Text / Photo by Peng Ran

My father was a sailor when I was young. He told me many stories about the places he'd been to. One of the most impressive was about the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of the African Continent. Legend has it that in contrast to its auspicious name, it was a cursed place for sailors because so many ships had been wrecked there that people believed it was the dwelling place for Davy Jones, the sea devil.

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A bird's-eye view of downtown Cape Town and Table Bay from the top of Table Mountain. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com]

Years later, when I set foot on the beach at the Cape of Good Hope, I understood why the legend goes like that --- the blustering wind, the roaring waves and the looming white breakers in the middle of the water rumored to be made by ghosts from sunken ships. Located on the turbulent intersection of the Atlantic and Indian oceans and studded with submerged reefs, the Cape of Good Hope was indeed a nightmare for poorly-equipped sailors from the old times, who gave it the name of "Good Hope" to pray for good luck. Those who successfully passed the perilous area and made to Cape Town not only got supplies for their future trips but were also respected as standout adventurers.

Thanks to modern maritime technology, nowadays the Cape of Good Hope has become a safe sea route and a very popular tourist destination of South Africa. At the Cape Point, the red-capped old beacon above and the restless sea below remind visitors of the spirit of adventure this place symbolized during the great era of maritime exploration.

For a ship traveling from east to west, the Cape of Good Hope indicates they will arrive in Cape Town, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Cape Town was originally developed in the mid-1600s as a supply station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India, and the Far East. For two centuries before the construction of the Suez Canal, it was a crucial harbor on the sea route linking the two halves of the world.

The provincial capital of West Cape, and the legislative capital of South Africa, Cape Town has plenty to boast: dramatic mountains, spectacular beaches, glorious vineyards and beautiful forests. Its colonial past has been well preserved while its cosmopolitan atmosphere beats to a different rhythm when compared to other South African cities.

I found the most romantic spot of the city at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Here old buildings of historical and architectural value were remodeled to transform an old downtown harbor into the city's premier entertainment and shopping center. I thought it was a good place to spend a sunny and lazy afternoon to sit in the shade outdoors, smell the fresh air, drink some ice tea, share a cookie with seagulls, and nap a little in the mild breeze from the sea.