I’ve been on many a City Sightseeing bus tour around the world, but for some reason always put off going on one in my own city. I finally got that chance, and much more, after entering and winning the “Ready to Welcome the World” competition. I took my mom and sister along for the day, and the weather played along perfectly. Our day started with breakfast at the Two Ocean’s Aquarium (Shoreline Café), and normally when eating at the V&A Waterfront one wouldn’t expect it to be cheap, but, this café served up a fantastic buffet breakfast at a very reasonable price, and the view into the harbour and friendly staff made it even more worthwhile.

Bellies full, and tickets in hands, we hopped onto the Red City Tour bus, and were greeted by a very friendly driver and tour guide. Some of the highlights on this bus tour, are the Two Oceans Aquarium – Stop 1, St. George’s Cathedral – Stop 5,  The South African Museum – Stop 6,  The Castle of Good Hope – Stop 10,  Table Mountain Cableway – Stop 13 and many more!

Being a local, I didn’t expect to learn much more about my city than I already knew, but I was amazed at how much of our Cape history I’d taken for granted. It was very interesting seeing and learning about all the monuments and buildings that I normally drive past and don’t normally pay attention to (because I’m being a responsible driver and keeping my eyes on the road).

The best part of the day was probably the trip up Table Mountain. It had been my mom’s first trip back up in 30 years, so she was rather amazed at how people-friendly it has become in terms of catering for those with disabilities etc. The cable car took only a few minutes to get us up, and it was nice to hear all the foreign accents and languages around us, post World Cup and in the middle “Winter”. As soon as we arrived at the top of Table Mountain, I couldn’t help but take a deep breath and admire the view. Standing up there, I realized exactly why Cape Town is known as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Robben Island in the distance is definitely a trip I’d like to make come summer time.

Our trip back down to reality had us hopping back onto the next Red City bus, and on to Blues Restaurant in Camps Bay, where we sat outside on the balcony watching the ‘beautiful’ people catching a winter’s tan on the beach. The food was excellent, the view was amazing and the service great too. Would definitely go back there. The bus ride was great all day, as there was no urgency to get off at a particular place or time, so we could just sit back and enjoy the views and information.

The day was meant to end with a ride on the new Wheel of Excellence at the V&A Waterfront, which I’ve had my eye on since it arrived in Cape Town, but, alas, that has been postponed, as the weather became a bit chilly and grey and not the beautiful sunset I’d hoped for. Instead, we popped in at the V& A Waterfront for some shopping (as we ladies do best!). Not a bad way to end a perfect day.All in all, a great day, learnt new things about the Mother City, got to see some dassies on Table Mountain, and great food all the way. Thank you City Sightseeing!

My name is Alicia Valentine, and, having an adventurous spirit, I love experiencing new and exciting things all the time. My passion is people, hence I’ve landed in the field of Human Resources Management. I love to learn about people and cultures around the world, so travelling has been another passion of mine, when funds allow it;-) I’m a bit of a dreamer too, so I’m hoping to win the lottery so that I may spend the rest of my days travelling the world, and along the way stop to write a book about it, while munching on pastries at a little café in Paris!

Experience Cape Town and the Red City Tour. City Sightseeing Cape Town’s blog tells you the stories behind the best attractions and events in Cape Town, South Africa.
Get your City Sightseeing Cape Town tickets at www.citysightseeing.co.za