Cape Town Tourism is pleased to announce the winners of the Love Stories Blog Competition.

The overall winner is Tanya Hedgecock. Here is an extract of her winning entry:

“A few years ago, I went to Cape Town to introduce my then boyfriend to my father – I live in Durban. It was an adventure, and having lived in Fish Hoek for a bit while growing up, I was able to relive all the things I love about Cape Town – like using the trains from town to Fish Hoek, stopping for snoek in Hout Bay, running along the Kommetjie beach, sampling (okay, maybe a bit more than sampling) the wines at Simonsig and Delheim, taking an historical trip through the Castle and all the other wonderful museums ... and lastly going up Table Mountain to gasp and gaze in wonder at the majesty of the city and to see God’s wonderful handiwork!”

Continue reading this winning entry.

Tanya wins a fantastic prize for her efforts. She and a partner will be enjoying a night at the Cape Royale, Green Point. Plus, she wins a massage voucher for the Equinox Spa, a dinner voucher and two tickets to go up Table Mountain on the cableway.

We also identified two runners-up in the competition. The first is Alet Bulloch, who submitted a beautiful poem in Afrikaans.

“Ek is klein, hier waar ek sit en kyk na U groot skepping
Kon my Fondasie maar soos sterk wees soos die Berg,
Diep geplant in moeder Natuur, deur Uself…”

Continue reading Alet's entry.

Alet is the winner of a two-night stay for her and a partner at Brooklands House, Rondebosch. The prize includes breakfast and two tickets to go up Table Mountain on the cableway.

Jolene Naidoo is the second runner-up. She wrote about how Table Mountain is a symbol of love to her and her husband.

“Looking at the famous Table Mountain and the turquoise-blue waters, I was reminded of how unmistakable, solid and sure our love was. Comparing it to the Taj Mahal, this was our symbol of love. I was overcome by emotion, realising the handiwork of God even in orchestrating our love.”

Continue reading Jolene's entry.

Jolene has won a night’s accommodation for a couple at the Lord Charles Hotel, Somerset West, including breakfast and two tickets to go up Table Mountain on the cableway.

Well done to our winners and other participants! Keep checking the blog for future competitions.

Cape Town at night, photo courtesy Goianobe

Selling Rag magazines on Newlands Drive
Accosting motorists at the robot
All day in the sun, for a good cause
You told me later I was an airhead
Because I messed up the accounting system
You are lucky I spoke to you again.

But I could see your passion, the way you cared
How gentle you were with people (most of the time)
How you threw your whole being into living life
But vulnerable, too
Trying to write an English exam without reading Robinson Crusoe.

I used to drive to campus
Hoping to see your battered yellow Opel Kadett
My heart singing when I did
Walking the mountain contour path together
Me trying hard to appear fitter.

On my own, looking out at the inky darkness of the Cape Flats from UCT
A piece of velvet sequined with a million lights
I know now what I didn’t know then
That I loved you, 18 years ago.

We kissed in a tent full of students
At the Kenilworth races
After enough drinks to let our defences down
But not enough to forget, though we both pretended to.

It took a while to quiet my inner panic
And you did only write me a handful of postcards
While I lived in the Rockies
But there you go.

But I came back to you.
And now, Mike, I love you, more deeply than ever
Let’s one day…
Go back to Cape Town.

Warren Rohner

My darling husband, I remember when I was very young, I imagined that one day I would grow up to be a beautiful woman who would have it all. That I would meet my prince and he would take me away, love me, spoil me and grant every wish I had.

Then I saw Cinderella, and of course, the Cinderella complex hit me like a ton of bricks, but I outgrew that one very quickly. Life and the mirror have a tendency to do that.  I didn’t want anyone to rescue me anymore.

Life happened and taught me that I was the only person who could rescue me. I was the only person who could save or destroy myself. I wanted someone who would share his friendship, thoughts, goof-offs, life and who he really was, without any reservations and without any fears with me. I didn’t want anyone to save me. Save me from what?

I could handle life by myself, thank you. And I did. Until one day when I was 38 years old and my world, as I knew it, fell apart. Yes, I don’t mind telling my age. I had 38 years of accumulated wisdom. Now I am 45 and very proud of the knowledge, wisdom and dyed hair I have.

Then I met this man, you my love, with the most beautiful smile and blue eyes anyone has ever seen. You smile with your eyes, which nowadays is a very rare quality. I have spent the happiest three years of my life with you, Jurie. I could not have found a better or more loving husband. You are my husband, my best friend, my confidant, my lover and the person who allows me to be me. You are my soul mate. I want to spend the next two billion years with you.

