The Slightly-Less Beaten Path: Cape Town

This holiday season, we decided to spend time with Nick's family in Cape Town, South Africa. Since it had been a few years since his last visit, I wasn't expecting very much to happen on the sight-seeing front. But looking back on our visit, we managed to cram in a lot!

This was my second trip to Cape Town, so we ventured a little further afield and were able to explore some of the lesser-known, but no less beautiful, parts of South Africa. Here are a few things I had never seen or heard of before, but really enjoyed.

Beaches Galore!

Rocky, sandy, warm, cold, with penguins, without penguins...South Africa has a beach to suit every taste!

One of the nicest off-the-tourist-track beaches we went to was in Noordhoek. The crystal clear waters, soft white sand and green, hilly backdrop made it a visual treat. There's even a nifty, 100 year old shipwreck about 2 kms down the beach.

Noordhoek and the remains of the 'Kakapo'

There's just one little catch...Noordhoek is on the Atlantic. So even in the height of summer, the water is ice cold! If all you're looking for is a place to dip your toes on a hot day, this is perfect. But anything more than a toe and you might want to head to Simon's Town or Fish Hoek.

Beyond Table Mountain

Table Mountain is a must-do for anyone visiting Cape Town for the first time. But the name is a little misleading! Table Mountain National Park has a lot more to offer than just Table Mountain.

Lion's Head from one of the trails up Table Mountain

For some really amazing views of the city and Table Mountain itself, I highly recommend hiking Lion's Head. We did this on our last visit and had a great time! Sadly, I lost all my pictures from that trip. So until we can do that hike again, this picture of Lion's Head from the trail to Table Mountain will have to do.

And for those interested in completing the set, to get great views of both Table Mountain *and* Lion's Head, head up to Devil's Peak.

Sweet Delights

I thought the Dutch had something of a sweet tooth when I learned of their fondness for sprinkles on peanut butter. But apparently, they've got nothing on their cousins, the Afrikaaners! If you get the chance, be sure to try,

Koeksusters taste best cold!
Resist the temptation to nuke 'em!

1. Malva Pudding, a treacle-y cake that is delicious when served warm with a scoop of ice cream.


2. Koeksusters (also known as koeksisters), a syrupy doughnut that is similar to jalebi. We picked some up from the Peregrine farm stall that were amazing!