First Impressions

My first impression of Cape Town is how this city is a land of contrasts. Obviously the historical context of race relations bring a contrast of white and black with a new dimension of colored as a description of race. With this context there is the contrast that every city experiences which is the difference between the rich and the poor. This is easily seen when looking at the informal settlements also known as shack towns. Then there is the difference between city and mountain. Adding to this is the element of verticality since the mountains sharply protrude steep cliffs out of the city, or rather a city build around these cliffs. This vertical dimension also contrasts the rich and the poor because the poorer communities live further out from the mountains on the more flat part of Cape Town. Usually, the higher and closer to the mountains one is, the wealthier. The people we have interacted with have all been warm and friendly with the occasional contrast of a person begging and even threatening the group with a knife.