I ponder sometimes what I might have done, to be rewarded with a husband like you. But it really does not matter what I did, what matters is that I have and I will love you until the day we die, and then longer.

The more time I spend with you, and the more I look at you, your smile, the twinkle in your eyes, the way your hair curls, and every single small and big thing you do, I fall in love with you more and more, and believe me, it is possible. Love is infinite; therefore, it can continue to grow. After all, we have all eternity to keep on growing and expanding, and so does love. What an honour to be your wife, to carry your name and to be loved by you.

Your loving wife –  Dawn Kruger

Table Mountain, photo courtesy Alet Bulloch

Ek is klein, hier waar ek sit en kyk na U groot skepping
Kon my Fondasie maar soos sterk wees soos die Berg,
Diep geplant in moeder Natuur, deur Uself…

Hou sy hom styf vas, vertroetel hom, trek hom toe, waai hom skoon,
Tafelberg
My rots
Was dit nie vir jou, was my huwelik nie so sterk vandag,
Jou grou grou hange, my yskoue nagte
Jou wolk kombers, my ou duvet styf oor my kop getrek,
Jy verstaan my, jy ken my seerkry,
More is jou blad weer skoon,
My hart nog steeds so seer,
Kan ek met jou praat, my Berg,
Kan ek vir jou vertel van lê en luister, na die geluide in die nag,
Maar nooit die sleutel hoor wat daardie deur oop sluit.
My hart, so koud, so koud…  Waar is my wortels o Here, wys my nog ’n keer!.

Die jare loop, my pad was swaar,
Tafelberg, vandag wil ek weer met jou kom praat.
Ek sien jou weer na soveel jaar,
Nog altyd daar, wag jy vir my?.

Vandag is my hart sommer baie lig, ek’t lief o, Tafelberg,
En met jou, wil ek dit deel.
Hy’t my gebring om jou te sien, hy ken jou ook,
Die man van my.
Hy’s dalk ’n bietjie kwaai, maar aai Tafelberg,
Nou hier voor jou, met wortels diep in hierdie aarde in geplant,
wys jy ons teen grou grou hange,
is daar hoop, byt vas, jou dag sal kom, kyk op, my kop is skoon,

Duvet is weggegooi, my hart kan sing, eks verlief, en Lief,
My pad is gladder, maar nog steeds ’n klippie op my pad,
Ek sal nie val, my hand is vas in die een wat ek verlang en dan
‘n sirkel vorm ons met God
ons sterkste skakel, tussen ons.

Table Mountain sunset, photo courtesy Lollie-Pop

Sometimes a day comes by,
suddenly rushes into you,
takes hold of you until you are consumed by the fullness and beauty of that day
Such a day was yesterday.

At the end of this day I looked over the world from a Mountain
clothed in mist
surrounded with space
I remember thinking then of the simplicity of silence
and the strangeness of the world down below
I was happy then
within the wide arms of the Mountain
and those around me
with joy dripping from our eager fingers
bright eyes and hearts
liberated

We climbed fast
with the wind in our faces
and the city clawing at our heels
left it all behind
walked into the belly of Table Mountain
until my warm breath, my wild heart
and the songs of birds throbbed in my ears
I welcomed the pain of muscle
the warm sweat trickling down my back
up we went
living creatures
and the sun and the mist and the sky and the sea
came and went
But the Mountain remained
within us
around us
above us

No person should say
I have not seen the plump pink flesh
of a Table Mountain watsonia
in the last of the day’s sun
They were all around us
within this land of wind and weather and weary rocks
we found ourselves drenched in mist
cradled by rock
It was then that my thoughts became like wind
and I smiled at the white silhouette of angels upon a rock
everything was simple
pure
perfect

There stands a hut below the shoulder of a rock
among wild reeds and stories of a hundred years gone by
faded photographs and the ghosts of the Mountain
legends and heroes and forgotten souls
watched over us as we slept
curled up under the stars and the shadow of a moon
We woke with the sun
and the morning was perfect

Sometimes a day comes by,
suddenly rushes into you,
takes hold of you until you are consumed by the fullness and beauty of that day
Such a day is today.

I am complete.
I am happy.
I am free.

