Facing the Past: Historical Sights in Cape Town

See the vision for South Africa's future:
The most moving experience of all was our visit to Robben Island, the former prison of Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners. I found the harsh conditions overwhelming; however the focus of the island now, amazingly enough, is not on the hardship but on the triumph over oppression. Everyone should visit here.

Walk in the footsteps of past leaders:
Admire or despise him, Cecil Rhodes had an enormous impact on Cape Town and southern Africa. See his Rhodes Memorial on the University of Cape Town campus with its awesome view down on the city or get a tour of his grand estate Groote Schuur now part of the Presidential Palace complex and site of the negotiations de Klerk and Mandela at the end of apartheid.

Picnic on Table Mountain at sunset:
Table Mountain is a defining feature of the Cape Town life and landscape. Take up a picnic and watch the sunset over the ocean and the city.

Quick Tips:

Best time to Go:
Tourist season appears to highest between November-January. We were there at the end of January and the weather was magnificent. Sunny with t-shirts and shorts weather, but remember a light jacket because the cool breeze can be chilly at night.

Spend lots of time!:
We were in Cape Town for eight days and still didn't get to see everything we wanted to. Cape Town is spread out and there are many attraction so allow plenty of time.

Safety:
We felt very safe in the waterfront area where we stayed even in the evening. We traveled around most other areas with the tour group which is a good way not to have to worry about it.

Best Way To Get Around:

Getting there:
We flew directly into Cape Town's international airport from London on the 11.5 hr flight. The airport was newly refurbished and about a 20 minute drive from the waterfront area on the N2 (one of the main highways. A cab ride would have cost around USD, we were told.

Getting around:
The easiest is by coach with a tour group but we were also able to easily rent a car off the web from Comet Car as well as to go by cab to various sights. We didn't attempt to use any public transit and were advised to ask our hotel to call for cabs vs hailing them on the streets. It is also possible to walk between the waterfront and downtown areas. It took us about 25 minutes and the most challenging part was finding a place to cross some of the major streets since not all of the crosswalks functioned properly.

Groote Schuur (meaning "big barn") has played a pivotal role in Cape history. From inauspicious beginnings as an agricultural produce storage space in the 1600s, it later became the home of imperialist Cecil Rhodes and later still, the presidential home of South Africa's presidents since 1911.

One can visit Groote Schuur by contacting the curator, Alta Kriel, at +27 (0)21 873 6789. We visited as part of a group. Because it is part of the presidential estate, security is very high and we all had to show our passports or other government-issued photo-IDs. The grounds are well-manicured but no photos are allowed for security reasons.

The house in its present form is the work of Rhodes' favorite architect, a fellow Brit named Herbert Baker. Its white-washed Cape/Dutch design with ornate gables is quite impressive as you drive up -- and even more impressive from the back gardens where their size is easier to see. Inside, one is immediately impressed by the wood panelled walls, ornate rugs, and numerous articles of antique furniture.

When Rhodes set out to make Groote Schuur his home, he actually hired a professional, at Baker's suggestion, to find all the antiques and furnishings; his 'personal shopper' obviously did a good job scouring Europe and South Africa for fine pieces of furniture. Some of my favorites include a grandfather clock with little boats that move back and forth in some waves, and a Dutch painting of a boy blowing a bubble.

Upstairs, some of Rhodes's quirks are much more obvious. His bedroom is quite remarkable for the bay window with the amazing view of Table Mountain. Apparently he had a fascination with Napoleon -- he has several items belonging to the onetime emperor, including the sizable clock on his desk. The most remarkable feature in the bedrooms, however, is Rhodes' golden death mask taken two hours after his death in the town of Muzienberg (just south of Cape Town). Also upstairs is his marble bathroom -- it includes an enormous granite bathtub. I was so impressed with all the rooms and furniture that I ended up purchasing a book full of glossy color photos of the rooms and antiques.

Outside on the extensive back porch, is a magnificient view of the terraced gardens and, of course, Table Mountain. We were allowed to take pictures of the outside of the house. There is also a (former) grape arbor to the east of the house which shows off more of the attractive grounds. Although it takes special arrangements to see the house, it is definitely worth the effort given its beauty and historical significance. The agreement to engage in a peaceful end to apartheid by then-President de Klerk and ANC leader Nelson Mandela was actually called the "Groote Schuur Minute" act, since they met here at this historic home for the negotiations.

