Doesn't his photo just remind you of Chicago, the musical? Personally, I prefered Moulin Rouge to Chicago, though here Kerry-Anne disagrees with me and believes that I'm swayed because I thought that Nicole Kidman was particularly hot in Moulin Rouge. :)

To get back to why I brought up Chicago: If you're visiting Cape Town at any time and would care to see a show or two, then it would be a good idea to take a look at Computicket's online booking website where you're able to book tickets before even arriving in South Africa. It's fairly simple to use and once you've booked your tickets all you have to do is collect them a day or so before the show from a kiosk in one of the listed shopping malls. Easy peazy.

The African Golden Weaver is part of the Ploceidae family of birds. They're extremely common in the suburbs around Cape Town and most often spotted near rivers or dams, making their distinctive nests (shaped much like huge drops of water) to hang from trees.

Weaver birds are given the name because of the intricately woven nests. What's interesting is that you'll most often find that the entrance to their nests face downwards, towards the ground. I remember hearing once that they do this so that snakes are unable steal their eggs.

The slithery predators are forced to approach the nest from the branch above and due to the shape and location of the nest are unable to hold on to anything while attempting to enter the nest, causing them to fall unceremoniously to the ground.

I wonder which was the first Weaver to think of this bright idea?

Two fishing vessels, Weskus 1 and Seawin, became stranded at Kreefte Bay (close to Melkbosstrand) late last week. Apparently one of the two was in trouble and the other tried to help out, but ended up running aground itself! The salvage operation is underway, and all pollutants have been removed. The next steps are to dig sand away around the vessels and then to use tug boats at high-tide to tow the vessels back into the sea.

This photo was kindly provided by Bennie Vivier, a colleague who's over the years taught me a lot of what I know about photography. His photos have often been an inspiration to me, and now you too can see why - click to see the large version. :)

I'd always accepted that people had a right to smoke wherever they pleased. I remember being disgusted at breathing wafts of used smoke while sitting down to dinner at a restaurant and I remember colleagues smoking while they worked at the desk next to me... and me getting home smelling quite like an ashtray. :)

This was until the then Minister of Health, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, banned smoking in public places. Restaurants have been forced to restrict smoking to a small percentage of the total floorspace, and these designated areas have to be properly sealed from the rest of the restaurant. Smoking has been banned from public transport, shopping malls, places of work... essentially all indoor and many outdoor public areas.

If there's one good thing that Madame Zuma did for us, it was to make South Africa a cleaner, less smokey country. Way-to-go Dr Zuma!

This tweetie-bird was wandering in and out of Cafe Neo, a popular place for drinks or lunch. Cafe Neo is popular for its open, light feel and perhaps especially for the fact that they offer free wireless internet access. When visiting I've always noticed at least two or three people sipping drinks while typing away on their laptops.

May I caution you however that if you're going to use a public wifi hotspot anywhere in the world that you do at least follow these 5 rules to safer public surfing:

1. If you're using Windows, always turn off "File and Printer Sharing". Not doing this could allow bad people to download files from your computer.

2. Make sure that you're using a proper firewall. If you're using Windows Firewall, I would consider installing a second higher-rated firewall like Sunbelt Personal Firewall, Comodo, or ZoneAlarm. Not doing this could similarly allow bad people to do all kinds of nasty things to your computer, including stealing your files.

3. Never allow your mail client (e.g. Outlook) to download your email unless you're absolutely sure that the client is doing so over a secure channel (which it generally is not). Not doing this would allow bad people to view your mail account's username and password.

4. Whenever using an Internet banking website, a facility like PayPal, or your webmail account, etc. always check the server certificate of the website to make sure that you're not seeing someone's fake website. They really look like the original - you cannot tell the difference just by looking at them.

5. Make sure that your computer's operating system is properly patched. For Windows users this means that Windows Update must be active and you must allow it to install patches. If you're a Linux user you're better off to start with, but don't be fooled, Linux is also vulnerable to attack - be sure to keep your OS patched.

Please feel free to leave a comment if you have any helpful tips for safer surfing when using open wifi.

Greenmarket Square was built way back in 1696 and at the time was (disgracefully) used as a slave market and later a vegetable market. In the 1950s it was apparently (though I wasn't around to verify this) used as a parking lot, and only in the 1980s was it converted into a craft and flea market for informal traders.

The area is super-safe during the day, though I'd keep a wary eye open for suspicious-looking people at night. This said, I felt safe enough to whip out my camera and take a few photos of the deserted market area.

