It's true for most of Cape Town, but not for us. Rafiki's (on the right) is a popular, nay, a very popular, place to watch any sporting event of any widespread significance. We've recently tried to pop in at Rafiki's to watch a game or two but to our disappointment found that there was simply not enough seating... this is no fault of the establishment... it's just so popular and has such a great vibe that sports-lovers are drawn to it like moths.

I have a feeling that Kerry-Anne's going to insist that we arrive at least two hours before the match to book our place at the next great sporting event.

I've been supporting the Spanish football team since the World Cup in 2002, so I was understandably excited that they'd actually made it to a final for once (even a semi-final for that matter!). I dragged Paul kicking and screaming to our local Dros (a steakhouse chain) to watch the final game of the Euro2008 championship this evening.

I got the distinct feeling that the greater majority of people in the restaurant were supporting Germany. There were quite a few glum faces when the game ended, but mine was certainly not one of them. I was beaming from ear to ear, in fact, and the feeling hasn't entirely worn off yet. I'm really looking forward to seeing La Furia Roja playing on South African soil in next year's Confederations Cup. Although my first loyalty will always be to my country, I certainly won't be sorry to see Spain win that tournament too. :)

Here's another photo from inside Ziggi's (see yesterday's post). It really was that good. :D

Now that I think about it... there was one thing that wasn't that great about Ziggi's. I'm not keen on strong coffee - and theirs certainly was strong - really strong. It wasn't much of a problem though - I LOVE milk and the waiter was kind enough to bring over a second round of warm milk to sufficiently dilute the coffee.

Kerry-Anne and I popped into Ziggi's (in Tyger Valley shopping centre) for an emergency lunch. This happens to us all the time - we get so caught up with going from place to place that we forget to eat. And then - it's panic-stations and we need to eat immediately.

It was the first time that we'd stopped to have a bite to eat at Ziggi's so I asked the waitress what she thought the nicest thing on the menu was. She suggested the Chicken Tikka panini - and oh, my, word, was she right. It really was very good and very filling.

Now, I'm not being paid by anyone to say so (seriously, though I wish I was ;)), if you need lunch and if you're really hungry, I can certainly recommend the Ziggi's Chicken Tikka panini. It really was that good.

Just do it. ;)

Oh, yes, some strange (strange) woman and her kids at the table behind us thought I was ridiculous bandying a "huge" SLR camera around in a restaurant - snapping arbitrary shots. She asked me in a decidedly patronising way whether or not it was a new camera that I just couldn't wait to try out. Kerry-Anne thought I responded in far too kind a manner...

We seem to seldom make time to go to the movies these days, although I'd have to guess that we're not unlike many of you in this regard. Kerry-Anne and I ventured out recently to watch Paris Je T'aime and The Incredible Hulk - both on the same day. I'm now pretty sure that we won't be watching two movies back-to-back again.... whew, it sure was tiring.

Going to the movies in South Africa can be an expensive outing, with a single ticket costing up to R45. Fortunately our medical aid believes that happy stress-free clients need medical attention less often, so they've struck a deal with one of the cinema companies whereby we're able to buy tickets for about half the regular price.

Now if only we had more time to actually go to the movies...

Click on the photo to see the large version - you should be able to read which movies are currently showing in cinemas here.

Jamaica Me Crazy is one of the trendy restaraunts in old Woodstock's Roodebloem Road. Their half-price cocktail happy hour (between 5 and 6pm each day) makes it the perfect place to stop at for after-work drinks. Unfortunately, a post-work trip to Jamaica Me Crazy would add about an hour on to my commuting time, so it's not really practical...

Apparently the views of the harbour and coastline from the upstairs balcony are exquisite too.

As I left home this morning I couldn't but notice what a beautiful morning it was. I quickly regretted having to go in to work, knowing that all I would see of the day would be the 10 minute drive to my office.

True it was. Sitting at my desk I watched the light turn amber-orange as the sun set behind Table Mountain. By the time I left the office it was dark and cold already.

When it rains or when it's windy (or raining and windy) I'm glad to have an office job, but on days like today, I think I echo the sentiment of all who spend their days indoors.

