According to our fellow travelers, this was the longest day of our trip as we were headed to the airport and our nineteen hour trip back to New York. Our last breakfast in this beautiful country was one to remember – guava juice, fresh fruit, yogurt, warm pastries, eggs cooked to order, if one had room, and for me, rooibos tea. After our checkout, we took one more trip through the West Coast National Park, counting tortoises on our way. We all met at the same farm store we had previously visited and Chris got his last Magnum bar.

Nita and I headed into Cape Town to spend some time in the Victoria and Albert Mall on the waterfront for last minute shopping and lunch before heading to the airport. It was large and quite upscale and we ate our last South African meal in a Portuguese cuisine restaurant. The presentation of the vegetarian platter we ordered was almost too pretty to eat so we took our time to enjoy it while watching the boats in the inlet.

The trip to the airport was rather harried but the signage on the N2 was easy to follow. We met Chris and Linda in the International Airport and finished spending most of of ZAR money. After saying our last goodbyes, we boarded our separate planes, ours to Dakar, Senegal and back to the USA, via New York City where I spent Thanksgiving with my daughter and her family.

To be continued with my post trip thoughts and — maybe some more pictures!

Four of us had planned to take a 14K hike in the West Coast National Park, so ate a large early breakfast. We started at Geelbek where we obtained a trail map. The terrain was mostly flat with minimal trail markers and no shade so we took plenty of water and snacks. Most of the vegetation was fairly stunted with a number of flowers in all shades of color. It was fascinating to see a large grouping of one flower variety amid the low vegetation. Midway, we reached the fairly large dunes near the ocean. The beach was wide and beautiful and, sadly to say, covered with a bit of washed up trash. The return trip was a bit more adventurous as signage was poor but we knew we were traveling in the correct direction, especially when we saw our starting point about 3K in the distance. Geelbek had a nice restaurant with outdoor tables, so we had a leisurely lunch amid the trees full of noisy weavers and their nests. We ended our meal with some scrumptious lemon meringue pie. A sign on the wall was one to make us laugh -”Warning, you are now in the West Coast time zone. We tick only on tortoise speed. Relax and enjoy!”

We were all quite tired after this trek, so headed back to the Farmhouse, showers and some tea in the yard overlooking the lagoon before our last dinner together in South Africa. I will really miss all the good food and service we had on our long visit to this beautiful country.

Our breakfast was not scheduled until 0900, so I did some exploring around the property which had many grape vines in all stages of growth. Some had rose bushes at the end of the row and I know there is some significance to why they are planted there. It was a bit warm so took a dip in the small pool. We had another hearty breakfast – seems as though all we do is eat! – and split up our cars to travel to our next destination, the Farmhouse in Langebaan. I followed Mary and Phil, as we decided to take the shorter route. We followed the N7 highway through Cape Town, passing many more shanty towns. Some did have electricity and plumbing but still had a long way to go until better housing was built. We cut through the West Coast National Park which has mostly low vegetation but a lot of flowers, showing a different type of beauty. We saw a number of tortoises and a few ostriches. We took a few side roads to see the “angry” Atlantic ocean with its huge rocks and waves. There was a small stone building with a fireplace which apparently was built for sea fishermen to use for shelter. It seemed quite difficult for anyone to reach as the coast was so rocky and seemed quite unattainable. It was easy to see why some ships wrecked on this coast.

We met the others in our party at the Farmhouse, which is located on Langebaan Lagoon, in mid afternoon. The water was turquoise green with a lot of boats and windsurfers. The rooms were large with fireplaces for the cooler months as they had no central heat. Our dinner was served on “just now” time in a comfortable restaurant with a large fireplace. Some of us tried some unusual dishes such as babotie, kudu and malva pudding.

We woke early and had another wonderfully presented breakfast and special orders taken by Frank, the proprietor. Four of us had preplanned to take a kayak trip on the Klein River, even though the weather still looked rather doubtful. We met two women guides from Walker Company with “sit upon” yellow plastic kayaks – not like my kayak at home – and started our trek down the river. It was surrounded by tall grass like growth on both sides making it a haven for a lot of different bird species. A few trees had colonies of large birds – I am not a birder, so just enjoyed the sight of so many nameless ones in one place.

Our guides has a lunch place preplanned, so we stopped at a large B&B on the riverside and had a lunch of sandwiches, fruit and snacks. One guide was a native and the other an Australian, recently married to a South African. It made for some interesting discussion, especially with our newly elected president in the US.

After our return trip, we were hungry again and found a little restaurant in an art gallery in the small town of Stanford. As usual the meal was delicious and the owner evenb prepared us something not on the menu.

Our next stop for the night was Lalapanza, a beautiful fairly new wood and stone constructed building with rooms overlooking Somerset West. It was located in the middle of a country estate and large vineyard with horse stables nearby. There were also a number of hiking trails and a small pool. After a wonderful dinner, mine a specially prepared vegetarian pasta, Mary and I did some star gazing in the clear sky with minimal interfering light.

