We all have these photos … throwback photos!
It’s described as ‘nostalgia-inducing pictures … from a different era of your life”.
Every Thursday we will throw a photo of ‘way back when’ on our blog. Why on a Thursday? Because it’s just a day away from the weekend … and we love weekends!
You are welcome to join in or just enjoy the photos (#TB Thursday).
February 2016 – Simon’s Town and V&A Waterfront (Cape Town, South Africa)
Simon’s Town and the famous V&A Waterfront are popular places to visit for both locals and international travellers. Today we take you there.
On a bright and sunny Saturday in February 2016, we drove to the lovely Simon’s Town, about 40km (24 miles) from Cape Town.
Simon’s Town:
Simon’s Town is located on the shores of False Bay, on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula. It is the naval base of South Africa and has a lovely harbour.
Harbour at Simon’s Town
The sheltered waters of False Bay
Our favourite place to eat in Simon’s Town is Bertha’s Restaurant. When we visit there, we like to sit in the outside area where you have beautiful views of the harbour. On this day we enjoyed a hearty breakfast and coffee.
Bertha’s Restaurant at Simon’s Town
There is so much more to see in Simon’s Town, such as Boulders beach penguin colony, naval museum, Windmill Beach and Jubilee Square. However, we will have to visit Simon’s Town again to take photos of all these attractions. It’s on our list during our next visit to Cape Town!
Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town:
The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (V&A Waterfront) is located on the Atlantic shore at Table Bay Harbour and is close to the center of Cape Town, as well as Table Mountain.
V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
The waterfront is named after Prince Alfred who started building on the harbour in 1860, and his mother Queen Victoria. The V&A Waterfront officially opened in 1988.
View over Table Mountain from the V&A Waterfront
It is still a working harbour and fishing boats bring in fresh fish, cruise ships dock here and larger container vessels are towed in by tugboats.
Table Bay Harbour (large cranes working on container vessels are visible in the distance)
The V&A Waterfront is one of Africa’s most visited destinations with more than 24 million visitors annually. You will find the following here:
- The attractive Aquarium,
- Cape Wheel,
- The Scratch Patch where kids of all ages can pick bags full of semi-precious stones,
- The Waterfront is also home to the V&A Food Market,
- The Historical walking tours are also popular,
- Helicopter rides departs from the V&A Waterfront,
- Cruise around the harbour,
- And then there’s the Victoria Wharf Shopping Center with hundreds of shops and dozens of restaurants
There is no shortage of shops and restaurants in the V&A Waterfront
We have no favourite restaurants at the V&A Waterfront – we have enjoyed meals and drinks at many restaurants/bars and always found them excellent. On this day we enjoyed a few drinks after shopping.
Drinks at the V&A Waterfront
It’s a given: When you visit Cape Town, the V&A Waterfront and Simon’s Town will definitely be at the top of your list!
Wet and Dusty Roads 
Looks like a lively place with lots of fun options, and beautiful too. I always enjoy reading about your past adventures and seeing your photos too. Thanks, Corna, for sharing!
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You are indeed right, in both Simon’s Town and the V&A Waterfront there is loads to do – you probably need a week if you want to fit in all the sights 😉. I’m glad you enjoy our TB photos Tricia – we do too!
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The Scratch Patch sounds interesting, Corna. It’s a beautiful place alright. So many visitors!
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I should have mentioned that the Scratch Patch is also a fun place for adults 😉. I collected the most beautiful semi-precious stones there on one of our visits! Yes, V&A Waterfront has a real cosmopolitan vibe – it’s the place where I’ve heard the most different languages at once!
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😁💗
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What a wonderful and lively place, Corna. I would like to go for a ride on a Ferris wheel – getting a bird’s eye perspective is often one of the best things you can do when first visiting a new city or town. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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The V&A Waterfront is definitely a popular tourist destination – precisely because there is so much to see and do. The Ferris Wheel is definitely a highlight (literally and figuratively) to see Cape Town from a bird’s eye view 🙂. Hope you have a good day too Aiva 🌸.
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Sounds like there’s a lot to see and do along the V&A Waterfront. It’s neat that it’s also a working harbour, which I’m sure contributes to the liveliness. Those drinks look refreshing! Cheers!
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There is probably not a tourist who misses the V&A Waterfront on a visit to Cape Town – it’s so popular! I remember that it was very hot on this particular day … now what’s nicer than a refreshing drink, cheers indeed 😉!
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You obviously had great weather to enjoy in that beautiful city. Port cities are always interesting and some are extremely scenic. But how can you beat Table Mountain?!
