South Africa Escapade 2002


Jan & Yew Meng South Africa Escapade
22^nd to 30^th December ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2002
▼click link to access page ▼ Traveling Route Map Day 1 Stellenbosch Gordon's Bay Day 2 Stellenbosch Cape Town V&A Waterfront Topless Bus Day 3 Robben Island Green Market Square Table Mountain Camps Bay Day 4 Hermanus Fernkloof Natures Reserve Day 5 Boetliekop Game Reserve Kynsna Day 6 Kynsna Tsitsikamma Boulkran Bridge Day 7 Plattenberg Bay Storms River (Tsitsikamma) Oudtshoorn Route 62 Mama Africa Day 8 Cape Peninsula Drive Cape Point Day 9 On the way home Useful Links ___________ Tourist Information Cape Town Tourism Cape Town & Western Cape Garden Route Accommodation South Africa Self Tour ___________ Town Information Stellenbosch Gordon's Bay Hermanus Kynsna Plattenberg Bay Oudtshoorn ___________ Places of Interest Table Mountain Robben Island Cape Point Botlierskop Game Reserve Ocean Safari Cape Peninsula National Park Two Ocean Aquarium South Africa National Park Fernkloof Nature Reserve Storms River (Tsitsikamma) ____________ Guest House we stayed in Knorhoek (Stellenbosch) Bergzicht (Cape Town) Baleia de Hermanus (Hermanus) Black Waters River Lodge (Kynsna) ____________ Recommended Vineyards Knorhoek Spier Estate Neethlingshof Simonsig Kanonkop ___________ Recommended Restaurant Eating out at South Africa Fishmonger@Stellenbosch Bientang's Cave Restaurant Ocean Basket Dros Mama Africa Five Flies ___________ @ e-mail us	Day 3 Robben Island Our tour of Robben Island was first thing in the morning @ 8.30am. That was the only available slot when we made our booking the day before. Considered ourselves lucky though it may seem a wee bit early for most of us. The whole day was fully booked. We were ferried in Susan Kruger to the island that took about 45 minutes from the Robben Island Gateway @ V&A Waterfront. This island prison that once held Nelson Mandela was recently proclaimed World Heritage. The tour was very educational and provided us real insight on what it was like before. All the workers were once political prisoners who had spent their years there. We could feel their emotions as they guided us from cell to cell with their stories. Green Market Square Green Market Square was our next destination. It’s in the center of the city and houses an almost permanent craft market. Lots of stalls selling local arts and crafts, trinkets, clothes, etc. We did not meander too long a time there as it was almost 5pm and the locals were getting ready to close down. However, we managed to get some great bargains. After all, it’s time of giving & sharing. Table Mountain We then drove towards Table Mountain. Though it was almost 6pm, parked cars were seen for as long as 2 km from the cableway. We took the revolving cable car, the vertiginous views over Cape Town was simply awesome and magnificent. Though weather was clear and warm, once we were up at the mountain @ 1067m it was cool. Needless to say, viewing from the viewing decks was excellent and we just snapped away!! We were up there till sunset. Camps Bay We later headed towards Camps Bay for dinner. It was Xmas Eve and there was an air of festivities. Roads were busy; obviously the city is packed with tourists. It was not easy to get a restaurant, as we did not make any booking. We managed to get a table at an Italian café after walking up and down several restaurants along that are. The atmosphere made up for whatever that was lacking on our dinner plate!!	▼click to enlarge image ▼ On 'Susan Kruger' Just boarded the ship to Robben Island Table Bay On the way to the historic Island. It's so cold from the sea breeze standing in front of the ship though it's a sunny and clear day. Robben Island Robben Island can seen from afar. Susan Kruger She was used to carry prisoners in the Apartheid day. The Prison The entrance to the prison compound. The Rocks Rest stop during the tour of the Island. This place is a popular scene for photograph. Our Tour guide We are lucky to have him as our tour guide. His true and emotional stories really bring us back to the old days of Apartheid. He is also the first political prisoner at Robben Island back in the 60's Table Mountain Clouds can been seen covering the Mountain top. It's like a table cloth covering the Table Mountain. At the peak At 1067meter above sea level, it's quite a view from the top down to the city. Misty evening It's about 5:30pm then. Chilly evening. Flat Top Walking around the hiking path on the top of the mountain. Looking down at Cape Town You can see Cape Town and Table Bay at the background Aerial view of Cape Town Almost the entire view of downtown area. On the left, you can see the Signal Hill. A good place to watch Sunset. At the edge Sitting on the edge of the viewing platform over looking Cape Town Day 4 ►

