Dinner at Africa Cafe, Cape town

There is always the allure of “fine dining” whenever one travels. The waiters are normally dressed in penguin style uniforms, you sit down, order the food you like. You have a conversation with your dinner partner with soft music in the background…talking softly … afraid to disturb the other guests around you.  The decoration is elegant, yet bland while a candle on your table ensures for a good atmosphere.

Then there is  the South Africa fine dining experience complete with a cacaphony of sounds, smells and colors. There is always a bit of “expect the unexpected” when visiting the Africa Café (http://www.africacafe.co.za/) located in the heart of Cape Town’s restaurant district but it is a place that one must visit.

Upon arrival I fell in love with my own country again all in this unassuming restaurant. I was welcomed by a smiling lady who wore a beautiful typical African dress, with patterns decorating her face as she showed us our table. The epircurean adventure had begun.

Drums in the background were playing as the locals were eyeing the prix fixe menu. The joy of eating at the Africa Café is the fact that there are small plates of food from every part of the contient. Over several glasses of wine you can eat your way through the continent! Each plate represents a country or region and presented with a complete description and also how to eat it.  The menu is seasonal and pre-set and the plates appear one by one by eleganty dressed servers

The food was as amazing as we hoped, and the conversation was fantastic as we enjoyed the war stories of the Germans (our next door dining neighbours) about their epic journey through South Africa. Dessert was served and then probably the best part of the evening started.

The waiters started dancing and singing traditional songs at the beat of African drums!! Of course we joined and 5 seconds later the Germans were doing the African dance like pro’s, while a French couple decided to give it a try as well. (the French needed a few tips along the way though). As the evening winds down, you can move to the quaint bar on the main floor for a final night cap of Amarula over ice or wander the gallery of ceramic-ware they have on display for a last minute gift.

Thus Africa Cafe is a must according to me, and will definitly be a highlight in my trip … even though I have just finished day 2 of the Hello Yebo itinerary.This restaurant definitely gives you the full flavor of South Africa, not only food wise, but its rich in culture!

What a beautiful morning in sunny South Africa! It is winter in the Southern Hemisphere, with a high of 15 degrees (which I believe is 59 Fahrenheit)…but nothing that a sweatshirt and beanie could not fix for my hike up Table Mountain to the Cecilia falls.

As  I am writing this blog I’m enjoying a coffee and of course a piece of carrot cake at the coffee shop in the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens where my trail ended & my cold hands needed a mug to warm up again. Yes we South Africans are not build for winter, and anything under 10 degrees (50 Fahrenheit) is believed to be extreme weather

I must say for an active traveller like myself, waking up and taking an early hike in the morning was the perfect start to my day.  In the winter the sun rises quite late, and it was just beautiful to see the world waking up around me as the sunrays slowly made their way around Table Mountain. Flowers opening with birds singing their first song. Breathtaking views of False Bay and the Cape Peninsula, whilst being introduced to so many indeginous plants of South Africa.

I can believe on a sunny summer day the waterfall will be a welcoming sight during the hike, but seeing as its winter I decided to be creative and I added a yoga session. It was just such a peaceful tranquil setting where one can relax, sit quietly and become part of nature…

Ending the hike in Kirstenbosch is special in so many ways seeing as these botanical gardens is known worldwide for its excellence.  For more information about Kirstenbosch please do read our blog post http://www.helloyebo.com/232/kirstenbosch-botanical-garden/

Tonight I’m off to the Africa Cafe for a real South African food experience …

As a local South African I have taken up the challenge to take on the Hello Yebo cycling Trip that was created by Immersion Journeys  and  Southern Visions Travel.

 I have decided to take this journey as a traveller and be again amazed at my beautiful country and appreciate everything that we take for granted …. or perceive as “normal” in our everyday lives. Every turn on the road in South Africa is a sensory overload- from the fruit stalls and haggling “mamas” to the handmade wooden carvings displayed on the road side. Even the ocean plays a large part of the experience as the African sun sets over the horizon.

Every cycling trip starts at the V&A Waterfront- a place where the vibe  is difficult to describe seeing as it is so tranquil yet so busy at the same time. In the background Table mountain ensures a picture perfect setting while the ocean ensures entertainment in various forms. Yachts making their way through the fishermen boats, while a cruise ship is lying lazely at bay. Seals playing in the water, whilst the older ones form statues along the harbour enjoying every ray of sunshine. Seagulls stealing the fishermens freshly caught fish. This of course can entertain me the whole day, just sitting, sipping a glass of wine in my chosen restaurant only a few feet away from the spectacle.