The weather was still damp and misty but I got up early and tried a bit of aerobics in the 72 degree pool – quite invigorating! The breakfast was wonderful with fresh fruit and flowers greeting us on each table. Proprietor Frank greeted us each by name and took individual orders for our eggs, etc. Some of us had planned a two hour whale watch trip which happened despite the rain and cold. The water was quite choppy and I kept watching the horizon to keep my stomach in shape. Despite the rain, when a whale was spotted lying on its back, some of us braved the weather and stood by the front rail to get a closer view. Richard was out with his camera and got some good pictures. Two or three other whales were floating nearby. Once back inside and warmer, we saw one more come close to the boat, flip over and dive underneath and come up on the other side. I took no pictures but it was still an enjoyable trip.

We had lunch in an interesting seafood restaurant called The Cave, which was partially built into the upper rock coastline. It gave us a dry place to see a few more whales “making waves” out front.

That afternoon I drove four of us the 90 minute trip to Cape L’Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa. The weather cleared up, making the trip quite enjoyable with miles of vineyards and golden grassy fields on the expansive rolling hills. We also saw a number of herds of cows and sheep.

The lighthouse at the Cape was built in 1848 and is the second oldest in South Africa. Phil climbed to the top – not for me as the steps were grids one could see through to the bottom. He did get a certificate for the ascension. We hiked down to the rocky coast and did some exploring looking for the actual junction of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. We finally took the car and discovered the point with a sign written in Afrikaans. I climbed on top of the monument, only later discovering some stone steps leading up the back! I rock hopped down to the coast of each ocean and collected some water to bring home for our water ceremony at the UU Church. We stopped in the small cafe in the lighthouse and celebrated with some decadent chocolate cake and coffee or rooibos tea before heading back to Hermanus.

Today was our last day at Head South Lodge in Cape Town. We left about 1000 after our last delicious breakfast and goodbyes to our wonderful host, Jeff. We took the scenic drive to our next destination, Hermanus. This is the southern most point in Africa where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. We passed by False Bay and Betty’s Bay, stopping to take more pictures of the rocky coastline with its aqua/blue water.We also passed through some small native villages and shanties wondering where the residents worked as so far from a nearby town. There are numerous taxi services that pack people in and serve various areas. Just don’t get in their way when driving in a city!

We arrived at our B & B, Baleria de Hermanus, about 1630 on a misty afternoon. The place was small with just five rooms but delightful with a sitting place around the central small pool. We put on our rain gear and walked the few blocks to the ocean as this area is known for its large number of whales. Despite the dampness and poor visibility, we saw a few almost immediately. There were five to seven whales that seemed to be part of a pod. We heard them blow, saw tails and flippers come out of the water as they rolled over. None of our group had seen such a display when they had been here on prior trips. We ended our evening in another great seafood restaurant that overlooked the sea and we were able to continue watching their antics.

To get more of a feel of other parts of life in South Africa, we took a three hour guided township tour. We started our tour in downtown Cape Town heading through the brightly colored Muslim area and then on to District Six. The area is still quite desolate since the families were forcibly moved out in the 60′s and 70′s by the apartheid government which wanted it to be a whites only area. Their homes were bulldozed, dumped into the sea and about 50,000 people were moved to Cape Flats townships. Gradually some of the homes have been rebuilt and previous residents have moved back to their old neighborhood.

Out next stop was the District Six Museum, quite an emotional history of the area. The floor included a map of the district and former residents had labeled where their old homes had once stood. Apparently one man involved in the demolition of the area saved all the street signs and donated them to the museum where they are now on display. Many photos and documents from the time are also mounted around the walls. Comments from residents and visitors are documented on canvases located on some of the walls – even including some about our change and new President in the US.

Our first township stop in Cape Flats was Langa, an area with deplorable housing with residents from Cape Town and other countries looking for work in the area. There were a number of hostels originally used for single men and now divided into rooms which contain three beds. We toured one which had a kitchen with only tables and a sink. Each room housed three families with only dividing curtains for privacy. Any children would have to sleep on the floor. We drove back by open markets with meat for sale and common cooking areas. Sheeps’ heads were visible between two boards waiting to be cooked in the heat of the day. We passed by some animal parts drying on a line in preparation for medicinal use. We also noticed a few new government houses being built.

Our next stop was Guguletu which was similar, but a town originally divided by race, black or colored. Our driver, who grew up in Langa, explained the determination of color segregation. 1) Pencil in hair – if it stays when the head is moved, one is black. 2) Pinch test – the person is stuck with a needle or other sharp instrument and depending on the language of response, color is determined. Apparently some families were separated when one member or spouse was of a different color. While in Guguletu we toured Tembaletu (Our Hope), a workshop for brain injured adults who are taught to embroider designs on burlap bags. They all seemed so proud of their work so I bought some for family gifts.