To recycle or not to recycle... sometimes it's just laziness that causes us to waste so much. That said, our weekly rubbish collection service isn't geared to pick up glass, paper and plastic separately to regular household rubbish. Again, that said, I've heard rumours of plans to put such a collection service in place.

It currently takes a surprising amount of effort to collect glass and paper in separate containers, pack them into the car and cart them off to a facility that recycles said items.

Interestingly enough, today I happened to hear an advert on the radio for The Glass Recycling Company that specialises in recycling glass. Take a look at their website - they list several places over the country where glass can be dropped off. They even have a mechanism by which you can setup your own Glass Bank!

Another shot from Sea Point's Beach Road, this time showing the row of apartment buildings in Three Anchor Bay and Mouille Point. Paul and I were talking just the other day about how much we regret not buying property in this area a few years ago, when it was still affordable.

About 5 years ago, the price of property along this part of the beachfront began to increase dramatically. Apartments that were on the market for around R120,000 when we were considering buying, are now priced well over the million-rand mark. But hindsight is 20/20, isn't it? ;-)

I always think that joggers are the most committed, dedicated bunch of people ever (although, admittedly, it's a tight contest with our local car-guards). It doesn't matter what the weather is doing, how much rain is bucketing down, whether it's still dark and freezing cold, and how blustery the wind is, there will always be joggers on the road.

I took this shot on Beach Road in Sea Point at around 10.30am. As you can see, we've been having some decidedly wintry weather. Of course, it's the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere today, so technically we're now heading for summer again. And not a moment too soon...

According to Wikipedia, these Helmeted Guineafowl are "very agile and powerful flyers". I'm afraid I can't vouch for that - I've only ever seen them jump, to be honest. And as mentioned previously, on one or two occasions, I've seen them flap their way into a tree or onto a roof. But fly? Never. I don't believe it for a second.

We used to live near a water reservoir in Durbanville, and I would watch in the mornings as the members of the resident flock of guineafowl flapped up onto the reservoir one by one, lined up along the ledge, and then took it in turns to jump off again. Some of them were more hesitant than others though, and I could imagine their feathery buddies at the bottom egging them on to "just jump already, would you?!" These silly big birds never fail to amuse me.

Scenes like this just make me want to pack a picnic basket and a bag full of books, and head off to the neighbourhood dam for an afternoon of reading. (Unfortunately we don't have a boat though, so I'd have to be content with a spot on the grass under the trees.)

There are few luxuries I crave quite as much or as often as a guilt-free afternoon of reading - there always seem to be so many other things that need to be done, must be done, can't be ignored. I'm certain I'm not the only one who feels this way...

Steak is big in South Africa, and although not a luxury that we could afford as a staple part of our diet, we do still go out for a good piece of meat every so often.

It's been cold and wintry, so we decided to pop out to our local Cattle Baron steakhouse. They generally have steak of above average quality, and so we were happy to learn of a special discount they were offering on one of their signature dishes, the Chateaubriand - only R79 (about €6.40 or $10.00).

The Chateaubriand is essentially a 200 gram piece of fillet, covered with brandy and set alight upon arrival at the table. You absolutely have to click through to their website - there's a little flash video of the flaming Chateaubriand on the landing page.

Gordon's Bay is located on a steep mountainside, about 45 minutes from Cape Town. The town has a distinctly Mediterranean, holiday-like feel about it, with beautiful houses built against the mountain and rows of shops and restaurants lining the road opposite the beachfront.

At the request of the fishing community, a harbour was built in Gordon's Bay in the 1930s; eventually, in the 1950s, permission was given for yachts to be moored here as well. The buildings in the background of this shot are part of the South African Naval College, which was formally established in 1966.

Today, 16 June, is Youth Day - a public holiday and a day on which South Africans remember the hundreds of students who died in the 1976 Soweto Uprising. Many took the opportunity to take a mini-vacation, staying over in hotels (like the Southern Sun hotel in this photo), guest houses, caravan parks and holiday resorts. Others took time out to attend Youth Day rallies around the country.

The Soweto Uprising was initially triggered by a government edict stating that black children would be taught in Afrikaans (the language of the then-oppressor) only. The rally on 16 June 1976 started off in a peaceful manner, but soon turned to violence when the police opened fire on the school children.

