Torn City travel destinations: Capetown, South Africa

Welcome to Cape Town. May I offer you some folders for safari's, hunting trips and perhaps some... souvenirs?

Tourist information

Cape Town is the provincial capital of the Western Cape, as well as the legislative capital of South Africa, where the National Parliament and many government offices are located. Cape Town is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point.

Cape Town is one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Africa due to its good climate, natural setting, and relatively well-developed infrastructure. The city has several well-known natural features that attract tourists, most notably Table Mountain, which forms the majority of Table Mountain National Park and is the back end of the City Bowl.
Cape Pointis recognised as the dramatic headland at the end of the Cape Peninsula.

Many tourists also visit Cape Town's beaches, which are popular with local residents. Due to the city's unique geography, it is possible to visit several different beaches in the same day, each with a different setting and atmosphere. Beaches located on the Atlantic Coast tend to have very cold water as the water is mostly glacial melt from Antarctica. The water at False Bay beaches is often warmer by up to 10°C. Both coasts are equally popular, although the beaches in affluent Clifton and elsewhere on the Atlantic Coast are better developed with restaurants and cafés. The most famous beach in Cape Town, Boulders Beach is known for its colony of African penguins. Surfing is also popular and the city hosts the Red Bull Big Wave Africa surfing competition every year.

Cape Town is also noted for its architectural heritage, with the higest density of Cape Dutch style buildings in the world. Cape Dutch style, which combines the architectural traditions of France, the Netherlands, and Germany is most visible in Constantia, the old government buildings in the Central Business District, and along Long Street. The annual Cape Town Minstrel Carnival, also known by its Afrikaans name of Kaapse Klopse, is a large minstrel festival held annually on January 2 or "Tweede Nuwe Jaar" (Afrikaans: Second New Year). Competing teams of minstrels parade in brightly coloured costumes, either carrying colourful umbrellas or playing an array of musical instruments. The Artscape Theatre Centre is the main performing arts venue in Cape Town.

Climate and weather

The Cape Peninsula has a Mediterranean climate with well-defined seasons. In winter, which lasts from May to August, large cold fronts come across from the Atlantic Ocean with heavy precipitation and strong north-westerly winds. The winter months are cool, with an average minimum temperature of 7 °C (45 °F).
Most of the city's annual rainfall occurs in wintertime, but due to the mountainous topography of the city, rainfall amounts for specific areas can vary dramatically. The valleys and coastal plains average 515 mm (20 in) of rain per annum, while mountain areas can average as much as 1500 mm (60 in) per annum. Summer, which lasts from November to February, is warm and dry. The Peninsula gets frequent strong winds from the south-east, known locally as the Cape Doctor, because it blows away pollution and cleans the air. The south-easterly wind is caused by a high-pressure system which sits in the South Atlantic to the west of Cape Town, known as the South-Atlantic High. Summer temperatures are mild, with an average maximum of 26 °C (79 °F).

Culture

Cape Town has many cultural institutions, amongst which the South African National Gallery and the District Six museum.
The South African National Gallery, is located in the Gardens area of Cape Town off Government Ave (about a 20 minute walk from downtown). It hosts extensive displays of South African art, as well as information on the history of censorship of art during apartheid.
The District Six Museum (free admission): District Six is an area near downtown Cape Town which remained multiracial well into the 1960s against all attempts by the government to declare it a "white only" area. Eventually the residents were all evicted and the buildings were bulldozed. The area remains uninhabited. The museum provides information about the area, the eviction, the Group Areas Act, and the people who used to live there. The director of the museum is a former resident. There is a small bookstore with an excellent selection of books on South Africa's history, District Six and apartheid.

Getting Around

The Cape Town area has a poor public transportation system, so it is recommended to find lodging at walking distance from the main attractions.

Scooter:You can also hire a Vespa or other brand of scooter. A number of places in the city offer this service and it is a great way to be mobile and save over hiring a car.

Taxi:Metered taxis are controlled by the city council and can be considered safe and reliable. The price per kilometer is around R8-R10 and can often be read at the taxis side door. You can also set a fixed price with the driver, especially when going to a far away destination.

Minibus taxis are used widely by locals but tourists are usually discouraged from using them. They cover most of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area and are very cheap. They can get very crowded and are definitely less safe than normal taxis. However many tourists and middle-class people take the taxi between Sea Point and the city centre, a 10-15 minute journey which costs R3.50

Bus:There is a network of public buses (Golden Arrow buses) that offer cheap connections for example from the city centre to the Waterfront. They run mostly during the day. It is better to ask the driver where the bus is going, to make sure you wont end up somewhere else.

