offers a large, gently sloping tidal pool which is great for children. Here you will find the brightly coloured bathing boxes that characterise so many picture postcards of Cape Town holiday destinations, and will offer you an opportunity to take great holiday snaps .
A larger, deep tidal pool for serious swimming with a smaller one for kids is found at Kalk Bay. This pool is right at the Brass Bell restaurant, famous for its sea food; both formal and casual dining options. Kalk Bay is an enticing little village with its main street lined with galleries, antique and collectible shops and restaurants with quaint Victorian shop fronts. Although there are many restaurants here, there is little more enjoyable than walking through the fishing harbour and standing in a queue with the locals waiting to be served at Kalky’s - said by some to serve the best fish and chips in Cape Town.

Travelling toward Simonstown and Cape Point, past Fish Hoek, is something of a hidden treasure often missed by visitors, which is Glencairn beach. There is a clean sandy beach which is seldom crowded and there is a large tidal pool jutting out from the beach into the sea, making it ideal for children to play and swim in safety. Just opposite the beach you will find the Southern Right hotel where from Fluke’s restaurant you can enjoy good food and spectacular views from the deck across the bay.

The historic Naval Town which is Simonstown, has much to attract the visitor, but here you will find the remarkable safe Seaforth Beach, where a family can spend the day relaxing on the verdant green lawns from which you can look out onto the sandy beach . A little Bay is formed by a number of very large boulders which makes it as protected as if it was a tidal pool and where one can really enjoy swimming in safety. Seaforth restaurant has a reputation for serving good seafood dishes and has a position on the rocks above the water from where you can enjoy a wonderful view to accompany your food.

On the outskirts of Simon's town on you will find Boulders Beach which has earned an international reputation as the breeding ground of a large population African penguin. This is a beach where one has to pay in order to control numbers and is one of the best and safest swimming beaches in Cape Town. It lies in a small cove and is protected from the wind and sea by giant granite boulders.

Finally, a little further on the road towards Cape point you will find Millers point which is a family friendly recreational area, it has a children’s tidal pool, and many water activities.

There is plenty of choice for extra- safe bathing places, but before you eschew the open beaches, consider the risk involved in swimming in the domain of the shark. Almost every day one gets into a car, and seldom thinks about the risk , yet you are far more likely to be involved in a motoring accident, or even one in your shower at home, than a shark attack. According to the Internet, these are the odds:

Chance of dying from a car accident: 1 in 18,585
Odds of fatally slipping in bath or shower: 1 in 2,232
Chance of dying from a shark attack: 1 in 3 million

Enjoy our beautiful Cape Town beaches – and don’t even think about the 3 million to one odds that your day might be spoiled !

Remember too that all of these beaches are conveniently situate from Horizon holiday Cottages where one can find affordable Cape Town holiday accommodation

World Class Cape Town beaches

7 of Cape Town's beaches have been awarded Blue Flag status this year, with Big Bay Beach in Blouberg attaining this prestigious status for the first time. Blue Flag status means that beaches meet 33 criteria, spread across four areas: environmental education and information; water quality; environmental management and safety and services. The Blue Flag programme is a voluntary international campaign and award scheme that guarantees tourists that the beaches they are visiting are clean and adhere to international safety standards

Blue Flag is a prestigious, international award scheme which acts as a guarantee to tourists that a beach or marina they are visiting is one of the best in the world.
It is awarded to coastal destinations which have achieved the highest quality in water, facilities, safety, environmental education and management. Over the years it has acted as an incentive to many beach managers to improve the quality of the coast and their hard work has led to a revival of the coastline and beaches around the world. Only beaches that are selected by the respective municipalities are submitted for grading.

A total of 29 South African beaches have been given Blue Flag status this year, which is good news for tourism as it increases the country's desirability and reputation as a world-class destination, said Minister of Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk. He added that apart from Morocco, South Africa is the only African country which implements the Blue Flag programme, reinforcing the status of our country in the International Tourism market.

Cape Town's Blue Flag beaches, all of which are in easy reach of our conveniently located affordable self catering accommodation are:

• Big Bay beach, Bloubergstrand ; known for its spectacular views of Table mountain across the bay
• Clifton Fourth Beach ; the place where beautiful people go to be seen, and to see
• Camps Bay ; popular family beach and the “in “ place to be seen
• Muizenberg ; with its shallow slope and long rolling waves, an deal beach for surfers as well as bathers
• Strandfontein Beach ; so long that it is seldom crowded, good surfing and bathing as well as angling
• Mnandi Beach ; An enclosed landscaped water park, playground, picnic sites, long sandy beaches good for walking and fishing. Mainly frequented by members of the formerly disadvantaged community
• Bikini Beach, Gordon's Bay ; this small beach nestling under the mountains is beautifully sheltered from the wind and ideal for a relaxed day in the sun

South Africa was the first country outside of Europe to have blue flag beaches, which signifies a high level of water quality, facilities, cleanliness and safety. Cape Town has the highest number of Blue Flag beaches in the country.

