4/5 Harry F. 3 years ago on Google
This
is
an
unexpectedly
beautiful
spot
in
the
middle
of
a
relatively
new
large-scale
residential
area
next
to
the
Century
City
shopping
centre
and
surrounding
commercial
complex.
It
was
developed
on
a
bird
sanctuary
on
the
Cape
wetlands.
When
the
development
began,
20
years
ago,
Capetonians
were
deeply
concerned
that
the
developers
were
going
to
do
a
token
job
just
to
placate
the
building
authority.
How
wrong
we
were.
The
sanctuary
has
a
visitor's
centre,
observation
posts
for
serious
birdwatchers,
boat
tours
around
the
waterway,
and
you
can
get
guided
tours
at
prices
that
even
South
Africans
can
afford.
They've
taken
care
to
ensure
that
the
vegetation
is
typically
indigenous
and
the
area
is
properly
landscaped
and
diligently
maintained.
And
you'll
learn
a
lot.
There
is
pretty
good
and
quite
pricey
residential
construction
on
the
exterior
edge
of
the
waterway
and
good
vehicular
access
via
bridges
to
the
interior
of
the
island.
The
security
is
good,
which
is
the
first
thing
that
South
African
property
buyers
typically
ask
about.
Of
course
it
still
gets
the
good
old
Cape
wind,
which
can
blow
for
days
at
a
time,
but
usually
just
provides
good
"air
conditioning"
for
the
hot
summer
weather.
There
are
masses
of
trees
and
tall
vegetation
which
provide
wind
breaks
that
are
far
more
effective
to
any
man-made
structure
(a
well-known
architectural
fact)
There
is
a
well-paved
circular
walkway
all
round
the
island
on
the
outer
bank
of
the
waterway
and
my
wife
and
I
and
my
5-year-old
grandson
go
there
about
once
every
7-14
days,
just
to
walk,
take
the
air,
feed
the
ducks,
and
get
a
meal
or
coffee
and
the
small
cakes
which
are
forbidden
to
my
grandson
at
home.
A
road
away
from
the
island
are
coffee
shops,
etc.,
and
a
private
day
hospital.
A
half-kilometre
away
is
the
biggest
and
probably
most
luxurious
retirement
complex
in
Cape
Town.
If
you've
had
a
really
stressful
morning
cooped
up
in
an
office
in
the
city,
this
would
be
a
good
place
to
go
to
get
your
blood
pressure
back
down.
No
doubt
it
will
go
back
up
again
when
you
get
home
and
find
out
what
your
teenage
kids
have
done,
but
its
worth
the
visit
anyway!