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Where's Table Mountain
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - 21st/22nd April
This is the only overnight stop on our cruise back from Sydney.
Situated on the Atlantic shore of the Cape Peninsula, Cape Town remains the "Mother City" for South Africans.Nestling at the foot of Table Mountain, Cape Town has a huge number of tourist attractions -gardens, museums, historic buildings and plenty of shops.
Further afield you have the vineyards and garden route. As always time is a limiting factor and here was no exception. From when we berthed, we new it was going to be a challenging day.
Table Mountain was shrouded in cloud and although we had booked to go up by mid morning it was apparent that the cloud was not going to lift. It was more the strong gale force winds that was the problem. We set out on our tour being optimistic that on our return in the afternoon the cloud would have gone.
The tour was the Complete Cape Explorer, and so we set off from Cape Town for the Cape of Good Hope, the southernmost point on the African continent.
On our way to the Cape of Good
Hope Nature Reserve you pass through Camps Bay Beach and the Twelve Apostles. Then on to Chapmans Peak Drive (one way only for coaches) to take us down to the Reserve.
It was at this point that the weather turned from bad to worse. The rain came down horizontally until we reached the Cape. A lull gave us an opportunity to take some photos before heading to Cape point for the railway to the summit 'for spectacular views'.
It was not to be, the weather closed in and luckily the restaurant opened its doors early so we were not all drowned rats.
Considering there were 4 coachloads for lunch it was one of the best meals we have had on tour, with wine included.
After lunch it was little improvement in the the weather on the Cape but we heading up the coast to Boulders Beach to see a newly established penguin colony. These little Jackass penguins have made their home on this small beach just below the local residents. They being retirees who have built their dream homes with a view of the sea. Not only do they have to put up with the Penguins
but there is a constant stream of visitors passing their driveways and all the other tourist paraphernalia.
At least the weather cleared but not enough for us to race back to Table Mountain.
Finally on our journey back to Cape Town we had a visit to the Groot Constantia winery and vineyard.
The 17th century home of Governor Van de Sel is one of the most striking examples of old Dutch architecture, this is the oldest wine making winery in South Africa.
The homestead houses a museum with antique furniture and paintings and there is a wine museum in the Manor House.
The wine tasting consisted of 5 different wines including their superior Pinotage.
We did purchase a few bottles (would be rude not to!!!) and hopefully some of it will make it home.
The journey back to the ship included not a final attempt to go up Table Mountain but just a look from the viewpoint to see Cape Town from the Lower cable car station but even that was rubbish. The cloud cover came in and that was that!!!
We did keep our tickets for the
next day but it was obvious from the weather in the morning that there was going to be no going up the mountain.
Disappointing to miss Table Mountain but we have now visited the most southerly parts of both South Africa and South America
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