Cape Peninsula

We started the day by going to the top of Table Mountain. The mountain is 3,563 feet tall and has the distinctive flat top.

The day we arrived in Cape Town the mountain had gale force winds blowing across the top. The clouds made it look like there was a fog machine on top.

We rode in these round gondola cars 3,200 ft. to the top. They are very unique in that once we started the inside floor began rotating around so that by the time we reached the top everyone had a 360 degree view. 

Looking down on Cape Town.

The back side of Lion's Head Mountain

Looking South towards the Cape of Good Hope

The thin clouds hovering just below the peaks of the mountain range made it look like they were floating.

They offered a chance to repel down the mountain. 

Too bad I didn't have enough time! HaHa!

After Table Mountain we drove along the coast line.

The water was so crystal clear and blue.

A school of dolphins just off shore.

South Africa has one submarine in their navy and we saw it conducting maneuvers.

Doesn't this look like it could be in Hawaii ?

We visited the Penguin Park which is home to the African Jackass Penguins. They are called that because of the noise they make.

There were children singing and dancing as we went to the Penguin park.

We then went further South to the Cape Point.

A red grasshopper

They had Baboon warning signs along the highway.

Evidently they are serious enough of a problem that men actually were standing guard with guns in case they attacked a car.

The lighthouse on top of Cape Point.

I climbed to the top to get some pictures of the view.

This is the cable car that we rode up to the top.

Looking down from the lighthouse.

Looking out to The Cape of Good Hope where the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean meet.

The Cape of Good Hope is the southern most point of Africa.

Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden

We went to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens this morning. Kirstenbosch lives up to its reputation as the most beautiful garden in Africa and one of the great botanic gardens of the world. Few gardens can match the sheer grandeur of the setting of Kirstenbosch, against the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain. I could have spent days here wandering through the many garden areas. The pictures will speak for themselves. Enjoy!

This is a special gold hybrid Bird of Paradise ( yes Dad I thought of you!)

The canopy walk on the sky bridge offered some great views of the gardens.

We did a city tour, a township tour and had our home cooked dinner with a local family today. But, I am tired and am just getting back to my room after 10:30. Will have to post the rest of the day's activities later. Got to get up at 5:30 in the morning so we can hopefully make it to the top of Table Rock.

Coastal drive

We made our drive from Knysna to Cape Town along the southern coast line today.

We stopped at an aloe factory where they made multiple creams and other aloe products.

There were some beautiful flowers and trees in bloom.

Swellendam is a historic town that served as the outpost for the Dutch East India Company. This building was the administrator's and was built in 1747. This is where we had our lunch break.

We traveled through the central part of the southern farming area. It looked very similar to our Midwestern plains. They were harvesting the winter wheat crop.

Giant grain silos.

Windmill generators are being erected to help with the electrical needs.

As we entered Cape Town we could see the clouds blowing over the top of Table Mountain. We were going to go to the top but due to the high winds it was closed. Hopefully we will be able to go tomorrow.

Several of us walked down to the beach after we checked into our hotel rooms.

This is our hotel with Lion's Head Mountain in the background.

An oil rig being towed in for some repair work..

We watched the sunset before going to dinner.