Today’s tidbit: “Your life is a canvas… make sure you paint yourself a whole lot of colorful days.” 

Last week I shared our morning in Stellenbosch and journey to Cape Town, stopping at Afrikaanse Taalmuseum and Spice Route Winery (Day 17, part 1). After a wonderful day we arrived to our last destination of the tour. We were free from here to go and do whatever we wanted, which was a nice change of pace from the rest of the organized tour. After checking in to our final hotel, my mom and I along with a group member decided to spend the evening exploring, without a plan or final ending spot, to really experience the area, take in the gorgeous landscape + diverse architecture and talk with locals. As we walked I was constantly stopping to take in and capture as much as I could!

Sneak peek image:

Be sure to click below to read more and check out more pictures. Enjoy!

{Inn on the Square Hotel} Our last accommodation was a beautiful hotel, where we spent several nights. Below are a few pictures of our room and the view, looking down on the square.

As the website states, “Housed in one of Cape Town’s oldest buildings, overlooking the vibrant Green Market Square. The Three Cities Inn on the Square Hotel is situated minutes away from the vibrant precincts of Cape Town, arguably the most perfectly placed city in the world with a myriad of restaurants, bistros, entertainment and tours in open top buses, learning about the history and culture of communities coming together, people overcoming all odds, contributing to the development of this pulsating city.”
Read more.

{evening exploring Cape Town} As I mentioned, we were free to go and do whatever we wanted.

As the website states, “Cape Town’s rich urban texture is immediately apparent in its diverse architecture: an indigenous Cape Dutch style, rooted in the Netherlands, finds its apotheosis in the Constantia wine estates, which were themselves brought to new heights by French refugees in the seventeenth century; Muslim slaves, freed in the nineteenth century, added their minarets to the skyline; and the English, who invaded and freed these slaves, introduced Georgian and Victorian buildings. In the tightly packed terraces of twentieth-century Bo-Kaap and the tenements of District Six, coloured descendants of slaves evolved a unique brand of jazz, which is still played in the Cape Flats and some trendy city-centre clubs.”
Read more.

All the pictures below show our long walk exploring… starting with what was around the hotel (square and park), wandering to the Bo-Kaap area and making it all the way to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.

{neighborhood of Bo-Kaap} This was such a unique and quaint area. Loved the vibrant colors and culture! I think it’s important to know about the history of it, Then + Now. Read more.

Did you know? Then.

As the website states, “Most of the Bo-Kaap’s older residents are descended from slaves, brought here by the Dutch in the 16th and 17th Centuries. Despite landing at the Cape from Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and elsewhere in Asia, the people of this community became known as ‘Cape Malays’ and the area the ‘Malay Quarter’. Most members of this community are not actually descended from Malaysians.”

Did you know? Now.

As the website statess, “The neighbourhood of Bo-Kaap reflects its rich history and buzzes with vibrant culture. It remains the residential area of Cape Town’s Muslim community, and its position on the eastern slopes of Signal Hill still present some of the city’s most spectacular views. Its quaint cobbled streets and iconic brightly coloured houses are remnants of a bygone era. While its lower streets house chic coffee shops and designer townhouses its upper reaches are still home to families who have called Bo-Kaap home for centuries. The neighbourhood of Bo-Kaap is alive with tradition.”

Although the sun was going down, I was able to get some shots of the area as we continued walking before dark.

{Victoria & Alfred Waterfront} Continuing on our long (a few hours) walk we made it to this beautiful harbour, arriving just in time to see a little bit of the area before the sun went down. We enjoyed local music and dinner overlooking the water.

As the website states, “Situated at the foot of Table Mountain, within a stone’s throw from the Cape Town Stadium and in the heart of Cape Town’s working harbour, the V&A Waterfront offers the visitor an abundance of unforgettable experiences. Indoor shopping and entertainment venues seamlessly merge with ocean vistas and mountain views and the fresh sea breeze and warm African sun add zest to a cosmopolitan, vibrant atmosphere. More than 80 restaurants bring a fusion of international food, from rustic al fresco fish and chips to starched table-cloth cuisine.” Read more.

Below are a few pictures from this night. In the next few posts there will be many more, showing this area as we explored during the day.

Arriving back at the hotel after a long, wonderful evening exploring. We ended the night with other members from our group at the hotel bar. Complete with a new favorite drink, ginger ale and Klipdrift (remember the Klipdrift post?).

And that was the end to the organized 2 week tour and start to Cape Town, where we stayed for a few days (more posts coming soon!). Have a wonderful week!