ABSTRACT
In November 2000 a publication entitled Travel Africa, which claims to be ‘The
UK’s Only Travel Magazine on Africa’, ran a special feature on Cape Town.1 The
editor, Craig Rix (2000/1: 3), attempting to lure visitors to Cape Town, asserted
that this ‘is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It has a real sense of
history, a dramatic backdrop, extraordinary indigenous flora, magnificent
beaches, outstanding vineyards and all things that make visiting a city so worth-
while.’ Traversing a series of self-guided routes offered by the Cape metropolitan
area’s tourism authority, the feature-writer elucidated on these aspects, focusing
on the ‘heritage triumphs’. The vicarious traveller/reader was taken from the Vic-
toria and Alfred Waterfront, the Castle of Good Hope, the ‘colonial elegance’ of
Parliament, the ‘antique broekie lace’ verandahs of Long Street, the ‘Victorian
seaside’ of Simon’s Town, St James and Muizenberg, to the ‘hidden gem’ of
Rhodes’ Memorial and the ‘fairytale white Dutch buildings and oak-lined streets’
of Stellenbosch. These ‘heritage triumphs’ were clearly those that followed the
paths of early European travellers, explorers, settlers and administrators (Debere
2000/1: 55-8).
