Fairest Cape of All?

In 1580, Sir Frances Drake described it as "The most stately thing and the fairest Cape we saw in the whole circumference of the earth."

Welcome to an exceptional city, a place where dreamers find inspiration. Where lovers are compelled to return time and time again. This is Cape Town

A sophisticated city, at the gateway to a majestic continent. Proudly conscious of itself, yet always subtle. The Mother City is both modern and humble, even down to earth.
It's a place where old and new harmoniously converge - in history, architecture, cultural pursuits and the essence of its people.

Warmed by the African sun, the city is dominated by a towering, table-shaped mountain, set on a peninsula of soaring, rocky heights and lush valleys, where two oceans converge- Indian and Atlantic.

Immense natural beauty, and the fast pace and bright lights of a great urban centre meld effortlessly here. Firmly positioned on the international map, Cape Town offers a myriad things to do and places to see, whatever your tastes, inclinations or budget. Source

Welcome to Cape Town - a city with a diverse range of attractions, sights and activities to offer.

From lavish and luxurious to back-packing on a budget, Cape Town has something for everyone.

From the landmark beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay to the vibrant V&A Waterfront and Cape Town city centre and the award winning wine farms of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek - time spent in Cape Town will not be forgotten. Source


And then there is the reality of this new rainbow nation.

Well done Cape town, you are number 2

Murder Capitals of the World

No. 1 Caracas, Venezuela

Population: 3.2 million Murder rate: 130 per 100,000 residents (official)

What’s happening:
The capital of Chávez country, Caracas has become far more dangerous in recent years than any South American city, even beating out the once notorious Bogotá. What’s worse, the city’s official homicide statistics likely fall short of the mark because they omit prison-related murders as well as deaths that the state never gets around to properly “categorizing.”

The numbers also don’t count those who died while “resisting arrest,” suggesting that Caracas’s cops—already known for their brutality against student protesters—might be cooking the books.

Many have pointed the finger at El Presidente, whose government has failed to tackle the country’s rising rates of violent crime.

In fact, since Chávez took over in 1998, Venezuela’s official homicide rate has climbed 67 percent—mostly due to increased drug and gang violence. Ramón Rodríguez Chacín, who recently resigned as interior minister, claimed in July that homicide has dropped 27 percent since January—but experts say he’s just playing with numbers.

As for Caracas, some speculate that its murder rate is closer to 160 per 100,000.

No. 2 Cape Town, South Africa

Population: 3.5 million Murder rate: 62 per 100,000 inhabitants

What’s happening:
A European bastion in the heart of turbulent South Africa, picturesque Cape Town nonetheless has the country’s highest murder rate.

The city’s homicides usually take place in suburban townships rather than in the more upscale urban areas where tourists visit.

According to the South African Police Service, most of the Cape Town area’s violent crimes happen between people who know one another, including a horrific case last year in which four males doused a female friend in gasoline and lit her on fire.

Occurring just outside city limits, the incident apparently happened after the assailants had taken hard drugs, the use of which has risen along with Cape Town’s violent crime rate.

The whopping 12.7 percent rise in the city’s murder rate from 2006 to 2007 certainly has local politicians worried, especially as South Africa prepares to host the 2010 World Cup.

The government has hired more police officers to prepare for the tournament, which could help cut crime in soccer-fan hot spots.

But until better efforts are made to police Cape Town’s poverty-stricken townships, it’s unlikely that the murder rate—an average of 5.9 per day—will see any major drop. Source