We got up early this morning to drive the Cape Peninsula. We had beautiful, warm weather again today! Everyone keeps telling me that this is very unusual for winter.
We drove south on the east coast of the peninsula through quaint little beach towns, Muizenburg, St. James, Fish Hoek, Simon’s Town and then to Boulders Beach, which is known for it’s colony of African or Jackass Penguins, named for their braying call which sounds like a donkey. There were hundreds of them and I could have watched them for hours.
It was a breathtaking drive along the coast of False Bay. Whales come into the bay from June to November, but much to my disappointment the only thing we saw at a distance was one blowing off and on for about 5 minutes. We kept hoping it would breech, but no such luck.
Near the penguin colony parking lot was a little market where we watched a guy carving birds and other animals out of soapstone. He was a personable guy and didn’t mind Mark taking his picture.
See the little white birds to his left. After they are carved they are polished and are shiny black.
From Boulders Beach we drove to Cape Point, which is the most southwestern corner of Africa. We took a funicular to the top of the mountain then climbed to the top of the lighthouse there. After we got to the top we all decided that maybe we shouldn’t have had wine at lunch!!!
We drove back to Cape Town up the west coast and again, it was a beautiful drive. We drove “one of the world’s most beautiful drives”, Chapman’s Peak Drive, a 5 mile narrow road hugging the side of the mountain on one side and a sheer drop on the other with 114 curves! I was driving, so I for one was glad for it to come to an end. We finished up the drive going through town after town of beautiful beach front homes and condos.
We stopped in Camp’s Bay just in time to catch another beautiful sunset.
We were all pretty exhausted so we ate the hotel restaurant, Signals. Another wonderful meal. Our waiter, Wonga, was a 21 year old Cape Town native who along with he hotel chef had just won a national culinary contest. Wonga did the wine pairings with the chef’s creations. Pretty impressive.
Cant wait til paragliding tomorrow! It ought to be a once in a life time experience.
(Or should I say, it’ll be my once experience!!!)
Mark and Freda's Wanderings 
Freda, you are such a great writer. I almost feel like I am there too as you are wonderfully descriptive in the telling of each day and adventure.