Visiting Cape Town, aka the "Mother City"

This city in South Africa has been on our list to visit for a while, especially since my sister studied abroad here when she was in college and has been raving about it since! After spending just a few days here, it was clear why - this is easily one of the most versatile places we've ever been to: it's filled with natural beauty between sparkling beaches, stunning cliffsides, and tall mountains, all while having a thriving design and restaurant scene. Every day we learned a little more about this city's rich (yet troubled) history and melting pot of cultures, to make it the very interesting and fun place it is today. Let's get into some of this background and our favorite experiences while being here :)

The history and its peoples

South Africa is a unique country in that so many people look ethnically ambiguous. You know when you look at someone, and you're like, "I have no idea what race you are" and you just want to ask them?! Maybe just me... but man, this city is filled with interesting people like this - people have dark skin with asian features, white skin with curly hair, etc.  Of course this all comes from colonialism 🫥 Cape Town was "born" in 1652 when it was established as a rest stop and then trading port for the Dutch East India company, when sailors traveled between India and Europe.

On this trade route, slaves were brought in from all over (Madagascar, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, to name a few) and eventually became an enormous influence to build this colonial city. They made up two thirds of the population by the time slavery was abolished in 1834. And then, Europeans discovering diamonds and gold prompted another flood of immigrants in this century (thanks De Beers and your phony marketing of diamonds as a status symbol!). But with this, by 1900, Cape Town became one of the most diverse cities in the world, far more so than even New York which was also building itself rapidly at the same time. It was also the first city to be established in South Africa, which is where it got the name, the 'Mother City'.

People of European origin reproduced arts schools and systems from the West, and ~fancy~ high-class things like art galleries, orchestras, and ballets, boomed. On the other side, people of color had a more creolized culture - much of their culture and performance arts were a fusion of those stemming from slave communities, while including culture influences from outside their traditions. This resulted in their song, dance, and art being even more vibrant and unique!

The creative economy

So what made Cape Town one of the most creative capitals of the world? Fast forward to the 1990s, apartheid had finally ended and the country was slowly opening to the rest of the world as it called for a more integrated society (I cannot believe I was already born when this city was still running on a 'whites-only' aspiration). With democratic elections underway for the first time, there was so much optimism in the country, leading to a flood of people immigrating here (with the pull of CPT's gorgeous landscapes!).  This decade was so transformative to the country that journalists flocked here as well, from interest in documenting all the changes. Over time, having such a buzzing city set against such natural beauty brought forth creatives in industries such as advertising, fashion, styling, and photography.

I can see why this city is a hub for people to connect and be inspired. There are walkable neighborhoods, plenty of public spaces, great universities, delicious restaurants, and an active nightlife (so I hear at least, we were often in bed by 10pm 😬). In the end, I just loved how stylish and aesthetic this place is - truly in a multi-continental, kind of way.

We got to spend 2 weeks here and we reflected on some of our most memorable experiences visiting this area!

🥐 Weekend markets

CPT is the culinary capital of Africa, and the city takes food seriously. Their weekend markets have a really energetic atmosphere and so much good food on display truly felt like heaven on earth 😋 These are similar to farmers markets in the US, but more like a food court than just selling fruits and vegetables!  Cape Town's cosmopolitan culture couldn't be more fully on display than here - so many regions were representing their food and they also really love making conversation to tell you all about it!

🌊 🏃 So many scenic walks.

Plenty of opportunities to unwind and take in the beauty - here is a pic I took walking along the Clifton Beaches. Also about the beaches, this is some of the softest sand we've ever felt with actual, sparkling waters.

🌈 Bo Kaap neighborhood was the slave quarters of cape town, and many of the homeowners were displaced. Once people reclaimed their land, they painted their houses in colorful paint as a way to express their freedom and joy. Walking through this area was a reminder of how raw (and recent!) South Africa's history and apartheid legacy is.

And of course, this country is one of the strongest allies to Palestinians - many houses in this neighborhood have a mural painted on it to show support

🐧 Penguins!! God these things are so cute with their large bodies and small feet 🤣 And as always, to see animals in their natural habitat is just heartwarming. We're visitors in their land, and its awesome to see them just doing their own thing, totally unfazed by us.

🍷 ⛰️ Spend a weekend in Winelands (Stellenbosch and Franschhoek towns)

This was one of the most lovely places we've ever been to, and even if you don't drink wine, just visiting different properties and taking in the sights is so nice!

Beautiful rolling hills and fertile, rich soil makes world-class renowned wine.

Colonial settlements since the latter half of the 17th century started here, and you can see that today! These two towns feel like you're stepping back in time as you walk through these elegant, historical neighborhoods. There are tons of art galleries, stylish guesthouses, and a huge gastronomic scene since its rich soil makes for super fresh vegetables and produce. And, super affordable - think 5 star places for a 3 star budget. Our guesthouse (pictured there with a pool) gave a large room, amazing breakfast included, for $80/night. Wine tastings run about $4!

This was my favorite part: They have a wine tram system that acts like a subway system between the dozens of wineries in the area. Pick which color line you want to take, and hop on or off at whichever winery you need. Why doesn't Napa have this yet?!

Cape Town was just a portion of all that is beautiful and interesting about South Africa. If you love being in or visiting coastal cities in California, I'm sure you'll fall in love with this city too. If you're ever looking for recommendations, please talk to us, we really enjoyed our time here 😍 Check out the photo album here!

See ya in the next post :)