For the ladies, of course shopping is a must with so much diversity to be enjoyed. So is the local entertainment which can be found throughout the various squares and street corners leaving you with an African tune. It may just be an introduction to see how much diversity South Africa (the Rainbow nation) has to offer.

Follow me as I travel down the Western Cape Peninsula and all the way up to the gorgeous wine country- pedaling, eating and drinking my way through a richly diverse country called South Africa!

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South Africans

Describing a typical South African is like describing a polka dot fish. There is no right answer due to the fact that it is non-existent. There are so many varieties, colours and cultures in South Africa, that make us unique as a nation.

But if there is one common trait I believe which is visible in the everyday life of all South Africans: we are very friendly people. Whether it is the small child who walks 5km to school every day, the road worker who waves his flag in the 30 degree sun, or the teller at your local supermarket, you will always be greeted with a smile, a wave or just a friendly nod.

South Africa is divided into various regions which not only differ greatly in surroundings, climate, nature, food and culture but also in language. We have 11 official languages and yes there are a few moments whilst travelling out of your home comfort, where you give the famous blank stare to  your fellow African. We really do sometimes not understand the words our fellow countrymen speak, but sometimes not being able to speak the language doesn’t mean that you don’t understand what is being said.

As a local living in the Rainbow Nation of South Africa, you encounter as well the nervous times where  you might to have try to politely  skip the meal the farmers wife prepared for you the whole morning, when you see the sheep’s head on the table. Or you might just gracefully take a bite of a Northern Sotho’s brew, whilst knowing that its main ingredient is Mopani worms. This is all part of our cultures, our life as South Africans, us being so diverse… but still one nation.

I end my blog today with a famous  quote from Dr Desmond Tutu: “ Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are different precisely in order to realize our need of one another”

Groot Constantia

As a South African I am blessed to represent the following statistic to you:

“South Africa has the longest wine route in the world” … well if that didn’t put the seal on your South African trip I don’t know what will ?

Let us take a journey however through history  in order for you to get a background of how South Africa became world renowned for wine production.

Mr Simon van Der Stel, the first governer of Cape Point, saw the potential of wine making in the Western Cape even in the year of 1679. In 1685 he established the magnificent Groot Constantia wine farm as a model to Dutch farmers. But as we all know the Dutch are not known for their wine production, and soon Van der Stel discovered a better way to improve farming. When King Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes, providing religious tolerance in France, many Huguenot (Protestant) refugees made their way to Holland. Van der Stel asked to provide passage to the Cape for any of them who had experience in wine farming & roughly 200 French were shipped over.

This is how wine production in South Africa began, and that is why I am filled with a sense of honour to be able to be standing in the gardens of Groot Constatia, who is still producing wine 326 years later. Its difficult to describe this winery in the sense that it moves you by its history, but it is also located in a picture perfect valley. The gardens, the white Manor houses and the cellars are connected with paths that are covered by the shade of trees which seems anchient, whilst the squirrels look like spectators admiring your from afar.

Then of course their wines! Not only has this winery won various awards for their wines, which is produced in a wide variety, but it is world renowned.  My whole day was spend wandering around the vineyards, learning about the art of wine making, wine tastings and of course the coffee shop which was visited numerous times. 

We would like to thank Groot Constantia for allowing us to use their photos and of course we are happy that we will be seeing them during our Hello Yebo tour.

As I am writing this I am lying underneath an Acacia tree on my picnic blanket in the Kirstenboch Botanical Garden, Cape Town, South Africa.

Set against the backdrop of Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak, and home to more than 22 000 indigenous plants, this world famous botanical garden is an UNESCO world heritage site. Kirstenbosch was established in 1913 to promote, conserve and display the extraordinarily rich and diverse flora of Southern Africa, and was the first botanic garden in the world to be devoted to a country’s indigenous flora.

You might however be wondering what an adventurous soul like myself is doing napping underneath a tree in a botanical garden?

The answer you will soon realise is that I am ending a perfect day.

Early morning we arrived excitedly to do our first hiking trip through the 528 hectars of Kirstenbosch. The trails wind its way through the untouched nature up Table Mountain and the 36 hectars of cultivated gardens. Flora can be admired which you will only find in South Africa and you may even be lucky enough to see the Protea, our national flower, in all its beauty standing proudly next to the fynbos.

After my somewhat challenging hike we enjoyed a quick stop at the “Botanica Cafe” in the gardens, where the cake and coffee invites all passersby to enter.  The waiter informed us about the concerts which happen every weekend during summer where locals and tourists enjoy the sun, music and relaxing atmosphere between the ponds, tree and various gardens.

