SCION Magazine: Cape Town, Bentley

OC TOBER - DECE M BER 2 01 4

CROWNING

GLORY Discover the Legendary Moments of Rolex

A CHM P M EDI A PU BLIC AT ION

THE REAL DEAL

MADIBA’S MOTHER CITY

MARQUE OF SUCCESS

Fabulous Jewellery from a New Generation

Why Cape Town is a Top Tourist Destination

Chasing Bentleys at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

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Cape Town

UNIQUELY KASARA YTL Hotels has announced the launch of the KASARA brand – a collection of luxurious hotels, resorts and residences in exotic locations in Asia and beyond.

KASARA promises an authentic, timeless experience where local culture and traditions are interwoven with five-star luxury. Launching the collection is the KASARA Niseko Village Townhouse, based in Niseko Village, Hokkaido, Japan. The Niseko Village Townhouse offers magnificent views of the vulcanic Mount Yōtei, along with a tempting line-up of guest activities – from reindeer sledding and snowmobile adventures in winter to kite flying and hot air ballooning in summer.

Madiba’s Much-loved Mother City

by Roderick Eime

KASARA Niseko Village Townhouse is scheduled to open on December 1, and accommodation rates at will start at US$2,000 per night for a three-bedroom townhouse.

KASARA will soon be opening further accommodation on Koh Samui, Thailand and Pulau Tiga in Borneo. www.kasara.com

SAILING ON THE MEKONG The luxury vessel Aqua Mekong sets sail on the Mekong river through Cambodia and Vietnam this October.

AQUA EXPEDITIONS has made a name for itself for paying close attention to luxurious detail, and this will be reflected throughout the vessel – from the design and décor to cuisine and service. Twenty outward-facing suites with floor-toceiling windows make it possible for quests to watch the scenery float before they’ve even rolled out of bed.

Once up and about, passengers can relax on cushioned loungers in the upstairs Outdoor Lounge or ease into the river-facing plunge pool. There’s also a spa, fitness centre, library and screening room on board for a super chilled, pampered stay. Food on the cruise is prepared by executive chef David Thompson, whose restaurant Naam Bangkok was awarded top spot in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2014. www.aquaexpeditions.com

Glamorous, set in natural beauty and a stone’s throw from the notorious Robben Island jail that once held Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s second largest city deserves its position as a firm favourite among international travellers.

ROCK CLIMBING ON TABLE MOUNTAIN, CAPE TOWN

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CAPE TOWN’S infamous Robben Island can be toured but it can never be truly experienced – and for that, today’s visitor should be boundlessly grateful.

Since the last prisoner was released in 1996, the cells of Robben Island jail have stood empty. The rooms are stark – all bare walls, rusty bed frames and chipped iron bars. A stiff, salty breeze whipping off the surrounding sea does nothing to suggest life was anything but bleak for the prison’s former residents.

The saga of Nelson ‘Madiba’ Mandela shall always hold an important place in the story of Robben Island. The renegade activist turned national president turned father of modern South Africa spent 18 of his 27 incarcerated years on Robben Island.

He was in good company: other highprofile inmates included ANC leaders Kgalema Motlanthe (who also served as president of South Africa), Oliver Tambo and current president, Jacob Zuma.

Robben Island is separated from Cape Town by seven kilometres of water. Tantalising as a swim may have been to some, the angry sea acted as a perfect barrier, and only one inmate ever made the crossing successfully.

The year was 1660 and the escapee got away in a stolen rowboat.

With Mandela’s death in December at the age of 95 and the almost immediate release of the movie adaptation of his autobiography, ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’, the great man’s spiritual presence is felt in almost all things and places in Cape Town today.

Cape Town’s glorious Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is the jumping-off point to the UNESCO Heritage-listed Robben Island, with ferries running four times a day.

Allow four hours for the tour and return ferry ride.

The city of Cape Town is frequently cited as one of the world’s most beautiful cities, and for good reason. It certainly has one of the most striking vistas, with the ‘city bowl’ poised elegantly beneath the imposing backdrop of Table Mountain.

