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Table Mountain with the Disa Apartment Towers in the centre

Table mountain the most prominent feature in Cape Town is extremely beautiful during the winter months. The normally dry vegetation seen by visitors in summer is now a lovely shade of green and there are many little rivers and streams flowing down the mountainside especially after it has rained. Many of these streams can be seen from a long way away as the water tumbles down the rocky slopes and forms waterfalls on its way down.

One of the many waterfalls on Table Mountain after a storm

In van Riebeeck's times the streams used to flow above ground to the sea. Today most of them have been diverted into storm water drains and flow beneath the city in canals. One such stream still feeds the moat around the Castle in Strand Street as it did in the 1650's.

One of the streams on its way to the sea

Of the larger rivers that flowed off Table Mountain only one exists above ground these days. The Salt River's course has been canalised and it enters the sea at Woodstock beach near the container terminal. With the construction of the container terminal Woodstock beach all but disappeared and only at low tide can one actually get onto the beach to walk along its sands. Exploring Cape Town is a great adventure even to residents like me.

This week I paid a visit to to the lower reaches of the mountain and explored some of the streets that cling to the hillside. Driving up almost vertical concrete roads is an experience as the higher you go the more you begin to wonder if your car is going to make the top and also be able to stop on the way down. It's all worth the effort once you get there. The views out over Cape Town are quite spectacular. There are still a number of parks with large pine trees and rivers flowing through them. Some of them are not fenced and the woodland paths through them are waiting to be explored.

It appears that the higher up the mountain one ventures the further back into Cape Town's history one ventures. Many of the houses that were constructed in the early 1900's have been restored to their former glory. There are entire streets that only have these old style houses in them. Unfortunately however, amongst these lovely old buildings are scattered some very ugly buildings.

Closer view of the Disa Apartments

One of them is the Disa Flats complex which can be seen from miles away and spoils any photo of the mountain. The three circular towers of apartments are built in such a prominent position on the slopes of the mountain and spoil the view of the mountain as they do not blend in. For residents in the apartments the views over Cape Town are spectacular. If the top three or four floors could be removed the towers would not be so noticeable and would blend into the surroundings. Of course no one is willing to pay for the loss of income to the owners so these ugly buildings will remain. If only those buildings could be treated like some of the other aliens on Table Mountain.

Many trees growing on the mountain have been declared aliens and have to be removed. It was pleasing to note that the old pine trees that have grown along the lower tree line for decades on are still there. They add character to the area and provide shade for people wondering along the paths that abound. For anybody with time on his hands exploring this part of Cape Town can be a very pleasant experience. Enjoy the beauty of the city while sitting on a rock under a shady tree with your feet in a cool stream and a frosty glass of your favourite wine in your hand.

That's Cape Town for you!

For people intending to visit Cape Town, Spring is just around the corner and soon the mountains and valleys will be filled with wild flowers.

Get here soon to experience it for yourselves.

Cape Town tours are the best!
Winelands are even better !
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Phone (local) 0836651065 (International) +27 836651065

Contact Details : Email   Geoff Fairman     6 Bothma Street, Monte Vista 7460 South Africa

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