Three other Western Cape beaches won Blue Flag status: Grotto Beach at Hermanus, Hawston beach, and Lappiesbaai at Stilbaai.

Durban , popular holiday destination for South Africans from up country , has lost out. The eThekwini Municipality had six beaches on the programme, but these lost their status after unacceptably high sewage-related pollution was detected at five of the city's Blue Flag beaches.

The Blue Flag Programme is owned and run by the independent non-profit organisation, Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), which has its head office in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa) has been authorised to run the Blue Flag programme in South Africa.

photo :courtesy of Tourism South Africa
Barefoot in the Sand is the Blog of affordable Cape Town self catering holiday accommodation www.horizoncottages.co.za for the information of visitors.

Table Mountain Cablecar summer sunset half price special

Wow -- more great news for tourists visiting our beautiful city and for those who love to host and share Cape Town with family, friends and visitors In addition to the visitor friendly innovation of being able to book your tickets online for the table Mountain cableway, and avoid the long lines that sometimes put visitors off , Table Mountain Cableway has announced a four-month long summer Sunset special offer which starts on 1 November, 2009, and will continue until Sunday 28 February 2010, with prices being reduced by 50%, for those who travel after 6 pm to enjoy the romantic sunsets.
Adults can now experience the thrill of travelling to the top of our iconic table Mountain at a height of 1076 metres in the Cableway’s rotating gondola, which gives every passenger beautiful panoramic views of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The cost is now just R 80 (US $ 10) return fare for adults and only R40 four children under 18 years. This is a wonderful gesture and I am sure that it will be enjoyed during this coming holiday season when our city experiences an influx so many visitors, seeking Cape Town family holiday accommodation. The special tickets can be purchased from the Cableway’s offices from 6 pm. Do bear in mind that the Cableway operates only during good weather for the safety of visitors. Their office number is (021) 424 8181.
On the top of the mountain one can follow paths to various scenic look-outs, and make use of the telescopes provided to get a close up of the city and the harbour. There is a souvenir shop and light meals or a sundowner drink can be enjoyed the restaurant. In these coming summer months, the early evening is a great time to plan your trip as the sunsets are beautiful. For your comfort take a jacket or windbreaker , irrespective of the weather, as it usually cool on the mountain top, where the evening breezes blow.
The website http://www.tablemountain.net/ says that this offer includes New Year's Eve when the last car will travel up at 11 pm, and return at 1 am. Imagine being able to see the New Year in enjoying dinner at the table Mountain Cafe and watching a spectacular sunset over the ocean.
Some facts about the cable cars that you might find interesting
· 800,000 visitors from all over the world travel the cableway each year
· The cable car was imported from Switzerland and there are only 2 other such cable cars in the world, one in Titlis in the Swiss Alps in Switzerland, and one in Palm Springs in America.
· The cable cars take about 5-10 minutes to reach the top of the mountain at 1076 meters , and they travel at a speed of up to 10 meters per second.
details of the on line booking facilities can be found in our post in the August blog

Book on line for Table Mountain Cableway

Cape Town tourism advises that the Cable way on Table Mountain is introducing a new on line ticketing system, which will be effective from Monday, 17 August.
This is great news for our overseas and Gauteng visitors who have previously been unable to make a reservation, making it difficult for them to plan their holiday outings. The new system will allow visitors to buy tickets online for an additional R10 fee. Online tickets will be valid for seven days and, if not used within this period, a full refund can be claimed (excluding the administration fee). To show how customer focused this new approach is, a ticketholder may extend the ticket’s validity for a further three weeks, provide it is done within the 7 day validity period of the ticket- but then you forgo a refund. Tour operators and Guest houses will be able to benefit by being able to have tickets ready for guests so they bypass the ticket office, saving time. The cable cars depart every 10 to 15 minutes Be cautioned however that the cableway is concerned to maintain its excellent safety record and will not operate in bad weather , or in the high speed winds that are sometimes experienced in mid-summer.

Visitors to our beautiful City should not miss the opportunity to see the truly awesome panoramic views of Cape Town , clear across to iconic Robben Island, famed place of incarceration for our first democratically elected president; Nelson Mandela. The height of Table Mountain (at its highest point) is 1085m or 3560 ft . There is a self-service café (restaurant) at the top of the mountain serving both food and refreshments, which has developed innovative eco-friendly ways to conserve natural resources.
You do not have to take the cable car down, but can choose from several options to enjoy the scenery and undertake a walk. There are a number of short walks that you can take, including the Dassie Walk -with its stunning panoramic view. One could choose to spend the better part of a day hiking all the way along the top of the mountain and down to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, one of the world’s largest and most beautiful botanical gardens, or even further along, to the Silvermine Nature Reserve, situated just above our popular self catering accommodation. For more information about this Reserve, see our Blog post about the Silvermine Reserve.
Fees for Online tickets -valid until September 30, 2009
Adult return: R145 + R10 booking fee
Child return: R76 + R10 booking fee

