Cape Town. David Livingstone has been here before us. He came here in March 1841 after three months on a ship. We haven`t used quite that much time even if we have travelled an almost equal distance. He stayed her for a month waiting for his ship to get ready so that he could continue his journey. We will only stay for four days. He should be staying in Africa for the rest of his life, we are going back to Norway next week.

Cecil Rhodes has been here before us too. Happy we were not here at the same time! He had an attitude towards the Africans that we don`t appreciate. He said, – We Brits is the world`s foremost race. The more of the world we inhabit, the better for mankind. He also said, – We must find new land where vi can obtain natural resources and at the same time exploit the cheap slave workforce of the natives. Sadly, a lot of people agreed with him, and this preacher’s son founded a colony that were named after him, namely Rhodesia. Now it has changed its name to Zimbabwe. No wonder that students by the university here in Cape Town tore down the statue of him outside the university building some years ago. By the way Cape Town was the last city he visited. In fact, in 1902, when he was 48, he died here, more specifically in Muizenberg by the beach in Western Cape. At that time this was a place where the rich people had their holyday houses, today the 20 km long beach is a surfer’s paradise.

And indeed! Denys Finch Hatton, whom we know from the book and the film “Out of Africa” written by the Danish author Karen Blixen, has been here too. That was back in 1910 but he did not stay long. He continued his journey eastwards along the coast to Mombasa and from there he went to Nairobi to make himself an exciting life.

But more about him later. Now we`ll see what we can do in this city that in 2021 was voted to «World`s Best Festival and Event Destination».

Table Mountain, Waterfront, Townships, Robben Island and Nelson Mandela. Where are we going to start? Perhaps we will start with a cup of coffee at the Waterfront?

Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is named after the Queen Victoria and her son Alfred. This part of the city is situated in South Africa`s oldest working harbor. Here you can find shops for the shopaholics, restaurants for the hungry ones, galleries for those who are interested in arts and Two Oceans Aquarium for those who love to observe sea life. And if you want to take a trip to Robben Island you can step on a boat here. Robben Island is, as you know, the island where Nelson Mandela was held as a prisoner for many years.

Suddenly we get sight of a building which stands out among all the other buildings down here. We are impressed by the funny old red clock tower from 1888. It once was the harbor master`s office and the signal station of the harbor. The lower floor of the tower also contained a mechanism to check the tide. And yes, we must take some pictures.

But now we want some coffee. Our friend Ron, who lives in Haut Bay and is so kind to let us stay in his house and picked us up on the airport, will join us for a cup before he takes us to his home. We find a seat in one of the many restaurants where we can have an overview of the harbor and the flourishing life going on there.

In the evening, after we have been installed in his beautiful house, Ron takes us out for dinner in an Italian restaurant nearby. We have a real tasty meal, and our leftovers we put in a doggie bag to give to the guy who watches the gate to the neighborhood. They used to do this down here, and that`s a real good habit.

The next day we have an appointment in Stellenbosch, about two hours’ drive from Haut Bay, to celebrate FN`s World Food Program Day with local women who are active members of Women on Farms. It turns out to be an unforgettable experience where we meet many interesting women who has breathtaking stories to tell us about their life and their work on the vine farms. Such fantastic strong and beautiful women! We really do admire those women who can live under such conditions and still be full of joy and meet us with love and openness willing to share their hope and dreams with us.

Later we meet Ron in Cape Town, and he takes us to the old vineyard Constantia where we have a delicious lunch in the garden with a wonderful view over the vine stocks and the mountains behind. Constantia houses a museum, and we walk around in the beautiful buildings to see how the vine farmers lived when they first came here and where the slaves had their shelters in small rooms without windows.

In the evening we go back to Waterfront to meet Christo Brand and his wife Estelle. Christo Brand was 18 years old and newly educated when he started as a prison warder on Robben Island and had a special responsibility for Nelson Mandela until he was released from prison. Brand and Nelson Mandela became friends and that friendship lasted until Mandela died. In his book «My Prisoner and my Friend” Brand tells the reader about the time he spent with Mandela. Before we say goodbye to Brand and his wife, we get the opportunity to buy his book, and his wife signs it for us.

Sunday and we are going to Robinson to meet people who live and work at the vine farms. Again, they meet us with smiles, openness, and trust. They show us their homes where they live under unthinkable conditions. Children, dogs, roosters, hens, and chickens pop up everywhere. The children are curious and wants to be photographed and so do the adults. With smiling faces, they pose in front of their houses, in the kitchen or in their garden. They tell us their stories and what they miss, and they all point at the lack of privacy in the small houses crowded with children and family. Their main wish is that their employer will repair their houses so that they don`t have to get ill from leaking ceilings and broken windows.

Before leaving Robinson, we invite our assistants from the lokal labour organisations out to dinner, and we have a real good time together with these people who really do a good job to maintain better conditions for the workers in this country. We laugh, talk, and sing together and when it is time to leave, we hug and make appointments for new meetings before we can wave goodbye.

The last day in South Africa we will spend in Cape town. We start early by taking an Uber to Waterfront where we stroll along until it is time for breakfast and a glass of vine. On Quai Four we find what we need and with a beautiful view over the harbor we enjoy breakfast and spend a couple of hours working on our computers.

Then we split up. Nina wants to spend the rest of the day in town strolling along meeting new people and Harriet, who wants to experience some of the surroundings, has an appointment with Ron who will show her Kirstenbosch National Garden.

This garden is over 100 years old, and it is an amazing place with trees and plants collected from all over Africa. You can walk slowly on tracks under the shadow of extremely big trees, admire beautiful flowers in all colors and sizes, listen to birds singing and you can even walk on flat stones in a small river. If you are out for a hike, you can walk all the way up to Table Mountain. It is and impressive work that has been done to make this oasis, and still it needs a lot of working to keep it in shape.

In the evening we all meet again to have dinner, and Ron takes us for a drive up to Chapmans Peak. Here we admire the beauty of the sunset before we enjoy a delicious Portuguese meal at Chapmans Peak Hotel. This is our last night with Ron, and we are not only a bit sad to leave this kind and wonderful man. Hope we will see him again soon.

Next stop: Nairobi, Kenya!