Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Day 3-058
Day Totals: 16 hrs, 27
.4 kms
Somehow I don't feel any rush to move on from Cape Town. I guess I've finally found a place in South Africa where I can wander freely... and I want to enjoy this for a little while longer. So the next morning I take my time, strolling through the beautiful Company's Gardens, surrounded by royal looking buildings and statues from the British Era...
I still need to check out the waterfront as well. Here I find some massive construction going on as Cape Town expands its port structures. Beyond is an area of luxury malls, souvenir shops, fascinating artwork--and reminders of the history of this place. Here is where the the British Navy landed to fight against the Boers... another plaque tells of the arrival of the bubonic plague--most likely by sea. But Africans got the blame for it and were forced to move outside the city...
Now you it appears the waterfront is enjoying happier times
. People of all ethnicities wander the malls and restaurants. But I know this isn't the "real" Cape Town. The "real" Cape Town is where most of these workers have to return to at the end of their shift.
I'm not going there though... I'm going to follow the coast north, past the football stadium used in the world cup... along the rugged coast with luxury apartments on one side and the tip of a sunken ship poking out of the water on the other. It starts raining, so I duck into a classy cafe overlooking the sea... Today I'm not going to analyze the social troubles of the country too much... just enjoy it.
I follow the coastal road as it climbs up the steep mountainside, with houses perched on its slopes, and the sea far below. Luckily there is a pathway down, where I head to, to enjoy some massive round boulders amidst clean white sand... and misty mountains in the backdrop. I am definitely glad I stayed an extra day here.
Up around a bend, suddenly the clouds clear away
... just in time to present me with a stunning spectacle: The Twelve Apostles. A series of, yes, 12 peaks lined up in formation overlooking a beautiful beach. This is the back side of Table Mountain, with a completely different topography.
Yep... I have to grudgingly admit... Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
I continue on to the classy town of Camps Bay (which is still part of Cape Town) Beyond the road winds between the mountain and the coast. I would like to keep going... but common sense tells me I'd better start heading back. So I follow the road that climbs up over the pass between Signal Hill and Table Mountain, half hidden in the mist... head to my favorite Indian-South African fusion restaurant... and call it a day.
Cape Town: It's Many Faces
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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