When I mentioned the Topless Bus to some friends the usual jokes about Mavericks and other places of ill repute followed, but on this bus everyone kept their top on. Now red, double-decker tourist busses are the norm around the world and Cape Town is no different. The shame is that locals very seldom take advantage of this pretty cool experience; we did and loved it.

While driving our cars in Cape Town we are too busy avoiding wild taxi drivers, speaking or texting on our cells and just trying to stay safe (irony noted), we often don’t notice our beautiful surrounds. But riding on the top deck of a fancy red bus, the wind in our face, we let the driver negotiate the traffic so we could just enjoy.

We chose the Blue ‘Mini Peninsula Tour’ Route, which takes in the Atlantic Seaboard, the Cape Town CBD and some of the Southern Suburbs. We boarded in Sea Point at 1pm which didn’t leave us nearly enough time to do all we wanted (first bus is at 9am). These are hop-on hop-off buses so plan your stops and make a day of it. We at least made an afternoon of it.

We enjoyed the initial scenic drive along the Atlantic Ocean, through the Waterfront and into Town, where our modest but not unimpressive skyline caught my eye. I suddenly noticed buildings and small shops I probably had passed 100s of times without paying them much attention, now they stood out. While it was a warm day – travelling on the top out in the open kept us comfortable. Sitting high up on an open top is fun and allows for a great perspective of a great city.

We rounded the mountain past the famous Groote Schuur Hospital, where the first heart transplant was performed on a cousin of mine in 1967.  We passed the lovely UCT Campus, where memories of wild parties, card games and a chequered academic career flooded back. We enjoyed the lush greenery that is the southern suburbs and watched as a few passengers disembarked at Kirstenbosch, but we were heading for wine territory in Constantia.

We changed busses at Constantia Nek, joining others on the wine tour shuttle. First stop was Groot Constantia, the oldest wine farm in the country, where for R33.00 we tasted five excellent wines. The next stop was supposed to be Eagles’ Nest, but in our hurry and lack of decent signage we landed up at neighbouring Silvermist Wine Farm instead, and at R15.00 for one measly, albeit good quality, taste of wine we promised to pay more attention next time.

But for now it was time to leave the manicured wine farms and visit Imizamu Yethu Township in Hout Bay. We were met by two guides on the outskirts of the township; we were thirsty and decided to forgo the “formal” tour and head straight for the local shebeen. Our guide led us to Phillip’s Tavern, taking us through dirty narrow alleys populated with life, colour and characters aplenty; friendly mamas, cheeky kids and some rough but slick looking dudes.

Soon we were seated and drinking much needed cold quarts; the dj was spinning some tunes inside while the friendly locals spun us some yarns outside. All too soon it was time to go. That’s why you need more time, it’s no fun leaving somewhere prematurely, and we were enjoying Phillips.

With time running out we hopped on again, dropped some American girls at Mariners Wharf and settled in for the spectacular drive back. Sea views all the way, a cooling sea breeze and a busy Camps Bay. All too soon we were hopping off for the last time, at least for today. We couldn’t believe it went so fast and that we had enjoyed our trip so much – and yes we really did feel like tourists.

Barry Washkansky is a freelance writer and media consultant based in Cape Town.When not pounding away at his keyboard, he is pounding away at the many awesome trails that the Cape has to offer. A seasoned trail runner and mountain guide, he’d always rather be outdoors, but someone has to pay the bills. Barry blogs at www.livecapetown.co.za

It is often quite windy along this bit but on this day it was not too bad. I was so relaxed by now that it was nice just to be ambling gently along watching the sea and the boats out in the roads (the waiting area at sea or area just outside a harbour), people taking their dogs for walks, even dog walkers taking several dogs for a walk, looking for all the world like a horizontal dog maypole with all the leads stretched out in front attached to the bouncing dogs. Many people were just strolling along the promenade and still others lying on the grass enjoying a rest, others feeling energetic and jogging past the colourful statues. And so on past the stadium, looking for all the world as if it was made out of tissue paper and wire, and then back to the Aquarium.

