Play Day

Praise the Lord, we had our first day off in 16 grueling days! This morning we and the Swartzes started off at the Century City Mall--an over-the-top shopping and dining venue that rivals Barra Brassa in Rio de Janeiro, if I'm remembering the name of the largest mall in South America correctly. Breakfasted there before driving to False Bay, home to large numbers of Great White sharks. Didn't see any of those, but we did see African penguins at the Boulders and whales and surfers enjoying the blue-green waters.

Though the morning started off rainy, we enjoyed a good bit of sunshine today, as well as some moody clouds and mist throughout. We drove to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. The cape was first spotted by the Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Dias in 1488 and named the Cape of Storms. Headed directly out to Cape Point--the symbolic convergence of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, though in truth, they merge farther southeast. Lots of baboons along the roadside as well as ostriches and some sort of antelope which we thought were blazebok, but after some reading, I'm not so sure. Hardly makes any difference to you, does it?

Lynn and I rode the Flying Dutchman Funicular up to the lighthouse, snapping photos and watching another whale before joining the others at Two Oceans Restaurant for hake and chips, which, for those of us who speak plain English, is a type of fish and fries. Excellent late lunch.

Back down the mountain to wind along the ocean road past windsurfers and the seaside village of Kommetjie (pronounced comma-key), up and over Chapman's Peak as the sun sank low on the western horizon, around Hout Bay where the houses hug the shoreline, past a series of mountain peaks called the Twelve Apostles, along Victoria Drive to ritzy-glitzy Camps Bay, and finally to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront--a "shopping and entertainment complex within a working harbour." Shared tea and coffee and scones and a mound of chocolate cake at the Mugg & Bean, a popular South African coffee house/restaurant.

They say this is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and I must confess, they've got a good thing going. Stunning scenery all day.

Didn't get home until 9:30 and now it's almost midnight so I must sign off. Trying to email my family, but am having trouble sending from hotmail and the Swartzes have taken their email password to bed. Don't give up on me.

Love you all. Eager to be home. Really.

:) Caron