Last night we were visited by Dobby the house elf. Well before the sun rose Caroline awoke from a nightmare where Dobby was stalking her. After a quick calm down and a pot of coffee, we were awake and ready for breakfast. Following a lavish breakfast (that overwhelmed our peace corps volunteers), we started our vacation by heading to the most iconic landmark in Cape Town, Table Mountain. As our car climbed up the mountain trail we passed a plethora of cyclists, only reinforcing my regret of not brining my bike. For the geologists out there, Table Mountain is formed from ancient rocks, over 400 million years old. In fact, the top of the mountain is quartzitic sandstone where the old level of the land was, almost 1000 meters above the current altitude of Cape Town.
As we stepped into the cable car, that completes the final 300 meters to the top, the car lurched and suddenly the windows began to spin! The entire outside of the cable car actually rotates on its own! All to prevent too much jockeying between passengers for the ultimate photo opportunity of Cape Town.
As the car slowly slid in to the station we took our first tentative steps on to the plateau. Table Mountain is actually quite uneven, with small pathways that work their way around the mountain. One misplaced step though and you'd be sent tumbling down towards Cape Town! The plateau is actually inhabited by a bunch of small lizards and rodents called Dassies!
Plus some amazing views, this overlooks the twelve apostles. A string of twelve rocky outcroppings that point away from Cape Town and towards the Indian Ocean. The second photo is shot between two other outcroppings on the other side of Table Mountain, with a glimpse of Cape Town and the fog covered bay in the background.
Pictures of Cameron and his girlfriend Catharine, with Caroline, and Cameron, Caroline, and I:
Cape Town natives will know about the 'Table Cloth.' So named, because it envelopes Table Mountain, the Table Cloth is a cloud formation that forms when the humid warmer air cools and forms clouds. The air cools as it rushes toward the high mountains that surround Cape Town. In the afternoon the cloud formation covers Table Mountain. It forms one of the most amazing views you will see anywhere. Walking within the cloud resembles a dream scape, with figures vanishing and emerging from within the fog.
With Table Mountain crossed off our list we headed back down the mountain and began a leisurely drive down the cost to cape point and Boulder beach. Our drive took us along the inside of False Bay, down and around Muizenberg and other phenomenal beach towns. Unfortunately, we managed to overlap with a naval parade. While we sat in traffic, jets road overhead, leaving a trail of smoke in their wake. Eventually we broke free from the city congestion we were determined to leave behind and made it down to Boulder Beach. There we saw the African rock penguins, South Africa is one of the few habitable areas in the world that have penguins (the other being Tierra del Fuego in South America). Barely a foot tall, they were incredibly cute, but also very territorial, fighting over their nests. They breed all along the coast of South Africa up to Namibia.
Here is a photo showing how the clouds form as the air rushes up to the peak of a nearby mountain.
With Table Mountain crossed off our list we headed back down the mountain and began a leisurely drive down the cost to cape point and Boulder beach. Our drive took us along the inside of False Bay, down and around Muizenberg and other phenomenal beach towns. Unfortunately, we managed to overlap with a naval parade. While we sat in traffic, jets road overhead, leaving a trail of smoke in their wake. Eventually we broke free from the city congestion we were determined to leave behind and made it down to Boulder Beach. There we saw the African rock penguins, South Africa is one of the few habitable areas in the world that have penguins (the other being Tierra del Fuego in South America). Barely a foot tall, they were incredibly cute, but also very territorial, fighting over their nests. They breed all along the coast of South Africa up to Namibia.
We have just arrived at the Spier Hotel. Set in the Stellenbosch wine region, the hotel is set on a winery and has a well known resturant. We are off to the pool for some swimming and relaxation!
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