(CNN) – With its vast mountain ranges, sandy beaches and high forests, Cape Town is a place where the natural world dominates and urges visitors to stop and soak it all up.
The southernmost city in Africa has an unofficial motto: “Slower is Cape Town.” But these words took on new meaning during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Reclaim the city
The people of Cape Town quickly adapted to the new measures introduced during the pandemic.
Dwayne Senior / Bloomberg / Getty Images
Instead of the usual crowd of foreigners in khaki trousers and sensible sandals running up to Camps Bay and Table Mountain, South Africans living abroad are the only tourists who have dared to return there to their homes.
I was one of those homesick Capetonians who rediscovered my city during the festive season.
On an overnight flight from Paris in December, I had a row of seats to myself and two masks were securely fastened. Upon arrival, staff checked my temperature and my real ticket to the country – a negative PCR test.
Traveling from Europe to South Africa for a second dose of sunshine at the end of the year has always been a pleasure.
The festive season falls during the height of South Africa’s summer, and the city is filled with light and laughter.
Schools are out for the holidays, families come to braai – South African for braai – gather in backyards and everyone starts shaking up the year.
Everything is alive and flourishing, the only memories of the pandemic being masked civilians, endless spraying of disinfectant and temperature control, and a curfew at 9 p.m.
Ahead of the New Year celebrations, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, whom he likes to call, held a ‘family reunion’ announcing the closure of many of the country’s beaches and a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol.
Bars and restaurants were quickly adapted, with non-alcoholic beers and mocktails, and a black market that was banned arose when locals sold their drinks to the highest bidders.
Muted atmosphere
Empty tables at a restaurant terrace on the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town.
Dwayne Senior / Bloomberg / Getty Images
But the new restrictions did not dampen the spirit in the city. Residents have simply adapted, and many prefer to spend more time outside exploring the playground of the mountains on their doorstep.
South African Lara Kerswill, who returned from London during the holidays, says she found the atmosphere somewhat subdued.
“December usually has such good energy – everyone has been through it all year and wants to have fun,” she tells CNN.
‘The sun is out, you go from plan to plan, catching up with friends you haven’t seen in a while, and meeting new people.
“This year feels very subdued. Things need to be arranged and checked in advance to make sure everyone is healthy and comfortable. And even then, the plans are likely to change at the last minute due to someone’s isolation requirements or new guidelines.”
This time, Kerswill turned parties, festivals and busy restaurants into walking, hiking and swimming.
But the reality of life during the pandemic is hard to ignore, even during a seemingly simple activity such as a visit to the popular tidal pool on the shores of False Bay.
“We were ready to jump in … shoes out, shorts out,” Kerswill said. “Then we put on our swimsuits in swimsuits, not sure when it’s the best time to remove them.”
‘Everyone feels safer outdoors’
The popular Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town is now closed, but locals can enjoy along the beach promenades.
Katy Scott / CNN
For Joi Benjamin, a South African currently living in Paris, returning home was also an opportunity to spend time outside.
“I come from a wintry, secluded Paris and appreciate the sea air, the parks and mountains so close,” says Benjamin.
“The pandemic makes me appreciate it so much more than ever before.”
Sarah Carden, another South African returning from the UK, feels happy to still do everything she enjoys when she visits the city.
“I love cycling, so have been on my bike along the coast a few times already and the roads are full of cyclists and hikers,” she tells CNN. “I think everyone feels safer outdoors.”
While locals have reclaimed their city during this uncertain period, there are constant reminders of those who hit the pandemic much harder – homeless people in Cape Town.
While I was worried about the cancellation of my flight back to France, thousands were worried about keeping a temporary roof over their heads.
Like every trip to Cape Town, it is clear that the magic of the city, and always will be, is reserved for the rich as you go beyond pubs, wineries and glitter on the water.
And as the virus rages, the gap between those who want it for free and those who have nothing only widens.