On the move again
From road tripping to moving house to hopping continents
Last week Saturday, I felt like going on a daytrip. I needed a change of scenery, AND I had thought about going to False Bay for a while, AND, with my last car change-over, I had gotten a free upgrade – mind you, not the 911 I had briefly fantasized about when I heard the word “upgrade”, but a little bigger, faster and more comfy than what I had originally booked – and I wanted to take that cutie for a drive before I had to hand it in again.
So, off I went on Saturday morning in the general direction of Simon’s Town. Many moons ago, on my very first trip to South Africa, I had been in Simon’s Town before but only to pay the penguins in Boulders a visit. This time, I decided to shun my waddling friends and explore Simon’s Town proper. What a treat. Let me say this right away – it probably does not get any more European around here. The approach via Boyes Drive already feels a bit like coasting along the Riviera. Thus, False Bay already had me before I even drove into bustling Fish Hoek, which was also love at first sight. Then on to Simon’s Town which wrapped itself around my heart in no time. Probably also because it reminds me of Lisbon, one of my favourite cities in the world. A small version of Lisbon, mind you, but distinctly so, with those narrow, steep alleyways that lead to the upper part of town where you are rewarded for your little climb with beautiful bay views and charming alleyways.
In one such alley I came across a small coffee roasting shop1. When I took a pic of it, one of the owners came out to get me interested in a cuppa. I politely declined, as I had just feasted on an almond croissant and a coffee in the Patisserie in town, but he finally convinced me to come in with the prospect of buying some freshly roasted coffee to take home. So I did, and a lovely chat I had with the two owners about Simon’s Town, the country at large and the art of coffee roasting in particular. All of that while the roasting drum was spinning and I was enveloped in a delicious cloud of various aromas. After tasting a sip of their cold brew (lekker!) and with a pack of Santos Brazil (which used to be my favourite coffee in Germany) in my bag, I was on my way again, filled with that specific joy and glow that only small businesses run on passion and love can give you.
Having enjoyed Simon’s Town to the fullest, I wanted to head over to Kalk Bay to have some seafood for lunch at the Brass Bell, a place that came highly recommended by friends who used to live in Fish Hoek. Jaa, nee, that did not go as planned. No place to park, no lunch. Kalk Bay seemed lovely though, as much as I could make out while swearing about the traffic, the bloody tourists and all that. Next time, I will take the train. There is a train connection that takes you from Cape Town Central all along False Bay to all these beautiful places without a hassle at the price of 20 Rand (approx. 1.20 EUR) for a return ticket. The European in me likes this very much.
As it was still early and I was not too hungry, I decided to take my lunch plans to Kommetjie [pronunciation: Kommekie]. A quaint little place with an awesome beach and a distinct surfer vibe. Very chilled. Although there was a handful of eateries to choose from, my picky self did not feel like sitting down. I wanted to have prawns. Down by the water. Period.
Hunger was still manageable, so I decided to carry on and take myself to Hout Bay, where I knew I would find some fishy stuff to take away and eat just next to the water. Perhaps it was also the pull of Chapman’s Peak Drive2 that made me a bit restless. Chapman’s Peak Drive is an iconic drive. It is not for the faint-hearted, though, as much of is it without guardrails. So if you go over, you are in free fall for quite a while. The views you get on that drive are breathtaking, though. Just remember to not “gaze and drive” at the same time, and take it SLOW.
Chapman’s Peak Drive has a very special meaning to me. The last time I was there was 17 years ago, almost on the dot. Someone proposed to me there. To no avail, but the entire story around that should turn out to be a major turning point in my life. But that is a story for another day. When I got out of the car to sit under a tree and look over Hout Bay, interestingly enough, none of that came back to me. I just sat there, being present to the beauty around me, enjoying my “Now”. Until the growl in my stomach got louder.
On to Hout Bay, straight to the harbour, straight to Mariner’s Wharf to get some prawns… Jaa, nee. A queue like at airport immigrations… I finally capitulated and indulged in the small pack of crisps that I had brought as an emergency back-up, before I started to head back towards Hermanus, going through Constantia (ahh, the lushness of it), past Kirstenbosch3 (still haven’t made it to a concert there) and then back to Hermanus via Clarence Drive (equally iconic but with guardrails), with a tiny little stop-over in lovely Pringle Bay.
What a blessed day it was. And the blessings continued. Between that day and now, my amazing daughter took her final law exam and passed with flying colours (I am beyond happy), I finally got a functioning bank account (yay, thank you B. at FNB Hermanus!), and I am getting ready to fly over to Germany tomorrow for about a fortnight.
And I moved house. It is just a stone’s throw away from my former abode (it’s number 11 instead of number 21 now, which, according to my numerology inclined friends, is an auspicious number). The move was done in a few hours, although I am up to 7 boxes now from the original 4 that I shipped here. I am grateful for this place. It is beautiful and peaceful. Yesterday morning, when I sat outside with my early morning coffee after my first night in the new place, I looked around, and only then did it fully register that I have a porch now. Something I have been wishing for for ages. Looks like I can have proper stoepsits now.
Just Roasted Coffee, Simon’s Town
Lovely trip and to all my favourite hangouts too. I will surely do my own little Cape Town trip soon. Safe travels.🌻🌻❤️