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens has a great advantage over its competitors by having one of the most beautiful settings a garden could have -- at the foot of Table Mountain. The map of the gardens available at the entrance shows the vast expanse of land left to the gardens by its patron, Cecil Rhodes, who left a large amount of his prime real estate at the base of Table Mountain to the people of South Africa.

We came here twice: Once for one of the weekly summer concerts and another time to take a tour and see all the flowers.

I was immediately impressed by the beautiful mix of plants and art by local artisans. There are sculptures throughout the first part of the garden as well as large open spaces where visitors can relax on the grass and enjoy the view of flowers, trees, and mountains. There is a greenhouse at the entrance that features many unusual and native plants as well some sensitive flowers. This was a particularly interesting exhibit because I felt I recognized many of the plants from a production of Little Shop of Horrors. There were even these cool plants that look like rocks -- little pebbles to be specific!

Outside of the greenhouse and on the first left after the turnstyles is the row of camphor trees that Cecil Rhodes planted so that he could ride his horse in the shade -- you can almost imagine him appearing at the end of the road. The garden also features several distinctly educational areas, including a medical plant area -- which lists all the potential uses of each plant plus a stern warning to listen to your doctor first -- and an aromatic plant section where we were encouraged to rub and smell the plants (kind of like the equivalent of the petting zoo, eh?).

There was also the potential to take one of several hikes into the mountains; it's said that one of the early Dutch governors used to hike over Table Mountain every morning to get to the parliament building. We just walked part way up one of the many trails in the back of the park and that was enough for us (plus we were running out of time). You could easily spend half a day in the garden, longer still if you wanted to do all the hikes. There's also a lot of movie/commercial filming going on in the park -- it can provide some amusement as well.

Getting to the park is best by car since it is a ways from the city centre. There is a bus called the Golden Arrow Bus that goes from the city centre to the gardens. Check out www.gabs.co.za. The website for the gardens is http://www.nbi.ac.za/frames/kirstfram.htm.

We boarded the high-speed catamaran at the Nelson Mandela Gateway (by the red clocktower at the waterfront) at 8am. It was a half-hour boat ride out to the island. There was a nice video about onboard safety and the history of the island, but I was feeling a bit seasick by this point. When the boat arrived at the harbour, we were greeted by concrete buildings and a barren landscape. We were immediately herded onto grey buses (very tight fit!) and our tour began of the the island.

The focus of Robben Island is on the triumph of the spirit over adversity and mistreatment -- and it's hard to ignore the latter. As we passed the visitor's center, we learned that prisoners only got to see visitors once every 6 months or a year, and that, often, after visitors made the long trek out here, they would be told that the prisoner was sick whereas the prisoner would be told their visitor didn't make it.

As the bus drove around the small island, we were able to get out at the shore opposite Cape Town. This was a very beautiful view that we realized must have been quite bittersweet for prisoners on the island. The guide told us stories of various prisoners who had been kept there, early Khoi tribal leaders, lepers, and anti-apartheid leaders among them. We also passed the homes, school, and church of the guards who lived on the island with their families.

The bus ended back at the maximum security facility, where our guide led us around the cell blocks (including past Nelson Mandela's cell) while relating some of his experiences while a political prisoner on Robben Island. The most striking information was how the prisoners turned Robben Island into a school for democracy. Older prisoners discussed issues in depth and the strength of South Africa's constitution was actually created through some of those conversations. Younger prisoners were taught and, in some cases, even able to earn credit from off-island accredited institutions off.

For those who have never been inside a prison before, it was a bit of a shock. I left feeling like life imprisonment, for any reason, is am abuse of human rights.

The Rhodes Memorial sits on the side of the mountain with a commanding view over Cape Town. Built by British imperialist Cecil Rhodes' friends to commemorate his 1902 death, the Memorial is a reminder of the large impact he had on the area.

The drive up to the memorial is impressive because most of the land alongside the mountain here is not developed (again, thanks to Rhodes donating it in his will to the people of South Africa). In fact, if it's not too hot out, you might be able to catch a glimpse of a grazing zebra or wildebeast. There is a small parking lot at the Rhodes Memorial but you can also walk from the main University of Cape Town (UCT) campus.