Speaking of Perdeberg (see yesterday's post), here are two horses of a different kind ("perd" is Afrikaans for "horse"). These two ponies live on a little smallholding in Joostenbergvlakte (about 40km outside of the city, between Bellville and Stellenbosch). They spend their days grazing on tufts of grass and taking kids for rides. I wonder if they get as much fun out of these rides as the kids do?

I had to give a talk at tonight's GeekDinner, all about lessons we've learned while running this here photo-blog. I decided - rather wisely, I thought - not to consume too much alcohol until I'd finished speaking... I tend to start losing my train of thought after about a glass and a half of wine. Must say, I was rather pleased to hand back the microphone at the end of my talk, and finally tuck into this Perdeberg Shiraz. (I'm not usually a Shiraz fan, but this one is good.)

The Perdeberg winery, which is located in Paarl, was only established in 1941, making it relatively young by Cape standards. Perdeberg have been fairly innovative in their online promotions lately - if you're keen to win a few bottles of wine, have a look at their Clink to Win competition.

Well, it's not quite a dog's life... well, it's not at all a dog's life. This peahen lives in a cage of about 27 cubic metres - which isn't as large as you may imagine it to be.

I understand that sometimes it's for their own good that some birds are kept in cages, but generally I'm not much into keeping a bird locked in a cage. I don't think I'd ever be able to keep a bird as a pet... unless of course it was an ostrich and I had a farm. ;)

I guess one could grab a blanket and have a sunny nap in this field of dreams, I mean, weeds. I mentioned a while back that even though the Cape is in its winter period (when it often rains non-stop for days) we do have days in between that are just perfect.

My earliest memory of this particular weed is from my primary school days when we use to call them "surings" - an Afrikaans name that I've always believed was derived from the fact that they are sour to the taste. As school kids we used to munch on the stem of the "suring" flowers during lunch breaks, precisely because they were a little sour. Quite tasty in fact.

Just before you get the wrong idea - no, my mom packed in yummy chicken and mayo, peanut butter and syrup, or toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches every day. The "surings" were just a treat on the side. ;)

Kerry-Anne's brother inherited this painting from their grandmother several years ago. He recently learned of a technique for framing paintings in which old wood is used to give a rustic feel to the painting. This particular one was mounted in an old cupboard door!

Click on the photo to see the enlarged version - isn't it an outstanding use for a discarded cupboard door?

Interestingly, Kerry-Anne just mentioned to me that it would have been her grandmother's 101st birthday today, had she still been alive - I didn't realise this when I chose this picture for today's post.

Kerry-Anne's brother owns this little Fiat 500 motor car... and he tells me that he still takes it for a drive every now and again. Surprising as that may be, with the ever-increasing price of petrol, perhaps we'll see more of these tiny vehicles on car dealers' showroom floors in the near future.

The slightly unusual angle of this photo hides the actual minuteness of this car: I don't think I'd actually manage to get in behind the wheel, let alone take the family out for a Sunday afternoon drive. :D

I've been pricked by one too many cacti to be a fan. Of the strangest facts about this plant is that people actually turn it into jam, syrup and even an alcoholic spirit.

The Prickly Pear cactus was apparently introduced into South Africa about 300 years ago to act as a fence to protect farm animals from predators. This cactus was also used as a food source for people and animals and its shallow root system helped prevent soil erosion.

All of these facts aside, I just can't help thinking of John Wayne whenever I see this plant. Funny that.

Okay, not quite a dragon, but surely a dragonfly is close enough? I chose this as today's photo because it sparked off a memory of a few years ago when a young man by the name of Mark Shuttleworth sold his small company, Thawte, to Verisign (a competing digital security certificate provider) for a few billion rand.

Mark grew up in Durbanville, not very far away from where we now live - and Kerry-Anne in fact remembers him from a mathematics competition that they attended while in high school. Mark started his business in his parents' garage and within only a couple of years became one of South Africa's richest people - if not the richest.

Anyway, this photo made me think of him, because after making his billions he started a venture capital company in South Africa called HBD, or Here Be Dragons.

To quote HBD's website: "In ancient times, unexplored territories were marked 'Here Be Dragons' on maps and only the bravest of explorers dared venture there - often when they did, they discovered lush lands, rich with treasure and promise."

Well done to Joseph Sheridan, the clever Irishman who invented this brilliant drink. I mean, seriously, what an excellent idea: strong coffee to wake you up, combined with whiskey and cream to make you feel better.