I then moved downstairs and chose a high seat at the back of the bus and did the second round sitting against the window watching, at a different level, everything I had seen the first time around. I ate a juicy apple as we made our way around town and had some more to drink. I was feeling quite soporific by this time. A feeling brought on by not having to be rushing here, there and everywhere, my cell phone switched off (I hate it when people show no cell phone use etiquette and have loud and usually unnecessary conversations when they are out supposedly relaxing), no one able to ‘get at’ me, wonderfully relaxing. It is something that most people today miss without realising it. I think that is why much of today’s lifestyle is so full of stress – we do not let go and relax properly enough. As I watched the shops, the people, the traffic, listened again to the commentary, I idly wondered what the bus driver thought as he drove his large jolly red bus slowly around the route time after time.

I enjoyed sitting downstairs, it gave me a different perspective again and there is aircon there too if you get too hot on the top deck. I semi-dozed until we turned onto the road up to the cableway again, where, on stopping I ventured off the bus to treat myself to a refreshing lemon flavoured soft serve cone. Mmm, that was delicious and suitably savoured as we descended once again and made our way down to Constantia main road, where the beach was now well populated with people enjoying the flat golden sand. Looking to the right the pavement cafes and restaurants were full of people enjoying their afternoon tea, snacks, cold drinks, beers – and probably some aperitifs too I shouldn’t wonder. Still no signs of anyone famous sadly but hey, next time maybe!

And back to the Aquarium where I reluctantly unfolded myself and got off, walking back to my cool car for the journey home to the North Western suburbs – just beating the going-home traffic rush. Mmm, I felt really relaxed after my day on the bus. Thank you once again Cape Town City Sightseeing. I’ll be back!

So, all in all, R110 (it is cheaper if you buy your ticket online) is a cheap way to spend a day seeing the sights on your own, in comfort on a bus with two levels to view from, and away from those who would bother you with the mundane day-to-day stuff. Also, if you are with companions and they want to get off and visit one of the places along the route, you can stay on the bus and arrange for them to get back on at that stop approximately 2hrs later – the stops are numbered and there is a timetable. I witnessed one couple doing just this thing.

Buy your tickets here:

• Online at www.citysightseeing.co.za
Adults R110 (offline price R140), Kids (5-15 years) R70, Kids under 5 free.

• On the bus

• At out Ticket Office, outside the Two Oceans Aquarium: Bus Stop 1

Hi, I’m Corinna Turner. Cape Town and environs are so beautiful and varied, and have so much to offer. By going places and writing about them I feel I can share a little bit with those who are not fortunate enough to live here. More importantly I feel that there is a lot that local people don’t know about their city and environs. Cape Town City Sightseeing tours are one of the things that many Capetonians have not thought to try out, and I would like to change that. I am also known as Cape Winds Virtual Services you can find out more at www.capewindsvirtual.weebly.com

If you have ever watched the Saturday afternoon programme on SABC3 about Charlys Bakery (Charly’s Cake Angels) – the popular, busy cake shop, you can see their colourful premises as the bus winds around the streets of the city – pink with a huge awning our front. If you look you will see all sorts of colourful and interesting things along the route, taste the various smells like the smell of the ocean or the smells emanating from restaurants along the route.

After trundling up Long Street, with all its interesting shops, restaurants and people, the bus hauled its low gear way up the foot of the mountain towards the turn off to the Table Mountain Cableway. I could see the rows of parked cars all the way up and was thankful that I was not one of those trying to find parking. If I wanted I could just step off the bus and catch the cable car to the top and get back on one of the buses later. Again, if you decide to get off check your timetable for the last bus leaving that stop. Quite a lot of people got on here when we stopped and after a short wait the bus turned in the circle provided and tiptoed its way carefully back down the winding road, affording a wonderfully panoramic view out over the city and the bay. I also noted clumps of the wonderful Pincushion Protea that gave splashes of golden yellow to the lower slopes.