Often visited by cloud, which drapes across its flat surface like fairy floss, the kilometre-high natural fortress has protected the city since its founding over 350 years ago.

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Cape Town offers an abundance of treats, tours, treks and tastings to keep its visitors amused. Abseiling and shark cage dives are popular activities among adrenaline junkies while those favouring a more urbane pace of life are lured by food and produce tours through the gorgeous Stellenbosch and Constantia regions – both within an easy drive of downtown.

But Cape Town is by no means the only city worth visiting in South Africa. The ‘Madiba Trail’ naturally leads visitors across the vast country to Johannesburg, and an exploration of the once forbidden (for white folks) township of Soweto is a perfect bookend to the Robben Island tour.

In Soweto, in an unassuming red ‘matchbox’ brick dwelling standing at 8115 Vilakazi Street, Orlando West, is the so-called Mandela House. Pockmarked with bullet holes and scorched from firebombs, this house was the home of

Nelson Mandela from 1946 until the time of his arrest in 1962. Upon his release in 1990, he briefly returned here, stating famously in his autobiography that: “For me, number 8115 was the centre point of my world, the place marked with an X in my mental geography.”

The South Africa of today is a far cry from the strife-torn, segregated country of Mandela’s adult years. This gateway to an entire continent is a bright ‘rainbow nation’ that hosts world-class sporting events and welcomes 10 million international guests every year. The nation’s murky apartheid past feels as distant and disconnected from modern life as the forsaken prison cells of Robben Island.

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Top 10 must sees TABLE MOUNTAIN

Thousands of people from across the world voted, and on November 11, 2011, Table Mountain was named among the New 7 Wonders of Nature. You can hike to the top of the mountain or get there in five minutes by cable car.

CAPE POINT

1. THE PRISON CELL ON ROBBEN ISLAND THAT WAS ONCE OCCUPIED BY NELSON MANDELA 2. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE ROBBEN ISLAND IS A FAVOURITE TOURISTS’ DESTINATION 3. CAPE POINT 4. TWO OCEANS AQUARIUM

Cape Point is a spectacular, narrow finger of land covered in endemic fynbos (shrubland) and home to picturesque bays, beaches, rolling green hills and valleys.

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ROBBEN ISLAND

Once ‘home’ to some of South Africa’s most famous political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela, Robben Island is one of the country’s most visited tourist attractions.

KIRSTENBOSCH NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN

Kirstenbosch is South Africa’s world-famous national botanical garden, set against the backdrop of Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak, and home to over 22 000 indigenous plants.

BOULDERS PENGUIN COLONY

There are few places in the world where you can get this close to a breeding colony of penguins, swim close to them in the sea and enjoy their private sandy beach.

THE CASTLE OF GOOD HOPE

The Castle of Good Hope – the oldest building in South Africa – was once a fort, but today functions as a showcase of the Cape’s early days.

BO-KAAP AND DE WATERKANT

Known for its brightly coloured houses and situated at the foot of Signal Hill, BoKaap is the spiritual home of the Cape’s Muslim community.

SIMON’S TOWN

This pretty coastal town is South Africa’s main naval base and offers delightful

Victorian buildings, quaint streets and walkways, along with a fascinating history.

TWO OCEANS AQUARIUM

With more than 3,000 marine creatures on view – including sharks, turtles and penguins – the Two Oceans Aquarium is one of the finest aquariums in the world.

V&A WATERFRONT

The V&A Waterfront is South Africa’s most visited destination, attracting millions of visitors each year to its winning combination of shops, restaurants, nightspots and museums.

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Top 4 places to stay

Top 4 luxury experiences Dining

TAJ CAPE TOWN

THE TEST KITCHEN

The Test Kitchen, which opened in November 2010, sees the celebrated chef on top form in a distinctive contemporary space.

“A truly fantastic chef, … he has this ability of putting seemingly incongruent ingredients together in such a way that they work amazingly well – which is something close to my heart.” – Heston Blumenthal Luke Dale-Roberts’ The Old Biscuit Mill, 375 Albert Road Woodstock www.thetestkitchen.co.za

A luxury hotel set in the heart of Cape Town, the Taj Cape Town offers guests a combination of refined Indian hospitality and an authentic Cape Town experience.

