Cape Town - Kapstaden

Cape Town is a true cosmopolitan city. It is influenced by its history shaped by the San people, Portuguese, Dutch, Germans, British, Americans, blacks, and today by the Swedes of course. The harbor was filled to the brim with Volvo and Ericsson signs because of the worldwide Volvo Ocean Race - Life in the Extreme. It is strange to go to a place on the other side of the Earth and hear Swedish (skånska) at the breakfast table next to you.
The craft market at the Green Market is amazing. Lots of jewelry and baskets, bowls, fabrics, prints... Many animals and things made out of recycled material, strings and beads. The mosquitos on the table are made from recycled insecticide cans, DDT maybe?

For the rich tourists there are carved ostrich egg lamps. In the aquarium you can see giant spiny sea urchins.

The kelp forest in the aquarium was impressive and dizzying, but hard to photograph. The starfish photo is especially for AREA. They had a giant tank with sharks and other fishes too. The aquarium is at the Victoria and Albert Waterfront, the old harbor area which was dilapitated and run down years ago but now has been turned into a tourist and shopper's paradise. Not much for the locals here, just fancy shops and pricy restaurants.

This man tried to sell me a homemade wire radio, but it would have been turned into a wreck in my suitcase. I bought a mosquito and spider from recycled material instead. What do you think about the drapery? All made from recycled plastic bottles, lids, and so. If you look on Flickr, you can see the closeups.