Cape Town!

This past week, we decided to take advantage of the break we have in between classes finishing and graduation to go to Cape Town. Cape Town was the first white settlement in South Africa, developing from a resupply station created by the Dutch East India Company (1650) as a resupply station  for ships going around the tip of the continent. The city is beautiful and is much more a tourist destination than is Johannesburg. There were more great things to see and do than we had time for in the three days we were there. Here is a short travelogue in pictures:

Frank wanted me to include this one--the airline we flew on had funny slogans painted all over them. 

We deboarded on the tarmac, something I haven't done is a very long time.

And I rode in my first South African taxi which wouldn't seem unusual unless you knew what taxis are typically like here--very unsafe--but this one was a tour bus taxi.

The ports were gorgeous--of course they have to be. It's Cape Town!

We saw seals

and penguins in Africa! They are called Jackass Penguins or Black Feet Penguins

Here's a little video of a couple of the little guys--maybe 12 to 14 inches high.

We were on the Cape of Good Hope--not the very tip of Africa as is typically thought, but it is the place where, when ships turn, they are beginning to travel more north than south.

Baboons were numerous and we were told they could also be dangerous (have you ever seen their teeth?) We were warned to not eat food where they could see. 

We went through a beautiful botanical garden

and saw beautiful botany :)

This is the old city wall and part of the original castle. You can see Table Mountain in the back. We were told that because of its size and location, it actually creates its own weather. In a clear sky, the top is frequently covered in these clouds that look like dry ice pouring down. 

A view from a different angle

We were hoping to go onto Table Mountain, but it was too windy for the cable cars to run. We did go up to the base though and saw the city view. 

Some old historic government building--not sure what, but it was pretty. This is the place where acres of "company gardens" were planted with fruits and vegetables to resupply the ships.

We went to a beautiful beach that would rival anything in Hawaii.

I played in the sand and the water which was very, very cold. It is also home to the Great White Shark. We didn't see any swimmers (they would have needed wet suits) but there is surfing on some beaches. We were told there were shark spotters and sirens to warn people to get out of the water.

A view out toward the ocean--the Atlantic ocean which meets the warm water of the Indian Ocean at the tip of Africa which is Augaulis Point not the Cape of Good Hope.

In addition to beautiful beaches, Cape Town has a very large and very busy working harbor. 

We stayed in the bay area for a good part of the day and ate at a couple of the restaurants.

This guy was very happy because we bought one of his CD's. Their band was actually very good and very energetc.

And this "statue" (a live person) shook hands with Frank when he put a tip in the box.