International Museum Day was launched a few decades ago with the main aim of raising awareness of the importance of museums and the huge role it plays in our communities and our lives.

This year, 18 May 2012 marks the 35th anniversary of International Museum Day and Cape Town will be celebrating this day with the rest of the world.

This year’s theme is Museums in a Changing World. New challenges, new inspirations.

Image by Iziko Museums*

There are several unique museums in Cape Town filled with rich heritage, history and culture. Many of them offer free entry and have a number of activities available in celebration of International Museum Day…

Chavonnes Battery Museum
The Chavonnes Battery Museum in the V&A Waterfront offers free entry in Celebration of International Museum Day on Friday 18th May 2012. A trip to Chavonnes Battery is like a blast from the past. Here you can get the feel of what Cape Town was like 300 years ago. Information boards are presented in English, Afrikaans and Xhosa. The museum is situated in the Nedbank/BOE Building, Clock Tower in the V&A Waterfront.

South African Museum
The South African Museum located in the Company Gardens in Cape Town is one of the oldest, most beautiful museums in the City. The museum offers a distinct range of collections that are thousands of years old. From fossils, to stone aged tools to extinct wild life, the South Africa Museum has it all. On International Museum Day the CEO of Iziko Museums will present a public discussion regarding the role of relevance of museums in the digital age. Entry to the Museum is free. This is one discussion you do not want to miss.

Iziko Museums
The Iziko Museums of Cape Town are an amalgamation of national museums located in and near the CBD, along what has been dubbed the “Museum Mile”. These museums aim to inspire, inform and encourage all people to celebrate and respect our diverse heritage and culture.

In celebration of International Museum Day the Iziko Museums has a variety of activities in line for the entire day that include book sales, film screenings and presentations at the Planetarium. A detailed programme can be found on their website.

Cape Town is home to many other great museums:

Bokaap Museum

Castle of Good Hope

District Six Museum

Robben Island Museum

Heart of Cape Town Museum

Slave Lodge

Iconic, breathtaking, magnificent and awe-inspiring are only a few words used to describe Cape Town’s (and South Africa’s) landmark mountain — Table Mountain.

Those of you lucky enough to have reached the top will know that standing on the flat-topped mountain feels like standing shoulder to shoulder with the clouds…no words can describe that feeling.

Besides rubbing shoulders with the clouds, you can also absorb views of the city, Robben Island, and overlook the Atlantic seaboard (depending on which direction you are facing).

Table Mountain by new7wonders

On Thursday, 3 May 2012, Mayor of Cape Town Patricia de Lille, (bursting with excitement) announced that Table Mountain has been officially named one of the New7Wonders of Nature.

According to an online source: “The New Seven Wonders title has great long-term marketing value for Cape Town and South Africa. The wonder becomes part of school curricula, it becomes a ‘must see’ and ‘bucket list’ item for travellers and explorers,” said De Lille.

A three-year contest to select seven of the world’s most spectacular natural wonders resulted in hundreds of millions of votes being cast via mobile and online platforms from 220 countries worldwide.

Along with Table Mountain, the Amazon forest in South America, Halong Bay in Vietnam, the Iguazu Falls in Brazil and Argentina, Jeju Island in South Korea, Komodo Island in Indonesia and the Puerto Princesa underground river in the Philippines complete the list of Seven Wonders of the World.

Weather hiking up the mountain with a group of friends or taking your family on trip up there with the cableway, exploring Cape Town’s natural wonder should definitely go on your bucket list.

Salmon Roses, Fashion Sandwiches, Avo Maki, Rainbow Rolls and Sashimi… hmmmmm we sure do love sushi! These are only a few of our favourite pieces of sushi we indulged in over the weekend at a quaint little restaurant called Asian Asia.

Photo by Daniel St.Pierre

Sushi has become a favourite pass time for many Capetonians mainly because of its health benefits and because it’s so delicious of course. It is definitely one of our favourite activities.

With the main aim to suppress a long overdue sushi craving, the That’s Cape Town team headed to Asian Asia – a charming restaurant situated in Tyger Waterfront, Bellville. Located over looking a serene lake, Asia Asian offers a tranquil and relaxing dining experience.