Fees for Online tickets -valid from October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010
Adult Return R 160 + R10 booking feeChild return: R80 + R10 booking fee

Both visitors and locals alike can purchase Wild Cards, which give admission to all the parks at a reduced fee, and Wild card holders will enjoy a discount on the rates for the Cableway, on presentation of the Wild Card.
Opening Hours: Opening hours vary from season to season. Generally the first car goes up at 8 am and the last car comes down at 9:30 pm in the summer, when our days are extra long to allow visitors to make the most of their holidays.During winter months, the last car returns at dusk; 6 pm.
Contact information for Table Mountain Aerial Cableway
Tel: +27 21 424 0015
Website: http://www.tablemountain.net/

Directions from Horizon Holiday cottages:
It is about a 30 minute drive (outside of peak hours) rom Noordhoek over Ou Kaapse weg; at the foot of the mountain turn right to the Blue Route freeway. Stay on the freeway until you reach Groote Schuur hospital (famous for the world’s first heart transplant) when the freeway splits – left to De Waal Drive and right to Eastern Boulevard; keep left on De Waal drive, and as the road descends to the City, take the left exit lane to Gardens, (where there is a huge signboard for the Cableway) ; the road becomes Kloof Nek Road. Follow Kloof Nek Road to a traffic circle, then turn left at Tafelberg Road and keep following the signs to the cableway. It may sound complex, but it is not, as it is so well signposted.

For those who rely upon their GPS to avoid complicated directions; the coordinates: are 33°57′11.89″S 18°24′11.7″E or 33.9533028°S 18.40325°E

Walking in the Silvermine Reserve

Our affordable self catering Cape Town holiday accommodation in Noordhoek is situated at the foot of the Silvermine nature reserve which forms part of the Table Mountain National park. It is an ideal area to explore if you want to enjoy some of the wild flora, known as Fynbos, for which the Western Cape is renowned, or just enjoy a bit of tranquil convening with nature.
There are many trails for walking or hiking and a detailed map of the trails can be purchased from the office of Noordhoek tourism at the Noordhoek Farm village for a nominal fee. The Silvermine Hiking trails allows one to see some of the world’s most spectacular coastal and mountain scenery which is rich with a variety of flora as well as bird and small animal life. There are a large number of different Proteas and other fynbos species, flowering throughout the different seasons; making this an enjoyable and interesting walk at any time of the year. We have just completed an Autumn day outing that we would like to share with you. When staying at
Horizons Holiday Cottages it is just a few minute’s drive to the top of Ou Kaapse Weg and then at the top of the mountain turn left toward the clearly marked Parks signboard with directions to the parking area. For those with GPS it is ; 34º 05' 135" South and 18º 25' 144" East. The entry fee is R 10 or production of a wildcard (limited to cape Town residents); at the parking are toilet facilities
Silvermine Reservoir Walk : One of the easiest and most accessible walks which your kids will enjoy, leads from the car park at the top of the mountain to the Silvermine reservoir. This is an easy walk with a duration of some 1- 1 ½ hours and a suitable for all members of the family. From the parking area the trailed is well marked and heads predominantly uphill though it is not particularly strenuous. The trail winds through remarkably different vegetation and you will enjoy a number of boardwalks over the streams. On a summer day you will find the wooded banks verdant with tree ferns a pleasantly cool and peaceful spot to linger. Surprisingly the trail heads through some small forest glades.
The path wends its way up well-maintained wooden walkways and the occasional rustic bridge until one reaches the dam wall itself. Stop along the way to admire the spectacular panoramic views across False Bay where on a clear day you can see clear across to Gordon’s Bay and the Strand.
Along the path are a number of quaint stone constructed benches and tables where one can picnic or also make use of the built braai (bbq) hearths. Depending upon the season however the lighting of fires may be prohibited so it would be best to check at the ticket office.
The trail leads to the large Silvermine reservoir which was built sometime in the 1890’s to supply water to Cape Town. During the warmer weather people make use of the opportunity for a cooling swim in the clean blue waters, but you may wish simply to stroll the path around the reservoir, a slow walk of some 30 minutes. At the far end will be found a rich growth of beautiful flowering water liilies under the bridge that crosses the entrance to the reservoir. During our hike in the early Autumn we were amazed at the variety of flowering plants including two different types of colourful Proteas.
On the opposite side of Ou Kaapse Weg, just after the apex can also be found another entrance manned by the Parks board where one can park and walk up Silvermine River Valley to a small waterfall, passing a number of old ruins. The waterfall offers the perfect spot to take in the sounds of nature. Like so many of the waterfalls on Table Mountain, this one is only seen in its full glory in winter, but it is also a great peaceful picnic spot.
Those with a more adventurous nature, and a good level of fitness, can hike across the mountains toward Kalk Bay where you will be treated to one of the most truly awesome views of our beautiful False Bay. make sure that you have arranged someon eto collect you or another way to return to our guest accomodation as it will be a long way back
To live in our beautiful Cape Town is to be truly blessed, but we love sharing it with our guests.