Edging out into the stream of traffic flowing over the top of Kloof Nek and down towards Camps Bay, the top of the bus again gave wonderful views of the whole mountain range behind Table Mountain and I learnt another piece of information about them, that there are 17 ‘Apostles’ and not 12. Looking at the gorges cutting up into the back of Table Mountain it is also hard to imagine that a huge steam locomotive was hauled up one of these to help with getting material up to the Back Table when the dams were built.

Winding down towards the sea on this glorious sunny day we made out way to the sea front at Camps Bay. I did not spot anyone famous unfortunately but a lot of people got on and off the bus. The beach was not overly populated either, but on my second go round there were lots of brightly coloured umbrellas. The wonderful smell of garlic wafted past my nostrils from the restaurants and my mouth watered at the thought of the various dishes people were busy eating for lunch. Hmm, time for another sandwich and swig at my juice bottle!

Leaving Camps Bay I spotted the aforementioned colourful chutes floating on the air currents around the back of Lions Head, on their way down to land just below the road on a piece of open ground. The bus made its way along the cliffs, which are festooned with des res’s hanging precariously onto the rock above and below the road, creeping between lines of parked cars and oncoming traffic along the narrow road, carefully negotiating odd bits of building works, until we came to Seapoint and the seafront road.

Buy your tickets here:

• Online at www.citysightseeing.co.za
Adults R110 (offline price R140), Kids (5-15 years) R70, Kids under 5 free.

• On the bus

• At out Ticket Office, outside the Two Oceans Aquarium: Bus Stop 1

Hi, I’m Corinna Turner. Cape Town and environs are so beautiful and varied, and have so much to offer. By going places and writing about them I feel I can share a little bit with those who are not fortunate enough to live here. More importantly I feel that there is a lot that local people don’t know about their city and environs. Cape Town City Sightseeing tours are one of the things that many Capetonians have not thought to try out, and I would like to change that. I am also known as Cape Winds Virtual Services you can find out more at www.capewindsvirtual.weebly.com

I parked my car in the nearby undercover parking – nice and shady, and crossed the road by the taxi rank. Exchanging my voucher for a full day ticket, I hopped onto the waiting Red Route bus. They run every 15 minutes so there is never a long wait.

I decided to do the first trip on the top of the bus, so having taken two anti-inflammatory tablets earlier I fairly galloped up the stairs to the top deck and took a ‘window’ seat in the sun. I had time to unwind and plug in the natty red ear phones and jack, that are issued when you get your ticket, plunk my bag on the seat in front, get out my notebook, pen and camera and was all set as the bus slowly edged out into the road at 11.30 on a bright, sunny morning, with the recording suggesting that I just sit back and enjoy the tour – something I was only too happy to do.

My first impression was that the recording content had changed a bit since I last went, so that was good – it means the information does not get stale, and it was interspersed with odd bits of South African music. The beginning of the route had changed a bit too, due to development at the Waterfront, it being a constant work in progress, as well as a working harbour. There are a lot of stops on the Red Route, three of which are featured stops that visitors usually like to see – the District Six Museum, Castle of Good Hope and the Table Mountain Cable Way, but all of the stops have something special about them.

It was a lovely sunny day, although quite hot, but I had made sure I had suntan oil on and a sun visor, and in my case – since I was not intending to get off the bus, I wore long shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt to make the most of the sun. If you have not been in the sun for a while it is advisable to wear a longer sleeved T-shirt, as you can burn quite quickly in the sun and the wind. The commentary does advise you but it is a bit late by then. If you decide to wear a stylish chapeau, make sure it is fastened well, as a gust of wind can cause it to do a Mary Poppins without benefit of the formerly attached owner and there is no bell to stop the bus while you get off and gallop after it. I like sun visors because they shield the eyes and stay attached to the head.

As the bus headed away from the Waterfront and the rusty fishing boats being refurbished, away from a building used during the making of many an international and local advert, that unbelievably used to be the tallest building in Cape Town, I found myself facing ‘our mountain’ and it brought tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat. How can you not be impressed by her, standing as she does, sturdily planted there guarding the worshiping city that has grown at her feet? Once again I felt so lucky to be able to live here.

