Bo-Kaap in Cape City Strolling Tour

Strolling Tour of Bo-Kaap in Cape City

If there’s one place that I have to go to each time I’m going to Cape City , it is the Bo-Kaap. I am ever so fascinated by this historic, vibrant district, which is all the time a sight for sore eyes. On my most up-to-date journey to the Mom Metropolis, I did a strolling tour within the Bo-Kaap with Stroll Cape City and learnt a lot extra in regards to the space.

Bo-Kaap

Guided strolling excursions to the Bo-Kaap go away from the Metropolis Sightseeing Bus places of work in Lengthy Avenue every day. That’s the place we met our native information, Sheldon, and started the tour. Our group of a couple of dozen folks have been from Nigeria, Germany and Switzerland. There have been additionally different South Africans like us.

Vacationers in Bo-Kaap

En route, Sheldon identified the Jan De Waal home on Bree Avenue. Initially from Amsterdam, Jan who was a church sexton, constructed the primary homes within the Bo-Kaap which he subsequently rented out to the slaves. They have been often known as huurhuisies (rental homes).

Cape Heritage Lodge

We then stepped into the Cape Heritage Lodge situated in Heritage Sq.. Historic options comparable to unique partitions and home windows can nonetheless be seen within the lodge, alongside murals depicting the historical past of the sq. and Cape City. The lodge homes the Sisonke Gallery which was created to advertise upcoming younger artists, in addition to some eateries and outlets. The central courtyard is shaded by South Africa’s oldest grapevine which was planted in 1771 and nonetheless bears fruit!

Spot South Africa’s oldest grapevine

From there, we proceeded to the Bo-Kaap, strolling up the cobbled slopes whereas Sheldon informed us in regards to the historical past, tradition and traditions of the world, as he identified the very best photograph spots.

View from the arch

Mendacity on the decrease slopes of Sign Hill, the identify Bo-Kaap means “above the Cape”. It was beforehand often known as the Malay Quarter. In contrast to the multi-coloured homes that line its slim streets, attracting vacationers and photographers from far and large, the Bo-Kaap has a considerably darkish historical past.

Bo-Kaap Homes

It was first established in 1760 as a slave quarter, and lots of the present residents are descendants of those slaves, who have been delivered to the Cape by the Dutch within the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries from Malaysia, Indonesia, in addition to different Asian and African nations. There have been merchants, spiritual students, expert craftsmen, artisans and convicts too. They introduced their faith, delicacies, tradition and language with them. I realised this to an ideal extent once I visited Malaysia and heard phrases getting used that I usually affiliate with the Cape Malay neighborhood.

Bo-Kaap Home

A lot of the Bo-Kaap homes have been constructed earlier than 1860 and mirror a mix of Cape Dutch and Cape Georgian architectural types. The oldest home there nonetheless in its unique type, is now residence to the Bo Kaap Museum the place you may be taught extra in regards to the historical past of the world. It was constructed by Jan de Waal in 1768.

The homes of the Bo-Kaap are painted in vivid shades of vibrant colors, making the Bo-Kaap one of many principal points of interest in Cape City, primarily on account of its Instagrammability. There are a number of theories in regards to the origins of the rainbow colors however the most well-liked one appears to be that residents have been beforehand restricted within the colors they have been allowed to make use of and when this rule was lastly lifted they painted their homes in brilliant, cheerful colors to specific their pleasure and newly-found freedom. They usually re-paint their homes in celebration of Eid or different particular events, and often after consulting with their neighbours, to keep away from clashes.

Bo-Kaap Homes

There are at present no restrictions on colors. Sheldon mentioned that he requested one of many residents why he painted his home darkish inexperienced, and he responded that it was as a result of it was the color of the Springboks (South Africa’s nationwide rugby staff). One other resident painted her home purple as a result of it was the color of royalty.

In between the streets of vibrant homes, you will note partitions with brightly painted murals.

Avenue artwork in Bo-Kaap

Cape Malay delicacies is exclusive and contains delicacies like koeksisters, boboties and bredies. Most of the residents supply cooking experiences of their properties. Faeeza’s Dwelling Kitchen is one among them. Faeeza additionally has a tea backyard which has hosted celebrities like Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Roger Federer. Different fashionable native eateries are Biesmiellah Restaurant, Bo-Kaap Kombuis, and In opposition to The Grain.

Faeeza’s Kitchen

The Bo-Kaap is predominantly Muslim and there are 10 mosques there, the oldest being the Auwal (First) Mosque which was in-built 1794. Contained in the mosque, there’s a Quran handwritten from reminiscence by Tuan Guru, an Indonesian prince who was incarcerated on Robben Island lengthy earlier than Nelson Mandela. He was the primary imam of the mosque. Inbuilt 1820, the Palm Tree Mosque is the second oldest Mosque within the Bo Kaap. The 5 palm timber outdoors the mosque signify the 5 pillars of Islam.

Palm Tree Mosque

Just lately, Bo-Kaap residents have been preventing in opposition to gentrification, worth hikes and evictions, which is threatening the heritage of the world.

We walked again to the Metropolis Sightseeing places of work, after a thought-provoking stroll. The excursions are free however tipping is beneficial. We’ve accomplished them in a number of nations and so they’re effectively well worth the tip, because the excursions are usually given by native guides with in-depth data and inside details about the world. I might extremely advocate doing the Metropolis Sightseeing Bus tour to see the remainder of town.