Occupying two historic buildings, it retains the architecture and many restored interior features of the original South African Reserve Bank and the old BoE building – formerly the Temple Chambers, built in 1890.

Wale Street, Cape Town Central 8001 www.tajcapetown.co.za

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1. SIMON’S TOWN WATERFRONT 2. KAYAKING IN CAPE TOWN 3. COLOURFUL HOUSE IN BO-KAAP 4. BOULDERS PENGUIN COLONY

Shopping V&A WATERFRONT

ONE&ONLY CAPE TOWN

On the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront overlooking Table Mountain, this chic urban resort merges contemporary glamour with authentic local character. Food comes courtesy of gastronomic legend Nobu Matsuhisa and one of South Africa’s most celebrated native talents, Reuben Riffel.

Dock Road, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Cape Town Central 8001 www.oneandonlyresorts.com

Situated at the foot of Table Mountain, within a stone’s throw of the Cape Town Stadium and in the heart of Cape Town’s working harbour, the V&A Waterfront offers indoor shopping and entertainment venues, ocean vistas and mountain views in a cosmopolitan, vibrant atmosphere.

Here you’ll find more than 80 restaurants alongside designer brands Alfred Dunhill, Boss, Chopard, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and the like. www.waterfront.co.za

CLASSIC CAPE CHARTERS

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THE TABLE BAY

A member of the Leading Hotels of the World, the luxurious 5-star Table Bay Hotel is set on the historic Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, close to Sea Point, Newlands, Green Point, as well as Cape Town’s best tourist attractions.

Table Bay Breakwater Blvd Quay 6 Cape Town Central 8001 www.suninternational.com/table-bay

CAPE GRACE HOTEL

This recently refashioned hotel delivers all the creature comforts you’d expect from world-class accommodation and more. Situated in the centre of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, the Cape Grace boasts its very own private quay and fantastic views.

West Quay Road, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town Central 8001 www.capegrace.com

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Exclusive boat charter operator in the V&A Waterfront. Adrenaline-packed tours include shark-cage viewing and diving, deep-sea fishing excursions, ocean sailing and high-speed ocean adventures. Cape Charters also offers scenic harbour tours, water taxi services, inshore fishing charters, luxury cruises, ‘big five’ safaris, and Cape Peninsula tours. www.capecharters.co.za

Spa THE SANCTUARY SPA AT THE TWELVE APOSTLES HOTEL

Set in the mountains that made Cape Town famous, this spa offers a wide range of treatments including those inspired by the region’s indigenous fynbos. A Rasul chamber (for mud treatments) make the spa a popular choice for visitors. www.12apostleshotel.com/spa 4.

Photos: South Africa.net, Cape Town Tourism, Roderick Eime

Cruising

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VICTORIA & ALFRED WATERFRONT WITH THE TABLE MOUNTAIN IN THE BACKGROUND

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Marque of Success “ And if people say something isn’t possible I always ask myself, is that because it’s really not possible or because we think it’s not possible. ”

As a kid, Baumgartner always looked up to record breakers – the guys who accomplished something no one had done before. “Like Neil Armstrong. He was my childhood hero.

And if people say something isn’t possible I always asked myself, is that because it’s really not possible or because we think it’s not possible?”

Surprisingly for a man seemingly obsessed with such extreme, youth-oriented sports, Baumgartner puts much of his success down to his alliances with veterans. For his space jump, he relied on the help of the only other man to try such a feat – Joe Kittinger, who in 1962, as a US Air Force captain, leapt from the great height of 31 kilometres to see if a human could survive such an experience (and setting a world record in the process).

For his racing adventure, Felix has again turned to an older

generation for inspiration. “It’s pretty much the same with Sepp Haider [born 1953], who’s my driving coach. He’s a former rally driver and we have the exact same relationship that I had with Joe Kittinger [born 1928]. He’s well known on the scene, he knows a lot about driving, and he’s a very calm guy. We’ve built a relationship in six months. He’s really helping me to build up my skills.”

