Monday, March 17, 2008

We started our day at the top of Table Mountain. The view defies description. It is as if the mountain is sheltering the city of Cape Town as it is tucked into a bay looking out onto the Atlantic Ocean. The cable car ride to the top is a breath-taking experience, as it appears that we were scaling the shear face of the mountain. The cable car ascended 1,036 meters in about five minutes. Nothing prepared us for the view the harbor and of Robbin Island from the top. The look out over Lion's Head Peak toward the Atlantic Ocean was like the lion was almost watching the mountain protectively. Now we know why the local people call this God's country. Only God could endow a location with such majestic beauty.

It was hard to follow such an act, but we enjoyed the scenic trip to the Cape of Good Hope, the Southwestern most point of the continent of Africa - facing the Atlantic Ocean. Not much farther away is where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean. To mark the occasions we took a picture at Cape Good Hope, and enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Two Oceans Restaurant.

 

The tour to the Cape of Good Hope was highlighted by views of Ostriches, Baboons, and a fascinating visit to a colony of African Penguins. Perhaps, like me, you probably never thought of Penguins in Africa. This was the highlight of the animal life we encountered without visiting a wild game reservation.

Our evening ended with a wonderful visit to a restaurant in Cape Town - Mama Africa. I recommend that you look up this restaurant, with authentic local food, and stirring live entertainment. We enjoyed a full day that also included a driving tour of Cape Town to view the houses of Parliament, the very first fort built to protect the original settlers.

Here is a blog entry form Darien Flowers, a high school senior at Wellington School, in Columbus, Ohio.

Thoughts of Cape Town
by Darien Flowers

Cape Town seemed to embody everything Souht Africa is as it attempts to move forward in a positive direction in its post apartheid era. It encompasses an urban metropolis and the expansion of big business in South Africa's economy without losing its association with its tribal history. Furthermore, South Africa accents its natural beauty with the preservation of landmarks such as Table Mountain and the general Cape area. I would gladly vacation or live in Cape Town.

 

Tomorrow we travel to Pretoria, the capital, which is now renamed as Tshwane. This has been an enjoyable visit for al of our travelers - young and old. We are looking forward to more cultural enrichment in the coming days.