Today, 32 years after the protest, much has changed in South Africa. Nelson Mandela has been released from prison, the ANC has taken control of the country, the National Party no longer exists, and most children are able to receive instruction in their home language. The South Africa of today is entirely unlike the one of 32 years ago.

Gordon's Bay is a popular family beach. The reasonably warm sea water is pretty shallow for 50 to 100 metres (depending on the tide), with little backwash. False Bay, which includes Gordon's Bay, supplies this beach with either swells, or waves just about big enough for body surfing.

The only unpleasant aspect of Gordon's Bay is that at times the wind blows so violently that the supersonic sand stings one's legs, and umbrellas become impossible to tether.

I spotted this bulldozer moving sand from the high-water mark down to the ocean's edge. I imagine that the municipality realised that if they don't move the sand back to the water's edge, the wind will in no time move their lovely white sand down to Strand beachfront and they'll be left with too little beach to satisfy eager beach-goers.

Father's Day... a day on which we show appreciation to our dads for the contribution that they have made to who we are. My dad's not really very keen on the idea of Father's Day - he believes that it's simply another idea concocted by businesses to take money from us.

Anyway, our family kind of ignores his position on the matter and so I decided to take him out for lunch to Royale Eatery in Long Street today. Since Kerry-Anne has already written about Royale here, I won't say much more about this restaurant, except that the service and milkshakes were awesome.

You may notice that today isn't Father's Day, and that it's actually celebrated tomorrow on 15 June. I have a brother and sister, so they get to take our dad out on Sunday... I think I had the better deal however, since it seems as though it's going to be raining for most of tomorrow. :)

I stopped on the side of Durbanville Road (leading to Contermanskloof) to take a couple of photos of these farm-workers' houses. (I'm not 100% sure that they are in fact anybody's homes of course, but there's a good chance that they are.)

Farm-workers are generally not very well paid, so for them often only two options exist: either they commute daily to and from a crowded informal settlement or they stay on the farm at which they work, living in a brick house, albeit run down.

Sadly, years ago during the apartheid era, farm-workers were often paid in wine. It may sound strange, but from what I've heard, alcoholic workers were happy with the arrangement as it fed their addiction, and farmers were happy because cheap wine was easy to produce. You can read more about the lasting effects of this exploitative system (known as the "dop system") here and here.

Autumn Leaves is a piece of music about as mandatory to the jazz musician as Happy Birthday is at a birthday party. I was first introduced to the piece by a guitarist friend who now lives in London - and this photo reminded me of him.

The particular autumn leaves in today's photo can be found just outside my study, attached to the grapevine that decorates our patio. Winter is in full swing in the southern hemisphere: it's cold, it's wet and it's certainly my least favourite season of the year.

The winter solstice is almost here... and then summer will be on its way. I can't wait.

On 11 June 2010, exactly two years from today, Cape Town will be a host city of one of the world's most exciting world sporting events, the FIFA World Cup. Local excitement is mounting and whenever the topic comes up these days people excitedly focus on how they can't believe that it's only two years away. It seems like only yesterday that we won the bid to host the event.

We've had a lot of rain in the past two days. I've had the privilege of working with a couple of consultants from Johannesburg this week who suffered terribly under the cold and wet Cape Town weather. Johannesburg (in the north) is a summer rainfall area, while Cape Town is a winter rainfall area. Our cold temperatures, in conjunction with rain and blustery wind, tend to catch visitors off guard.

So, if you're planning on visiting our lovely city for the World Cup in 2010, do remember to pack summer clothes (for those odd warm days) as well as significant quantities of warm and wet-weather clothes.

Note: The City Council has already started with negotiations with respect to the weather over this time period in 2010. Emerging from a three-day weather summit with the ARC (African Rainfall Council) earlier today, representatives seemed upbeat about the possibility of warm and dry weather over the World Cup month. It seems however that part of the agreement involves a 40-day period in which Cape Town would have to catch up on rainfall delayed over the the World Cup month.