The first part that's striking about the memorial is the great view of the city. There is a short stone wall (to keep you from rolling off the hill) which has a sort of built-in, semi-circular bench. We also saw a group of students picnicking on the grass near by. The monument itself is an imposing granite structure with two rows of green copper lions reminiscent of the temple at Luxor standing by the 49 steps (one for each year of Rhodes life) that lead up to great stone columns and a bust of Rhodes above a short prose passage. The view from up here is grand as well. At the front of the steps is a striking statue of the god Energy on his horse. This is a good Cape Town photo moment.

We stopped at the Kirstenbosch Gardens on the way. Unless you are going to picnic or just hang out here, you won't need more than 20-30 minutes to see the place and you could even do a quick hop-in-hop-out if you came by taxi.

My first thought upon stepping out of the bus on the Unversity of Cape Town (UCT) campus was, "why didn't I come here instead of England?" It was a sunny, warm, and blue-skied day and the beginning of the UCT term after summer break. The steps leading up to the main buildings, the red-tiled roofs, and the white columns outside the main hall looked very impressive against the mountain backdrop. The buildings on the side, with their red-tiled roofs and ivy-covered walls like something straight out of an Italian villa.

At the bottom of the steps is a sports field where students were playing soccer. Overlooking the field is a statue of their patron, Cecil Rhodes. As we climbed up the steps (and there are many!!) we were impressed not only by the beauty and tranquil atmosphere of the campus but also the awesome view of Cape Town. This really is an institution of "higher" learning!

A special treat as well were the number of musicians: some performed on the marimbas, others danced, while still others played twisted antelope horns! This worked kind of like a bell choir in that each horn had a different pitch and they played them at different times and in a variety of combinations. The effect was quite unique but rather soothing as well.

The Town Hall carries many memories for the people of Cape Town. Built by the British, its architecture is a reminder of the colonial past. The image of front of the building as an impressive monument to colonial rule has been replaced however, with that of Nelson Mandela's first address to the crowds, from the Town Hall balcony, as a free man after being released from prison at the end of apartheid. Our tour guide told us that was the first time she had ever seen Mandela -- or even knew what he looked like since the prison guards at Mandela's prison on Robben Island tried to keep photos of him from getting out.

We went to the town hall for a concert. The Hall is rather small for a concert and seats around 500 people. There is a small balcony (where we sat) as well as three loges on each side. The upside of a small hall is that even in the balcony we felt close to the stage. There was an enormous, beautiful pipe organ in the back. One of the most moving parts (other than the music of course!) was when the head of Cape Town tourism spoke. She said that the last time she had been in the little back room (where she waited before going on stage to greet us) was when she was with Mandela right before he went out to give the speech after his release.

Sitting in the Anglican church service at St. George's Cathedral, I couldn't help but be distracted by the variety of roles this church has played in history. The plaque on the wall near where I was sitting marked the dedication of one of the stained-glass windows to Lord Mountbatten (a cousin to Enlish kings Edward VIII and George VI, father of the current queen) for his services as commander of South Asian forces during WWII. I was also reminded that Cecial Rhodes's funeral was held here, further attesting to the British colonial past. In contrast, however, was the thought of the anti-apartheid protesters who gathered here since the cathedral was home to the Archbishop of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu. While the historical references are quite moving, the architecture of the cathedral is not particularly remarkable. Definitely go for atmosphere.

The Company Gardens next door are not only a beautiful and relaxing place to walk around in, but also have historical significance as well. Outside the entrance is the slave lodge. The large green shutters were to keep people who might want to take advantage of the slaves out of the lodge. Next door is the red and white parliament building and next to that is the president's office, which used to be a large stable at one point in its past. The gardens are quite beautiful, with many foreign as well as native species of trees and flowers (all labeled). There is also a large statue of Cecil Rhodes. The gardens are an excellent place to relax and take pictures.

While this is a great place for strolling or eating your lunch, you should beware of pickpockets. My friends were accosted by a 14-year-old youth who put his hand in my friend's father's pocket and wouldn't take it out! Fortunately, some older youths happened by and helped remove the boy.