The Golden Seal in front of the Table Bay Hotel, V & A Waterfront Cape Town.

GREETINGS FROM A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN CAPE TOWN, What a busy February we have had in Cape Town!  With many visitors, Cruise Lines, Hot Weather and Tours we have just not touched ground.  Our visitors were from Germany, UK, New Zealand, Australia, USA and Canada. So pleased that many of them were first time visitors to South Africa.I was fortunate to do some Tours once again with the some of the Cruise lines such as Oceania Insignia Cruise Line from the USA.  This is their first visit to South Africa and the Sea Princess. Our Tours took us to Table Mountain, Cape Point, Robben Island and of course the Winelands of Stellenbosch.

The photographs above are of Robben Island: The island, a World Heritage Site some 9km (5.5ml) offshore from Cape Town, was dubbed “Robben” (the Dutch word for seal) Island by early settlers in reference to the seal population at the time. Over the centuries, the island has housed a prison, hospital, mental institution, leper colony and a military base. Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of the 27 years of his incarceration imprisoned on the island. The tour of the Robben Island Museum begins at the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V & A Waterfront with a multimedia exhibition, a museum shop and restaurant to entertain you whilst you wait for the ferry to depart for the island.  Please be sure to be there 30 minutes prior to the departure time, with the gates closing 10 minutes prior to departure. Ferries depart at 9am, 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm and each tour takes approximately 3.5 hours including the boat trip there and back (the ferry trips times vary from 20 minutes to an hour depending on the weather and the vessel). On the island, tours are all guided by former political prisoners of the island, offering the visitor a truly unique insight into the island’s history and personal accounts of prison life. The tour includes a visit to the maximum security prison, with the poignant stop reserved for Mr Mandela’s former cell, prepared exactly as it was when he was imprisoned here.  We were very privileged to meet with Christo Brand who was Mr Mandela’s warden. He has just published his book “My Prisoner, My Friend” check at your local bookshop or library, or on your visit to Robben Island. The beautiful white church – The Church of the Good Shepherd (generally known as the Lepers’ Church) was built by the lepers themselves in 1895 to the designs of the distinguished architect Sir Herbert Baker. The money for the church came from the Rev W.V. Watkins.  The stone was quarried on the island.  It was an Anglican church, and only to be used by men and was not provided with pews. It had no pews, because lepers could only stand or lie down. A general infirmary was established on Robben Island in the 1846 to receive the chronically sick, insane and lepers to relieve pressure on mainland hospitals. There was over 1,000 lepers on the island at some point. The lepers were all moved to Pretoria in 1930. In 1931 all leper buildings, with exception of the Church of the Good Shepherd, were burned and demolished.  The graves surrounding the Church of the Good Shepherd are those of lepers who died on the island. www.robben-island.org.za  Telephone: +27(0)21 413 4220

On the 21^st February International Tourist Guide day was celebrated all over the world. Cape Town did their share by inviting all Guides to join them on a trip by Tourism Train to Stellenbosch and bus to visit Blue Rock Cable Waterskiing just outside Sir Lowry’s Pass Village, where we were entertained by seeing a few young men demonstrating their skills on the water. A lovely resort to take the family and friends for a day out in the country.  Also ideal for team building such as Paintball, conferencing, picnic parties, or just relaxing at the waters’ edge and enjoy Mediterranean-style food from their Restaurant Pizzeria. Email: info@bluerock.co.za  Telephone enquiries: 021 858 1330 Mobile: +27(0)84 366 3233

After this wonderful experience we proceeded to the Idiom Wine Estate also in the Sir Lowry’s Pass area. What a wonderful wine estate with views as far as Cape Town, really a wonderful setting. We were welcomed with a lovely drink and then we could have some wine tasting, have photographs taken via Revelbox a modern camera made on the old type one where the photographer had his head covered with a black cloth. Much laughter when we had our photographs taken. www.revelbox.co.za  072 116 2406 We were also welcomed by Olyn from Royal African Diamonds who presented all the Guides with a goody bag containing a bottle of water, cookies, a muffin and their beautiful brochure. Do make a visit to them when you are in Cape Town, but make an appointment first. Tel: 021 424 3000 www.royalafricandiamonds.co.za  

After everyone had a good look around, tasted wine, had their photographs taken we were all welcomed to a wonderful Buffet in an amazing setting which is their lovely large restaurant with views from every corner of the Restaurant. What a feast was awaiting us. They will be opening their establishment shortly to the public and we highly recommend a visit with your family and friends. Their wines served at the table with our food was ever flowing and very light to the pallet. Their Cuisine had an Italian flavour plus lovely homemade breads and cheese and a delightful dessert. Email: info@bottegafamilywine.co.za  wine@idiom.co.za  Tel: 021 852 3590

We would like to thank Wesgro, Metro Rail. HGTS Tours, Travelling Media, CPT Bookings, Western Cape Government and the people mentioned above for a wonderful International Tourist Guides Day, which would not have been possible without their assistance. Another event to look forward to, if you should be in Cape Town is our annual Cape Town Carnival which will be held on the 12^th March this year. An event not to be missed by anyone.

CTC Marketing now also has a Twitter account @ElaineCorbett7 so please follow us, and you are welcome to send us a message or two. Chris and I wish you all a wonderful March and hope that you will still have visitors coming around before our cooler weather sets in.

Warm Regards and God Bless,

Visiting Kwa Zulu Natal during 2016?  Then do visit St Lucia  - Advantage Cruises Contact: 035 590 1180  Mobile 083 487 2762 ( after hours ) advantage@zululink.co.za

Advantage Cruises offer hippo/crocodile Boat Cruises on the St Lucia Estuary, Whale and Dolphin Watching tours from St Lucia beach as well as Richards Bay harbour as well as Durban harbour , also harbour cruises in Richards Bay, and deepsea Game Fishing in St Lucia, Turtle tours in St Lucia, Big 5 Game Safaris to the iMfolozi/Hluhluwe Parks , Game Safaris in the Eastern and Western Shores of the iSimangaliso World Heritage Site Wetland Park, Night Drives into the iSimangaliso Parks , Zulu Cultural Tours in Khula Village just outside of St Lucia,  Kayaking on the St Lucia Estuary, Horse Riding on St Lucia beach OR a Game Ride,  Scuba Diving can be arranged, they will also assist you with all your accommodation requests.  Do not forget your camera, see Hippo and Birdlife included.

On arrival in THIS main office of ours we do have FREE WI FI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9InwyBvCpo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zIpH04kBhg

ST LUCIA SOUTH AFRICA – PLACE OF WONDER – iSimangaliso Wetland Park – World Heritage Site – take ‘advantage’ of the ADVANTAGE team – we will do everything in our power to make your holiday eventful – tick off our activities on your bucket list –

DEEPSEAS  GAME FISHING @ R1100.00 pp  6-7 Hours per trip: All tackle supplied and what you catch is yours.

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 Thought of the Day:   But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:27

Corbett Tourism Consulting, Marketing and Tours P.O. Box 11535, Bloubergrant, 7443 Cape Town, South Africa   Mobile: +27 (0) 747 092 502 / 073 1409 700 elainecorbett@ctcmarketing.co.za Twitter: ElaineCorbett7