#5 - Cape Town - At the Cape of Good Hope

Before the trip, we considered whether we would take a tour to the Cape of Good Hope. On the safari, we met a German woman who highly recommended the tour because of the surrounding landscapes. So we decided to go for it. Monday was the day (as the weather forecast warned that it wouldn’t be nice enough for Table Mountain).

We were scheduled to leave our hotel at 07:40. Therefore, we had to get up very early. Our driver and guide, Danson (we aren't 100% sure), picked us up right on time. The weather was quite bad. It was raining, very cold, the sky was very dark, we were very tired, and we had to hurry for breakfast. Luckily, our favorite waiters were there to help us, as they know exactly what we need for breakfast 😅. Overall, our mood was initially quite low. Along with us were an older couple from presumably Great Britain and another couple from likely Japan.

Our first stop was Bo-Kaap. This used to be the accommodation for slaves. When the dark times were over, people painted the houses to shed the mental shackles of the slave houses and to find and strengthen their identity (to put it simply in my words 😅). Because it was pouring rain, we as a group didn’t want to get out at first. Ultimately, we walked up and down once. Then we quickly returned to our minibus!

Afterward, Dan drove us to Camps Bay. We had been there the day before. However, we stopped at a higher position and had a different view of the bay. It was already beautiful. The sun even peeked out for a moment. However, as mentioned at the beginning, it was very cold. So we quickly got back into the vehicle!

Dan says that there are often four seasons in a day here. We arrived at Hout Bay. There was an option to take a boat tour to a seal island. No one wanted to go, as it had just started to rain heavily. The sun had disappeared again 😅. We could still see seals, as they were lounging around in the parking lot. People feed them, and it seems that they are relatively tame. During the Corona times, many seals supposedly died because no one fed them (no tourists around). They were likely even crossing streets in search of food. There were many accidents.

After a short drive, we made a stop at Chapman's Peak. It had stopped raining by now. The area reminded us of New Zealand: “The most beautiful drive of my life” from Picton to Kaikoura 🥰😄. The highway runs right along the coast. On one side are mountains, and on the other, the Atlantic. It's quite a remarkable panorama. It definitely impressed us. I believe that in nice weather, the area might be perceived even more intensely. But that's not a problem. We're just happy to be able to see this at all.

Afterward, we stopped for refreshments in a small town.

As we continued along the coastline, we passed a beautiful bay. Dan saw how excited we were and made a special stop 😃. The sun came out again, by the way. We got out and needed a moment to take in the view. It was simply wonderful to behold. The southern part of South Africa features predominantly beautiful nature. There are mountains everywhere, lovely and colorful fauna and flora, and the vastness that is mostly uninhabited is an absolute delight... Dan told us about a ship that went missing hundreds of years ago. Unfortunately, we didn't find it 😅. I somehow have the name “Flying Dutchman” in mind. But perhaps the story merges with my vivid imagination of the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow 😆.

Now we have reached the nature reserve at the Cape of Good Hope. We passed a gate and paid the entrance fee. Right behind it, we were greeted by some baboons. However, they are very aggressive, so we didn't get out. The further south we went, the larger the rocky landscape became - combined with many colorful bushes. Beautiful to see!

At “False Bay”, we took another small break. The sun was still out. We had a great view into the distance and could study the surrounding landscape. That was, at least for me, a bit of an eye-opener. By this point, the wild nature of South Africa had really captivated me 😊.

Now we arrived at the destination of our tour, at the heart, namely at the Cape of Good Hope. To put it succinctly, it consists of rocks and stones 😅. The wind was very strong, and it rained lightly again. Consequently, we quickly looked around, took the proof picture, and jumped back into the bus - before we blew away.

The next stop was Cape Point. It is basically the developed neighboring rock with a view of the Cape of Good Hope. There is a restaurant there and a cable car to a higher platform with various hiking trails. On the way to Cape Point, we saw free-roaming ostriches. That was quite amusing 😃. At Cape Point, we had lunch and took a cable car up the mountain. We walked around there first in the rain, then in the sun, and again in the rain. The area reminded us of the coastlines of Britain. Sending love to Mum, Rosamunde Pilcher, and Co. 😁. Unfortunately, we didn't have much time left to take a closer look at the area and to enjoy the moment.

Promptly at 13:45, Dan headed towards Simon’s Town! Elisa was eager to see penguins. We made a stop at Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town and paid the entrance fee to admire the free-living and endangered African penguins. We assume that they are being taken care of there. However, they are free and can move as they please. Some are quite curious and come very close to us. They are relatively small and cute 😃. Others are lying on their bellies. It looks quite funny.

The last stop was in Kalk Bay. This is a paradise for surfers. However, many sharks lurk in the waters there. Occasionally, people die here. According to Dan, the British invasion of South Africa began at this beach. That was interesting for me 😁.

Overall, we really enjoyed the tour. The Cape of Good Hope is more of a symbolic place. Ultimately, it consists of rock formations, and a brisk wind blows. The journey there, along with the surrounding nature, is especially remarkable. It's worth taking a full-day tour and getting up very early. Our guide, Danson, was very professional, friendly, and has extensive knowledge about his region and the country. The school knowledge about Vasco da Gama, Bartolomeu Díaz, and Co was refreshed a bit. He was considerate of us and addressed our individual needs. A wonderful day is coming to an end 😊

Good night 😴