Rooiels Bay is contained inside the significantly larger False Bay. The town of Rooiels is a small fishing village blessed the likes of Galjoen, Red Roman, Blacktail, White Steenbras, Musselcracker, Geelbek, Kob, Red Stumpnose and Hottentot. Apart from these fish, the area has (for as long as anyone can remember) been a favorite place for catching shellfish, especially Crayfish and Prawns.

One of the comments made on yesterday's post correctly identified the area as being along the scenic Clarence Drive, which is indeed known as one of the most beautifully scenic coastal drives in the country.

Whenever I see a sign like this, I think, "Gosh, it's great that they're warning me, but I'm not too sure what I'm supposed to do now that I've seen the sign." (In case you're not familiar with this sign, it means: "Beware - possible rock falls.")

Should I turn around and take another road instead? Not practical, no. Should I keep a lookout to my right, watching for large boulders rushing down the mountainside, so that I can take evasive action into the sea? Tricky and potentially dangerous - I might mistake a mountain goat for a boulder for instance, and plunge to an unnecessary watery death in my haste to get away from it.

Maybe they're actually just cruel, and really mean for me to drive this stretch of road with paralysing fear as my navigator. What do you think?

It felt eerie to stand in a field still holding the scars of a bushfire. This area between Kleinmond and Betty's Bay had not too long ago been engulfed in flames, and these sparsely distributed proteas are really the only plants standing above ground level. While driving I also noticed how a few houses on the outskirts of Betty's Bay had been burned. It was also strange to see two houses next to each other on a burned-out mountain slope, one burned to ruin and the other untouched.

However destructive the fire was, it was interesting to note that a burned fynbos field holds some kind of beauty and appeal... this I found strange indeed.

The air was crisp and still, and dew coated every surface on which I wanted to place my camera (so that I could capture a steady shot). It was the kind of cold that runs down the back of your neck, and makes your nose so cold that it feels ever so slightly wet.

I'm certainly not one for early mornings, but on this particular morning I happened to be awake early enough to have breakfast and capture this scene. This beautiful lawn, clear blue pool and exquisite sunrise belongs to the Western Cape Hotel and Spa at the Arabella Country Club golf estate, mentioned in yesterday's post.

These cool and clear winter mornings are what makes winter special in Cape Town. It's a shame that we can't arrange days like this on demand for tourists. On the one hand it's cheaper to visit South Africa in the winter, but on the other hand if you pick the wrong week you could end up seeing more rain than you'd care to.

This estate is home to over 150 luxury houses and the spectacular Western Cape Hotel and Spa. I was fortunate enough to attend a conference at the hotel and sleep over in one of the luxury homes on the estate.

Although I don't play golf, it was clear that the pristine course and beautiful views were a compelling enough reason to drive an hour from Cape Town to the small coastal town of Kleinmond with the sole aim of beating a little white ball around a huge lawn.

Being at a venue with spa facilities had me wondering what percentage of people who can afford it actually do visit spas for various treatments. It's a little expensive for us, so neither Kerry-Anne nor I have. I do think that we will have to cough up some time, pay the high premium and see what all the fuss is about.

I was intrigued to discover this evening that the Bloemendal Restaurant (see the previous two posts for more info) also hosts medieval functions at their venue.

I've always wanted to throw a medieval-style party, where people are free to climb on the tables, eat with their hands, and stab fellow guests with swords if they feel so inclined. (Those plastic stage-swords, obviously... what were you thinking?)

These parties don't appear to be cheap though, so I don't think I'll be holding one this year. Have you been to a medieval party? If so, where?

This shot was taken outside the restaurant building - if you visit their website, you'll recognise it immediately in the picture on the landing page.

In yesterday's post I mentioned that we had lunch at the Bloemendal Restaurant. I also mentioned that there was loads of food to go around. Today's photo was also taken at Bloemendal, but today I'll draw your attention not to the food, but to the stove on which the food was kept hot.

When last have you seen a cast-iron coal stove? Isn't it really awesome? The last time I remember seeing a stove like this was in about 1981 in my grandmother's kitchen in Tzaneen (way up north in the Limpopo Province). I remember my mother (who grew up with a coal stove) telling me how much trouble it was to get the stove going. Apparently we have it easier these days. ;)

Each year our CIO treats the IT department to a small function. It's a time when colleagues can get together and catch up with each other - and where a few are awarded long-service awards (which, in IT, is anything from 5 years!).

