The World Visit: July 2011

Sunday, 24 July 2011

CapeTown Table Mountain

22:32 Nani No comments

Often described as magical and mystical, Table Mountain is Cape Town's most prominent feature and a world famous landmark. This majestic mountain is visible from almost everywhere in Cape Town and is often used as a beacon by which to find direction.

The mountain is sculpted from sandstone and rises 1086 metres at its highest point, Maclears Beacon, above the bay. Its flat summit measures nearly 3km and provides breathtaking views over the city and its beaches. The panorama stretches from Table Bay to False Bay and around the mountain to the Hout Bay Valley and Kommetjie. On a clear day one has a magnificent view across the Cape Flats to the Hottentots Holland Mountains.

Table Mountain is home to a rich fauna and flora, many species of which are endemic and survive only in the unique ecosystem which is contained on the mountain. There are approximately 1470 species of plants, including over 250 different species of daisies! Examples of endemic plants are the rare Silver Tree and the wild orchid Disa Uniflora. Animals such as baboons and porcupines live here freely, as well as furry rodents called Rock Dassies. These little creatures look like plump rabbits without ears - incredibly, their closest living relative is the elephant! The Table Mountain Ghost Frog is an example of an animal found in no other place on the world.

CapeTown Table Mountain

CapeTown Table Mountain

CapeTown Table MountainThe exhilerating ascent of Table Mountain in the cable car is a definite must for any visitor. Even the locals are awed time and again by the 360º view of Cape Town from the cable car. The cable car was first opened in 1929 and today conveys some 600,000 people to the summit annually. On the summit there is a Cape Town restaurant and a souvenir shop, from which letters bearing the Table Mountain postmark can be sent. Short walks from the cable station take visitors through the splendour of the flora of Table Mountain, punctuated by occasional sightings of dassies and framed by the surrounding azure of the Atlantic Ocean.

For those athletic and energetic types, there are some 350 recognised paths to the summit, some undemanding and suitable for children, and some extremely difficult. It is not advisable that visitors climb the mountain without an experienced guide. The mountain can be deceptive and it is strongly recommended that visitors contact the Mountain Club of South Africa on 021-4653412 before embarking on a hike or climb.

CapeTown Table Mountain

CapeTown Table Mountain

CapeTown Table Mountain
Table Mountain is flanked on the east by the legendary Devil's Peak. As the story goes Van Hunks, a pirate in the early 18th century, retired from his eventful life at sea to live on the slopes of Devil's Peak. He spent his days sitting on the mountain, smoking his pipe. One day a stranger approached him, and a smoking contest ensued which lasted for days. The smoke clouds built up and a strong wind blew them down towards the town. When Van Hunks finally won the contest, the stranger revealed himself to be the Devil (hence Devil's Peak), and the two disappeared in a puff of smoke. Legend says that the cloud of smoke they left became Table Mountain's tablecloth - the famous white cloud that spills over the mountain when the south-easter blows in summer.

Of course, the phenomenon is also supported by a meteorological explanation. The moisture-laden south-easter blows against Table Mountain from over the False Bay and rises. At a height of approximately 900 meters the winds reach the colder layers of air and thick clouds form. These clouds roll over the mountain and down towards the City Bowl. The characteristic tablecloth forms when the clouds reach the warmer, lower air layers and dissolve once more.

To the right of Table Mountain, Kloof Nek is linked to the aptly named Lion's Head. The spiral walk up Lion's Head passes through silver trees and spring flowers, and provides a 360º view of the Cape Peninsula as you go round the mountain. The walk is not terribly challenging, and is a popular family outing. At the top, you are rewarded with a breathtaking panoramic view, and birds scramble for the crumbs left behind by numerous picnic baskets.

Cape Town Beach

21:02 Nani No comments

A tiny enclave on Cape Town's Atlantic seaboard, Glen Beach is the setting of four very special homes, Glen Beach Villas and the Beach Bungalow To the south of the Glen, Camps Bay beach sweeps towards the spectacular Bakoven cove and to the west, the Atlantic Ocean drops beyond the horizon. In the north, this verdant refuge nestles against the slopes of majestic Lion�s Head mountain.

Cape Town City at Night

04:50 Nani No comments

This striking photograph of the Cape Town city centre was taken by our Cape Town. Live it. Love it. group member Daniel Lurie.

Daniel says, “I have many personal favourite images of Cape Town, but this one of the city at night has a particular majestic quality.

“It was taken at a photo outing on the unfinished bridge. Before I invested in a DSLR (digital single lens reflex), I used an ultra compact camera, balancing on the edge with the self-timer on.

“I took a lot of photos that night, but this was one of the awesome ones.

“I love taking photos in Cape Town; it is such a photogenic place with such raw beauty and so many diverse scenes of people and places, not to mention the sunsets!

