Blog

Vessels in the Waterfront

While walking through the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, there is a valuable website called Vessel Finder, which identifies every vessel (anywhere in the world), but ...

Union-Castle Shipping line

The Union-Castle Shipping line offices were located inside this recently renovated blue building, and a special art mosaic was commissioned from Mosaic Arts to showcase ...

Christmas Day 1914, in Belgium: The Christmas Truce Football Match

As part of my continuing research regarding the contributions of South African troops in WW1, and the impact on South Africa, I am reminded about ...

Time Ball

The Time Ball has finally been restored and launched a couple of weeks ago. Thanks to the Waterfront management for investing in this important piece ...

St George’s Cathedral: stained glass window (Angela Burdett Coutts)

Looking at the bottom row, the lady in the purple dress, one row in on the right hand side has earned her place in this ...

Sendinggestig, 40 Long Street, Oldest Indigenous Mission Church

One of my favourite buildings in Cape Town is Sendiggestig, 40 Long street and the oldest Mission Church in Cape Town. On our city tours ...

Mr Abdullah Abdurahman: first black councillor in Cape Town

Dr Abdullah Abdurahman, is known as the first black councillor in Cape Town. On looking into his life, he was clearly so much more than ...

Charles Freeman: architect in Cape Town

Events and buildings are often discussed on our private walking tours, but I think it is really important to focus equal attention people. The discovery ...

Union-Castle Shipping line: how it all began

There are many people in Cape Town who have fond memories of the Union-Castle shipping line, either because they were lucky enough to travel on ...

The Opening of the Mount Nelson Hotel March 1, 1899

The grounds of the Mount Nelson Hotel have an interesting history, but today I will be looking at the opening day, March 1, 1899. Sir ...

Castle of Good Hope: The Beginning

One of my most common questions/comments is why our Castle of Good Hope does not look like a castle, but a fort? The very first ...

Mandela statue: City Hall

Unveiled on July 24, 2018, this bronze statue of Nelson Mandela, installed in exactly the same spot where he made his speech to the gathering ...

East Indiaman

This model of the Dutch East Indiaman Africa is located inside the museum at the Castle of Good Hope. She was built in Rotterdam in ...

Historical Cape Town

As Cape Town (and the rest of the world) experience lockdown I am spending the next 21 days writing short posts on some of the ...

The Grand Parade

The Grand Parade has hardly changed in the last 350 years as old photos reveal it as a place for markets and gatherings The best ...

Castle of Good Hope

The Castle of Good Hope is the oldest building in Cape Town and offers some of the best views from the perimeter of Cape Town. ...

The ‘Purple Shall Govern’, September 2, 1989

On a city walking tour it is very easy to get distracted by all the architecture, art and craft shops and walk passed this poster ...

Zeitz MOCAA, Silo District, Waterfront

It was one of those beautiful, crisp winter mornings as I walked through the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront towards the Silo District to visit the ...

Robben Island

I visit Robben island several times year as I always learn something new on each tour and feel it is a must-see attraction for anyone ...

Signal Hill

Signal Hill is at an elevation of 350 metres and offers some of the best views over the city centre, harbour, Waterfront and of course ...

Noon Gun, Cape Town

At Lion Battery, on the slopes of Signal Hill, the oldest SBML guns in the world are fired daily at 12 noon (except Sundays and ...