Baumgartner adds: “For some reason, it always looks like I’m happy with older guys. Haider and Kittinger – they’re very similar guys.”

If Baumgartner scores even a finish in what is one of motor sport’s most gruelling events, it will be seen as a great success for a racing rookie. But then what for the man who fell to Earth? Baumgartner has, perhaps not surprisingly, one eye on even loftier ambitions.

“If they were to give me the chance, I’d sure love to do [the French car race] Le Mans – yes, I’d sign up for that. Le Mans is not as tricky a circuit as Nürburgring but it’s much faster – the average speed is around 260 kmh, so it takes focus and discipline again – but it’s also the same as with Nürburgring – if you work on something with the right people and you’re part of the right team, then anything is possible.” S

Photos: Audi

But unexpectedly, inspiring… inspiring the next generation is not the daredevil’s first concern, though he says he’s happy if this is a by-product of his endeavours. In his view, the younger generation desperately needs people to look up to. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a racecar driver or your parents, so long as you look up to somebody. And if [your role model] picks an accomplishment and follows it through, then I think that’s good. It’s important to have role models.”

Nothing signals your arrival quite like a Bentley. RODERICK EIME travels to the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK to see Bentleys both old and new being put through their paces on the challenging hill climb. From here he explores the Bentley factory in Crewe, where 10,000 Bentleys are created every year for luxury-car lovers the world over.

THE GTV 8S MAKING ITS WAY AROUND THE TRACKS

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While much ado is made of this raucous white-knuckle competition, I’m enthralled by the acres of history on display, especially in the Bentley tent. Here, sitting side by side, are three (don’t you know) of the much-lauded British marque’s most significant cars ever. Old Numbers One, Two and Three represent this imperious brand’s coming of age when Britain really did rule the waves. Bentley hit its stride in the 1920s, finishing the decade with a roaring four consecutive Le Mans victories at the hands of the ‘Bentley Boys’ – a group of wealthy playboy motorists who drove, as they lived, with panache, flair and large dollops of derring-do.

Despite unkind references from its elegant continental adversaries, who referred to the great green monsters as the ‘the world’s fastest lorries’, Bentley cemented itself in motorsport history, and the great marque’s prestige was assured. After a 70-year hiatus, Bentley returned to Le Mans and won the race again in 2003, on its third attempt.

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THE TABLE IS SET AND THE CAVIAR IS SERVED, but instead of a string quartet filling the air with melodious sounds, the roar of high-octane machinery roars and screams over polite chit-chat.

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Here, at The Goodwood Festival of Speed, it’s a very British celebration of the good life in a grand rural setting immersed in the serene greenery of West Sussex. Goodwood House, the home of our hosts, the Earl and Countess of March, sits imperiously on high ground overlooking the noisy festivities. Crowning the scene is an outlandish sculpture featuring two historic racecars.

Every year, 150,000 ardent motoring fans converge on this hallowed estate to pay homage to more than a century of motoring heritage. The lush paddocks are filled with all manner of delectable motorcars, from ancient juggernauts like the 1911 Fiat S76, which could reach 290kph (180mph) with its 28-litre engine, to the latest Formula One missiles such as the Red Bull Renault RB10.

Every decade is represented in row upon row of immaculate engineering triumphs, plus a few lovable lemons to please the adoring crowds. The excuse, however, for this marvellous ensemble is a hill-climb speed event over a 1.86 kilometre (1.16 mile) course through his Lordship’s front yard.

1. VISITORS ENJOYING THE SUN ON THE GROUNDS OF GOODWOOD HOUSE 2. VINTAGE BENTLEYS RACING AWAY FROM THE STARTING POINT 3. DAVID BRABHAM 4. THE BENTLEY V8 CONTINENTAL GT3

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As a fitting bookend to this historic cavalcade, Bentley’s current racer, the 4.0 litre turbo V8 Continental GT3, is driven

by Australian pedigree racer David Brabham. His illustrious father, Sir Jack, who died a month before Goodwood, was given a fitting send-off at the festival: a ‘minute of noise’, observed by every racecar revving to the redline for 60 seconds. The next day, my eyes may have stopped watering, but my ears were still ringing.

