Cape Town Marathon

On the Ground

October is Southern Hemisphere spring, which means the wildflowers on the slopes of Table Mountain are doing something extraordinary while the rest of the world is heading into autumn. Cape Town is among the most beautiful cities on earth and it wears its inequalities in plain sight — this is uncomfortable and important to actually see, not look past. Don't stay only in the Waterfront; it is deliberately insulated from the city. The braai is not barbecue; it is a social process and you should find yourself at one. The wine region — Stellenbosch, Franschhoek — is forty minutes away and the wine costs a fraction of what comparable European bottles do. Go. The penguin colony at Boulders Beach is worth the hour south. This is not a whimsical suggestion.