Anothergood way of getting around the City Centre cheaply is to hire a Rikki. This multi-passenger mini-minibus zips around from place to place. No guarantee you'll get to your destination directly, but it is safe, fun, and all the drivers are characters. Meet supermodels going to their photoshoots or artists going to their studios. During busy times of day (or year) you may have to wait a while and there is no booking ahead.

Train:

There is a system of public train transport, although it is mainly used by locals. Operator Metrorail has done a lot to increase safety and comfort on board the trains, but they still do not live up to European standards. Cape Town station is situated in the city centre on the corner of Adderley Street and Strand Street and there is an extensive suburban network of lines with more than 80 stations. A nice scenic ride can be done south to Simon's Town, all along the east coast of the Cape Peninsula. Stick to the Simon's Town line and make sure you are not on the train after 18h30 or when it is dark.

More info

Go to the website of Tourism Cape Town for more information.

Special
Special: hunting safari If you wanna take a break from shooting your fellow Torn City citizens, then come to Africa and shoot some animals instead. There are beginner hunting trips, normal trips and advanced hunting trips, each with a different set of animals you can hunt. If you want to go on a trip, you must pay $500 to the guide and use 10 energy. After this, you will get a screen with your kills, and the increase in your hunting skills. It is not financially worth doing this in the beginning, but some say it is when you keep doing it for a long time... Addition March 1st: hunting has been "optimized", meaning the revenue is about one quarter of what it was. It is therefore even less worth doing than before.
Items sold
Image	Item	class	item name	Cost	Sellingprice
	Item	Special	Lion Plushie	$400	$300
The Lion plushie is a/an Special Item - This small plushie is modled after the African Lion. Squeeze his tummy to hear him roar.
	Item	Special	Elephant Statue	$500	$300
The Elephant Statue is a/an Special Item - Now in danger of extinction, this ancient ivory statue is made from the tusks of the very animal it represents.
	Item	Special	African violet	$2,000	$1,500
The African Violet is a/an Special Item - While not the national flower for Africa, this beautiful purple plant will remind you of your recent trip to the Southern African plains.
	Weapon	Temporary	Smoke Grenade	$20,000	$15,000
The Smoke Grenade is a/an Temporary Weapon - Typically used to send signals or create a smokescreen, this grenade can be used to temporarily blind your opponent, to allow you the upper hand in attacking.
	Weapon	Melee	Spear	$600	$400
The Spear is a/an Melee Weapon - A spear is an ancient weapon used for hunting and war, consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a sharpened head. If you can get close enough, can still be a deadly weapon.
	Weapon	Melee	Knuckle Dusters	$750	$ 500
The Knuckle dusters is a/an Melee Weapon - They won't know what hit them with these strong, hard, brass knuckle dusters. They won't even see it coming!
	Weapon	Primary	Vektor cr21	$7,500	$6,500
The Vektor cr 21 is a/an Primary Weapon - Its futuristic looks are the result of the fact that the entire stock is made of a high-impact polymer. The only metal to be seen on the outside is part of the barrel and the flash-surpressor.
	Weapon	Primary	Mag 7	$60,000	$50,000
The Mag 7 is a/an Primary Weapon - Shotgun intended specially for close combat and operations in confined spaces, like the room-to-room searches.
	Item	Drug	LSD	varies	--
The LSD is a/an Drug Item - Increases ones Energy, Happiness and Awareness.
	Item	Drug	Opium	varies	--
The Opium is a/an Drug Item - Said to relieve a large amount of pain. It is said that when you use this drug when hospitalized, you will be out immediately, making this drug equivalent to a revive.
	Item	Drug	PCP	varies	--
The PCP is a/an Drug Item - Momentarily improves ones Strength and Dexterity
	Item	Drug	Shrooms	varies	--
The Shrooms is a/an Drug Item - Said to increase ones Happiness at the cost of some Energy. The effect lasts for approximately 5-10 minutes, making it only usefull if you want to try a risky crime. After effects last between three and four hours.
	Item	Drug	Xanax	varies	--
The Xanax is a/an Drug Item - Increases ones Energy by 250. Beware: this drug is heavily addictive.