With only two days left to submit your romantic Cape Town story to be published on our blog, time is running out…

Hurry and enter to stand a chance to win these fabulous prizes:

• 1 night’s accommodation for a couple who are deeply in love at the Cape Royale, Green Point, in addition to a free massage voucher for the Equinox Spa, a dinner voucher and 2 tickets to go up the Table Mountain cableway.
• 1 night’s accommodation for a couple who is celebrating a love that lasts at the Lord Charles Hotel, Somerset West, including breakfast and 2 tickets to go up the Table Mountain cableway.
• 2 nights’ accommodation for a couple who has recently decided to commit to loving each other forever at Brooklands House, Rondebosch, including breakfast and 2 tickets to go up the Table Mountain cableway.

Competition rules:

• Your blog submission should be along a romantic or Valentine’s theme, that must have some connection to Cape Town.
• Your submission should be original and interesting – the more personal the better
• Judging will take into account the quality of the writing and how the romantic theme was interpreted
• By sending us your post, you are automatically agreeing to it being published on our blog. No payment will be made for this
• Posts may be edited for quality and stylistic purposes
• Submissions should be no longer than 500 words
• Providing a photo or illustration for your piece will count in your favour
• The judges’ decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into

Some ideas for blog posts in this competition

• Write an anecdote about a personal experience
• Compose a love poem or letter
• Write about a particular “love landmark” in Cape Town, and why it is special
• Anything else you like!

Please email your entries by 5pm on February 12 2009 to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Photo courtesy of Ed aka 126 Club

Cape Town Tourism Blog reader Tanya Hedgcock submitted the following story as an entry to our Love Stories competition:

A few years ago, I went to Cape Town to introduce my then boyfriend to my father – I live in Durban. It was an adventure, and having lived in Fish Hoek for a bit while growing up, I was able to relive all the things I love about Cape Town – like using the trains from town to Fish Hoek, stopping for snoek in Hout Bay, running along the Kommetjie beach, sampling (okay, maybe a bit more than sampling) the wines at Simonsig and Delheim, taking an historical trip through the Castle and all the other wonderful museums ... and lastly going up Table Mountain to gasp and gaze in wonder at the majesty of the city and to see God’s wonderful handiwork!

Well, we managed to fit my father in between and needless to say my boyfriend impressed him and is now my husband of eight years (our official first date was on Valentine’s Day 16 years ago!). But we are planning our next trip to Cape Town to catch up with my father, and introduce my beautiful children to their grandad and also the most amazing city in South Africa! From the baboons on Chapman’s Peak to the southern-most tip of Africa… I’m sure they will be as amazed as I was when I took it all in, all those years ago!

Do you want to submit your story to the competition? Please email your entries by 5pm on February 12 2009 to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Read other Love Stories submissions.

Cape Town Tourism Blog reader Fabian Naidoo submitted the following story as an entry to our Love Stories competition:

Our wedding took place after being engaged for three months and courting for only six weeks! Jolene and I live on the same street, attended the same school then found out that we were born on the same day, November 23, me being four years older. Ours is a love story that came together like God’s perfect puzzle and took some years to complete. It was Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life series that proved to be the ultimate catalyst. It was there that I met Jolene.

During the first week of the course I realised there was something special about Jolene. Her perfect smile, the way in which her eyes sparkled and her infinite wisdom, an absolute treasure. When I was with her I didn’t want the time to end and couldn’t wait for the next meeting. Our friendship blossomed into love, a love that completed who we were. Although genuinely content with our independence and singleness, this connection was something else. Jolene became my every thought and consideration, an email away, on the other end of the phone, a two-minute drive; she had become an answer to every prayer, my love.

My heart’s desire was to work in India and Jolene encouraged me to pursue my dream. Joles was involved throughout the process, her encouragement, wisdom and support was exactly what I needed when no-one else supported my decision. Then it happened, I got the job and was in India for four weeks. Absence really did put things into perspective and distance certainly did make the heart grow fonder. I couldn’t wait for the chance to send an email, chat online or make a late-night call.

After only three weeks away I desperately wanted to return to Jolene. This was the greatest test a love can endure. I knew she was the one true love; I couldn’t be without her – a love I wanted to spend the next 500 years with. I searched the city of Delhi for the perfect engagement ring and during my final week there I found the one. I also purchased 100 wedding invitations – I was a man on a mission! Here I was in Delhi preparing for a wedding with no clue of how it was going to materialise.

