Cape Town (in Afrikaans: Kaapstad; in English: Cape town) is the second most populous city in South Africa. It is the capital of the Western Cape and the legislative capital of the nation. It is located on the south-west coast near the Cape of Good Hope and is the southernmost city on the continent African. It is the gateway to the world famous Cape Lands, which include the cities of Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Paarl.
Understand
Location The Republic of South Africa is located at the southern tip of the African continent and is bordered to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south and east by the Indian Ocean, to the north by Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, and to the northeast by Mozambique and Swaziland.
Time Difference 5 more hours (when in BUE / MVD it is 12:00 PM, in Johannesburg it is 5:00 PM).
Weather The seasons are well differentiated: while the months of June and July are the middle of winter, the months of December and January are the height of summer. It can be defined as a varied climate depending on the area: temperate in the south, continental in the north and subtropical in the east. The rains appear throughout the year in the East and decrease until they are very scarce in the West.
Population At present the population is estimated at 35 million inhabitants. Most are descendants of British people who came to the country between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. The black population is made up of several important ethnic groups. Most are Zulu followed by Xhosa, Sotos del Norte, Sotos del Sur, Tswanas, Shangan-Tosongas and Swazis. The official languages are English and Afrikaans. Many ethnic languages are also spoken: in fact there are 11 official languages.
Official language The official language is English. However, there is a clear difference with the English of the United States or England. Many words are derived from the dialects of the Aborigines and in some cases one word means something else.
Electricity Electric current is 250 volts at 50 Hz in Pretoria. In the rest of the country it is 220/230 volts at 50 Hz.
Currency The official currency is the Rand (ZAR). One ZAR equals 100 cents. Coins of 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1 and 2 rand. Banknotes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 rand. The import and export of currency is restricted to 500 rand.
Tips In South Africa there is no custom of leaving tips, although it will not be rejected if it is offered in a service related to tourist activity: guides, hotels, porters, restaurants, etc.
Culture and art
South Africa's diverse population enriches it culturally and spiritually. That diversity is reflected in the variety of creeds and customs that can be felt in the country. Although South Africa was influenced by the West from the beginning, it has also known how to maintain African traditions.
The history of South African art dates back to the Stone Age. There are numerous caves where cave paintings have been found. So far more than 3,000 archaeological sites have been discovered.
The first artists were influenced by the British and Dutch currents. Beginning with World War II, local artists from Johannesburg's outlying neighborhoods became notable figures in African art. The African landscape is a theme present in all artists, increasingly identifying with their environment. All cultural groups have contributed to the architectural beauty of South Africa. From the twig and straw huts of the Khoisau people to the Cape Dutch-style houses, to the attractive Malay neighborhood of Cape Town.
At the end of the 19th century, its own architecture emerged from the Victorian model.
In other arts such as dance, the African people have always excelled, since music and dance are part of daily acts such as hunting, work or initiation ceremonies. In recent times, dance has developed alongside theater-protest and representation. In theater, the African tradition is followed, characterized by its ritual and symbolic nature, with strong narrative elements and different dances. In music the most common type is choral. Popular music takes on an African character and Africans are considered key figures in jazz, afro rock, and blues. The protest musicals have created certain styles and stage techniques such as the toyi-toyi, the mapantsula and the isicatam.
The literature began by dealing with the theme of the homeland and the political and linguistic struggles of South Africans. After the Anglo-Boer War the theme of war and nature appears. In the 1940s and 1950s the issues had to do with politics and the new social consciousness.
Literature in the African language is of oral tradition and has passed from generation to generation. At present, the great development that the African publishing world has experienced in recent years is perceived.
To get
Travel
Visa and Passport Minimum Validity Argentine and Uruguayan citizens do not need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days. The validity of the passport must be valid for at least 6 months and a free sheet for endorsements upon arrival at the South African airport through which it is entered. For more information, consult the South African Embassy in Buenos Aires / Montevideo.
Vaccines Effective malaria prevention is recommended for visitors to the Kruger National Park, and the Transvaal Lowveld, Zululand and Natal areas. It is advisable (although not mandatory) to take anti-malaria tablets that, in general, contain chlorine quinine; but in certain areas resistant to this drug, it is advisable to ingest tablets that contain the combination of chloroquin and pro guañil. They must be purchased once you arrive in South Africa, as the pharmacist will know which areas are resistant to chlorine quinine and which are not. Do not forget to mention to the pharmacist which particular areas you are going to visit, since the remedy and the form of administration will depend on this. The tablets are sold without a prescription. The most important thing is to consult your GP before leaving your country of origin to verify tolerance to the remedies that may eventually be provided.
Customs Upon admission: 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars and 250 grams of tobacco; 2 liters of alcoholic drink and 50 ml of perfume.
Watch
Cape Town has so much to see and do that it is difficult to cover it all on the first visit. However, the city center is small, compact and easy to visit on foot. Towering Table Mountain dominates city life, serving not only as a beautiful backdrop, but also as a landmark, making it difficult to get disoriented.
