It was shopping time. Our tour guide dropped us at Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre and gave us just a little over 2 hours to shop. I'd wanted to buy Rooibos Tea and some South African authentic foodstuff but other than that shopping isn't really my cup of tea so I sneaked out of the shopping centre to the V&A (Victoria & Alfred) Waterfront area just outside the mall. There are a lot of beautiful things to see and a lot of interesting activities going on but I allocated just an hour for a self walking tour of the place as I had to get back to the supermarket to buy my stuffs. With so much to see I doubled my pace and in spite of it, I managed to cover just a small section of this charming area.
Leaving Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre through entrance/exit No 5 brought me to a pedestrianized walkway just in front of Victoria Basin.
V&A Harbour is a robust and functioning harbour where many boats and ship were seen docking. You can go for cruises from here. Fishing vessels bringing in the day's catch also dock at this harbour.
Not too far from the mall is Cape Wheel, a Ferris wheel that takes you for a ride for a fee (not cheap though). This is a good way to see the city from up high but I didn't have enough time for this activity.
Besides the over 450 retail outlets selling a variety of merchandise, V&A Waterfront is also an entertainment and dining haven.
This harbour has a history that dates back to 1654 and houses a number of alluring historical monuments.
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This Victorian Gothic-style Clock Tower for instance was erected in 1882.
V&A Waterfront is actually built at the foot of Signal Hill and also within visibility is Cape Town's iconic Table Mountain.
I joined in the fun of a small crowd queuing to get their pictures framed with the Table Mountain as the backdrop. But alas, Table Mountain was partly hidden by some dense clouds that day.
I was glad I found the Africa Trading Port building. Not only is the architecture fascinating, the exhibits on its exterior are quaint and very creative.
I think I could spend one whole day hanging around V&A Waterfront. Even though I was longing to see and explore more, I reluctantly made my way back to the shopping mall.
I bought all the things I'd wanted and left the place. It was my last day in Cape Town and a memorable one too.
Cape Town: Part 1
Cape Town: Part 2
Cape Town: Part 3
Cape Town: Part 4
South Africa part 5: Pilanesberg National Park
1 comment :
Have a pleasant trip!
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