Sept 1 – Sept 7
Hi All,
Ever since I read all 20 of the Patrick O’Brian nautical historical novels (think Aubrey & Maturin in Master & Commander) I have wanted to visit Cape Town….what an historical city as well as such a vital role it played in opening up the Southeast Asia/Australia trade route. And, gee Kathy, since we are here let’s go taste some of that premium South Africa wine:))))
As noted on a depiction at Cape Point: “…the commanding presence of the Cape of Good Hope dominates one of the greatest strategic trade routes of the world. Since its discovery by Bartholomeu Dias more than 500 years ago, the Cape of Good Hope has been regarded by seafarers of giant tankers, rusty freighters, trim ocean liners, prowling warships, and stealthy submarines (and I might add recreational/cruisers/yachts) as the halfway mark on their voyages between the East and West”.
Kathy and I have now had the privilege and blessing to see both Cape Horn and Cape of Good Hope…whoa!!! And we have stood at the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse in southwestern Australia to see the Southern Ocean and eastern Indian Ocean meet, and now at Cape Point to see the South Atlantic Ocean and the western Indian Ocean meet…whoa again!!! Oh, and I might add, Africa is our 6th continent….just Antarctica is left….anyone interested in going with us?? Definitely got to check off some bucket list items on this trip:))))
We arrived in Cape Town around 4pm after a gorgeous-clear-blue-sky-with-lots-of-views flight from Maun Botswana. We made it through officialdom with no issues, although once again we were struck by the despondent looks and attitudes of the officials. We had observed this in Johannesburg as well. Our guide for the next seven days was a fellow named Nick, a very experienced tour guide for both Cape Town and Winelands and a native South African!!
On the drive to our marina district hotel, Cape Grace, we got our first look at Table Mountain….whoa, what a thrill for us and we were excited to be going to the top the next day. Due to some poor weather potential in a few days Nick had arranged for us to do Table Mountain and the Peninsula (Cape of Good Hope et al) the next day in sunshine so we needed to get a good night’s rest for a busy day. Not a problem….this is now Day 29 of our 35 day trip so we are starting to feel it plus the last 12-days on the Botswana Safari has us pooped as well. So, what do you do at a luxury hotel with lots of choices….we ordered room service…..South African steak for me and a cheeseburger for Kathy…..plus a good bottle of SA red wine….and in bed early!!!
Cape Grace: “Nestled under the slopes of Table Mountain, Cape Grace is located on a private quay in the V&A Waterfront. Its perfect waterside setting is enhanced by the international yacht marina and working harbor, with the Waterfront’s retail haven just steps away. Sophisticated and infused with local charm, each of the guestrooms and suites is individually decorated with richly detailed, layered interiors. The antiques, indigenous artifacts, and hand-painted fabrics convey a unique sense of place, grounding the hotel in Cape Town with its multicultural and multifaceted heritage. This is further experienced in the exclusively developed Fynbos Collection amenity line, which pays tribute to the exceptional botanical heritage of the Cape. The vibrant Bascule Bar offers over 400 whiskies from around the globe, delicious tapas, as well as a selection of the finest Cape wines. End your evening at the award-winning Signal Restaurant, which serves a decadent variety of Cape cosmopolitan cuisine.”
We indeed had a view of the marina as well as Table Mountain. We sat on our balcony and looked at the views both sipping our wine!!! No Selenes in the marina but there was a Nordhavn and lots of sailboats for charter!! And we certainly enjoyed all the old, naval paintings and antiques!!!
Covid: At the time we were in South Africa, early Sept, Covid cases were diminishing and many areas were coming out of lockdown, curfews and no liquor sales. There was still a strict mask mandate and you will see in the pictures we wore masks a lot. Vaccinations supplies were low and thus rates were low as well.
After a good night’s sleep, and a very nice hot breakfast, we met Nick at 9am and were off to Table Mountain. We took the cable car to the top and spent a few hours gawking at the amazing scenery in a perfectly clear blue sky day!!! We did not realize it was voted in 2011 as one of “The 7 Natural Wonders of the World”!!
“Rising above Cape Town, Table Mountain is probably South Africa’s most iconic landmark. The stunning flat-topped mountain is home to the widest variety of flowers and other plant life in the world and, in fact, contains more species of plants than exist in the entire British Isles – despite being smaller than London. Standing at 1,085 meters above sea level, many opt to take the cable car to the top, although more ambitious hikers will be well rewarded by making a day of it and walking up. Once you reach the summit, you’ll be able to soak up panoramic views of Cape Town, Table Bay and the rest of the surrounding peaks”
https://www.countryliving.com/uk/travel-ideas/abroad/g2640442= 8/seven-natural-wonders-of-the-world/
https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2015-03-09-33-cool-facts-about-table-mounta= in
Afterwards we drove about an hour south along the peninsula to Cape Point. “A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, based on the misbelief that the Cape was the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian oceans. In fact, the southernmost point of Africa is Cape Agulhas about 150 kilometres (90 mi) to the east-southeast. The currents of the two oceans meet at the point where the warm-water Agulhas current meets the cold-water Benguela current and turns back on itself. That oceanic meeting point fluctuates between Cape Agulhas and Cape Point (about 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi) east of the Cape of Good Hope). The Cape of Good Hope is at the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula approximately 50 km (31 mi) south of Cape Town, South Africa. When following the western side of the African coastline from the equator, however, the Cape of Good Hope marks the point where a ship begins to travel more eastward than southward. Thus, the first modern rounding of the cape in 1488 by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias was a milestone in the attempts by the Portuguese to establish direct trade relations with the Far East (although Herodotus mentioned a claim that the Phoenicians had done so far earlier). Dias called the cape Cabo das Tormentas (“Cape of Storms”; Dutch: Stormkaap), which was the original name of the “Cape of Good Hope”.
https://www.cape-agulhas-info.co.za/town/article/2186/cape-= point-where-south-africa-s-two-oceans-meet
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_of_Good_Hope
We climbed the steps at Cape Point taking numerous pictures of the Atlantic to the west and Indian Ocean to the east, as well as Cape of Good Hope 0.75miles to the west. Again, as I did on Table Mountain, I just stood and imagined all the trading ships that had passed this area and eventually anchored at the foot of Table Mountain…such history!!! It really is very satisfying when a bucket list item exceeds your expectations….wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!!!!!!
Afterwards we went to Boulders Beach where we saw the remaining African Penguin colony….impressive, then an excellent late lunch by the ocean with great views, and then capped the long day by going to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, one of the premier botanic gardens in the world. Half of South Africa’s 18,000 indigenous flowering plant species are cultivated here. The plants attract myriad birdlife as well. Nick actually worked here as a teenager so he had lots of inside stories to tell!!
https://www.iucn.org/sites/dev/files/import/downloads/spheniscus_demersus__2_.pdf
https://www.capetown.travel/relax-on-the-lawns-of-cape-towns-prettiest-garden/
And indeed the weather had set in by the time we got back to Cape Grace around 6pm. The tablecloth was covering Table Mountain:))))……it was covered by clouds and remained so for the next few days that we were in Cape Town….arghhhhhh!!!
That night we ate at Signals, Cape Grace’s award winning restaurant….whoa…I had ostrich and Kathy had the risotto….yummers!!
The Plan: I’ll stop the blog here and pick it up on Day 3 for the next and final Safari blog!!
Hope all is well!!
John
Mystic Moon
Pictures at:
http://mysticmoonvoyages.com/photo-gallery/nggallery/main-album/cape-town-and-winelands-part-1
African Penguins at Borders Beach on the Cape Peninsula