Cape Town offers a surprising variety of architectural styles, with Victorian, Georgian and Cape Dutch-style buildings interspersed with modern skyscrapers. The V&A Waterfront is a magnificent example of the regeneration of an urban area in which old warehouses and port buildings have been transformed into elegant shopping centers, luxury hotels and restaurants. To the west, towards Signal Hill, is the Bo-Kaap (Top Cape) area, also known as the Malay Quarter ("Malay" is the wrong name for Muslims of Asian origin in the city). This is where the freed slaves lived and their descendants resisted all eviction attempts by the apartheid authorities, unlike the inhabitants of District Six (now Zonnebloem), whose houses were destroyed by bulldozers after the tightening of the laws of the Prime Minister Verwoerd's racial segregation. Just offshore, north of Table Bay, is Robben Island, the prison in which Nelson Mandela and many other political leaders were imprisoned during the apartheid regime.
The outskirts of the city are of great visitor interest and organized visits to predominantly black townships or shanty towns such as Kayalitsha, Langa and Gugulethu are becoming very popular attractions. A typical township tour usually includes a visit to one of the most representative sites of the struggle against apartheid, lunch in a speakeasy, a visit to the craft market, and a stop at a development project. Entering a township without a guide is not recommended, as the crime rate is high and tourists are perfect targets.
To the west of the city and stretching south towards Cape Point is the Atlantic coastline and the elegant seaside neighborhoods of Sea Point, Clifton, Camps Bay, Llandudno, Hout Bay, Noordhoek and Kommetjie. To the east of the Table Mountain range are the southern suburbs, with the world-famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and the Constantia and Tokai vineyards. These areas are connected to the cozy seaside towns of False Bay, Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek and Simon's Town. The two parts of the Cape Peninsula converge in the breathtaking and breathtaking Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, at Cape point.
Do
To buy
Eat and drink
South African cuisine is characterized by the use of meat and seafood in the preparation of its main dishes. The South African cookbook is made up of specialties from traditional native cuisine and recipes with a clear influence from English cuisine. The star dish of traditional African cuisine is hard oatmeal porridge, which is usually accompanied with meat sauce or vegetables. Among "Afrikaners" a type of cuisine called "boerekos" (farmers' food) is very popular. Cape cuisine is the cuisine brought to the country by former Asian slaves and is one of the most popular culinary offerings in South Africa. This cuisine is characterized by the use of curries and other spicy sauces. The most outstanding dishes are: the "bobotie" (spicy mince), the "sosaties" (a kind of kebbab with minced meat) and the "mallow" pudding. Other delicacies that can be tasted in any of the good restaurants that dot South African cities are: meat skewers, lobster, vegetable casserole, the "potjiekos" (stew), "boerewors" (spicy sausage) and the peri-peri chicken. , which is seasoned with a condiment of Portuguese origin that gives the dish its name (peri-peri). This condiment also usually accompanies "braai" (roast meat). These dishes are usually served alongside excellent national wines, as excellent brandies and sweet wines are produced in this country. The most productive areas of the country are Little Karroo, the Winelands (Paarl, Franschhoek, Stellenbosch) and Walker Bay. In South Africa beer is also very popular, especially the "lager" type (soft and light). Knysna's Mitchell beer also stands out.
Drink and go out
Sleep
[1]NH The Lord Charles: Located in a beautiful estate on the outskirts of Cape Town, reflecting the tranquility of life in the country without losing the comforts of the city for those clients who need an experience with all kinds of attention but always close to Cape Town just 20 minutes. With stunning views of the sea and the mountains, a wide variety of flora, extensive vineyards and its own lake, the hotel is unique with its delicious creativity and exceptional location - most of the tourist attractions are within a radius of 50 kilometers - it has an environment capable of satisfying the most diverse desires.
Corner of Stellenbosch and Faure Roads, 7130 Capetown, Cape Town (South Africa) Tel. 27.21.8551040 3 Stars
Embassies and Consulates
Embassy of the Republic of South Africa in Argentina Marcelo T. de Alvear 590, Piso 8, 1058 Buenos Aires Tel: (11) 4317-2900. E-mail: [email protected] Business hours: Monday to Friday from 8:15 am. at 12:30 p.m. and from 1:15 p.m. at 5:15 p.m.
Uruguayan Embassy in South Africa 1119 Burnett St. MIB House Of. 301 / 3rd. Floor Hatfield 0083 - Pretoria Tel .: (27-12) 362-6521 / 22
Embassy of the Republic of South Africa in Uruguay Echevarriarza 3335, Montevideo. Tel .: 623.01.61. Public service hours: Monday to Friday from 09:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Argentine Embassy in South Africa 200 Standard Bank Plaza 440 Hilda Street 0083 Hatfield, Pretoria Tel .: (27-12) 430-3513 / 3516/3524/3527.
Consulate General of Uruguay in South Africa 2308 Absa Center, 2 Riebeek Street, Cape Town Tel .: (27-21) 425-1847. Hours of operation: Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.