Lekker Dag with Yolanda-Cape Point Peninsula

A lekker dag-the Afrikaaner way of saying we had an awesome or amazing day! For Christmas this year, Sami gave us a Cape Point private tour, and we were lucky enough to have as our guide a very bright and engaging Afrikaaner girl (who coincidentally spent a year as an au pair in Connecticut). She took us on a full-day tour of the Cape Point Peninsula, all the while regaling us with tales of life in South Africa and teaching us how to communicate in Afrikaans. Beginning in Cape Town, we traveled down the Atlantic coastline along an incredibly beautiful coastal road that winds through Table Mountain Park. After passing through Camp's Bay, we stopped briefly in Hout's Bay to visit the local market and see the indigenous seal population. We then drove around Chapman's Peak and several small towns (including the township of Masiphumelele (where Sami worked in the orphanage and Edu-care centers), until we reached the Cape of Good Hope. Sorry to disappoint all of you, but your history teachers lied-it is not the southernmost point in Africa-it is merely the southwestern most point. The waters in the area, though, are as treacherous and difficult to navigate as we were taught, especially when the southwest winds are blowing as they were today. We hiked from the Cape of Good Hope over to Cape Point (slightly further south, but still not the furthest), and then up to the Cape Point lighthouse, and the views were incredible. We then headed back to Cape Town along the eastern shore of the peninsula, stopping in the town of Simonstown to see the colony of African penguins, and then passing through several other beach towns (including Fish Hoek, Sami's home during her two month stay) on our way back. Check out our photos if you want-especially enjoy the ostriches and the dassies-small mole type animals that are apparently the animal that is the closest living relative to the elephant. Can't you see the resemblance? Sorry we couldn't get any pix of the baboons, but they are dangerous, and we had to keep our windows closed and our doors locked. Apparently they've been known to open doors and remove items from occupied cars! Headed to the markets tomorrow and to dinner and sunset on the beach at Camp's Bay before we pack up and fly to Knysna on Tuesday. Hard to leave Cape Town behind-it is an amazing city, and we would love to have more time to explore!