As the bus drove up towards The Mount Nelson I mulled over the time my friend Angela was here for a visit and she treated us to the famous afternoon tea there. We could not get over the seemingly bottomless trays of delicious comestibles; tiny sandwiches and quiches, cakes, biscuits etc., all made in the kitchens there. Mmm. Ah well, another time maybe. Time for a sandwich and a quick glug from my juice bottle!

I always find it interesting looking at The Castle as the bus goes past on the seaward side, trying to picture what it must have been like with a rough sea bashing up against those hulking and dark, solid stone walls, especially if you were on duty on the battlements during a storm. Sitting on the bus in the sun looking at it from a modern tourist’s point of view, I found it hard to picture the fact that up until the 1950s the route the bus trundles along to the Castle was under water and that there was a beach at Woodstock. I suppose that with climate change the sea might well decide to claim back its own and the seas may again thrash themselves against this battlement. In fact when the bus first leaves the Waterfront it quietly makes its way along what is known as The Foreshore, which was under the sea until around 1947. Unlike other buildings I would imagine the Castle will still be standing in a couple of hundred year’s time.

Buy your tickets here:

• Online at www.citysightseeing.co.za
Adults R110 (offline price R140), Kids (5-15 years) R70, Kids under 5 free.

• On the bus

• At out Ticket Office, outside the Two Oceans Aquarium: Bus Stop 1

Hi, I’m Corinna Turner. Cape Town and environs are so beautiful and varied, and have so much to offer. By going places and writing about them I feel I can share a little bit with those who are not fortunate enough to live here. More importantly I feel that there is a lot that local people don’t know about their city and environs. Cape Town City Sightseeing tours are one of the things that many Capetonians have not thought to try out, and I would like to change that. I am also known as Cape Winds Virtual Services you can find out more at www.capewindsvirtual.weebly.com

I have done the Red City Tour twice before, in 2009 when I had visitors from overseas, so when the opportunity arose for me to go alone I thought I would do something different. When you have visitors you tend to get on and off the bus at different places and only go round once, but since the ticket was valid for a full day I thought I would stay on the bus, and go round a second time.

You may wonder why anyone might want to do this. Well, for one thing if you want to view everything from the upper deck and you have a problem with Shanks’ ponies or are a bit on the plump side, both of which fingers can be pointed at me, you might not want to be lugging yourself up to the upper deck and back down again at the various stops. And for another, tell me when you last took a good look at your city with its wonderfully colourful history? If you are an older resident I can guarantee that if you do an extended day trip on the Red Route bus you will see the city and surrounds like never before AND learn a few facts that you had not previously known or if you had read them in books you will be able to see the places.

Maybe look at doing a City Sightseeing bus tour as A Grand Day Out – rather like Wallace and Gromit. If you take a packed lunch and cool drinks, and can manage the stairs you can ensconce yourself on the upper deck with camera, hat, picnic et al and spend the day happily touring the city and surrounds, it is a DAY TICKET that you have purchased, and each time you go round the route – which takes approximately two hours, you will spot new things or different scenes playing out. You can sit in the full sun or in the shaded part at the front, and if the weather changes you can move into the covered part or downstairs. The other thing about this is that you are safe on the bus – a point worth remembering if you are older or on your own. So, you can spend the day sightseeing in complete safety, and you can use the Aquarium stop if you need a loo break.

The bus has to maintain a certain speed, although it ambles along rather than speeds, and inevitably you will still miss things as you go around the route. If you stay on the bus and do the trip a few times you will see the places and things spoken about on the commentary and be able to spot them sooner on successive trips round. It also means you can be ready with your camera as you come to each place. On previous trips I found that my friends and I would be talking and miss stuff, or one of us would spot something but the other missed it, because the bus had driven past already. And since many people only do the round trip once and get off, you can miss a lot. If you are the sort that strikes up conversations with others at the drop of a hat too – the garrulous dog bit – you might also find yourself doing so with passengers and staff alike. One thing you can guarantee, the staff are friendly, informative and helpful.

