Bean- First Impressions

I have yet to come to the realization that I am on a different continent since my brief time in Cape Town.  I was told that Cape Town was pretty mainstream, but it was something I had to see to believe.  The car of the year is the Hyundai Elantra, which also happens to be my car and the mall on the waterfront has Louis Vutton, Gucci, and Armani. If I had to describe Cape Town, I would say that it mixes the cosmopolitan aspects of New York and Miami, with landscapes and plant life that are depicted in the Lion King. In addition to being more urban than expected, our class discussed some of our other first impressions. Some mentioned the wide disparity between social classes, how friendly the local people were, and how many of the houses and shops were guarded by barbed fences and warning signs. Overall, Cape Town struck me as a diverse and pleasant community. The other observations may signify that the city is high in crime, requiring extra security, and that they are missing the element of the middle class.

We began our journey by climbing Table Mountain, one of the new seven natural wonders of the world. Most of us thought that the hike would not be too bad, but we were quickly brought back to reality after just twenty minutes into our three-hour climb. Many of us claimed that the climb was one of the most physically strenuous things we have done in our lives. However, it was a very rewarding experience. On the hike up, lush green plants and rock boulders provided us with beautiful views. Once we reached the top, we had the best view of Cape Town; it was absolutely breathtaking.  We could see downtown, the soccer stadium (where some of the world cup activities took place), and the beaches. We had lunch in a café while at the top and were then rewarded for our efforts by getting to ride the cable car down. The cable car floor rotated 360 degrees and allowed us to take even more last minute pictures. Our next stop was Signal Hill. Here, we were able to get more pictures of the stunning view. Our guides for our mountain excursions were teeming with information, they knew a lot about the geography and history of South Africa. One of the things they explained was how the waterfront region developed. One of them explained how the city centre was very dangerous and loosing business, so the shops and activities moved to the waterfront and became a protected environment. The feelings of protection and people coming into port brought in more business. We then went down to the waterfront to exchange monies and to pick up anything else we needed. The waterfront was a classy mall, with plenty of restaurants and places to shop.

We then returned to the hotel, where we were able to freshen up and prepare for our first class.  Dr. Layne and Professor Curry gave us helpful tips for the city. For example, we must keep our wallets and purses close to us to avoid pickpockets and do not carry all our cash or valuables at one time.  We must always use the buddy system, and check ATMs for wax and card-readers, two schemes often used to copy card numbers fraudulently. We also went over emergency numbers and plans.

We ended our day by having a group dinner. The restaurant was decorated with many authentic art pieces representing South Africa.  They had wild game on the menu and served things such as ostrich, kudu, and crocodile. Some of us were adventurous and tried ostrich, others committed to work their way up to such a feat. The restaurant had a live African band that played throughout the night.  Most of us thoroughly enjoyed our food and headed back to the hotel with food comas. As our first day came to a close, we were excited to find out, what else was in store for us in the days to come.

 Should we trust our first impressions of this or any city?

Tweet: Climbing Table Mountain= quite an accomplishment and amazing welcome to South Africa