tikki hock

[Doc Vernon]

Thats the view i remember most Vernon, although i did enjoy my visit in 2011, thought it was a lovely city still. I stayed in the Town House Hotel, right by the police station, and the park with the Governers house. kt

Yes a nice Hotel there Keith and not too far from the Gardens Walk down the Avenue,what a lovely Walk that still is,how many times walked that Avenue feeding the Squirrils with Bags of Peanuts one would buy at the entry from the Peanut Seller!
We lived just at the top of that Avenue in a smallish Double Story White House it is still there and very very close to the famous Mt Nelson Hotel,which is of course direcrly oppsite the Avenue.
Cheers

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[Keith Tindell]

That brought back some nice memories Vernon, as you say a nice hotel. I walked freely round Capetown with my wife, and had no problems at all. I did not go out at night, but did not feel in danger anywhere. had some lovely meals in various places in the city, and also took the *hop on-hop off bus* within the city and the outlying district. Enjoyed the visit to the district 6 museum, kt

[Robbie Murray]

I'm not sure everyone lasted until the early hours! Didn't it have Wild West Saloon Doors? I have a vague memory of bodies flying out onto the pavement ....

[happy daze john in oz]

Robbie, in those days so many weird and wonderful events took place.
Memories of heads in the morning you were convinced did not belong to you.
'Ladies, selling their bodies to the highest bidder as long as he had a bottle of Brandy in his pocket.
Seamen totally lost looking for some way back to their ship and not even aware of where they were.
Del Monicos where the celling moved, and would gallop after a few more Brandy Squares.

[Robbie Murray]

Hi John
I came from a fairly sheltered background in Scotland, and ended up in South Africa as a musician on the Oranje in 1969. I only ever visited these establishments once, then decided it was best to avoid them! I did, however, wander all over Capetown in the daytime, exploring and taking photographs, and on one occasion was stranded for several hours just short of the top station on the cable car, which was being blown around so much that it couldn't dock without smashing itself to pieces. Pretty scary stuff!

I got in tow with a very nice local Jewish girl who came on with her pal to do the coastal trip up to Durban and back, who asked me if I would accompany her on a meet up with a business associate of her father, who was asian, and would be unable to pick her up in his car unless she had a white escort. He was the nicest guy you could imagine, who gave us the most wonderful 2 day tour of Natal, and took us home for a meal which his wife had prepared. Until then, my only experience of curry was a tin of Heinz curried beans and sultanas, eaten cold at 3 in the morning when I had arrived home from a gig. They were revolting, and I was terrified that his wife's banquet would be equally disgusting ... I shouldn't have worried: it was all delicious, and I had made friends in Durban who I could meet up with on subsequent trips. When we got back to Capetown, the girl invited me to stay the night at her flat, but made it clear there'd be no legover without 'precautions'. I traipsed round a load of late night chemists in Capetown without success - they had no idea what Durex was! I'm not sure they even understood 'Condom', but eventually I was able to make myself understood ... (I shan't go into it....)

Can't leave the subject, of course, since you're in Oz, without mentioning the well known difficulty Australians looking for Sellotape used to have over here, when asking for 'Durex' in WH Smiths!

[happy daze john in oz]

Yes mate, found it very odd when as a new one here a lady in the office asked me to pass the Durex to her.
Thought my luck was in until I discovered what she meant.


Curry in Durban, the greatest one I ever ate in my life was served up on a banana leaf in the Indian Market in Durban.
Not sure if it is still there now, but then what a place for a feed.
Large Indian population there in the 60's, still same now no doubt, but did very well in the market.

[Robbie Murray]

What a magical place, with those great mounds of dayglo curry powder - "Mother in Law Curry - None Hotter!" Next door was the african market, with witch doctor stalls selling a terrifying mix of bits of dead snakes and animals ... Scary!

Looks like the Indian market is still there, but the other great local sight - the Rickshaw Boys - are apparently almost gone. I was told their life expectancy was no more than 35 ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71wvmGShWiA

[Doc Vernon]

Don't forget the best of all Curries Hot and Red in a Half Loaf of Fresh Bread the good old Bunny Chow! Yummy! They were Delicious!

[Terry Sullivan]

You are not the only one that's that old! First time in Cape Town 1946 last time 1956. Castle boats still going strong then.
Terry Sullivan R340406

[Ivan Cloherty]

#90 Whose time Gib, which post are you referring to, can't be #89, I was also there in '56