The botanist Ronald Good identified six floral kingdoms in the world in 1947. The smallest of these is the Cape Floral Kingdom. And all of it is in the Cape province of Southern Africa embellishing Capetown as one of the loveliest cities of the earth. It is indeed a pleasure driving on its well-marked well-maintained grid of roads. Vineyards and wineries in the vicinity, a couple of reputed and established universities – Capetown and Stellenbosch – reflecting the diverse cultures of this polis, the iconic Table Mountain with the legendary tablecloth, the bays and inlets, the Victoria & Alfred (V&A-the son and not Albert the consort), the amazing Chapman’s Drive, the unforgettable windy Cape of Good Hope, the False Bay, Table Bay, Simons Town, Hout Bay (with its eating places and quaint African curio bazaars). I could go on and on. It is a city that can only be experienced and must be experienced. The ‘mavercks’ are every bit gentlemen here and ‘40’ is not an age but merely a number.
Our friend Simon, who drove us around (courtesy Anil Mandhle) could well have been a professori or a great guide – well versed as he is in the history, demographics, social structure and politics of the people – and his friend, appropriately named Peter, who undertook the evening shift, completed that which our colleges did not!
District Six, Cape Flats, Signal Hill, Lion Kop – familiar to fans of Wilbur Smith – are no more mere locations anymore. Groot Schur Hospital, identified with the legendary Dr Christiaan Barnard, is here. Our home, Forever by Spanish Villas at Camps Bay in the shadow of Table Mountain is a great place of stay. Our hosts, Michael and Kirstin, are unforgettable.
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