Jan & Yew Meng South Africa Escapade

22^nd to 30^th December ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2002

▼click link to access page ▼

Traveling Route Map

Day 1
Stellenbosch
Gordon's Bay

Day 2
Stellenbosch
Cape Town

V&A Waterfront

Topless Bus

Day 3

Robben Island
Green Market Square
Table Mountain
Camps Bay

Day 4
Hermanus
Fernkloof Natures Reserve

Day 5

Boetliekop Game Reserve

Kynsna

Day 6

Kynsna

Tsitsikamma

Boulkran Bridge

Day 7

Plattenberg Bay

Storms River

(Tsitsikamma)

Oudtshoorn

Route 62

Mama Africa

Day 8

Cape Peninsula Drive

Cape Point

Day 9

On the way home

Useful Links

___________

Tourist Information

Cape Town Tourism

Cape Town & Western Cape

Garden Route Accommodation

South Africa Self Tour

___________

Town Information

___________

Places of Interest

Table Mountain

Robben Island

Cape Point

Botlierskop Game Reserve

Ocean Safari

Cape Peninsula National Park

Two Ocean Aquarium

South Africa National Park

Fernkloof Nature Reserve

Storms River (Tsitsikamma)

____________

Guest House we stayed in

Knorhoek (Stellenbosch)

Bergzicht (Cape Town)

Baleia de Hermanus (Hermanus)

Black Waters River Lodge (Kynsna)

____________

Recommended Vineyards

___________

Recommended Restaurant

Eating out at South Africa

Fishmonger@Stellenbosch

Bientang's Cave Restaurant

___________

Day 3

Robben Island

Our tour of Robben Island was first thing in the morning @ 8.30am. That was the only available slot when we made our booking the day before. Considered ourselves lucky though it may seem a wee bit early for most of us. The whole day was fully booked. We were ferried in Susan Kruger to the island that took about 45 minutes from the Robben Island Gateway @ V&A Waterfront. This island prison that once held Nelson Mandela was recently proclaimed World Heritage. The tour was very educational and provided us real insight on what it was like before. All the workers were once political prisoners who had spent their years there. We could feel their emotions as they guided us from cell to cell with their stories.

Green Market Square

Green Market Square was our next destination. It’s in the center of the city and houses an almost permanent craft market. Lots of stalls selling local arts and crafts, trinkets, clothes, etc. We did not meander too long a time there as it was almost 5pm and the locals were getting ready to close down. However, we managed to get some great bargains. After all, it’s time of giving & sharing.

Table Mountain

We then drove towards Table Mountain. Though it was almost 6pm, parked cars were seen for as long as 2 km from the cableway. We took the revolving cable car, the vertiginous views over Cape Town was simply awesome and magnificent. Though weather was clear and warm, once we were up at the mountain @ 1067m it was cool. Needless to say, viewing from the viewing decks was excellent and we just snapped away!! We were up there till sunset.

Camps Bay

We later headed towards Camps Bay for dinner. It was Xmas Eve and there was an air of festivities. Roads were busy; obviously the city is packed with tourists. It was not easy to get a restaurant, as we did not make any booking. We managed to get a table at an Italian café after walking up and down several restaurants along that are. The atmosphere made up for whatever that was lacking on our dinner plate!!

▼click to enlarge image ▼

On 'Susan Kruger'
Just boarded the ship to Robben Island

Table Bay

On the way to the historic Island. It's so cold from the sea breeze standing in front of the ship though it's a sunny and clear day.

Robben Island
Robben Island can seen from afar.

Susan Kruger
She was used to carry prisoners in the Apartheid day.

The Prison
The entrance to the prison compound.

The Rocks
Rest stop during the tour of the Island. This place is a popular scene for photograph.

Our Tour guide
We are lucky to have him as our tour guide. His true and emotional stories really bring us back to the old days of Apartheid. He is also the first political prisoner at Robben Island back in the 60's