Although the weather has been a little perkier this week, and there are signs of spring's approach all over, the nights are still very chilly and I suspect there's still a fair bit of rain on the way. My strategy for dealing with the winter nights that lie ahead involves little comforts like Irish coffee, dark chocolate, butternut soup and macaroni cheese. What are your favourite winter indulgences?

This shot was taken from high up on the Bloemendal wine farm in Durbanville. One of Cape Town's oldest municipalities and earliest farming areas, Durbanville was originally called Pampoenkraal (pumpkin corral); it was renamed "Durbanville" in 1836, after Sir Benjamin D’Urban, the then Governor of the Cape.

There are at least nine wine cellars around Durbanville, most of which are run by families who have been farming the land here for many generations. The area is best known for its Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Shiraz.

Cape Town had water restrictions imposed a couple of years ago, which meant that regulation restricted the watering of gardens to evening and early morning and banned the use of a water hose to wash one's car, patio or any paved area.

Next summer will be the first summer that we'll have in our new home, so we'll still have to wait and see how much water our densely populated garden needs to survive. It looks to me as though many of the plants are relatively water-wise, but not being very green-fingered, I'm not yet sure.

It's becoming more and more important for South Africans to have only indigenous plants in their gardens. Indigenous plants tend to use less water and cope better with the dehydrating effect of the African sun.

Even though it seems as though it may be one of the iconic movies of the 1940s, I've never actually seen Casablanca. Rick's Cafe in Park Road (just off Kloof Nek Road) is decorated with items reminiscent of the 1940s. A Spanish friend of ours even commented on the background music, saying that it sounded like the music that his grandmother in Spain listened to many years ago.

Rick's is a cosy little restaurant and the separate bar area with couches makes it the perfect place to pop in for drinks after dinner.

So there we were, driving happily along the N7 this morning, on our way to visit my brother and his family at their new home in Hopefield, when we noticed that the traffic had slowed somewhat, and there seemed to be some sort of obstruction on the road ahead, with an awful lot of blue and orange flashing lights, and plenty of cars on the wrong side of the road.

We were all a little taken aback when we spotted the cause of the hold-up. It turned out to be this rather large plane, being transported up the West Coast by truck. We toddled along behind it for several kilometres, as only a few cars were being allowed past every so often. Eventually we got close enough to get a few photos, and you can see the rest of them on the Cape Town Daily Photo Extras blog. Anyone know what kind of plane this is?

A friend of ours turned 30 this week and chose to celebrate by inviting a few friends and family to the Mount Nelson Hotel for high tea. Exquisitely beautiful, the hotel's decor makes it seem as though someone managed to travel back to colonial Cape Town and return with an assortment of artifacts.

I'm not sure what the buffet of cake, sandwiches and little treats cost our friends but I'm sure it wasn't cheap. The assortment and quality of the food was 5-star, absolutely superb.

This pot of Earl Grey tea was delivered to me only moments before I took this photo. The teapot arrives containing only boiling water. Tea leaves are popped into a retractable glass container and an egg timer is set for three minutes. When ready, one removes the inner glass container and voila, a pot of freshly brewed tea is ready to be poured.

I can certainly recommend visiting the Mount Nelson for high tea. Only, may I suggest parking your car a couple of kilometres away so as to have the opportunity to work off the extra kilos you'll gain after the many visits to the buffet table? ;)

Freedom-fighter, prisoner, president and hero - today South Africa and many around the world celebrate Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday.

Born in rural Transkei 90 years ago Madiba rose to be a man affecting world change - he became a symbol of peace and an example of humility. Today we join with many others around the world to wish you a happy birthday and a peaceful next year.

Viva Nelson Mandela, viva!

Following on from yesterday's post, involving a Citroen, we have a vehicle of a different type today. This cement truck is coin-operated and delivers not cement, no, but bouncy-balls. You know the ones... those small rubber balls that seem to go on bouncing for ever.

I begged and pleaded, but Kerry-Anne just wouldn't let me have one, mumbling something about a rubber ball and a certain heirloom vase. No, I'm just kidding, of course. Seriously though, our cats really do enjoy these balls. We play throw and retrieve, just the way you'd play with your dog... it's too cute.

If anyone's able to identify what kind of car this is I'd be most appreciative. The badge on the back is just a little unclear for me to read and I'm not able to identify it from the shape alone. I'm guessing that it dates back the the 1930s or 1940s, but that's about all I know.

