capetownbandb’s blog

Every now and again my brother Leo, my sister Nell and I, go away for some family quality time. I don’t think this is normal in every family, but for us this is a good way of keeping the family bonds strong. They both live in Pretoria, so this year they decided to come down to Cape Town for a week. We checked in at one of the Cape Town bed and breakfast establishments on offer, The Quarters. It’s a stunning modern village tucked away in De Waterkant.

The city…

On our first day I decided that I was going to show them around Cape Town and surrounding areas. But it was more sight-seeing for now really than actually getting to know the city. For Nell this was a little bit of a frustrating trip. She has always been the more curious one of us with a passion for history. So whenever we drove past a historical monument or museum she wanted to stop, but Cape Town has a lot of monuments and museums, so I had to promise her that we would specifically do a historical tour of Cape Town later during the week. For now though we were on our way to Kalk Bay.

Kalk Bay is one of my own favourite little spots. It’s a fishing village on the False Bay coast. We had a good Kalk Bay meal: fresh fish and chips right by the harbour. I think the reason why I like the town so much is because of its atmosphere. It always seems so relaxed. Kalk Bay is of course also known for their second-hand and antique shops. It was in of these shops where Leo discovered an LP collection of Mario Lanza. Most people don’t listen to opera anymore and wouldn’t have a clue who Lanza is, but in our family opera and classical music played a major part in our upbringing. So of course he bought all 5 of the LP’s.

Family dinner…

After a long day’s drive we eventually headed back to The Quarters.  We were all lazy and in a relaxed mood and with such great weather, we opted for a braai. Regardless of the similarities between a braai and a barbeque, I think and I’m sure every South African does too, that a braai just tastes different to a barbeque. But differences aside, the three of us were sitting around the fire having a good chat. We only see each other about once a year, so whenever we have a time together it is always spent talking about the more important things of life. Home life, work and of course the current love interests.

After our hearty meal of steaks and salads we sat outside on the balcony, simply enjoying the view and still of the night. It was after ten, but we were still deep in conversation. Much has happened this year. Personally I have changed jobs and moved twice. Nell and Leo, although still working for the same companies and staying at the same address, had gone through other things. The saying ‘blood is thicker than water’ really runs true in our family. For two sisters and a brother, each with very different in personalities, we have a good understanding of each other and where we stand with one another thanks to our parents.

The Castle of Good Hope

As promised, we shared a cultural day starting at the Castle of Good Hope. My sister Nell seemed like a child in a candy store savouring every sight. The Castle is the oldest most original national monument not only in Cape Town but also in South Africa. Built by our forefathers, the Dutch settlers, it is still well preserved. While we were walking through the monument Nell was informing us with more information about the history that brought about the building of this monument and the history that followed.

What I realised there was the Castle was almost like a symbol of the bond between me and my family. Although much of its interior design and surroundings have changed, the actual building still stands strong, unchanged. After about two hours at the Castle we soon headed off towards the Iziko museums.

One thing that is many a time overlooked about Cape Town is how rich it is in history. Most people come to Cape Town because it’s rich in culture, the people and most of all because Cape Town is known as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Although this is all true, I like Cape Town because of its diversity. Cape Town is the Mothercity and we her children.

After our long informative historical day we headed back to our bed and breakfast to unwind. This is really the time when you appreciate this city, when you are in it with the ones you care for most, and to stay at a bed and breakfast really lets you experience the culture first hand as well, even if you’re not from South Africa!