The day had come for my return to South Africa – I could barely wait to spend every single hour with Jolene. But, it was on New Year’s Eve that I “popped the question”. My favourite Zululand drive is through Melmoth up to Nkandla with its mountains and valleys – God’s perfect creation and there was one specific view that I knew demanded my return. I planned the day ...  a picnic in the mountains with the drive to declare my love. “Would you spend the next 500 years with me?” I asked. Silence from Jolene, a smile then a tear ... my heart beat a bit faster as I gazed over the perfect setting. The answer was: “Yes!” ‘Twas the final piece to my puzzle.

Read Fabian’s wife’s, Jolene’s, version of events in her blog competition entry: Symbol of love.

Do you want to submit your story to the competition? Please email your entries by 5pm on February 12 2009 to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Cape Town Tourism Blog reader Jolene Naidoo submitted the following story as an entry to our Love Stories competition:

God, in His infinite wisdom, delivered a beautiful baby boy named Fabian to a wonderful couple on November 23 1977. Four years later, in 1981, on the very same day, He blessed a stunning couple with a gorgeous baby girl named Jolene. Both families moved to Richards Bay, a place along the east coast of South Africa. Without even knowing it then, they also moved to the same neighbourhood, the very same street, Arenga Loop. We met in 2007 at Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life course, six weeks later we were courting.

Our wedding took place after being engaged for three months! When Fabian proposed on News Year’s Eve I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. He was my life, my soul mate, my everything, but there was one problem, he was offered a job internationally and was to leave in four weeks.

Yet God worked amazingly on our behalf, the company allowed Fabian two months’ leave to get married and return to India.

Though the wedding was arranged in four weeks, I had to leave for Cape Town for a conference two weeks before the wedding. Leaving my fiancé behind to manage the wedding preparations was the most difficult thing to do, yet I was so grateful to him for granting me one last time away to spend by myself. It was during that week that I realised I could never be without Fabian. The conference was a blur. The sightseeing was awesome, but something was missing. Looking at the famous Table Mountain and the turquoise-blue waters, I was reminded of how unmistakable, solid and sure our love was. Comparing it to the Taj Mahal, this was our symbol of love. I was overcome by emotion, realising the handiwork of God even in orchestrating our love. I couldn’t wait to get back to my husband-to-be.

Our day arrived; it was a magical feeling, even though it rained heavily. Our phones didn’t stop ringing with all the calls telling us not to worry, that it was God showering His blessings over us. Our wedding ceremony went by like a whirlwind. Before we knew it our vows were said, we promised ourselves to each other forever, the registers were signed, we took Holy Communion, sang our worship songs and it was time for the reception, but before that, the photo session. Just as we walked out, brand new husband and wife, the skies opened and rays of sunshine shone everywhere. Our photo session took place at a yacht club. The heavens burst open with light. It was our sign from God. The reception was awesome. The speeches, toast, cutting of the cake, groom’s speech, first dance, supper, everything went so well. Then it was over. After photographs, when the guests had left, we stood there amazed. We were now married; husband and wife, and a different chapter of our lives had just begun. We were standing at the beginning; we were complete and ready to begin this new adventure.

Read Jolene’s husband’s, Fabian’s, version of events in his blog competition entry: The final piece.

Do you want to submit your story to the competition? Please email your entries by 5pm on February 12 2009 to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Submit your romantic Cape Town story to be published on our blog and stand a chance to win these fabulous prizes:

• 1 night’s accommodation for a couple who are deeply in love at the Cape Royale, Green Point, in addition to a free massage voucher for the Equinox Spa, a dinner voucher and 2 tickets to go up the Table Mountain cableway.
• 1 night’s accommodation for a couple who is celebrating a love that lasts at the Lord Charles Hotel, Somerset West, including breakfast and 2 tickets to go up the Table Mountain cableway.
• 2 nights’ accommodation for a couple who has recently decided to commit to loving each other forever at Brooklands House, Rondebosch, including breakfast and 2 tickets to go up the Table Mountain cableway.

Competition rules:

• Your blog submission should be along a romantic or Valentine’s theme, that must have some connection to Cape Town.
• Your submission should be original and interesting – the more personal the better
• Judging will take into account the quality of the writing and how the romantic theme was interpreted
• By sending us your post, you are automatically agreeing to it being published on our blog. No payment will be made for this
• Posts may be edited for quality and stylistic purposes
• Submissions should be no longer than 500 words
• Providing a photo or illustration for your piece will count in your favour
• The judges’ decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into

Some ideas for blog posts in this competition

• Write an anecdote about a personal experience
• Compose a love poem or letter
• Write about a particular “love landmark” in Cape Town, and why it is special
• Anything else you like!

Please email your entries by 5pm on February 12 2009 to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).