“I have been taking photos for over 20 years, learning the theory of composition and f-stops from my dad, reading numerous hobby books and learning through trial and error.

Cape Town City at Night

Cape Town City at Night

Cape Town City at Night

Cape Town City at Night

Cape Town City at Night

Cape Town City at Night

Cape Town City at Night

Cape Town City

04:46 Nani 2 comments

Welcome to our Cape Town City Centre wallpaper section. Feel free to download our City Centre pictures - just click on the text link below the image to view the wallpaper. Wallpapers are added frequently to this site so keep on visiting. Wallpapers may be used for personal use - you may email them to friends and family and use them as PC wallpapers as long as no changes to them are made. Websites may publish up to 15 images free of charge (without further permission from us), as long as a link to www.capespirit.com is added somewhere on the Website. Newspapers, Magazines, Travel Journals and other printed media may obtain a free license to display our images - contact us for more details.

Cape Town

04:41 Nani No comments

When Toper Taylor, President and COO of Cookie Jar, addressed the Cape Town animation industry a few months ago I couldn't gauge his actual impression of us. He seemed polite yet reserved. Was he hoping to do business with Cape Town companies or was he just scoping us out? He breakfasted with our government and corporate think tanks and certainly slid his eye for talent over Cape Town's coast. Now, months later, I hear some of his thoughts: A thumbs-up for our mixed labour pool, our passionate students and a pitching tip: Got any funny animation ideas that would tickle the fancy of young teenage girls? Call Toper, quick!

In which countries would we find Cookie Jar studios?
Cookie Jar is headquartered in Toronto which is where the majority of our shows are produced.

Cairo Nile

06:12 Nani No comments

One of the best tours you can find in all of Egypt is one with a Cairo Nile dinner cruise. Dinner cruises in Cairo allow you to eat fine Egyptian cuisine while sailing down the legendary Nile River in Cairo. On luxury tours you can look for a large or small Nile dinner cruiser. These cruisers float for several hours and bring you and your party tasty meals, excellent entertainment and an unforgettable evening of stargazing along the Nile banks.

While there are many tours that offer dinner cruises, not every business will be worth your attention.

Cairo Nile

Cairo Nile

Cairo NileThe Pharaos at Giza is another two-hour dinner cruise in Cairo and an exciting highlight of any Egypt tour. The Oberoi Hotel operates the cruise ship and the boat is superbly decorated in a classic Pharaoh style. This is one of the most popular destinations on land tours because guests are always treated like the Pharaoh himself and gets the “royal welcome” as they enter. Along with the hammy staff, you can also look forward to live music from both Western and Eastern bands, as well as some tasty Egyptian specialties on the menu.

Cairo Nile

Cairo Nile

Cairo Nile

Cairo Nile
Luxor. The massive pair of statues known as the Colossi of Memnon are the first monuments you’ll see during our morning visit to the West Bank - home to the legendary Valley of the Kings. You’ll also see the colonnaded Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Return to Luxor for check-in on board our Nile 5H cruiser. Lunch at leisure and time to relax until our early evening visit to the Temple of Luxor. Luxor Temple looks stunning at dusk and is beautifully illuminated at night. Lunch, dinner and overnight - Nile cruiser.

Note: Dependant upon Nile Cruiser scheduling it maybe required that we also undertake our excursion to Karnak Temple this afternoon. Should this occur, day 5 will be spent at leisure. Overnight - Nile Cruiser (B, L, D)

Cairo Egypt

00:45 Nani No comments

The first thing you notice when you land in the beautiful city of cairo is the amazing clash of culture. New Cairo v/s Old Cairo, you can make out the old structures from their British-Victorian architecture. The city somehow absorbs all of this and moves on unfazed. It has massive traffic jams just like we have here in Bombay and if you don’t give people a second glance you’d be surprised by how it feels just like home.

A few things do help the city to stand out. They are three structures just off the main city, across the famous Nile River, on the Giza Plateau. Yes the monuments that have stood like a testament to time itself, the pyramids.

Cairo

00:38 Nani No comments

Cairo (al-Qahirah) is the capital of Egypt and, with a total population in excess of 16 million people, one of the largest cities in both Africa and the Middle East (the regions which it conveniently straddles). It is also the 19th largest city in the world, and among the world's most densely populated cities.Situated on the River Nile, Cairo is famous for its own history, preserved in the fabulous medieval Islamic city and Coptic sites in Old Cairo. The Egyptian Museum in the center of town is a must see, with its countless Ancient Egyptian artifacts, as is shopping at the Khan al-Khalili bazaar. No trip to Cairo would be complete, for example, without a visit to the Giza Pyramids, and to the nearby Saqqara Pyramid Complex, where visitors will see Egypt's first step pyramid built by the architect Imhotep for the third dynasty pharaoh Djoser.