A world of difference

Football is currently the focus in South Africa. Peter Woodman reports on what it's like for a holiday.

There can be few better ways of passing the time than taking afternoon tea in sumptuous surrounds beneath Cape Town's Table Mountain.

As we had just flown to warm, mid-summer South Africa from snow-bound Britain, the 4pm feast at the Mount Nelson hotel seemed particularly fine.

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It was the first day of a 10-night visit to Cape Town and surrounds, which came as the country prepared to mark the 20th anniversary of the day that Nelson Mandela emerged from 26 years in prison. Delighted by the welcoming warmth of Cape Town, we were driving from the airport when Table Mountain – free for once of the famous "table cloth" cloud that sits on the top – loomed into view.

An Orient-Express hotel, Mount Nelson is known either as the "Nellie" or "The Pink Hotel" owing to the fact that the 1899-built buildings are coloured, er...pink. Afternoon tea was a lavish affair, with piles of sandwiches and cake as well as numerous types of tea.

Next morning, our holiday really got going, as our guide Colin took us to see some of the Cape Town sights. In the hard-line days of apartheid, Colin was designated a Cape Coloured. He had lived in the famous District Six – a glorious hotch-potch of cultures and buildings that the national party decided to bulldoze in the 1960s, moving everyone to other areas.

Colin, a mine of information on South African history, took us to the District Six museum where the walls were filled with pictures and mementoes of the pre-bulldozer days. Clearly, the vibrancy of the old District Six was anathema to the white ruling class, who believed the races could not mix. It was sad to tour the mainly-derelict District Six, now reduced largely to fields, although houses are beginning to be built on the land again.

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Colin also took us to the Castle of Good Hope – a fort rather than a castle – in the centre of town. Built by the Dutch and later held by the British, the fort contains some terrific artworks. It is from here that the Cape Town noon-day gun is fired. Near the castle is the town hall and government building area from where Mandela spoke on February 11, 1990, after his long incarceration.

Those expecting him to be bitter and antagonistic after decades in jail were in for a shock. He calmly spoke of conciliation – paving the way for a peaceful transition four years later to votes for all and the setting up of a new Rainbow Nation with Mandela as president.

Colin also took us a little way round the Bay. We saw Lion's Head, the huge bluff to the side of Table Mountain, and also took in the Twelve Apostles – a series of cliff faces which overlook Camps Bay.

The opulent sea-view homes that line Camps Bay were in stark contrast to the grim reality of life in Langa – a township in Cape Town.

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On our Langa tour, we were taken into foul-smelling, fly-infested houses where three families shared one room. We saw women scouring the meat off dozens of sheep's heads.

Further out of the city are miles of even more-basic shanty-town accommodation where thousands live in shacks. This is a reminder that although South Africa has come far in the past two decades, it still has a long way to go.

From Cape Town, we travelled to two venues in the nearby winelands – Spier near Stellenbosch and Mont Rochelle close by Franschhoek. The Spier Hotel had a special attraction – a cheetah outreach where I was able, under careful supervision, to pat the cheetahs.

We toured Stellenbosch, a university town dating from the late 18th century. Mont Rochelle, an intimate luxury hotel, was a delight, perched on a hillside above Franschhoek with great views over the mountains.

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The knowledgeable Colin drove up from Cape Town on a tour of the vineyards. We sat sampling the wines while watching the Atlantic-borne wind – known as the "Cape Doctor" – blow over the vines. It is this wind that keeps the grapes cool enough to be harvested. The wind does not seem to extend to the bowl in which Franschhoek sits.

It was mighty hot as we toured the town which was full of restaurants, arts-and-crafts shops and, when we were there, a posse of ageing bikers.

From the winelands, we headed south to Hermanus on the coast. About two hours from Cape Town, Hermanus is expanding fast due to its popularity as a whale-watching town. Every year from around June to December, southern right whales gather in large numbers off the beaches of the town. The whale is so-named as it was seen as being the "right" whale to kill. Happily, people today prefer watching to whaling.

We stayed at a pretty bed and breakfast – Les Baleines – which had excellent views over the sea and plenty of binoculars to hand for the whale-watching.

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We were startled to see baboons wandering around town, although locals assured us this was a common occurrence.

It is probably best from November-February when the area is dry, warm and breezy. With South Africa time not far ahead of the UK, there's little or no jetlag.

Take greater care in some areas. For example, climbing Table Mountain alone or at night is not advised.

FACTFILE

Peter Woodman flew to South Africa with Virgin Atlantic Airways, visit www.virginatlantic.com. His stay at the Mount Nelson hotel in Cape Town – www.mountnelson.co.za – was courtesy of Orient-Express Hotels, www.orient-express.com

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Tours and other accommodation were arranged by Hayes & Jarvis which offers an eight-night package in September from Manchester starting at 1,599 per double room, two nights at Mont Rochelle, two nights at Les Baleines and two nights at Cape Royal (all B&B).

n Overnight B&B accommodation in superior room at The Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town starts at 559 per person and at Les Baleines, Hermanus (83). Hayes & Jarvis reservations: call 0871 664 0246 and www.hayesandjarvis.com

Orient-Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises reservations: 0845 077 2222 and www.orient-express.com

Virgin Atlantic reservations: 0844 209 2770 and www.virginatlantic.com –return flights to Cape Town from October start at 811.67.

YP MAG 19/6/10

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