When the Sound of the Vuvuzela Starts Getting to You

The Vuvuzela is a plastic trumpet used by football fans in South Africa.

It's said that the earliest Vuvuzela was a kudu horn - called ixilongo in the Xhosa language - blown to summon African villagers to meetings. Later versions were made of tin, and now colourful plastic.

A stadium packed with thousands of vuvuzela-wielding fans is mind-blowing – one up close is like an elephant but en masse it’s more like a massive swarm of angry bees. And when there's action near the goal those bees really go crazy.

It’s no surprise that a bit of solitude, space and sanctuary might be high on your agenda between matches. Take a break from the buzz and be sure to include some time for pampering, from massage to aromatherapy, wraps, scrubs and hydro-therapy, its all on the menu in Cape Town and beyond into the Western Cape.

Then breathe in the sea air and head out to ‘The Catwalk’ which starts at the corner of Muizenberg Beach, and ends at St James near Kalk Bay. This level pathway runs along the rocky coast and is a great spot from which to take in the False Bay coastline, stretch your legs and get up close and personal with the odd whale.

Then how about some rolling vineyards, towering mountains, historic wine estates….and more than enough wine to keep the thirstiest old soak satisfied? You can start in the Constantia Wine Valley, where at Groot Constantia you will be welcomed by the tranquillity and beauty which charmed Simon van der Stel in 1685.

Its less than an hour’s drive from Cape Town (and a very scenic hour at that!), but the famous Cape Winelands feels like a completely different world. We reckon that you’re going to need some pampering after you’ve ‘shampled too musch of the local winesh’, and please don’t go driving until you’re well refreshed. The Franschhoek Valley’s luscious vineyards and noble Cape Dutch homes were created by 17th-century French Huguenots. This is a town where Bastille Day is celebrated each year, where the French flag flaps alongside the South African; where just about every restaurant or wine farm serves a pantry full of gourmet dining options.
Stellenbosch is South Africa’s second oldest town after Cape Town, and is one of the centres of the Afrikaner intelligentsia, with the University of Stellenbosch, having produced some of the country’s finest minds. Enjoy the oak-lined streets and the beautiful colonial buildings, many of which are open to visitors. In Paarl you can see two major landmarks – one man made (the Taal Monument, to the Afrikaans Language) and the other a cluster of magnificent 50 million year old granite boulders. Take a picnic basket and be inspired by the views across the valley. Just don’t forget to salute Nelson Mandela, before leaving town, at his bronze statue just outside the Groot Drakenstein Prison, formerly Victor Verster Prison where he took his first steps as a free man after 27 years as a political prisoner.

When up-market city slickers in Cape Town announce they need a break in the country, they don’t really mean a weekend on a muddy farm getting up at dawn to bond with cows. They mean a place like Greyton, in the Cape Overberg – packed with country charm but with a dash of sophistication amid the peace and quiet. The whole point about being in Greyton is that the fresh country air may inspire you to explore the mountains on a variety of marked walks through the fynbos. If you prefer doing it on horseback, then the Blue Hippo Retreat Centre and Guesthouse offers one hour horse trails as well as daily kundalini yoga classes, massages, walking the labyrinth, learning to cook healthy vegetarian food and life coaching. Who knows, you might even encounter the odd footballer looking for inner peace before returning to the pitch!

From Greyton it’s only an hour to the whale haven of Hermanus where you can make eye contact with the gentle spirit of the Southern Right whales in Hermanus (best landbase whale watching spot in the world). Take an easy walk along the cliff path that skirts the rocks and look out for the town’s whale crier with his kelp version of a vuvuzela, blown with discretion, of course…it’s a walk sure to restore body and soul. Nearby Stanford isn’t so sleepy anymore. The village is a little two-faced, which makes it a good compromise for those who can’t agree on whether the ideal getaway is about stomping back to nature through endless fynbos (local vegetation) or enjoying a home-grown lunch after a little light shopping.

And if all of these suggestions don’t warm your spirit, then how about Citrusdal on the Cape West Coast? The town is well-known for its healing hot mineral springs that bubble from the mountains, and after supporting your team (and all the late nights out), this is a good spot to rest your weary bod. Finding a hot spring to soak in during winter is especially nice, as there’s something slightly rebellious about lolling around in your bathing suit when there’s snow on the nearby Cederberg peaks.

If you want to drive a bit further for an awe-inspiring experience of following elephants’ footsteps through indigenous Cape fynbos whilst enjoying spectacular views of the Outeniqua mountain range and Knysna Forest, then head for Knysna on the Cape Garden Route where you will have a spiritual experience walking with resident African Elephants, leaving one humbled and moved.

Unwind a bit and recharge your spirit before plunging back into soccer-mad Cape Town where you may want to consult a revered sangoma (traditional healer) to get advice from the spirit-world ancestors on your team’s chances of reaching glory!


more:     do / who / eat / party / shop / connect

• Score an adrenaline hat trick [outdoor/active]
• Cheer a killer pass on and off the field [natural beauty]
• When your craving demands more than a burger [gourmet]
• Take in a bit of Cape culture as your team goes for glory [culture and heritage]
• When the sound of the vuvuzela starts getting to you [body, mind and spirit]
• Living it up when the final whistle blows [cosmopolitan vibe]