I was left daydreaming as I wandered back to my picnic blanket, filled with carrot cake and contentment when I discovered a small granite celtic cross on a pathway between the flora … I soon realised there could not have been a more beautiful description in honour of Mr Harold Pearson who constructed these gardens:

“If you seek his monument, look around”

Thus a group of 5 ladies set out to the Kruger National park, with a sleeping bag in the one hand and a tent in the other.  Early morning before the sun is even showing its first orange glow in the distance, their guide arrived with the “just in case” rifle tucked behind his shoulder. They would set out following a trail which was left by the local rhino or zebra, entering the wild where only the strongest is said to survive.

Listening to their tales and hearing the excitement in their voices as they recall the events one can clearly see that this experience has left a mark, which will be remembered with only smiles and fond memories.

Hiking with a buffalo snorting behind you, crossing fresh elephant tracks or just wondering which animal was rushing away as you hear the grass and bushes shiver next to your feet.  Experiencing the silence after a lion roared, with every living beast acknowledging its presence. Or looking left and admiring the giraffe looking undisturbed while it’s searching for the perfect leaf.

The tales are continuing to flow in my house of this exceptional adventure, and I can guarantee it will not be long before I will also enter the Kruger …. with my sleeping bag in my one hand and my tent in the other.

But Table mountain is much more than a mountain to many South Africans.

She watches over us as we pore a glass a wine just to relax and enjoy the African sunset, with its variety of colours painted in the sky as the sun hides away behind the ocean. Whilst we party the night away, in the ever buzzing Cape town streets. She shares with us her breathtaking beauty when we cycle on her slopes, curving next to the ocean. She is there when we share our lovers kiss … and she is even there when we need inspiration and hope.

During the many years of incarceration on Robben Island, we often looked across Table Mountain at its magnificent silhouette…
To us on Robben Island, Table Mountain was a beacon of hope. It represented the mainland to which we knew we would one day return.”
– Nelson Mandela

Hout Bay Harbour

The second little town we will be visiting on the Hello Yebo blog is a little town called Hout bay.

Situated only 20km from Cape town, this little town is one of my favourites for the following 3 simple reasons:

Reason number 1

The splendid journey you have to take to arrive in Houtbay.

To arrive at Houtbay there are only 3 options and all 3 of these roads, have views so beautiful… I can guarantee it will leave you mesmerised and grabbing for your camera. The reason for this is that you have to drive  through the wine lands and then over a mountain to arrive in this little town. Or you can take the ever curving magnificent roads hugging the mountain, right next to the ocean.

Reason number 2

Hout Bay was formerly a fishing village and has managed to maintain its unique combination of fishing harbour and country atmosphere, despite development. Its long, sandy beach faces a bay framed by mountains and is quite simply exceptionally beautiful. Capetonians break away from the ever busy city to enjoy this peaceful yet delightful little town with its fishing atmosphere and to catch a glimpse of the resident Cape seals that make the harbour their home.

Reason number 3

Right on the harbour is a little restaurant called “Fish on the Rocks”. The restaurant is not famous for its beautiful decor or its magnificent structure.  Its frame is actually build out of wood and you sit by a simple wooden bench and table , awaiting your meal that you bought for a mere 4 dollars.  But “Fish on the Rocks” have become famous throughout South Africa, with locals raving about it. Any fresh seafood can be ordered and even though its served in a very simplistic manner …. the taste will stay with you, and lead you to take the beautiful journey to this little town called Hout Bay, once again in the future.

There are a wide variety of various diverse routes which can be enjoyed in the Western Cape…you can cycle next to the ocean, through the mountains and of course on the ever winding roads through the vineyards.

Today however I will be sharing with you my favourite stretch of road, which will leave you breathless due to its beauty.

Chapmans peak drive has been voted as one of the most beautiful marine drives in the world due to the fact that for 10km you cycle on the edge of the mountain right next to the ocean. It winds its way between Noordhoek and Houtbay with a total of 114 curves. Behind each curve you will find a splendid view of the mountains or see the Atlantic oceans waves crashing into the rocks only 500m below. On a sunny day you might even find a baboon and his family crossing the road oblivious to your existence.

Various water points and photo opportunities are available on the cycle friendly road, with some points offering  180 degree views.

There is little that can top the calming yet exhilarating feeling of cycling in such beautiful surroundings. It’s just you and your bike underneath the African sun, admiring mother nature…