To answer the question in your mind: I'm not sure why I didn't just walk up to the car and read the badge... I'd have to guess that I'm just terribly unobservant and never even saw the badge at the time.

Update: Kerry-Anne apparently did walk up to the car to have a look at the badge, and she says she's pretty sure it was a Citroen.

Although late afternoons and evenings are still bitterly cold in Cape Town, the sun has been shining brightly in the clear skies for a few days now. While visiting Kerry-Anne's mom and dad I noticed the neighbour's washing line and realised that with all the rain we've been having, brightly-coloured laundry hanging out to dry is something I haven't seen in quite some time.

The owners of these clothes must also have forgotten about the brightly-coloured laundry hanging out to dry. My mother-in-law pointed out that this washing has been hanging up for several days, getting wet every night and drying again during the sunny day.

For more than a year we've managed to pretty much post a photo each day - only once in a while having to catch up with a day here or a day there. In this time we've been really appreciative of our readers' daily visits and the many comments we receive.

Due to work pressures keeping us fenced in ;-) for the past two weeks, we've been struggling to post a new photo every 24 hours, and in fact, if you visit often, you'll have noticed that we missed posting for several days at a stretch. And, while we do catch up on each day missed, we realise that this breaks from the appeal of a daily photo blog.

But you can be sure that the trend of the past 500+ posts will be restored, and we'll soon be in a position to post a new photo every 24 hours again.

Thank you for understanding, and for coming back to see more of our beautiful city each day.

This photo was taken at the relatively new Berg River Dam in the Franschhoek area. Notice the snow on the mountains in the background? It's still darn cold in Cape Town!

In yesterday's post I had a little rant about how un-French Saturday's Bastille Day celebrations felt to us. Now while I stick with that opinion, perhaps it's worthwhile mentioning that Franschhoek is actually a really nice little town, a gem of the Cape in fact, and a place that we really do enjoy visiting.

It's exquisitely beautiful, nestled among rolling hills and mountains. Although restaurants tend to be a little on the expensive side, it's still very much worth a visit - and you'd do well to spend a night or two in one of the many guesthouses in the area too.

When visiting, take time to walk around and experience nature as well as to browse the little shops, art galleries, and especially the small (but very popular) chocolate shop in the main street.

Kerry-Anne and I grabbed a boy- and a girl-friend of ours and headed off to the Bastille Day celebrations in the "French" town of Franschhoek today.

Except for berets and the French colours of blue, white and red, we were sad to discover very little else French. Now it may sound like I'm complaining, and you'd be darn right... we're longing back to our 2006 visit to Brittany and Paris and thought that a visit to the Bastille Day celebrations would be just the right consolation.

Alas, it was not so... we didn't hear one "bonjour", not a single "merci beaucoup" either; and instead of crêpes the locals were serving up pancakes (and crêpes are quite decisively different to local pancakes).

The Glen Garry shopping centre in Brackenfell (very close to our home) has one of those oversized outdoor chess boards in its centre courtyard. I was however sad to discover that there are several pieces missing from the board - so I was unfortunately unable to whip Kerry-Anne at a game of chess. ;-)

Management - please put those pieces back, we want to play a game!

It's never (to my knowledge) snowed in Cape Town before. It did however snow on top of Table Mountain a few years back, but as far as I know, never in the city itself.

Today's photo is of one of the peaks in the Boland Mountain range. This mountain range is Cape Town's visual thermometer. When its peaks are white, it's freezing cold outside and generally a good idea to remain indoors.

Homes in and around Cape Town (and more so in informal settlements) are generally not very well equipped to deal with temperatures below about 10 degrees Celsius. Most homes don't have central heating, air conditioning or proper insulation. The energy crisis and rising cost of electricity in South Africa also makes many reluctant to switch on electricity-based forms of heating.

This has me wondering whether or not anybody has done a study to ascertain whether or not Cape Town has a mini baby-boom each year around April and May...

I've been mentioning for some time that it's been fairly cold in Cape Town lately. We arrived home this evening only to be greeted by a torrential downpour followed by a pounding of hail.

Now hail in Cape Town isn't quite comparable to the golfball-sized hail experienced north of the Western Cape. Our hail is far more delicate, never bigger than a pebble. Hail, for Capetonians, is merely a strange phenomenon that most people gather at windows to watch, as if in some kind of trance.

After two or three minutes the hail has ceased and is quickly forgotten.