pictures: s.a.tourism
pictures: s.a.tourism
pictures: s.a.tourism
pictures: s.a.tourism
?skin=403">Cape Town Webcam and Movie |
?skin=403">Cape Town Accommodation |
?skin=403">Car Rentals in South Africa
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Cape Town itself is not a large city by world standards. The central area is confined for space by the sea and Table mountain, but the wider conurbation is extensive. The main thrust of development has been suburban, and the suburbs seem to go on for ever. The area is served by good roads and excellent motorway systems. The city proper occupies the northern part of the Cape Peninsula, a 54 km- long, scenic finger that ends, dramatically, in the towering headland known as Cape Point. Although popular belief has it that Cape Point is where the division between the cold waters of the Atlantic and the warm waters of the Indian Ocean occurs. This is however, a common misconception since the actual separation takes places much further east, off the coast of Cape Agulhas, Africa's southernmost extremity. There are, however, striking differences of character and mood between the Peninsula's flanking seas. Visitors expecting conventional images of Africa will be disappointed. There is nothing of the classical Africa about Cape Town and its surrounds . The city is simply too old, and the region too well settled, and the countryside too green and gentle to sustain such romantic notions. But there are other powerful attractions: a near-perfect Mediterranean climate, landscapes that delight the eye, spectacular beaches, the grandeur of Table Mountain, the exuberant Waterfront development, fine hotels, a innumerable amount of eating and drinking places, a lively and entertaining calendar of arts, and an enchanting Wineland and mountain neighbourhood. Much of the Peninsula comprises a well-watered, green-mantled sandstone plateau that reaches its most spectacular heights in the great bulk of Table Mountain itself. Two distinctively-shaped features; Devil's Peak and Lion's Head, stand sentry to either side of the massif. Defining the plateau's western rim is a series of imposing buttresses known as the Twelve Apostles (there are in fact 18 of them). The shoreline is an entrancing combination of bay and white sand, high cliff and secluded cove. Inland are wooded valleys of magical beauty. To the north and east are the Cape Flats; a low, sandy flatland that once, not too long ago on the geophysical timetable, lay beneath the sea. Their shifting dunes proved a formidable obstacle to early Dutch colonists on their way inland, but the sands were eventually stabilized and are now heavily populated. Alongside suburbia on these flats are the realities of South Africa's future development work; Thousands live in informal housing, similar to the flavellas of Rio. Visitors are shocked, but tourism and volunteers from abroad contribute much to the economic and social development. Beyond Sir Lowry's pass lie hills, vineyards, orchards and lush pastures of the famed Cape Winelands. |
Western Cape Province: Cape Town
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pictures: s.a.tourism
pictures: s.a.tourism
| Cape Town Webcam. |
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pictures: s.a.tourism
| Cape Town is known as 'The Mother City'. This is where the modern history of South Africa began in 1652, when Dutch East India Company commander, Jan Van Riebeeck landed here to set up a replenishment station for ships en route to the far east. It was from here, that further developments took place and within 30 years farms were being established in the Western Cape, augmented by the arrival of the French Huguenots who were given sanctuary here from religious persecution . With them came not only their faith, but the root stock and skills which established the Winelands. Cape Town is located at the southern tip of the continent and enjoys a setting which is only rivalled by Rio de Janeiro. The city nestles between the dominant Table Mountain and the blue waters of Table Bay, it is a modern, cosmopolitan and stylishly attractive metropolis of graceful thoroughfares, handsome buildings and glittering shops. The seamless combination of the above elements are fast making Cape Town one of the southern hemisphere's premier tourist destinations. |