Anyway, this time I got to see things properly, and with no pressure to get off. I took pictures at my leisure, because I knew I was not going to be leaping off at the end of the round trip. I spotted things happening along the route, like a whole bevy of paragliders – or should that be a chute of paragliders, always interesting if you are an observer of people. When the bus trundled along the sea front at Camps Bay it was fun to see all the people enjoying sitting in the pavement restaurants relaxing – I wondered if I might catch a glimpse of someone famous. I was able to relax and enjoy the tripping in a way that no driver or passenger would normally get to do.

I only did two round trips – 4 hours in total, but that 4 hours was so relaxing I even dozed off at one point during the afternoon, heh, heh.

Buy your tickets here:

• Online at www.citysightseeing.co.za
Adults R110 (offline price R140), Kids (5-15 years) R70, Kids under 5 free.

• On the bus

• At out Ticket Office, outside the Two Oceans Aquarium: Bus Stop 1

Hi, I’m Corinna Turner. Cape Town and environs are so beautiful and varied, and have so much to offer. By going places and writing about them I feel I can share a little bit with those who are not fortunate enough to live here. More importantly I feel that there is a lot that local people don’t know about their city and environs. Cape Town City Sightseeing tours are one of the things that many Capetonians have not thought to try out, and I would like to change that. I am also known as Cape Winds Virtual Services, you can find out more at www.capewindsvirtual.weebly.com

Poem by: Aysha Thomas

With 17 picturesque stops,
And sights to gaze at until your jaw drops.

Our journey began at the V&A,
Outside the Two Oceans Aquarium
where sea creatures play.

We were all prepared for a
day of adventure and fun,
As we took to our seats on the top deck beneath
the warm African sun.

Moving further along to stop number two,
We visited the Clock Tower which
serves as a symbol of history so true.

On the Foreshore we then stopped at the CTICC,
Which serves as bus stop number three.

The Information Center for Cape Town Tourism was
stop number four, Where we learnt of more wonders
which our City has in store.

We then came across St George’s Cathedral in
Victoria street, Known as the peoples cathedral
where rainbow people of all nations meet.

South African Museum is at stop number six,
Where we hopped off and took hundreds of pics.

We then moved along to the Mount Nelson Hotel for tea,
For a muffin and a cupcake or two or three.

The SA Jewish Museum is situated
at bus stop eight,
Where we marveled at stunning artifacts as we walked
through the gate.

Then at stop number nine we found the
Museum of District Six,
Where we learnt of cultural
struggles and racial cliques.

Opposite the Grand Parade we visited the Castle of Good Hope,
Which has the scenic background of Table Mountain’s slope.

The SA Gold Museum is situated in Strand Street,
Where exhibitions of glittering gold
knocked us off our feet.

At the Jewel Africa we started our Bo-Kaap walk,
And came across jewels and treasures by far
more valuable than chalk.

The highlight of the tour was the 13th stop, Where we
got a 360 degree view of the City from up on the table top.

For fun in the sun we hopped off at Camps Bay,
With gorgeous soft sandy
beaches on which bronze models lay.

As you hop off at the President Hotel,
You absorb breathtaking views and the fresh ocean smell

We took a long stroll along Sea Point beach,
Where on the promenade we bought an
ice-cream for us each.

Now back to the ticket office at bus stop number
one, Which is where our journey initially begun.

Then as the sun slowly began to set,
We had memories of a day we surely
will never forget.

Buy your tickets here:

• Online at www.citysightseeing.co.za
Adults R110 (offline price R140), Kids (5-15 years) R70, Kids under 5 free.

• On the bus

• At out Ticket Office, outside the Two Oceans Aquarium: Bus Stop 1

Aysha Thomas ay5ha_t Miss T ♥
I live in a world design capital which has one of the #New7Wonders slap bang in the middle of it. Oooh I’m l♥ving CAPE TOWN right now \☺/