South Africa > Cape Town from Table Mountain

South Africa - The cable car to Table Mountain in Cape Town

The alarm goes off at six o’clock. If the weather is good, we plan to go to Table Mountain early. Outside, the wind is still quite strong. I doubt whether the cable car will be running today. The reception can’t help us yet—they can only provide information from half past seven onwards about whether the cable car will operate. We decide, the six of us, to take the risk and order a taxi. Just as we are about to check out, there are problems with the rooms. The five rooms that were supposed to be available as day rooms, where our luggage is already placed, are actually not available. Only two small rooms are free. This was apparently discussed with our guide? We know nothing about it, and Gerhardt hasn’t been involved. Even at breakfast this morning, there was already a discussion about whether we had to pay for breakfast or not. Annoyed with the hotel, we quickly place our luggage in the new rooms. Meanwhile, the taxi driver is waiting for us. When we arrive at Table Mountain, people are already waiting. The staff are unsure, but they are opening all the parasols. We join the line and wait for what’s to come. Normally the lift opens at eight, but at eight, nothing happens. Around half past eight, there is movement. A test ride seems successful, and the ticket office opens. Eventually, we are in the second gondola to the 1,086-meter-high Table Mountain. The gondola rotates very slowly, giving a panoramic view of Cape Town, the bay, and Robben Island.

South Africa - The four Nobel Prize winners in a row

From the top, the view is fabulous. It’s remarkable how steeply the mountain rises and how completely flat it is at the summit. We take a 45-minute circular walk and have a drink at the restaurant. By now, it’s quite busy. Back down, we had initially planned to take the hop-on-hop-off bus into the city. With a day ticket, you can get on and off all day. But the bus won’t arrive for another half hour. We only want to go to the Waterfront by bus, and from there, explore the city mostly on foot. The two of us take a taxi instead. Instead of the direct route, we ask the driver to follow the hop-on-hop-off route. Surprisingly, he says this will be more expensive. No problem—we ask him to explain things along the way. Enthusiastically, he drives the route and tells us about the coastline, the boulevard, and the different neighborhoods. He also shares his perspective on apartheid and the townships. We spend three-quarters of an hour in the taxi and end up paying less than we would have on the hop-on-hop-off bus. It was a very enjoyable ride. The taxi drops us at the V&A Waterfront. We stroll through the area, shop in some stores, and buy souvenirs. At a terrace, we have a simple lunch. In the afternoon, we walk into the city center. The city walk from the guidebook proves difficult to follow. The route is indicated, but we don’t want to keep stopping in the center to look at the map. The walk leads us to the market behind the central station. It’s a hive of activity here, so we have to stay alert! Later in the afternoon, we visit the Castle of Good Hope. The castle is a low pentagonal fort with several museums inside. The paintings from the VOC period are particularly interesting, depicting Dutch ships with Table Mountain in the background.

South Africa - The Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town with Table Mountain in the background

In the city center, we order a beer. Afterwards, we walk back to the hotel via the Company’s Gardens. In one of the two day rooms, I take a shower and change for the return flight. At eight o’clock, Gerhardt arrives again. In a large luxury coach, we are taken to the airport. On the way, he tells us that they had been to another weighbridge, where the axle load was fine. He suspects corruption and intends to file a complaint. At the airport, we say goodbye to Gerhardt. After all the checks, it’s time to wait. The KLM flight to Amsterdam is the last flight from Cape Town. Boarding begins at half past eleven.