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Entertainment
When you are not hitting the books and studying hard, there
are a lot of things to see and do to help you relax. So to
have a balanced student life Cape Town has a great entertainment
scene to help you achieve that balance. Not only in terms
of numbers of establishments but also the variety. It has
a large number of restaurants, pubs, disco’s and lounges
that range from African to Asian to European. Also chek out
local magazines for instance Cape Etc.
Restaurants
Pubs and disco’s
Gambling
If you’re feeling a little lucky, then
check out the Grand West Casino (http://www.suninternational.com/resorts/grandwest/)
in Goodwood, just off the N7 freeway and 15 minutes outside
the city centre. Not only does it have an array of slot machines
and gaming tables, it also has restaurants, bars, an entertainment
theatre, a cinema complex, a night club and even an Olympic-sized
indoor ice scating rink. It can get very busy on weekends,
so if you prefer it a little more relaxed, rather check it
out during the week.
Festivals and
events
Cape Town hosts various festivals and events
all year round. The following are some recommended events
for visiting students:
Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden on Rhodes Drive,
Newlands is popular for its winter (May – September)
and summer (December to March) live outdoor music concerts
(http://www.sanbi.org/frames/concertfram.htm).
The garden has over 5000 different species of plants. It’s
great for getting close to nature, having a nice picnic, or
just plain relaxing on their large green lawns. It’s
advised to visit the gardens in the afternoon, and then join
the crowds in the late afternoon for an open air music concert.
Take a blanket, some snacks and a nice bottle or two of wine
and enjoy a sundowner with some cool live music.
The J&B Met (http://www.jbmet.co.za/)
is an annual horse racing event held every summer at the Kenilworth
race course. Over the years it has become more popular for
the fashionable outfits that people wear to this occasion
than the actual horse racing. So if you like glamerous, but
still affordable events with a great after party, check out
the Met.
If you like cheese and wine festivals you
can choose between indoor and outdoor festivals. For indoor
cheese, wine and whiskey festivals the Cape Town International
Convention Centre has annual festivals to blow your taste
buds. Check out http://www.cticc.co.za/events.jsp
for their yearly programmes. If you prefer the outdoor festivals
more, you have to check out the Bien
Donne annual cheese and wine festival near Franschhoek.
It’s about 50kms outside of Cape Town, but is also great
for a daytrip and you won’t be disappointed by it’s
class.
If you love whisky, you will love the annual
whisky festival held at the Cape Town International Convention
Centre. Check out the Whiskylivefestival
link for dates and times. You will pay an entrance fee
and receive a bunch of taster vouchers which you redeem for
whisky tastes. There are many different stands and all are
great whiskys, many single malt and 15 years or older. The
more expensive the whisky, the more vouchers you will need.
It’s great fun and can get a bit pricey, but it’s
very educational and you’ll need a taxi home afterwards.
Cape Town is also a gay-friendly city. Gay
couples can even get legally married in South Africa. And
to celebrate there are many monthly festivals and events all
year round. So if this tickles your fancy, check out the Cape
Town Pride (http://www.capetownpride.co.za)
festival, the Out in Africa South African Gay and Lesbian
Film Festival (http://www.oia.co.za)
or the Mother City Queer Projects (http://www.mcqp.co.za).
For a full list of festivals and events that
take place every month in and around Cape Town, check out
www.capetownevents.co.za or the Cape
Tourism link to see what’s on when you’re
in town.
Live performances
Cape Town hosts many live performances for
the arts lovers. Whether it’s live music, stage performances
or opera, you will be able to find a show that suits your
taste. For more info on live stage performances and where
they’re taking place, check out the following theatres
(http://www.onlinecapetownguide.info/capetown-theaters.html)
link.
Live music and band performances are more
tricky to follow. These should be checked out on flyers, local
newspapers or magazines as these events often take place at
unusual venues and on an irregular bases. A good guide for
these venues and parties is the entertainment section of the
local daily newspapers (e.g. Cape Times, Cape Argus). Or try
Cape
Town Tourism link to track who’s playing where.
Cinema
Most major shopping centres have movie cinema’s as well.
Check out the two franchises of SterKinekor (http://www.sterkinekor.co.za)
and NuMetro (http://www.numetro.co.za)
to find a movie venue closest to you. But for an extra ordinary
movie experience you have to check out the Imax (http://www.imax.co.za)
big screen cinema at the BMW Pavillion at the V&A Waterfront.
With its huge screen and incredible surround sound system
it’s a unique and extra ordinary cinema experience.
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