The buffet lunch at Bloemendal Restaurant this afternoon was honestly one of the best we've had. As far as meat goes, all types were on offer, from chicken pie to lamb spitbraai to beef rib and venison. Veggies were plentiful, salads were divine and the dessert... ah, yes, the dessert...

I find this traffic sign very... strange. It's positioned at the entrance to the parking area of the KwikSpar featured in yesterday's post. I initially thought that it meant that trucks weighing more than 1 ton could not use the road. But the problem I have is that my car (and in fact, many cars) weighs significantly more than 1 ton.

This leaves me wondering - do they mean that trucks with more than 1 ton of cargo aren't allowed? I'm not sure. This is an odd sign indeed.

If you have a moment, click here to read Kerry-Anne's blog post about the natural beauty that surrounds us in South Africa. Her post forms a chapter of South Africa's first blook (that's a book published across several blogs), and you can find the introduction and list of chapters here.

Along with the Seven Eleven and Eight Till Late, KwikSpar is one of the large corner-cafe chains in South Africa. In our case, we have a KwikSpar just around the corner from us, but not on a corner... and hence not a corner shop. ;)

These "corner" shops are really convenient and sell everything from bread and milk to meat and vegetables, detergents and batteries. Goods are generally priced a little higher than normal, but not so expensive as to negate the convenience factor.

There are 174 blogs participating in today's theme day. Take a trip around the world, from corner shop to corner shop, by following the links below; or click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey by afyonblog, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Ararat, Australia by Digger, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Aspen (CO), USA by IamMBB, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Avignon, France by Nathalie, Barrow-in-Furness, UK by Enitharmon, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Belgrade, Serbia by Bibi, Belgrade, Serbia by BgdPic, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Brookville (OH), USA by Abraham, Bucharest, Romania by Malpraxis, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by agrajag, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Cavite, Philippines by Steven Que, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Château-Gontier, France by Laurent, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chennai, India by Shantaram, Chennai, India by Ram N, Chicago (IL), USA by U R us, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Corsicana (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, Edinburgh, UK by Dido, Evry, France by Olivier, Folkestone, UK by Clare Unsworth, Forks (WA), USA by Corinne, Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA by Gigi, Gainesville (FL), USA by Leah, Geneva (IL), USA by Kelly, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Gun Barrel City (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Hamilton, New Zealand by Sakiwi, Hangzhou, China by Chanin, Haninge, Sweden by Steffe, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Old Hyde, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Jogjakarta, Indonesia by Jogja Portrait, Katonah (NY), USA by Inkster1, Knoxville (TN), USA by Knoxville Girl, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Le Guilvinec, France by ds2944, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Los Angeles (CA), USA by Martha Perez, Mainz, Germany by JB, Manila, Philippines by Heyokity, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Poly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Misawa, Japan by misawa mama, Monroe (GA), USA by Tanya, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montego Bay, Jamaica by Ann, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Mumbai, India by Magiceye, Nancy, France by yoshi, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Delhi, India by Delhi Photo Diary, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, New York City (NY), USA by • Eliane •, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Oklahoma City (OK), USA by ananda.tashie, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Oslo, Norway by Lothiane, Owasso (OK), USA by Jennifer, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Perth, Australia by Elevation7, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Petoskey (MI), USA by Christie, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Townsend (WA), USA by raf, Portland (ME), USA by Corey, Posadas, Argentina by Lega, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea by Jules, Ramsey, Isle of Man by babooshka, Reykjavik, Iceland by Vírgíll, Riga, Latvia by Fotos. Riga Photos, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Rouen, France by Bbsato, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Zentmrs, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, San Francisco (CA), USA by Louis la Vache, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Seoul, South Korea by Phil, Sequim (WA), USA by Norma, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, Springfield (IL), USA by Aubrey, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Ann, Sydney, Australia by Julie, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Tel-Aviv, Israel by Olga, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torino, Italy by Fabrizio, Torun, Poland by Torun Observer, Torun, Poland by Glenn, Toulouse, France by Julia, Turin, Italy by Livio, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Urayasu, Japan by Zono, Victoria, Canada by Benjamin Madison, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn