The Cube: February 2025

South Africa: Cape Town - Bo-Kaap, Table Mountain and V&A Waterfront

February 27, 2025

We had about 3.5 days in Cape Town, coupled stories we scared ourselves over safety in South Africa and indecisiveness, we didn't organise international driving license and so, didn't rent a car to get around. Our accommodation was in the city center but within walking distance to Bo-Kaap. One of the important thing to know about South Africa is that, unfortunately, it is a tipping country.

Bo-Kaap

The Bo-Kaap or "above the Cape" in Afrikaans is an area of Cape Town, South Africa formerly known as the Malay Quarter. It is on the slopes of Signal Hill above the city centre and is a historical centre of Cape Malay culture in Cape Town.

Bo-Kaap is known for its brightly coloured homes and cobblestoned streets. The area is traditionally a multicultural neighbourhood, and Muslim is more than 50% of its population. Our guide to the Cape Peninsula warned us about going to Bo-Kaap after dark and not to venture away from the main street. We didn't know this when we went but once we turned into a smaller street, there were a teenage boy came to ask us for money. We said no but he lingered around and walked off when he saw some locals approached.

We had an early lunch at Biesmiellah as we wanted to try Cape Malay food since we were in the neighbourhood. We ordered 2 curries, crayfish and vegetable. The curries were served with rice or roti so we picked one of each.

Crayfish curry R189, vegetable curry R110

Table Mountain

One of the most recognisable landmark in Cape Town is this flat-topped mountain overlooking Cape Town and Table Bay - Table Mountain. The tabular shape results from nearly horizontal layers of sandstone exposed by vigorous wind and water erosion. It is known as the Tablecloth when it is covered by cloud.

We decided to visit while having lunch at Bo-Kaap as the day was clear and no clouds over Table Mountain. We got an Uber to there and the driver dropped us near the ticketing place. As we didn't plan ahead to visit, we didn't get the aerial cableway tickets beforehand. There was a long queue to the aerial cableway but you get views like these while queuing.

The cableway is the one that can fit many people but rotates. We were lucky to get a window view both ways.

There are informative signs at the top and views all around were amazing.

When we were about to leave, some clouds started to cover parts of the mountain.

There was also a queue to go down but moved faster than going up. We got another uber on reaching the bottom with destination of the nearest Woolworths to the accommodation. We got some groceries and food from supermarket for dinner and walked back.

V&A Waterfront

The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is one of Cape Town’s oldest historic attractions. This place is huge and we unintentionally spend the whole day here even though we didn't buy anything except lunch. We just wandered around, looking for seals and caught bridges opened up for boats.

I think the one on the left is Chilli Dog, and right is Royal Cheese Dog, total R130

Side note: Why cannot choose seat?

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Africa

Zambia: Mosi Oa Tunya National Park

February 25, 2025

We actually visited the Zambia part of Victoria Falls first before seening the falls from the Zimbabwe side. We didn't plan before hand and figured the Zambia side would be lesser people as we left the hostel at a later time. Getting there wasn't hard, just hot. We walked across from Zimbabwe, most people we met crossed over with a car. We brought some food as our packed lunch.

Immigration was near the Zimbabwe Victorial Falls ticket office. We walked passed a curio market and the ticket office.

There were many locals carrying things and crossed the border.

Great view when you look down from here. If my bearings are right, the view below is the Boiling Pot.

We walked straight to Mosi Oa Tunya National Park. There's a trail to see the viewpoints of the falls.

We were there at a dry season so the falls looked quite dry, especially at the Zambia side.

The other famous landmark at this falls is the Victoria Falls Bridge. The main arc of the bridge was joined on 1st April 1905. It was officially opened on 12th September 1905 by Professor George Darwin, grandson of Sir Charles Darwin. It is currently the only rail link between Zambia and Zimbabwe and one of the highest bungee jumping site, at 111 metres. The first creature to cross the bridge upon completion of construction works was a leopard.

We ate the food we packed for lunch. We were lucky that we didn't encounter any monkeys or baboons during our lunch. There were everywhere including outside of the Zambia immigration office. It was also a good idea to finish all the food before we started on the Boiling Pot trail.

The boiling pot is a spot where water swirls due to resistance of rock to the erosive power of water thereby producing a back flow and upsurge of water as the case is with boilling water in a hot pot.

The trail is 629 metres long and the signboard said that it takes 15 minutes down and 25 minutes back up. I am sure we took much longer and almost gave up because there were so many baboons and they were scary! Well, to us I guess.

Beware of baboons!

The warning sign also mentioned of falling rocks. This could be due to the baboons moving around causing loose rocks to fall, which was what happened when we were there. On our way up, there were 3 baboons in the middle of the trail. We waited for a while but they didn't budge. Luckily they were happily minding their own business when we walked passed them very carefully.

We retracted our steps to return to Zimbabwe. If it looked hot in the pictures, it was indeed hot. If I remembered correctly, the temperate in celcius was either in high 30s or 40s+.

Side note: Do you eat food without warming up if your container is stainless steel?

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Africa

Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls National Park

February 22, 2025

Victoria Falls, named by Scottish explore David Livingstone is located about midway along the Zambezi River, at the border between Zambia to the north and Zimbabwe to the south. The name given by Kololo-Lozi people - Mosi-oa-Tunya, "the smoke that thunders."

The waters of Victoria Falls drop into a chasm formed by precipe of the flass and an opposite rock wall. The outlet of this chasm is a narrow channel. Through this gorge, the water flows the entire volume of Zambezi River. At the gorge's end is the Boiling Pot, a deep pool into which the waters churn and foam at flood time. Just below the Boiling Pot, the gorge is spanned by the Victoria Falls (Zambezi) Bridge which is connects between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

We were there in September which is the dry season and low water level at the falls. It also falls within the period of time where Devil's Pool is accessible. Spoiler alert: we read and decided not to go. There are no shortage of ways one can view or experience Victoria Falls like helicopter ride, bungee jump, etc.

We did the most conventional - the recommended route to 16 different viewpoints to see the falls.

There is a statue of David Livingstone at Viewpoint #1. At this same viewpoint, one can look down onto Devil's Cataract and towards the Main Falls.

Viewpoint #2 involves going down a few steps to chasm, the steps maybe a little wet and slippery.

Viewpoints #3 to #5 gives a frontal view of Devil's Cataract.

Viewpoints #6, #7 & #8 give clear views of the Main Falls. We also managed to catch a rainbow in the morning, I think at viewpoint #6. When we returned after we finished all the viewpoints, the rainbow is no longer available.

Viewpoints #9 to #12 are in the heart of the rainforest and where it is wettest throughout the year, so walking through it did feel like walking in a rainforest. As we were there in September, we were not drenched. In fact, it felt cooling like we were walking in light rain.

From viewpoints #11 to #13, one can catch a glimpse of Livingstone Island and the Devil's Pool activity. The one we didn't do.

Spot the humans

Viewpoints #13, #14 and #15 are after the walk through the rainforest. These viewpoints cover the Horseshoe Falls, Rainbow Falls, Armchair Falls and Eastern Cataract. From viewpoint #15, one can look down to the Danger Point.