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Paternoster, heart of the West Coast
Barely and hour's drive from Cape Town on the rugged West Coast,
in a tranquil bay embroidered with scattered rocks, is the
beautiful fishing village of Paternoster.
With it's picturesque white washed houses, green-grey veld and
turquoise water, you'd be forgiven for thinking you've ended up
in a remote hamlet somewhere on the Mediterranean coast. Then
again, you won't get anything more authentically South African
than the local delicacy of bokkoms (salted, dried fish) - the
seafood version of that other very South African treat, biltong.
Being close to Cape Town, this predominantly Afrikaans-speaking
village is a popular weekend getaway destination for affluent
Capetonians who prefer the unspoilt West Coast to the tourist
friendlier South Coast. In summer the nearby camping site at
Tietiesbaai in the Cape Columbine nature reserve, is frequented
by hardy fisherman and snorkel divers.
Although the water is generally too cold for bathing, colourful
boats baking in the sun is a typical sight on the town's
unspoilt stretch of beach. On a good day up to thirty boats can
be seen across the bay - almost all of Paternoster's humble
permanent inhabitants are still solely at mercy of the sea to
provide them with food and a means of income.
Legend has it that the town's name, which is Latin for "Our
Father's prayer", was given by Portuguese seafarers who had
trouble in rough seas. Grateful for having safely reached shore,
they vowed to build a church and christened the village
Paternoster.
A visit to the Paternoster hotel will give you a bit of insight
into the town's colourful culture. The hotel's infamous "panty
bar" - with it's walls and ceiling covered in women's underwear
and dirty jokes - is where
you'll find sturdy fishermen watching
sport on television while consuming copious amounts of Brandy
and coke. Across the road from the hotel's terrace, locals sell
their catch of the day - whether Snoek legally or Crayfish
underhandedly (it is illegal to buy or sell Crayfish or West
Coast Rock Lobster with a recreational Crayfish permit).
Down the road is the Paternoster farm stall, where merchandise
includes a delicious variety of homemade seafood pickles like
mussels with coriander and chili or curried calamari. Diagonally
opposite is the charming Oep ve Koep (the name directly
translates from an Afrikaans expression in typical West Coast
slang as "open for buying") where typical kitschy tourist
memorabilia sit between a large collection of antique
enamelware, glass containers and vintage signage.
At the beach front market indulge in the freshest fish and
chips from the Seemeeu Kiosk or brave the pungent smell and buy
a bunch of bokkoms - truly a delectable substitute for anchovy.
For the perfect ending to a typical West-Coast visit, make
dinner reservations at the quaint Die Voorstrandt restaurant.
Situated right on the beach in one of the oldest buildings in
the village, Die Voorstrandt offers a taste of the freshest
local seafood and unsurpassed views of the most beautiful West
Coast sunset.
About the author:
City Guide SA is
a comprehensive one-stop travel resource providing visitors to
South Africa with up-to-date information on where to stay, eat
and play in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban a
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