golfkat Travel Blog

Never before have I seen two oceans meet.  The Atlantic and the Indian Ocean meet here in the Cape at the place all of us learned about in Geography 101, the Cape of Good Hope.  It is a beautiful place, with rough cliffs, and wide sandy beaches.  I can only imagine what Fred Magellan and his fellow explorers must have thought when they rounded the Cape.  Actually, the oceans meet at Cape Aguilhas, but Good Hope sounds so much better.  Nevertheless, the warm Aguilhas current (Indian Ocean) meets the colder Benguela current (Atlantic Ocean) creating a junction of the world’s most contrasting water masses.

For you birders, up to 250 species of birds reside in this area.  Large animals are rare, but many small animals live here.  These include the ostrich, water mongoose, hyrax, striped mouse and otter.  Also prevalent were many loud and obnoxious two-legged animals bearing the colors of various European capitals.

Having now been to both Cape Horn in Argentina, and Cape point here, I vote heartily for the Cape of Good Hope.  I could not have imagined a more beautiful place, especially here on the continent of Africa.  It challenges the memory and senses, for it is not the Africa of wild animals, the vast Serengeti, or the wilds of the Congo River.  It is just plain beautiful here.  Are you not glad we visited Cape Town now, Mike?  He was so skeptical.

Poor Barry and Chrissie could not have imagined two wide-eyed Americans finding the Cape so wonderful.  The food is great, and their hospitality is stupendous.  We may never leave.  Actually, Mike leaves Tuesday, and I leave Wednesday.

On the way to the Cape, we drove through several nice coastal towns, many with a strong British bent to them.  After a little hike down to the beach area at the Cape, we headed to Simonstown for a seafood lunch on the water.  This is getting to be a habit that I could enjoy, a seafood lunch on the water, and the sun breaking through the dark continent’s clouds.  I could not resist the calamari and chips, along with a tall local microbrew.  But the best thing was the ice cream sundae.  The guys had their kahlua flavored Don Pedros.
Then we headed over to the famous Boulders penguin colony, where thousands of penguins reside.  These guys live here year around, and do not require much help, other than a few plastic huts in the sand.  Most have burrowed out some nice duplexes and condos in the sand.  Several of the adults were feeding the rather brownish young ones by their usual method, regurgitation.  Glad I missed it!  But I did get some nice photos that will make the archives when I get home.

These are full days, with not much time for internet or naps.  We are getting ready for our ostrich barbecue right now (Sunday eve).  Barry is quite the chef, and can cook while doing his stand up comedy act.  I think he is ready for prime time back in the states!

Monday morning, Mike and I will head off to the city center of Cape Town and just look around.  Then we will have a big farewell dinner in the downtown district on Monday night.  Mike leaves Tuesday, and I will leave Wednesday.  Part of me wants to stay, and the other part says it is time to get back to reality!

I just am enamored of some of their terminology here.  Of course, Chrissie is a witty Brit, who calls us the “bloody Americans.”  But when she sees something rather extraordinary, she calls it “hectic” or a “helluva hectic.”  I just love it, so I have been using hectic myself, first just for laughs, and now, just because it sounds good.

As the trip winds down, I can tell you without a doubt that Cape Town is THE place.  This is the only place I would return to on the entire continent.