Author Archives: Paul

Lazy afternoon beach days

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Lazy afternoon beach days
Like seriously, don't even think about spending the afternoon on our beaches without an umbrella, or some other shade-making device. This is African sun baby.

Many years ago, before people were aware of the danger of sun exposure, my dad used to spend many hours in the sun, sans sunblock - of course. He's in his 70s now and has to regularly visit his dermatologist regularly to have patches of skin cancer removed. Given the lesson I've learned from him, and all the attention the media has given to the relationship between sun exposure and skin cancer, I'm super cautious with the sun and find it surprising that so many people don't take it seriously.

Sure, my dad won't die from skin cancer, but it has to be darn annoying to have to get those patches treated every few months. Rather cover up, use sun block, don't tan too much, and save yourself a tremendous amount of discomfort later in life.

*This photo was taken on the blue flag Camps Bay beach.

Walking the Woodstock sidewalks

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Walking the Woodstock sidewalks
The Cape Town suburb of Woodstock is one of the oldest suburbs in Cape Town. Years back, before the sea was forced back to where it is now, Woodstock used to be a seaside suburb... in fact, my dad remembers swimming at Woodstock beach!

Many Capetonians don't know this, but for some reason (unlike the well-known District Six area) Woodstock escaped the apartheid era's segregation laws. Somehow it remained an area where Caucasian, African, Coloured and Asians could live side-by-side.

Naturally, given the apartheid times and industrialisation the area became run down and dilapidated. Crime increased, and the Woodstock became an undesirable area. In the late 1990s the government started an urban renewal program to uplift the area. Now, 15 years on, while the streets and many buildings are still terribly run down, many businesses have opened in the area, young people have started buying and renovating homes, and much of Cape Town's middle- and upper-class have started frequenting places like The Old Biscuit Mill and The Woodstock Foundry.

While I certainly wouldn't suggest you wander at times when the streets are quiet, take some time to walk the Woodstock streets on a Saturday morning - there are plenty of interesting and unusual things to see.

2014 FHM calendar launch party

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2014 FHM calendar launch
Each year I get invited to go along to the FHM calendar launch party, and for some reason each year I manage to miss the event.

I really wasn't feeling up to it after a long day at the office, but given that I love taking photos of people, I knew that I'd probably enjoy the evening I hence convinced myself to go out and be part of the fun and admire the beautiful woman that comprise the 2014 calendar.

I arrived at The Office (where the event was being held), and was presented with a drink (and interesting flavoured beer, though, I can't remember the brand) and ushered upstairs where the party was erupting.

I spent the next two hours taking photos of the models (who, as you can suspect, really love having their pictures taken) and mingling among the excitable guests, most of whom were packed like a shoal of sardines on the outside balcony.

I'll post a few more pictures and give you my impression of the models and the event in one or two follow-up posts.

EDIT: Here are links to more photos from launch party. Enjoy. :)
Photos 1 - Photos 2 - Photos 3

The breakfast assembly line

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The breakfast assembly line
These guys were assembling a strange pancake-bacon-type breakfast. They had one of the longest queues at the Neighbourgoods Market's breakfast section, so I assume it must have been pretty good. :) Check that post about the market out over here.

Woodstock’s Neighbourgoods Market

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Woodstock's Neighbourgoods Market
I hadn't visited the Neighbourgoods Market at the old biscuit mill in Woodstock for years - and my, what a surprise. Saturday mornings have the place bustling with thousands of people, mostly crowding around the food stalls (well, I say thousands, but that's unrealistic, of course.)

Even though their Facebook page lists the market as opening at 09h00, it was already well-occupied by early shoppers at 08h45. So, if you're averse to crowds, try getting there at 08h30. Two hours later, you'll be glad you did. ;)  

Love indigenous

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Love indigenous
As I've mentioned before, the Green Point Park is filled with indigenous plants. I imagine the vegetation in this scene looks quite different to that back home where you live, not so?

If you're not familiar with Cape Town, then perhaps you wouldn't recognise that green hill as being Signal Hill - although if you've ever visited here I can't imagine you'd mistake the one in the background for anything other than Lion's Head. Kinda pretty, don't you think?

Flowers and stadia

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Flowers and stadia
As you can see, I took this photo in the Green Point Urban Park that's part of (or at least, borders on) the Cape Town Stadium complex.

If you haven't already, pick a clear sunny windless day and take some time to visit the park in the early morning (when it opens, at 7am) or in the late afternoon (say, at about 18h00). It's a lovely place to walk around and absorb the tranquility of nature and aroma of our indigenous flora.

Red Poppy or Single Ranunculus?

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Poppy or Single Ranunculus?
I'm not sure if you can tell from this angle, but what kind of flower do you think this is?

I at first thought it was a poppy, but then Kerry-Anne suggested that it could also be a single ranunculus. Any thoughts?

Late breakfast at Tokara

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Late breakfast at Tokara
After waking up a little late we hunted the web for a place that served breakfast until a reasonable time - which would be noon. :)

We'd often heard of Tokara, the wine and olive farm, but never visited - so we "whooped" and patted ourselves on the back when we discovered that they served breakfast until 12pm!

We rushed off to Stellenbosch, and ascended the Helshoogte mountain pass, arriving at Tokara at 11h40, just in time to order breakfast.

It's a beautiful place, and I'll post a few more photos, but in the meantime let me say that you really want to visit the delicatessen (where this photo was taken). The (huge) croissant, bacon, and eggs combination was both delicious and well priced - and their coffee, well let's say that they sure know how to make coffee.

Open gardens: Strange baby statues

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Open gardens: Strange baby statues
Wowie, who comes up with this kinda thing? I mean, it's interesting, but oh so strange! Do you reckon that's an eel, or a snake?

See this post for more about this photo and Rustenberg Wine's open gardens.