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In popular culture, Ian Fleming’s original master spy, James Bond, drove a Mark IV – a variant that never existed – while several real Bentleys have made cameo appearances in Bond’s big screen adaptations. John Steed, lead sleuth in the flamboyant 1960s British TV series The Avengers, drove a number of different Bentleys, among them the 1928 Bentley 4.5 litre.

While some outlandish personalities may be attracted to Bentley’s luxurious playfulness, the brand also attracts a more sober fan – one who takes comfort in the marque’s unrivalled prestige and workmanship. HRH Queen Elizabeth II is the proud owner of a custom-built state limousine, while her grandson, Prince William, and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, have been seen alighting from a sparkling Flying Spur for a red carpet event.

Most cars, Robin tells me, end up in the US or Middle East, but a growing number are heading to Asia, particularly China.

With Bentley approaching its centenary, the simple guiding principles instilled by the founder, Walter Owen ‘WO’ Bentley, still stand true to this day, perhaps even more so… “To build a fast car, a good car, the best in its class.” S

1. A FLEET OF BENTLEY MODELS OUTSIDE THE BENTLEY FACTORY IN CREWE 2. THE PAINT SHOP PROCESS 3. WELDING AT THE BODY IN WHITE FACILITY 4. HAND STITCHING THE LEATHER ON THE STEERING WHEEL 5. THE BENTLEY MODEL PRODUCTION LINE

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With the last echoes of the howling engines fallen silent, we pack up and head north to Crewe in Cheshire, where Bentley motorcars are painstakingly built. The historic Pyms Lane factory once produced the magnificent Rolls Royce Merlin aero engines – the same engines many say won the war for Britain when fitted to such illustrious aircraft as the Lancaster bomber and Supermarine Spitfire.

Today’s manufacturing process is whisper quiet by comparison. Conveyors silently transport the chassis above our heads, and teams wait to perform their allotted tasks.

Axles, transmissions, electrics and the coveted all-leather and walnut interiors are delicately installed without any sense of urgency. Even though the Crewe factory is producing more Bentleys now than ever– as many as 10,000 a year – there’s clearly no rush.

Across from the ‘line’ is the diligent ‘sewing circle’, where craftsmen and women sit at their benches, hand-stitching the soft leather to the rims of steering wheels.

“Depending on the degree of customisation, it can take up to 16 hours to stitch a single wheel,” we’re told by David, a craftsman who considers himself a mere pup, with just a decade of service under his belt.

Customisation is a hallmark of the Bentley ownership experience, evidenced by the range of vivid colours rolling along the production line. Exteriors in lime green, fire engine red, and submarine yellow adorn the line-up, though most customers, I’m told, are content to choose from the generous palette of more than 100 factoryfavoured tints. Interiors too can be customised with your own shade of leather, and if leather is not your thing, you can request Oxford cloth.

While walnut is far and away the favourite timber for the interior, elm, oak, maple and even eucalyptus are on hand. The top-ofrange Mulsanne uses solid timber, computer-cut to perfection on massive machines, then hand-finished.

“We’ve had some curious requests,” I’m told by Robin Peel, head of marketing and communications, and our guide, “including one lady who was so taken by the colour of a favourite kitchen appliance, she brought the whole item into us so we could copy it.

It’s not unusual to be shown samples of nail polish.”

Clearly, Bentley is a brand that attracts colourful individuals and the rollcall of luminaries who own and drive a Bentley is impressive. Of the most visible, David Beckham stands tall in his Continental, while Hollywood heartthrob and tough guy, Mark Wahlberg has been seen in his Mulsanne. Paris Hilton is often spotted showing off along Rodeo Boulevard in her custom pink GT Coupe.

Photos: Bentley

TO THE HOME OF BENTLEY

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