South Africa Day 4: Exploring the Cape of Good Hope

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We are back in South Africa and shockingly back in civilization. It's as if we came out of the jungle bewildered and to the posh sophisticates of Cape Town, I am very sure we looked that way. The change from a few hundred kilometers up the coast is significant, but in a way no different than if we tried to compare an experience in Boston with a small seaside town in the South.

Cape Town is absolutely amazing, a huge divergence from Jozie. The Westin Grand is also leaps and bounds away from the scrubby Hilton. We had dinner at a mediocre Indian restaurant on the Victoria & Albert Waterfront last night, this is the revitalized port area of the old city. There are many shops and restaurants there and we are sure to return there tonight for a more proper meal with no sand in our shoes and hair (well the shoes might take a little longer).

Today we go visit the following:
[list]
*Simon's Town
*Boulder Beach
*Cape Point

Visiting the Cape

Cape Town is so different, down to the license plates, from Jozie that I think the Cape should secede from the rest of the country for the benefit of all. As a wine growing region it is similar to California and to the Mediterranean but it is somehow better than both. We had an amazing time and the circuit is easily drivable in a day. Our only caveat is that the availability of dining is limited, a blessing in many ways as the area is not over-commercialized. The BEST thing to do when visiting Cape Point / Cape of Good Hope is to pack a picnic. Alcohol is prohibited in the park but control is rather limited and I am certain you could get away with a good bottle of wine, we always do in American parks. The only regret we have is not leaving early enough (you need to leave Cape Town at 8AM at least) so that we could enjoy some time on one of the beautiful beaches. That aside, the pictures will speak for themselves.

I came equipped. Pat, your telephoto has been great for pictures of wildlife, the wide angle for almost everything else. My only regret for my 35-150mm was today in which I could never get a proper framing of the Cape of Good Hope but Cape Point came in well.

Tonight

We will be proper this evening and not look like Boers walking out of the veld and will go again to the Victoria & Albert Waterfront for a meal at the Den Anker Belgian Restaurant. Sad that we come to Cape Town to enjoy French food, but nothing in Ohio is any good and we are frankly tired of eating Indian Subcontinent food and South African meats (well, at least Jennifer is).


I NOW have updated our blog from dinner with William and Thea and recommend reading up on that evening. It was interesting and I wish we had photos and my memory and storytelling ability was better.

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