Cape Town

By Brett Susan

One week before the Wallabies take on the Springboks at one of the world’s most famous grounds, spring can’t decide if it should announce itself to Cape Town or wrap up for a further month or two in its blanket of mist and heavy, downy cloud.

Cape Town’s warm weather always arrives late and like an obstinate unborn infant, clinging to his mother’s womb long after his expected appearance.

Winter in Cape Town is not just a lingering reality, it is a burdensome curse.

Capetonians have had to endure near-freezing temperatures, with the heaviest rains in decades.

Iconic Table Mountain’s southern slopes plunge from its sandstone heights into the most beautiful, tree-lined suburbs you would ever wish to see, with waterfalls cascading into rivers that feed the country’s favourite brewery – appropriately across an oak-lined avenue from Newlands Stadium.

It is here the Boks will meet a Wallaby team eager to prove their potency after the apparent emasculation they suffered in Brisbane.

As a Cape Town native, I can report an eerie calm has descended over the city, with any talk about rugby still firmly on the subject matter of ‘that tackle’ by ‘that hooker’ as ruled by ‘that ref’.

So too, the talk is about the weather and if the snow-capped Helderberg Mountains have more snow on them this year than in years gone past.

A visit by a determined Australian team simply doesn’t feature much and a recent enquiry at the stadium indicates tickets are still available.

In the days leading up to the game, the situation will change.

Capetonians will aim their attention on the game and talk will be of players seen at Cape Town’s various swanky spots and whether retribution will be meted out on the Australians or not.

On game day itself, I expect the Australians will be accommodated in nearby Claremont and will have a light training session at one of the prestigious all boy schools, while watched by boatered and blazered crowds.

By late afternoon, the streets will be packed with supporters jostling for parking, while Congolese parking attendants usher them on.

A short walk to the stadium will fill your belly and clothe your body in all the regalia you will ever need. Braaing meat and the yeasty smell from the brewery will greet you as you enter this stadium.

The experience is one that will soon be coming to an end, as Cape Town Stadium will soon be home to rugby fixtures in Cape Town.

Newlands faithful have joyfully embraced the trend of heckling the opposition and with the stadium as intimately built as it is, the players should hear every curse hurled at them.

The weather is expected to be cold, wet and windy and the Boks will be expected to enjoy the forward-orientated game the weather will bring.

Expect a 10 point Springbok winning margin.

hakwa Thanks for posting his article. Cape Town is still one of the most beautiful cities in the world with an environment that can only be described as beautiful beyond belief. It is called the Mother City by all South Africans - a term of endearment and admiration. It still is a major tourism destination - but for South Africans a damn expensive place to visit. The old harbour area was converted to the Cape Town Waterfront where all visitors can go for wonderful meals or for shopping in awfully expensive shops. Its history is extremely interesting. One of the ancient reminders of the Dutch is the Castle completed in 1675 - but never used to defend the city. When in St Petersburg in Russia I went to see the Peter and Paul fortress and was struck by the similarity in design of the said fortress. The latter fortress was completed in 1704. It transpired that Peter the Great wanted to establish a modern Russian fleet and he went to work incognito in shipyards in Holland and England. During that time he stole the standard plan of Dutch fortresses of the time - used also for the castle in Cape Town - and built the same design fortress in St Petersburg. The only difference is that the St Petersburg Caste is much bigger than the one in Cape Town. There is always talk about Ming China - and much less of the Japanese version. The biggest collection of Japanese China in the world outside of Japan is in the Groote Schuur house built in 1685 for the then Cape Governor Simon van der Stel - after which Stellenbosch is named. The house also contain many paintings - some dating from the mid 15th century. When visiting the Estate - there was an Australian couple also who asked how the huge and most valuable collection of historical items happened to be where it was. I answered by pointing out that long before there was any idea of establishment of colonies in Australasia Cape Town was already a world trading port. Then there is the famous Mount Nelson Hotel - which in 1812 was already rated as one of the ten top hotels in the World. By 1890 it competed for top hotel with the likes of the Imperial Hotel in Vienna. Even today it still is one of the top hotels in the world. Now a bit of further history. The doyen of Cape Society in the period 1870 to 1906 was a lady by the name of Mrs Marie Koopmans De Wet. She entertained royalty and Presidents in her mansion in Stand Street which today is the Koopmans De Wet museum in Cape Town. Interesting enough Mrs Koopmans de Wet was accused by the British during the Anglo Boer War of spying and helping the Republics - but they could not arrest her because of the massive influence she had throughout the then Cape Colony and in many other places in Europe and even in England itself.. When my father took our family to Cape Town when I was 9 years old - my grandfather insisted that my parents take us to the Koopmans De Wet museum. It then transpired that my great grandfather was a friend of Mrs Koopmans De Wet and as a youngster my grandfather stayed in the present mansion/museum when the family visited Cape Town in the 1890's. Google the Marie Koopmans De Wet museum and you will get the of history of the place - very interesting. This is just a bit of some of the most interesting historical places in Cape Town. There are many other places of major interest and a visit is really worthwhile. As to Newlands the aura can never be replaced by the Green Point stadium built for and used in Soccer WC in 2010. That is why there is resistance against the move and it is not at all certain that it would in fact happen. Maybe it would, but cultural resistance often decides things in Cape Town

Nice posting Mike. Cape Town is admired by all who know her....but she better produce a victory this weekend!

BokBK I worked in Bellville for two years and every weekend we went to some or other relaxation area. Other than the Sea Point swimming pool where we went 4 times - we never visit any area twice or place twice. I can remember one funny incident though. There was a lady who refused to pay for use of the change room. She had a towel around he and was bending over to take off her costume - a gush of wind blew the towel over her head and we saw all her assets in full. She looked at us sourly for bursting out laughing. .

 

Classic. Funniest one I had was with my girlfriend of the time, we went down to Sandy Bay for an all over tan only to hear a rustle in the bushes about 10m behind us. We turn around to find a wanker giving it some looking at all the bods on the beach! When he saw us it was legs, arms and tackle everywhere as he ran off… too funny.