Happy Birthday Zakumi on Youth Day 16 June 2010

16 June 2010 is a public holiday in South Africa to celebrate Youth Day. Whilst it may feel as though South Africa is having a month long festival, due to the small soccer event taking place in the country, Wednesday is actually the only public holiday in the month of June and July 2010.

South Africa will no doubt be celebrating their football team, Bafana Bafana who play Uruguay in a Group A match. Zakumi the official mascot for the World Cup Football tournament also celebrates his birthday on the same day – Happy Birthday Zakumi!

For those of you who don’t know – Zakumi is a teenage leaopard with spiky green hair and is never seen without a football! Zakumi means South Africa and Number 10. Za – represents the country code for South Africa and Kumi is a Swahili word meaning 10. His personal motto is “Zakumi’s Game is Fair Play” and his mission is to turn the World Cup tournament into a memorable party whilst showing visitors the warmth of South Africa and her people.

It is no real coincidence that Zakumi’s birthday falls on Youth Day in South Africa. Youth in South Africa form an important part of our society and Youth Day is a commemoration of the youth activists who died in the Soweto Uprising of 1976. We think Zakumi’s message and adventurous spirit resonates for all South Africans as he connects with people of all colours, religions, creeds and languages as a true South African ambassador.

On the Cape Point Route we honour our youth all year round, and pride ourselves on being one of the top family friendly destinations in South Africa. The Cape Peninsula has often been dubbed as Cape Town’s “playground” offering activities for the whole family to enjoy. In the youth kingdom of the Cape Point Route there is something for every kid – young and old!

Both Noordhoek Farm Village in Noordhoek and Imhoff Farm in Kommetjie have great kids areas and kid welcoming restaurants. Noordhoek Farm Village is running daily 2 hour craft workshops for kids during the World Cup period and they have regular Saturday morning activities for free between 10h30 – 12h30. Dunes in Hout Bay and Southern Right Hotel in Glencairn also offer a football friendly environment for parents and kids!

Family friendly beaches abound for kids and whilst the weather might be a bit chilly, the kids can still get a lovely run on the beach or as an alternative wrap them up warmly and go look at the rock pool near Dalebrook beach to find sea urchins and limpets! Search for sea shells, fly kites, build sandcastles!

Great spots include:
• World of Birds in Hout Bay (Africa’s largest birdpark) and make sure you don’t miss the Monkey Jungle,
• Cape Point Ostrich Farm near the entrance to Cape Point
• The ever popular Scratch Patch at Mineral World in Simon’s Town – where the kids can scratch for a bag of tumble polished gemstones from a patch literally covered in gemstones.
• Slangkoppunt Lighthouse in Kommetjie is another hit with the kids as they climb to the top of South Africa’s tallest cast iron lighthouse.
• The boat trip to Duiker (seal) island in Hout Bay is a fun excursion to see the Cape Fur Seals.
• Take a train ride from Muizenberg (train currently stopping at Fish Hoek with bus service to Simon’s Town). Try the Green Rail and Ride or Southern Line Hop-on Hop-off ticket.
• Penguin Colony at Boulders Beach in Simon's Town - penguins are there all year round and the kids and adults love them!
• Cape Point Nature Reserve - look for the shipwrecks, the animals and ride the Flying Dutchman funicular to the old lighthouse.

For the slightly older kids try:
• Surf lessons in Muizenberg (the kids get wet suits & don't feel the cold!)
• Walk with baboons (take a warm jacket)
• Sea kayaking (when the north west wind blows the sea is usually calm in False Bay and the kayak departure point at Simon’s Town)
• Inshore fishing from Hout Bay.
• Sunscene Adventures at the Cape Farmhouse has a mid –year holiday camp in Scarborough for Gr 2 – Gr 7.

Cape Point Route offers a wide range of accommodation, activities, attractions, restaurants, venues, shops, tours and packages on the Cape Peninsula, Cape Town, South Africa. Look out for our family packages or call us for ideas and suggestions at the information office +27 (0)21 782 9356.

IMAGES:
1. Zakumi - Official mascot for the World Cup 2010
2. Kids enjoying the football festival at Noordhoek Farm Village
3. Family fun at Noordhoek Farm Village
4. Snake and Reptile park at Imhoff Farm (Photo c/o Imhoff Farm)
5. Inshore Fishing trip with kids (Photo c/o Hooked on Africa)
6. Kommetjie sunset (Photographer: Lucia Sugden)