3 Things To Do Within 5km's

Damian and I live in the beautiful, yet sometimes windy - Vredehoek, Cape Town. I adore our suburb. It is central, cultural, trendy and homely. There is so much to do within a small radius.

Each week, I will share one of my three favourite activities to do within five kilometres of our home. I hope that you will enjoy the read and it helps to inspire you to try something different today.

Number One: The Company's Garden (900 meters from home)

The first time I visited the Company's Garden, I have to admit that I felt a little under and overwhelmed. We visited on a public holiday and couldn't quite enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the gardens with so many people trying to do the same.

This time when we visited, it was a completely different experience. We arrived between 08h30 - 09h00 on a clear spring day. As we arrived we took in the gorgeous architecture of the surrounding buildings. We came across an older tourist couple photographing the buildings around the gardens. As I get older, I appreciate the old buildings for the splendid and candid architecture they house and the many stories that they keep secret.

As we entered the Company’s Garden we mused over the statues, adored the pretty gardens and enjoyed the lane of trees creating patterns with the leaves blowing in the breeze.

What I was most looking forward to was seeing the squirrels. The Company's Garden is notorious for the friendly squirrels who have the gardens as their humble abode. Growing up in Natal where there are no squirrels to be seen, these ‘rodents’ captivate my attention and heart. I love squirrels and take delight in seeing them jump around, flying from tree to tree with agile speed. There are individuals based in the Company’s Garden, who sell nuts for you to feed the squirrels with. The squirrels are rather friendly and confident. I guess that it is hard not to be when you have hundreds of locals and tourists visiting your home (with dinner in hand) every day.

There is also a restaurant based in the garden. We haven’t yet tried it, but I believe they make some lovely meals. We plan to go back and try the restaurant and also plan to visit with a picnic basket in hand.

I loved walking through the gardens with my husband. It was a reminder to enjoy the little things in life and to take in the beauty around you. Would I go back to the gardens? Absolutely! I love feeling at one with my culture and heritage and hey, feeding those squirrels could be the highlight to anyone’s day.