Cape Town Water Front, FF Day 4, March 24, 2018, WTRD 8

Cape Town Day 4: Robben Island and Waterfront Walk, Sunday, March 24, WTRD 8

After two days of gorgeous sunny weather and mild temperatures, Table Mountain is covered with the “Table Cloth” this morning and fog and mist engulf the water front.  

Our 11:00 am ferry trip to Robben Island where anti-apartheid activists including Nelson Mandela were incarcerated, was cancelled. 

Discussion between coordinators about PLAN B

We had to rebook for Tuesday morning and hope fog does not roll in again.  Our FF contingent gathers on the dock for discussion and decision about Plan B.

By the time our discussion concludes, the sun is coming out.  Plan B is to walk around the wharf and have a leisurely lunch.  Yeah!  This is very appealing to have some time to wander on our own.  Everyone else thinks so too.









Russ and I do just that and have a wonderful day.  

We look at art work,  

Repurposed Plastics Art

enjoy the sights and sounds of the waterfront,

do a little window shopping,

visit the Springbok Rugby Experience where Russ buys a rugby shirt,

and we meet up with a few of the host club members and a few ambassadors to have a nice lunch at Aldos restaurant.

Our Host Margi, Russ, Roz

One of our ambassadors had been to Cape Town once before and had suffered a case of food poisoning at this very fine  establishment.  They had given her a 1000 Rand give certificate, about 100 USD which she used up for the lion’s share of the bill. Russ and I pitched in for the balance.  It was quite a treat! Thank you Glenys!












After lunch, our host Margi, took us up to the  Bo-Kaap Muslim area to walk about and take some photos since this activity had been eliminated on our day to Table Mountain when we ran out of time.  The neighborhood was colorfully expressive.

Table Mountain in the Background

Afterwards, we returned home before 4:00 pm. Had tea and cake, and then introduced Margi, Day Host Helen, Anne (Margi’s sister), and Joey (Anne’s 8 year old grandson), Helen, and Joey’s Mom Meghan to the card game of Golf and to the Left Center Right game that we had given to our host.  We spent a delightful hour or so playing these games, before it was time for everyone to go home.

We had a light dinner and retired early.  Our host stayed up until 1:00 pm in the morning preparing lamb curry for a group coming for dinner tomorrow night.  Margi is a tireless, generous person.  We are really enjoying her, her family and her hospitality.

All is Well with the Worrall Travel Rs in Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope, and Penguins, FF Day 3, WTRD 7 of 36

Cape Town Day 3:  Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope, Penguins, Saturday, March 23, WTRD 7

On our third day in Cape Town we made our way out to Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope, and Boulders, home to the African Penguin Colony.

The day dawns, and it is another beautiful blue sky day.  We head south to Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope.  

We drive to the furthest point south on the Cape to climb to the top where the lighthouse warns sailing ships of the rocky hazards that have wrecked many a ship.  

The wind on top is fierce and nearly knocks us off off our feet .

The beautiful white beach is hugged by the layered cliffs.  The actual southern tip of Africa is Point Agulhas, 90 miles to the south-east.

Elands, springbok, wild ostrich, and baboons are native to this area.  

We have the opportunity to see all four while in the Cape of Good Hope National Park.  The baboons have adapted to sea living and forage for seafood, along the shores.  After our hike, we drive down  towards the northern point of the Cape which is actually the Cape of Good Hope.  

Originally named by Diaz as the Cape of Storms, the Cape for promotional purposes was renamed to encourage sailors heading around the Cape to the Indies.

The scenery is stunning even with the ebbed tide.  Beds of kelp bob up and down in the swells and tide pools,  Cormorants, gulls, and sea lions make their homes along these rocky shoals and bask in the sun spray of crashing waves.  

Our Friendship Force take a group photo at the Cape of Good Hope sign, 

but before we do, our host club photographer offers to take the photo of a solitary young man on a bike, with the bicyclists camera.  We were honored to be witness to the end of his successful year and a half ride south from Iceland!  Our Friendship Force welcomes him to the Cape with good cheer and applause.  Since my hands were busy clapping, I neglected to take a photo of my own.  Drat! 

Our itinerary for the day included Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope, Penguin Colony, have lunch then walk about the quaint seaside town of Kalk Bay.  I looked forward to taking some photos of the town to take photos while walking rather than through the windows of the bus.  

The first part of our plan was seamless, but when we got to the Penguin Colony, for whatever reason, most likely having to do with load shading, the credit card machines kept losing power and were timing out before ticket transactions could be completed. The crowds were stuck in line waiting for entry.  

Our group was almost to the ticket counter with our host leader at the head of the line ready to pay with credit card for the whole bunch of us.  One of the ticket personnel decided to invite cash only people to step over to that window to pay.  Good idea, but before we could get our own money out and individually pay with cash, several people started pushing us back from the window.  A true one step forward, two step back experience.  

It is about 2:00 pm, and our group has yet to have lunch.  You don’t ever want to be in a line going nowhere with a bunch of cranky, hungry, tired seniors!  There were some tempers heating up.  Finally, we were able to see the cute little penguins and all the piss and vinegar evaporated.  We saw mating pairs, preening pairs, parent and chicks, molting chicks, and one Penguin Mama lay an egg, then folded around it to keep it warm while Papa Penguin looked on proudly.

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The product of penguin affection.

Darling, you just laid an egg!

Lunch was between 3 and 4:00 pm. in an enjoyable seaside restaurant.  Needless to say we were hungry and ready for a rest.

 We were running so late now that again the walk-about in Kalk Bay was eliminated from our itinerary.  Darn!   

We returned to Cape Town , went home for a change of clothes and to pickup some dishes Margi had prepared for a potluck bar-b-que.  

We traveled back to an area we had traversed earlier in the day, and before entering the home where the bar-b-que was being held, the sun was setting and the lights around the bay were shining.

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I retired the camera for the evening after the sunset, and just enjoyed the BBQ and the people without documenting the dinner,

All is Well With the Worrall Travel R's in South Africa