Patius: Cape Town - Fifth Impression

Probably this will be my last communication from CPT, I'm even more relaxed now than before, so my comments, this time around, might not even make sense, but here it goes.

Last weekend I was wondering if I should stay a couple of more days or not, specially since I supposed to leave this coming Thursday. Why not stay until after the weekend eh? Anyway, I think the time frame, of my stay, has been just perfect, therefore I'm going back home as scheduled, leavig by the end of the week.

Why come to Cape Town? Why not fly to an exotic destination in the Caribbean or Mexico? Why not go to Eurotrash for a couple of days? Weren't you supposed to be in Sydney (Aussie) right now? After having spent some many days here, don't even know what date is today, I have to say: thanks God I decided to come to Cape Town.

CPT has everything I was looking for in a vacation location. Beautiful city, great view of the surrounded areas, friendly people, cosmopolitan for the South African standards, super good looking men, gay friendly, inspiring musically speaking, a stinking colony of penguins just an hour south of the city, and with a population that loves to celebrate life.

If you are looking for a nice place to relax and have a good time, please write down CPT in your traveling schedules, you will not regret it. Most of the time, when I travel for pleasure, I try not to go back to the same place I've been before. Why you may ask, and the answer is easy. Most of the time, I have a super good time in my holidays, and by going back I might ruin my good memories, from the previous vacation, by comparing the second round to the first one. After so many days in this city, I'm happy to say I will return to CPT one day, I guess I've fallen in love with this little South African place.

Long Street is definitely a good place to stay, is centric and easy access to everything the city has to offer. You might want to rent a car while you are, not to travel within the city, but in case you want to go down to the "fake" southernmost tip of Africa. Many tourists are mislead by going to the Cape Point, believing that is the most Southern place in the continent. Yes, it is true that this might be one of the spots where the Indian and Atlantic ocean met, but not the real one. "Cartographers and the South African Navy both say the two oceans meet at Cape Agulhas - the southermost tip of Africa", which is located more or less 250km from Cape Town.

Within the city, Rikkis is the best transportation method, cheap, reliable, and very adventurous. There is a sign inside the car that reads "Ride at your own risk". The drivers are real characters, and you never know which one you are going to get in your next ride, but for sure you will meet interesting people, from all walks of life, once sitting -grabbing yourself to the edges- in the super mini van. One day I rode with two dogs, a cat, her German owner, and three gorgeous guys from Slovakia.

If you are expecting to get warm water from the Atlantic ocean, you are in for a big surprise, I think I saw my legs turning blue one of these days. Nevertheless, they have great beaches here, and I would even say that Camps Bay beach is way nicer than South beach. Myself I spent most of the time at the Clifton third beach, which is the gay one. Even when it was really windy, this beach was the place to go, it is protected by rocks, in all sides, creating this fabulous tropical environment within the rocks. To get to warmer waters, you just have to travel to the Indian Ocean side beaches.

I know I love going to the gym, but after seeing so many great bodies in this city, the first thing I'm going to do, once in Montreal, is to get Ricardo (YMCA downtown) to write me a new work out program. Shit these people take care of themselves. Logically I was kind of exotic over here, being the only Latino in the whole area it was good for me - sexy boy they called me. Actually, I lie, I met this Argentinian woman on a Rikkis one day, but it doesn't count, she is a breeder, in no way a competition to my Latin charm.

CPT has one of the nicest saunas I have seen so far, yes I know there are great ones in Toronto and Los Angeles, but this is me talking here. "The Hot House" is such a social place in CPT, people go there as if you were going to Unity or Stereo in Montreal. Everyone you met in the village, tells you "see you later at the Hot House", and later on in the evening, there they are, and there I was as well. The place has a super nice bar area, tables to sit around and socialize, and people actually do sit around and talk. Several times I found myself having a very stimulating conversation, after having had a great mating event. Once you go upstairs, you have this great jacuzzi looking at the whole city of CPT, and the terrace is just fantastic, with a view of the Table Mountain. Let me put this way, great sunrise from the terrace of the Hot House. I wish the saunas in Montreal were as nice as this one - Montreal is the city with most per capita saunas per person than any other city in the world, but haven't they heard that is not the quantity that counts, but the quality of it?

There are not after hours clubs in CPT as the ones we have in Montreal, but the clubs are open until late. How many times I walked by Sliver, Bronx, or other place along Long Street, at 7am and the place was still rocking. people love to go from one place to another, and it is like they have a whole schedule ready before going out, a schedule without names. The best dance club in CPT is called Sliver, located in the heart of the Gay Village - remember, the gay village is 2 or 3 blocks long. Interesting set up, with one room downstairs, where DJs spin house music with lots of t-shirt less boys, and one upstairs being rocked by the jumpy/electro/straight house tunes. Sliver also have this fabolous outdoor chill out area, with trees everywhere - they usually stay open until 10am.

There are many cafes, restaurants and bar to chose from, and one of my fauvorite cafes spots is the "Cafe e Vida" on Kloft street, a Moçambiquean inspired coffee place, serving my all time favourite "pão com ovo". There is also my fauvourite restaurant "El Mojito" with the super good looking waiter, and how can I forget to mention "Lolas", this funky little place where I had some many beers and ate some great sandwiches, which at the end I found out it was a vegetarian restaurant. I was wonder why I didn't get any meat on the stuff I ordered - love their live music on Sundays.

On a final note of the social issues of South Africa, just make sure to be sensitive if you are going to ask questions about the Apartheid, people are kind of tired being asked the same questions over and over. Just imagine what would it be if everyone that came to visit us, in Montreal, were to ask how do we feel about Quebec trying to separate from Canada. Let them talk if they want, otherwise don't push the subject - I met this guy another day, and this subject came out, he started the topic, and he gave me all this incredible views of the South African society.

Love the guys in CPT, very friendly and good looking guys. Love the macho rough Dutch/German looks of the white boys in this city, and let me tell you, I have met wonderful guys so far during my trip. Actually, I have to go now because I'm having lunch with this cutie I met last night.

Reporting live from Cape Town, and see you next, back in Montreal.

Patius

Read - Final Impression