The f8 Group: Photography and Occasional Commentary: Bo Kaap Colours in Cape Town

Bo Kaap (pronounced "bore carp") is the Cape Malay suburb of Cape Town - the place where, in the days of Apartheid, second class citizens from Malaysia chose to live once they were freed from their indentured contracts in Africa.
Second class in those days was considerably better than third class, a section of Apartheid society reserved for the indigenous African population. Today Bo Kaap is a lively and small network of streets perched on the side of Table Mountain. Many of its houses are painted in lurid colours, as you can see here, providing an obvious magnet for passing tourists. There are places to stay, coffee shops and cafes serving Cape Malay food - an Africanised version of what you might expect to find on the Malayan Peninsula. I thought it was a bit watered down - none of the dishes we tried were very spicy or hot - in contrast with much of the food I have had throughout Malaysia which was a shame - but perhaps this is just a cultural thing.