Western Cape Article - South African Vacations

distances and the countryside houses were thus equipped with large kitchens and receptionrooms to entertain visitors. As the owners became more prosperous, the plain centre gableswere replaced by round, more decorative gables which reflected their new status.Some of the oldest churches in the country, beautiful kramats (Muslim shrines) andsandstone chapels are found in the Western Cape. Victorian bungalows decoratedwith "broekielace" ironwork, the large houses of the ostrich feather barons and thefishermen’s cottages of the West Coast are also typical of the Western Cape.The tombs of holy Muslim men, some of whom were deported from Dutch colonies in the Eastbecause of their opposition to Dutch rule, are dotted around the Cape Peninsula. Muslimsbelieve that these kramats act as a protective spiritual barrier against natural disasters. Localbelievers visit each of the tombs before making the obligatory pilgrimage to Mecca.Museums and cultural sites abound in the Western Cape. Many of these are the restoredhomes of people who played a prominent role in South Africa’s past and now allow a glimpseinto the lifestyles of the past. Others display the natural history of the Cape and works of art.The oldest displays are those of the San people, who depicted their now almost extincthunter-gatherer way of life on the walls of caves.The meshing of culture, religion and tradition in the Western Cape has given rise to akaleidoscope of lifestyles and rich cultural heritage. The cultural diversity of the Western Capeis one of its most dynamic features. True to its historical name “the Tavern of the Seas”,Western Cape cuisine ranges from Malay curries to fish or crayfish cooked over an open fire,leg of lamb and ostrich steak, as East, West and African tastes meet. Seafood dishes, suchas crayfish, prawns, calamari and smoked snoek, are plentiful and are best enjoyed right onthe beach. In the Karoo, Afrikaans farm fare consists of tender Karoo lamb. The numerouswine estates offer a wide selection of fine table wines, port, sherry, muscadel and brandy.7