London, GB | Formerly of New York, Buenos Aires, Fife, and the Western Cape. | Saoránach d’Éirinn.

Googlebosch

Google Street View Comes to the Eikestad and all South Africa

There had been rumours for a while. Talk had spread around the land of strangely equipped vehicles criss-crossing the country, and now the whole world can access Google Street View for South Africa. Naturally, they haven’t managed to capture every street in the whole country, but Cape Town, the Peninsula, and the Boland are well-covered, which naturally includes the handsome town of Stellenbosch that I used to call home. This of course provoked a mini-tour of the Eikestad and environs to see all the old familiar places. Above is Basic Bistro, the finest establishment in town, where one would oft find me planted outside with a pot of rooibos and the day’s edition of the Cape Times or Die Burger. The little alleyway to the right led to the back entrance to my old place.

But what is this now? Evidence of new inhabitation. Someone’s put something yellow in my window.

“Your usual Tanqueray & Tonic, Sir?” If Basic is the preferred café, than Cognito is undoubtedly the restaurant of choice. I have an intense longing for my usual dish there, which was ridiculously delicious.

The Googlistas managed to snap Grosvenor House while it was under seige from tourist vans unfortunately.

The seat of (municipal) power: the Stellenbosch Stadsaal.

Ons geliefde parogiekerk, Sint Nikolaas.

That tree and that postbox, on the corner of Victoria and Van Ryneveld. Die Wilgenhof manskoshuis is agter.

The railway station.

Of course, while the town is great, there’s splendid beauty in store even just a little further afield. Rustenburg Road is one of my favourites, especially because it leads nowhere, and so isn’t plagued with traffic.

Rustenburg Road again.

Climbing the R45 leading out of Franschhoek.

Or perhaps the coastal road north of Rooi-Els suits your fancy more.

While the beaches on the Atlantic are more beautiful, those on the False Bay side have warmer water. (And let’s not hear any of this heretical nonsense about Agulhas being where the Indian & Atlantic meet instead of Cape Point). This little beach was our favourite, owing to its proximity to Stellenbosch and its surprising tendency not to be crowded.

But you can meander with Google Street View all the way to Cape Town. I’m fond of this simple house on Glen Darrach Road in Rondebosch across the street from the Western Province Lawn Tennis Association. Devil’s Peak is in the background, and (unseen) between here and there is the magnificent campus of the University of Cape Town. (Damned Ikeys!)

The coolest building in South Africa, however, is also the oldest: the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town. That will have to wait for a post of its own, though.

Published at 8:37 am on Wednesday 9 June 2010. Categories: Featured South Africa Stellenbosch Tags: , , , .
Comments

Thanks for the virtual visit; it is a beautiful place.

— Mom 10 Jun 2010 8:12 am

My hart verlang na die Boland waar die, blou, blou berge staan.

(En hier sit ek en sweet in Georgia! Ai!)

— David Allen 10 Jun 2010 10:26 am

Magnificent photos of Stellenbosch, and wonderful news that Google Maps Streetview has covered the city; and quite extensively I notice. One of my favourite places in Stellenbosch is De Volkskombuis on Aan de Wagen Road. So I quickly visited in Streetview to see it still gloriously appointmented on the spot! (Since my Afrikaner mum stopped being my private chef, I have had to avail myself of some upscale Boerekos, and this is where I would go when in town. Andrew, you must have visited the place, ja nee?

Is it a coincidence that my street and neighbourhood of the Stadionbuurt here in Amsterdam has also recently been Streetviewed? I notice here that it was in Autumn that the Streetview car rolled by … that means it took Google about six months to get the photos online — all that brouhaha about rubbing out faces and what not, I reckon.

Groete …

— Dave Cooper 10 Jun 2010 1:50 pm

Lovely, town and country!

— Dino Marcantonio 10 Jun 2010 1:55 pm

Ag, these photos made me so “home”sick.

— Sara 10 Jun 2010 3:51 pm

Sara, have you found Grapetiser in Helsinki yet?

— Andrew Cusack 11 Jun 2010 10:07 am

It is wonderful to see our country presented in such a way. I thank you once again for the wonderful read.

Calvin

— Calvin James Montgomery 17 Jun 2010 9:05 am

Nee, not yet. :( I’ve even thought about mixing grape juice with sparkling water. It could work. At the moment I could pay some serious money for a single Grapetizer can. However, a few days ago I spotted some chakalaka crisps, they’ve made a special edition because of the world cup. :D

— Sara 17 Jun 2010 1:36 pm
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