Table Mountain and the Waterfront - South African tourism icons

Table Mountain and the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town truly are two of South Africa's tourism icons

Cruising Cape Town's Waterfront canals with City Sightseeing

Just over a month ago I attended World Travel Market Africa at the CTICC in Cape Town.  One of the exhibitors was City Sightseeing Tours and they offered all delegates a free canal cruise on presentation of our delegate badges.  There are canals linking the V&A Waterfront with the Cape Town International Convention Centre and it is on these that City Sightseeing has started regular cruises to link the two areas as well as hotels like the One and Only, City Lodge and the Westin in front of the CTICC.

I decided to slip out for lunch on the first day of the exhibition and head down to the V&A Waterfront making use of the boat.  The boats depart from both the CTICC and the Waterfront sides every 20 minutes so I didn't have to wait long.  Both spots are also stops on the Hop on - Hop off bus tours so could be combined with their tours of Cape Town.  The cruise gives one a very different view of the Waterfront and it's surroundings than what you get from the road.  Luxury apartments flanked the canals just about all the way and I kept wondering what it must be like living here... or what you have to earn to afford it.  There is commentary available but as I wasn't on the bus tour I didn't have ear phones.  Not that it was an issue.  I made sure I sat right in front and was chatting with the skippers all the way and they answered all the questions I had.  As I mentioned the drop-off spot is at the One and Only Hotel and from there its a quick walk to the craft market and the rest of what the V&A Waterfront has to offer.  Wish I had time to do the Hop on - Hop off tour while in town as well, but that will have to wait till another time. 

 

Disclosure: I went on the canal cruise as a delegate attending the World Travel Market Africa exhibition and received no remuneration, wasn't asked to write a positive post and keep full editorial control.

A Table Mountain "selfie"

A quick three day visit to Cape Town for World Travel Market Africa had me slip out the exhibition at lunch time on day 1 to head down to the V&A Waterfront for a quick lunch.  Well, probably more sightseeing that lunch (as if I've never been there but I am the eternal tourist).  I ended up at the #LoveCapeTown selfie frame enjoying the view and before I knew it I was taking pictures for a German couple wanting to  have a picture together.  Then two Dutch ladies... and four from the UK.  One of the UK guys asked if they could take one of me.  Of cause they can.  So here I am doing the Table Mountain selfie frame touristy thing at the V&A Waterfront.

Table Mountain and Waterfront at dusk

Iconic Table Mountain seen at dusk from the equally iconic V&A Waterfront

Cape Town big wheel

The Wheel of Excellence (or just Waterfront Big Wheel as most people refer to it) at the V&A Waterfront has become a favorite activity for visitors in Cape Town to do.  The surrounding view of the Waterfront and city from the top is stunning.  My last visit to Cape Town was a brief one and there wasn't time for a trip, but I did snap this pic of it on a walk through the Waterfront before heading to dinner.

V&A Waterfront after dark

I really don't get to go to Cape Town anywhere close to as much as I would like to.  When I do though I make sure I visit some attractions and touristy spots to soak in the Cape atmosphere.  A short two night visit for World Travel Market African meant that I only got to take a quick drive down to Hout Bay for a meeting, walk the streets around the International Convention Centre at lunch time and pop into the V&A Waterfront for dinner.  Just before dinner I strolled down to the Robben Island Ferry jetty to find a geocache and snapped this picture of the waterfront lights. 

Looking up the wheel

Looking up at the Wheel of Excellence in the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town

Cape Town Wheel of Excellence

One of the newest attractions in Cape Town is the 40 meter high Wheel of Excellence at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront.  The big wheel has 30 fully-enclosed cabins and the 15 minute ride literally gives one a bird eye view of the Waterfront and surrounding Mother City.  When the Kidz heard that we were going on a big wheel there was a lot of apprehension, specially from Drama Princess who is always a bit weary of the unknown, but once we were inside and going around they absolutely loved the ride. 

Going around you don't really know where to look.  The view is breathtaking with beautiful vistas of the attractions around the Waterfront, the city beyond and Table Mountain in the background.  The other way you can see Table Bay, Robben Island and the beaches along the Bay with the sprawling city all around and the mountains in the distance.  All in all its a WOW! experience and anybody can do it, even granny in her wheelchair; as two of the gondolas are wheelchair friendly. 

The wheel has definatively changed the skyline of the Waterfront area and added an attraction which should not be missed by anybody wanting to see more of Cape Town. 

Our ride on the Wheel of Excellence was courtesy of the V&A Waterfront.

