Victoria & Albert Waterfront

Where: Cape Town, South Africa

When: November/December, 2012

With: Dave, Nic, Divya

One of the most "touristy" places in Cape Town is the Victoria & Albert, or V&A, Waterfront. Named after Queen Victoria and her son, Prince Albert, who started construction on the area in the mid-1800s, it's now the main harbour in Cape Town. 

This is where the city's main malls and shopping center sits. Some stores are crafty boutiques, others are what you'd expect in any shopping mall. Either way, you can probably find anything you need here. With Table Mountain sitting in the background, it makes for a pleasant shopping experience for anyone. 

There's also a whole slew of restaurants, with tons of different types of food and plenty of traditional South African fare. Sit outside and get a giraffe print fleece blanket to keep warm while you eat your springbok steak. This is also an easy hotspot for nightlife, with plenty of pubs and bars playing live music to stop into after dinner. 

There are also quite a few novelties in the Waterfront. The easiest to spot is the Wheel of Excellence, which may be the very best name ever for a ferris wheel. The views are nice, and if you approach with a sense of childlike wonder, it is a fun way to spend 10 minutes. 

One of the less visible novelties is the rotating bridge. Rather than acting in draw bridge fashion, this bridge spins on an axis when boats want to pass. Really cool to watch, unless you're in a hurry to get across. 

Then there is the giant man made out of Coca-Cola boxes. Not only is he completely kitschy  but his out-of-place presence is further accentuated by the fact that he sits just behind the statues of the 4 Nobel Peace prize winners of South Africa. 

As you would expect in a harbor, there are plenty of boat trips available. The most famous one is Robben Island, but one of the most fun is the Peroni boat. One Friday after work, Dave, Divya and I decided to make the trip. 

It's an hour and a half ride out of the harbor with the intention of seeing one of Cape Town's gorgeous sunsets. On the way out, they let the sail down and you get sprayed with ocean water as you whiz against the wind. Then, the crew cranks up some music while you enjoy the view. The best part about all of this: unlimited sparkling wine the entire ride.

On the journey back, we got up close and personal with a mother whale and her baby. All within a few hundred meters of the waterfront. While it may be a cheesy place, there's lots of fun activities and plenty to do for everyone. 

For the rest of our trip in South Africa, click here.