In the 60′s all residents were originally forced to carry thick passbooks for identification or be fined. Years later all men and women protested and won.

We visited another workshop where the women were taught weaving to make money while their children were in school. Some were also trained as medical aides and visited area homes to find children who were sick or possibly malnourished. We visited some of their children in a school and were entertained with song.

As our tour continued, we passed by more towns similarly rundown and created out of whatever the residents could find to make shelter. They did have some blue portable toilets and occasional power poles for electricity. Some residents got power by connecting extension cords to their neighbors who had electricity. The census states that a village with 1000 residents could easily contain as many as 2000.

Back in Cape Town, we went to the downtown Green Market where natives bargain to sell their wares. Despite the intense heat, it was fun and challenging to see what kind of price I could negotiate for the few souvenirs I bought to take home.

This was our last day in Cape Town before heading to Hermanus, the southern most point in Africa.

This morning, some of our group went out for a large South African lunch, but being the vegetarian I am, I met Mary and Phil at the World of Birds near Hout Bay. It is South Africa’s largest aviary and home to over 3000 different birds and small mammals of some 400 different species. It was quite a natural habitat with some areas where birds could fly freely in and out of the designated space. It was quite interesting to see these native birds and mammals close up and I enjoyed just the sight of them and did not feel inclined to take any photos. At one point, I heard a strange clicking sound and looked down to see a small owl at my feet who was not happy with my invasion of its space.

After lunch the three of us being avid hikers, headed toward an old hiking trail below Table Mountain and the Twelve Apostles. It was a strenuous uphill climb with gorgeous views of the ocean with its rocky coast and different shades of blue. We never connected with the ridge trail so descended and drove to the Pipe Trail near Table Mountain which eventually joined the trail we had sought out earlier. It had lots of native flowers and occasional shade trees and ended at a reservoir on the top of Table Mountain. We only took a two hour round trip hike as the day was hot with minimal shade.

Speaking as one has never lived for food, one of my best memories of South Africa will be their food and service. The table setting, presentation of meals and “just now” service always made for relaxing meals. “Just now” in South Africa means that something will come or happen now or usually at some later time. So again, we woke to another delicious breakfast at our Cape Town hotel. As I am not a coffee drinker, I have so enjoyed the African rooibos tea that is served everywhere. We decided to head out early to the famed Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, home to about 9,000 of southern Africa’s 22,000 plant species. The weather again cooperated but we toured only a small area of the expansive garden area. It is on the edge of Table Mountain National Park, so it and the other peaks made a spectacular background. Apparently many of the flowers we see in stores and florist shops in the US come from this area. We saw a group of yellow Bird of Paradise flowers, a new variety recently named for Nelson Mandela. Birds were everywhere and a few baboons were seen in the distance, thank goodness.
We repeated our drive back through a high end community of gated homes with electric fences, razor wire and security systems – an obvious example of the large class difference in the country. We also passed some on of the shanty villages with homes created of corrugated metal, scraps, plastic and cardboard. Some still have no plumbing or electricity or if so, only to select places. Apparently since the end of apartheid, living situations are somewhat better.

The weather continued to be gorgeous as we headed down the False Bay Peninsula along Miller’s Point toward Cape Point. We passed more spectacular beach with premium priced homes dotting the overlooking mountainside. The architecture of most of the houses is fairly contemporary with concrete facades and lots of glass. Most homes have surrounding walls and security systems, some with guards on staff. The roofs are either tile or metal due to the heavy winds in the area. The views continued to be spectacular and impossible to capture on film, so will have to keep these sights in my memory bank.

We used our wild card again to enter the Cape of Good Hope Nature Preserve, which is part of the Table Mountain National Park. All of the vegetation was low growing and durable because of the wind and nearness to the ocean. We saw lots of flowers including the white everlasting, lavender geraniums and many protea shrubs. The only visible animals were some ostriches with babies and a group of baboons on the side of the road. Unfortunately, someone had just fed the baboons as the area was littered with bottles and fast food papers. It is against the law to feed them, but some people continue to do so, probably just to take some pictures.

The lighthouse at Cape Point is located at the top of a hiking trail where we enjoyed a panoramic view of the bay area. We could still see waves cresting over the remains of a ship that had wrecked in that area. The museum at the start of the hike has a detailed history of the area with pictures and names of the ships that had wrecked offshore. The latest disaster was in 1970.

It was just a short drive to the Cape of Good Hope at the tip of the peninsula. We had to take group pictures at the Cape sign as proof we had been there despite the strong wind. It was a typical craggy coast but some of us had to rock hop down to the water and check the temperature – and it was as cold as we were told it would be. We then slowly retraced our route and stopped for dinner at a well recommended seafood restaurant for some good African fish.