Lunch in Camp’s Bay
After our adventures atop Table Mountain, we hopped back on the Big Red Tourist Bus, ready to continue our introduction to Cape Town. As we meandered through the surrounding hills, we discovered that we making our way to Camp’s Bay- a beautiful beach-side suburb that we had seen from on top of Table Mountain. Seen from up high, Camp’s Bay stands out as a swath of golden sand alongside the turquoise waters of the bay, an anomaly amidst the green and grey of the surrounding Cape landscape. An inviting scene, to say the least, and we were eager to check it out from the ground level.
As the bus made its way down through the streets and onto the main strip along the beach, we realized that we had all worked up an appetite while hiking all over Table Mountain, and Camp’s Bay seemed like the ideal place to hop off the bus and find a place for some lunch. We hopped off the bus at the center of the main drag, with the beautiful beach and sounds of the surf on one side and numerous little shops, cafes, bistros, and restaurants lining the other. The choices were abundant, each boasting the freshest calamari, the best local wine, and ocean views second-to-none. Eventually, we came across this cool little Spanish-themed cafe that had a great lunch special going on- a sampler platter of virtually everything on their tapas menu, combined with a pitcher of sangria. Que bueno!
The waterfront strip in Camps Bay
The cafe was on the second level, and we managed to get a great seat by the windows, providing a perfect ocean view for our tapas-style lunch. We ordered up the platter, and raised a sangria toast to a great morning and the adventures yet to come in South Africa. Before long, the food arrived- JACKPOT: fresh calamari, baby octopus, scallops, and shrimp; grilled beef and marinated chicken skewers; sauteed vegetables and even a few things we couldn’t identify- an adventure of a meal, to say the least. It was DELICIOUS- everything was good, and the sangria helped it all down. We had to call the server over a couple of times to make sure we knew exactly what we were eating, but they all got a kick out of how much we were enjoying the feast. Interaction with the staff (POSITIVE interaction, mind you…)- always a good thing when you’re traveling… As we made our way through the spread, we knew our South African Culinary Experience was off to a roaring start!
What a SPREAD!!!
Before leaving, we thanked the staff for all of their help- they just laughed, entertained by our excited antics. We paid the bill, left a good tip, and then made our way back down to the street, all in a bit of a food-and-sangria-induced haze. The ocean air was warm, and the beach looked so inviting- we crossed the street, and wandered along the shoreline to a large rock outcropping at the end of the beach. We climbed up, took our shoes off, and sat down on the warm stone’s surface, marveling at the scenery surrounding us. Table Mountain and Cape Town’s version of the ‘12 Apostles’ rising behind us, the grey stone of the mountains giving way to the green hills tumbling down to the sea, the golden sand sparkling in the sun, and the unbelievably clear sea-green waves crashing into the shore- it was almost surreal. So beautiful! Full and content, we all laid down to take a few minutes to relax in the sun. The warmth of the rock on our backs and the glow of the sun on our faces- it was impossible to keep our eyes open. We smiled, and slowly drifted off- a seaside snooze in Camp’s Bay. It was only our first full day in Cape Town, and things were perfect. The best part-we were just getting started…
My sister and I, enjoying the view from Camps Bay
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