V&A Waterfront panorama

A panorama photo of the V&A Waterfront

Table Mountain from the V&A Waterfront

The last couple of posts featured visiting Table Mountain and going up by cable car as well as the fabulous panoramic views  and view sites on top of the mountain.  But all the pictures was taken from the mountain itself, so for today's post I wanted to show the view of the actual mountain as seen from the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. 

Vote for Table Mountain

Keeping watch over the Mother City, Table Mountain in Cape Town is one of South Africa's most iconic landmarks and recognised around the world.  It is one of the finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature which will be announced on 11 November 2011.  It needs your help to get there though.  Vote for Table Mountain online or if you are a South African do so via SMS -  SMS “Table” to 34874.  If you would like more information visit Vote for Table Mountain. 

The two pictures show just some of the moods of Table Mountain.  The first one on a rainy day and the second (which was taken the very next day) with lots of clouds covering it.  Both pictures were taken from the V&A Waterfront.

V&A Clock Tower

Probably my favorite building at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town is the old Clock Tower.  Situated on the far side from the main shopping centre area, the Victorian Gothic-style Clock Tower has always been an icon of the old docks and has become an important focal point in the Waterfront's recent developments.  The building was originally the Port Captain's Office and was completed in 1882.

V&A boats

My weekend in Cape Town was a bit of a dull and dreary one, so I didn't get to take too many bright pictures. Stopping by the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, I wanted to get a couple of photos of the different boats in the harbour for a post. Not the best, but here they are.

Looking to my left, there were fishing boats lined up, while...

... to my right there were luxury yachts with upmarket apartments in the back.

A closer look of the luxury boats. Some are for sale and the price tags range from like R6 million upwards.

One of the bigger fishing boats up close

Another fishing boat in the dry dock for repairs

How low can you go?

I was watching these guys perform at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town the other day...

... and this guy actually went under a burning rod balanced on dumpy (500ml) Coca-Cola bottles

Coca Cola Crate Man

Standing out (like a sore thumb) on quayside at the V&A Waterfront is Elliot the Coca-Cola crate man.

Elliot was built from 4200 (another website said 2500, so I'm not too sure) used crates for the FIFA World Cup as Coca-Cola was one of the main sponsors. It stands 18 meters high and weighs in the region of 25 tons. It was one of two built for the event with the other one being in Newtown in Johannesburg.

If I can give my personal opinion, I feel now that the World Cup is over Elliot should go. It looks very out of place on the V&A Waterfront and actually spoils the view looking across the harbour to the mountain from Nobel Square. Perhaps relocate him to the parking area at the Cape Town Stadium. But maybe that's just me.

Nobel Square

Although its been around for about 5 years or so already, I recently got to see Nobel Square at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town for the first time. Nobel Square pays tribute to South Africa`s four Nobel Peace Prize Laureates; the late Nkosi Albert Luthuli (1960), Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu (1984), former State President F.W. de Klerk (1993) and former President Nelson Mandela (1993).

The life sized sculptures of the four Laureates were created by internationally acclaimed artist Claudette Schreuders and is a very popular attraction on the Waterfront with lots of tourists posing with them and taking pictures. The most popular of the sculptures is naturally Nelson Mandela.
The fifth sculpture in the square, Peace and Democracy, was created by Noria Mabasa and acknowledges the contribution of women and children to the attainment of peace in South Africa.

Victoria and Alfred Hotel

I was hoping to get a couple of nice sunsets and other sky photos to use on Skywatch Fridays during my recent trip to Cape Town, but alas the weather didn't really allow it and the mountain was just about covered with clouds every day. So this is the closest I got to getting a nice sky picture. The sun reflecting on the water in front of the 4 star Victoria and Alfred Hotel at Cape Town's V&A Waterfront.

If you want to see some more sky related pictures, visit Skywatch.

Sign posts

I always enjoy it if I go somewhere and there is a sign post pointing towards major world cities along with distances. At that moment you realise how big the world really is and while I'm typing this the contrary is also true as within nanoseconds of clicking publish post this post will be available world wide.

This one stands on the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town...

... while this one is situated at Cape Point

Now you see it...

I haven't taken much photos over the last couple of weeks so I've very much run out of new stuff to show. So as I always do when this happens I revert to my stock and look for pics that I've never shown. I've found some Cape Town pics that will keep me busy for the next couple of days and hopefully by then I will have something new to show.

Table Mountain seen on a clear day from the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town

I have posted this pic at some stage before, but without it I can't show the next one in this context.

Table Mountain as not seen on a cloudy day from the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

The weather in Cape Town can change drastically from day to day and it is very possible to have a day like the one on the top one day and a day like the second one the next. Sometimes it even happens in one day. When you visit Cape Town for a couple of days and plan to visit Table Mountain, my advice is to go at the first opportunity because a second one may not present itself.