While the idea of a sunny Christmas is foreign to those in the north, some Christmas traditions have remained in South African culture; mince pies, some form of fowl stuffed short of exploding with Christmas cheer and a day in the comfort of home with lights and decorations. Delightful! Not in my family. We have a habit of turning festive traditions on their head and this year was no exception!
And so, while most of you rushed to the tree to open your gifts, my parents and I were stuffing the car with provisions for our expedition. Most people were focused on the North Pole and its jolly, generous resident, we set off for the extreme south… the southern most tip of Africa to be exact. After a leisurely, 3 hour car trip from Cape Town, round False Bay through Hermanus and then on, past charming fisherman’s cottages in Struisbaai and finally arrived in Cape Agulhus. For the traditionalists amongst you, the Christmas colour palette was present in the red and white, candy-stripe light house. The lighthouse is the third oldest in South Africa and the 71 steps to the top will lead you to one of the most spectacular views on the coastline. My gift? Learning that the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet at this point.
The other South African Tradition is Boxing Day on the beach. Now, you would be correct in thinking that this would cause the beaches to become congested with force-fed locals sunning themselves but, as you have gathered my family is not normal and we avoided the masses. Our Boxing day consisted of yet another expedition… to Cape Point.
Part of the Table Mountain National Park, the Cape Point reserve is breathtaking, unspoilt and filled with the most unexpected, natural beauty you could imagine… just minutes from the city. After a short hike down the cliffs we arrived at a stretch of white sand that could easily be mistaken for the beaches of Mauritius. Dias Beach is sheltered from the wind by towering cliffs and this also ensures that only a brave few make the effort to experience this gem. On this particular day, we were completely alone. Pure bliss.
Although the festive weekend is over, summer is not. If you are looking for real peace and quiet and perhaps a bit of a workout, make a point of visiting this spectacular, hidden spot. Entrance into the park is R80 for adults and R20 for kids and day visitors have to be out by 8pm… ample time to relax in the privacy of your very own piece of the Cape’s shoreline.
Contact us to organise your trip to any one of these wonders in and around Cape Town.
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