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It is always wonderful to explore Cape Town on sunny days – then the city is at its most beautiful! And as you say, Table Mountain is such an iconic landmark – few things beat that view!
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At the top of the list indeed! The V&A Waterfront looks like the perfect place to spend the day. I love that there is something for everyone – and those drinks look very tempting. Thanks for your insights!
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There is only one big problem when visiting Cape Town … you always have too little time to explore all the beautiful places 😁. It’s a tradition with us – when we pop into the V&A Waterfront, I order a cocktail (it always feels like a holiday)!
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If……we get there. Been on our list ever since the list was born!
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Ah, I love how you describe your list 😄. I think your list should be pages and pages of what you still want to see (and have already seen)! But don’t let Cape Town ever ‘disappear’ from your list …
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I love seeing where you go. How’s your husband doing? Feeling any better?
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He is doing much better, thanks Jessica. In fact, he’s almost back to his old self. We took a hike in a forest a week ago and he almost walked away from me 😉. Although I had to call him back a few times, I had to smile because he recovered so well! I’m glad you enjoy the places we visit – I also enjoy picking out pictures for each Thursday! I hope you are doing well too … isn’t spring coming your way now?
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Simon’s Town looks absolutely lovely, Corna. What a beast of a building Bertha’s is, how many times would you say you’ve eaten there? Do they have a signature dish? I had no idea that South Africa has sites under the V&A umbrella.
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Simon’s Town is one of the cutest coastal towns near Cape Town – I must remember to take pictures of the streets, cafes and shops next time! Bertha’s signature dish is undoubtedly seafood (they are renowned for their seafood platters). How many times did we eat there … oh, must be 10 times or more 🙂.
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What can I say? Of course I love to see any photos from this neck of the woods. It will always remain my home in my heart. Having lived in Muizenberg, Simonstown was a close neighbour, though we spent more time in Kalk Bay and Fishhoek. The Waterfront looked nothing like it does now back on the 1970s. Then it was purely a harbour where the liners left for the UK and Australia.
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Oh, we love Kalkbaai – I enjoyed walking around the little shops there! And one day I’m going to take pictures of the colourful beach huts on the beach in Muizenberg – such a beautiful place. I can imagine that the Waterfront must have changed a lot – I was there for the first time in 1983 (on a school tour) … it hardly even compares to how it looks there now!
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I would love to spend time at the V & A waterfront Corna as I’ve read quite a lot about it and obviously would like to visit Cape Town. I’d not heard of Simon’s Town but need to add this to our list too now, not least because one of our sons is called Simon!
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If you ever get the chance to visit Cape Town, you should put the V&A Waterfront on your ‘to do list’ … apart from everything to do there, I know you’ll also really enjoy the beautiful shops. Simon’s Town is named after Governor Simon van der Stel (he was from a Dutch naval anchorage) and it’s a lovely coastal town where old and new meet. You can take a picture at the name of the town and let your son know that there is a lovely village in SA that bears his name 🙂.
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Soos jy weet is ek en die stad nie die beste van pelle nie, maar met Kaapstad kan ek darem oor die weg kom. 😀
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Ek is 100% met jou hier Dries … ek sal veel eerder die kleiner dorpies besoek. Maar die Kaap is regtig een van die mooiste stede wat ek nog gesien het en dis altyd lekker om (vinnig) daar ‘n paar draaie te gooi voor ons weer platteland toe gaan 😄.
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Die Kaap is darem mooi.
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Dit is so waar Toortsie! Soos ek vir Dries van DeWetsWild nou-net gese het, dis een van die mooiste stede wat ek nog gesien het.
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The Harbour has one of the best settings under Tabletop Mountain. It’s a nice looking Harbour on its own but under the mountain takes it to another level. I can see why it’s so popular. Maggie
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That’s very true Maggie … Table Mountain is so majestic, it’s definitely the (natural) jewel of Cape Town!
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I love waterfronts! They have some of the coolest things!
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I love waterfronts too! And V&A Waterfront is certainly special with the majestic Table Mountain as a backdrop!
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There is so much to do there! Shopping at Victoria Wharf sounds like fun!
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The V&A Waterfront is probably the place to start a tour in and around Cape Town! The problem is when you are at the Waterfront, you will hardly want to leave to see other attractions!
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Stunning throw back pics of Simon’s Town and the V&A Waterfront .
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These are two beautiful places to visit when in Cape Town … one is half ‘old world’ while the other is hyper modern (but of course, both are stunning).
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