I had a good laugh the other day when a friend, visiting from the UK, commented on how so many Capetonians {me included} feel the need to leave Cape Town in search of that “perfect getaway”. I guess to a visitor this must seem crazy, especially as we have almost everything we could possibly want, right on our doorstep. Yes, we are truly fortunate to live where we do, but I think for the most part, we do not realise how lucky we are. This made the invitation to Explore Cape Town with Around About Cars, rather fortuitous.
We were only given a few hours and tasked with using them to Explore Cape Town; believe me this sounds much easier than it actually is! There is so much to do in the city and you would probably need a few days rather than a mere few hours, to do it properly, but nevertheless challenge accepted.
The morning started out cool and misty, which made a quick coffee stop at Hard Pressed on Bree, a necessity. The ever expanding coffee culture in Cape Town is something I love about the city, and a huge plus is there is never a shortage of great quality coffee available.
Around About Cars
Then it was off to collect our car for the day, from Around About Cars in Bloem Street. Around About Cars is a leading BBB-EE rated car rental company, which offers competitive rates for car hire in Cape Town and throughout South Africa. They kitted us out with a Land Rover for the day, which made our adventure even more exciting.
To get the creative juices flowing we decided to start our adventure with a scenic drive along the coast towards Camps Bay. Our first stop was Detour Espresso Bar, which you will find parked at one of the view points dotted along the Atlantic Seaboard. Coffee and the most spectacular panoramic view, who could ask for more?
One area in Cape Town that I have seen in endless photographs but not had the opportunity of exploring, is Bo-Kaap. This was the next stop on our whirlwind tour of Cape Town! The area has become famous for its brightly coloured homes and cobble stoned streets. It really is a photographers dream!
Bo-Kaap, is situated on the slopes of Signal Hill and was formerly known as the Malay Quarter. Today it is an historical centre of Cape Malay culture in Cape Town. It is also home to the Auwal Mosque, the first mosque to be built in South Africa.
Then it was off to Woodstock to explore the street art revolution happening in the area. In 2010, street artist Freddy Sam began the movement by asking residents if they would allow him to paint on open walls in the area.
This type of artistic expression, which still remains illegal without a permit, has become part of our diverse street culture and a medium used to unite communities rather than divide them. Artists have collectively used their talents to beautify old, degraded buildings, sending an inspiring message to both locals and visitors.
As Woodstock tends to be a high crime area, I would recommend booking a walking tour rather than trying to navigate the area yourself. By doing this you would also have better insider knowledge of where all the art can be found.
By this stage we were are all starving, which was a good thing because we were off to The Pot Luck Club for lunch. The Pot Luck Club is located in the Top Silo floor of The Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock.
It has been dubbed the coolest place to be in Cape Town and its success is based on innovative cuisine, served in a relaxed yet edgy environment in a part of Cape Town that has never attracted an evening dining crowd.
Since opening its doors in 2013 the restaurant has become well known for it’s popular plate-sharing concept. Sharing-plates are divided into different fl avour profi les, namely: salty, sour, bitter, sweet and umami. Our waitress explained the menu and help guide us through the ordering process. Then all that was left to do was sit back and enjoy the delicious feast…
…And, what a feast it was! The continuous flow of dishes seemed never-ending and were so delicious I could not resist trying everything!
Just when we thought we could not fit another morsel in, desert arrived and naturally we could not say no.
Sufficiently stuffed we all piled back into our Landy and headed back to Cape Town to drop off the car and bid each other farewell.
It was a wonderful experience, spent with a great group of friends, seeing parts of Cape Town I never usually visit. Thank you to The Travel Manuel, The Incidental Tourist, Roaming Giraffe and Becoming You, for making it such a fun experience. As you can see, though, we barely scratched the surface of truly Exploring Cape Town and all this amazing city has to offer!
Contact Details & Location
Contact Around About Cars via Email: [email protected] or Telephone: INT:+27 21 422 4022, SA: (021) 422 4022 or Fax: +27 21 422 4083. After Hours or Weekend: +27 84 422 4022 {*If in Durban, Johannesburg, Nelspruit or Port Elizabeth tel: 086 0422 4022
Location: 20 Bloem Street (just off Longstreet), 8001, Cape Town, South Africa.
Disclaimer: Our vehicle was sponsored by Around About Cars and lunch by The Pot Luck Club. All opinions and images are property of ©Inspired Living and/or Fiona Rossiter, unless otherwise stated. To see more read the full PR & Disclosure Policy below.