Tranquil setting overlooking the lake

Their menu focuses on a variety of Asian dishes – Chinese, Japanese, Thai with plenty of seafood and vegetarian options too, but we were there for their superb sushi menu.

Our Order – One Two Ocean Platter (16 pieces), which consists of:
4 x Two Oceans Roll, 4 x Tuna California Roll, 4 x Salmon Sandwich, 2 x Salmon Sashimi and 2 x Tuna Sashimi and one

Dolphin Beach Platter (30 pieces), which consists of:
4 x Suki Roll, 4 x Salmon California, 2 Salmon Rose, 4 x Two Oceans, 2 x Prawn Nigiri, 2 x Salmon Sashimi, 4 x Smoked Salmon Sandwich and 8 x Avo Maki – Total R278, 00.

After stuffing our faces with 46 pieces of sushi we were proud to say that Asian Asia’s sushi is fantastic! The sizes were reasonable and fit perfectly in our mouths. It was fresh and the platters were well presented.

After realizing that our craving had not been properly suppressed, we decided to get a take away. This time we opted for some of the chef’s specials. These included America Rolls, Tiger Rolls and Teriyaki Rolls. If you’re eager to find out what these pieces consist of, then take a trip to Asian Asia. Trust us, you will not regret it.

Junior Brand Executive at Etv, Graye Morkel along with her partner indulged in a Freedom Day breakfast at the Strand Tower Hotel last Friday. Overwhelmed with the diverse variety of food available at the breakfast buffet, Graye tells us about her experience:

Located at the centre of Cape Town’s urban sprawl, the Strand Tower Hotel offers a breakfast buffet that, um, ‘towers’ head and shoulders above any hotel I’ve experienced in terms of service and variety. When we arrived my partner and I received a very warm welcome, we really felt as if our patronage was not only expected, but desired. We were promptly seated and took in our surrounds over the cup of coffee our hosts had anticipatorily prepared for us. The dining hall is what you’d expect from a venue that prides itself on star quality service: neat polished modern furnishing, a spacious layout, fresh cloth for the tables and ambient classical jazz lilting in over the speakers.

But we didn’t come for the view, we came for the food. And what a treat we were in for.

The offerings range from cold (fruits, yogurts, cereals) to hot (sausages, bacon, mushrooms) options. It was all you can eat so I overindulged experimented on both fronts. The eggs and omlettes are made to your liking, with the option to choose your fillings for the latter. To complement your meal there is a range of cheeses and fresh baked confectionery items to choose from. I very strongly recommend you don’t overlook the sautéed potatoes – simply divine. I ate my fill and we left the Towers feeling very impressed and very… very full.

The gorgeous Lion’s Head, one of Cape Town’s beauties is situated between the iconic Table Mountain and Signal Hill. It is best known for its breathtaking views of the Mother City, Robben Island and the Atlantic Seaboard. Surrounded by the sea and the city, with the most amazing backdrop of Cape Town, it makes the steep and sometimes challenging 90 minute walk up worth while.

Lion’s Head is very popular among locals and tourists alike, especially during a full moon.

Graye Morkel tells us about her (accompanied by her friends) epic hike (during a full moon) to the top of Lion’s Head:

Armed with boots, picnic blankets and yummy goodies, my friends and I tackled the scenic hike up Lion’s Head. The climb to the top took well over an hour and 30 minutes, but the breath-taking view of the Mother City kept us motivated to reach the top. The hike was rather easy-going with a series of chains and ladders to assist with the steeper sections. Once we reached the top, the atmosphere was transfixing, with hikers from all corners of the globe eagerly awaiting sundown.

Hiking up Lion's Head

We had a perfect panoramic view of dusk; the sun setting over the ocean and the moon rising over the mountains. The view was absolutely awe inspiring. Once the sun had set and we had finished our scrumptious eats, we began our descent back to the foot. This was truly an experience I will never forget and reminded me why I am proud to called Capetonian.

Surrounded by city and sea

We've reached the top of Lion's Head!