This post was originally from February 17, 2024

On Wednesday, the marathon of visiting friends and family began. We had a sliver of time to go to the V&A Waterfront (also know as Victoria and Alfred Waterfront) which is a definite must for anyone visiting Cape Town. It is the oldest working harbour in the southern hemisphere and is situatied at the foot of the magestic Table Mountain. In 1654, Jan van Riebeeck built a small jetty to establish a refreshment station at the Cape. Fresh water and produce were provided to the ships of the Dutch East India company on their journeys to Java and the Dutch East Indies. Since then, it has developed and grown into a massive harbour as well as a bustling tourist hotspot full of shops, restaurants and so much more. The V&A Waterfront is a great place to spend the day as there is the aquarium, a ferris wheel, local musicians, a market with local vendors, places to see the sea lions and the jetty for any boat excursions (including Robben Island). 

After a brief walk through the V&A we had to leave to meet a beautiful soul named Faldela who lives in the Bo-Kaap. The Bo-Kaap is known for its brightly painted houses and is situated on the slopes of Signal Hill. It was formerly known as the Malay Quarter and was a racially segregated area. It’s still rich in Cape Malay culture with a strong Muslim influence. While there, we could hear the call to prayer which always gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. Faldela is a chef who has her own business (Cooking With Love) teaching Cape Malay cooking classes. The Cape Malay cuisine mixes African traditions with both Malaysian and Indonesian (the Dutch brought over by slaves in the 17th & 18th centuries). She uses a blend of spices – ginger, fennel, star anise, tamarind and, most important, turmeric. Faldela is well known in the community and has even been asked if she is the mayor of the Bo-Kaap as she also gives back and does so much for her community. If you are ever in Cape Town and looking for something to do please don’t hesitate to book a cooking class with Faldela. Her exuberant personality is simply captivating and it is so special to be able to cook alongside someone who is such a pillar in the community!

Next on the itinerary was our long awaited time spent with Liza’s family. It was so wonderful to see them all again.  Liza’s nephew and niece are 4 and 6, so it’s such a fun age. Jumping on the trampoline and playing tag was a good workout for this old donkey. By the way, the dump truck and Barbie were a real hit and worth the schlepping around…the Precious Moments – let’s just say it didn’t make it in one piece. It’s always quite funny when I am with Liza’s mom. She keeps switching over from English to Afrikaans and carries on full conversations which I don’t understand a lick of. Most of the time I smile and nod but she could be telling me about auntie’s piles and I’d have no clue!