Cape Town, the most visited place in South Africa, is the country's legislative capital and second largest city with a population of nearly 4 million. Cape Town is the last stop on our big 20-country adventure and one of our favorites.
Cape Town is home to one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.
Though the 2011 list has met criticism Table Mountain is certainly impressive.
On some days the mountain can be obscured by clouds.
Cloud cover often forms a "table cloth" type formation as the colder air drops over the face of the mountain.
Rising 3,500 feet above the city Table Mountain dominates Cape Town's sky line on crystal clear days.
A cableway, originally constructed in 1929, provides easy access to the top of Table Mountain.
New cable cars, installed in 1997, make the trip in 4 minutes. The cars rotate 360 degrees along the way providing great views of the area for everyone on board.
Some people make the ascent the hard way. Can you spot the climber?
View from the top.
Green Point Stadium, a 70,000 seat stadium where several matches during the 2010 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament were played. I think I can still hear those annoying vuvuzela's from here.
Top of the mountain.
View from the backside of Table Mountain, looking south towards Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope.
Remember that climber? He is still making his way up.
Can you spot him?
Looks like fun but I think I'll take the cable car down.
Cape Town is also where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.
The prison was located on Robben Island, similar to San Francisco's Alcatraz Island.
Located about 4 miles off shore Robben Island, which means seal island in Dutch, was used as a prison and place of banishment from the 17th through 20th century.
From 1846 thru 1931 the island was used as a leper colony and institution for the mentally ill. This is a leper cemetery.
The island was used as a maximum security prison for political prisoners from 1961 thru 1991. Nelson Mandela was held here from 1962 to 1982). Jacob Zuma, the current president of South Africa was imprisoned here from 1963 to 1973. The prison was closed for good in 1996. The island is now a museum. Tours are given by former prisoners, who could give a first-hand account of life in the prison.
General population prisoners were held in large rooms with 40 some prisoners.
There were also many solitary confinement cells.
These cells are only 8 feet by 7 feet.
This was Nelson Mandela's cell.
Nelson Mandela was transferred from Robben Island to Pollsmoor Prison in Tokai, Cape Town in April 1982.
The last political prisoners were released from Robben Island in 1991.
The last political prisoners were released from Robben Island in 1991.
View of Table Mountain from Robben Island.
Mandela was transferred from Pollsmoor Prison to Victor Verster Prison in 1988.
He was released on February 11, 1990. A statue commemorating the release is located at the entrance to the prison in Paarl, about 37 miles north of Cape Town.
He was released on February 11, 1990. A statue commemorating the release is located at the entrance to the prison in Paarl, about 37 miles north of Cape Town.
Cape Winelands, a region northeast of Cape Town, has become a world-class wine producing area.
We toured two wineries.
Spier Winery, one of the oldest in the area, was established in 1692.
Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope are well known points at the southern end of Africa.
Cape Point lighthouse.
Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope are at two separate locations, but only about 1.4 miles apart. Neither are the southern-most point of Africa, which is actually at Cape Agulhas, about 100 miles to the southeast.
This is the tour group we have been traveling with since Johannesburg.
We had been seeing many signs warning of problems with baboons.
This was the first baboon we had seen outside of the wildlife parks.
This was the first baboon we had seen outside of the wildlife parks.
This one spotted a car down the road with the windows open and it's owner across the street taking photos.
Wonder what's inside that car?
Wonder what's inside that car?
Oh well, too late. Maybe next time.
We visited an ostrich farm.
Even though they are huge birds, since ostriches can not fly they are easily corralled.
This was an ostrich egg incubator. The chick on the left had just emerged from it's egg.
The one in the center was just beginning to break through.
The one in the center was just beginning to break through.
These chicks were just a few days old.
They grow quickly in just a few weeks.
Only found along the coasts of Namibia and South Africa the African or Black-footed penguin is another flightless bird.
This penguin is also widely known as the Jackass penguin for its donkey-like bray.
From two breeding pairs in 1982 this colony had grown to about 3,000 however, due to large crowds of tourists the penguins have begun moving to other locations.
The coastline south of Cape Town reminded us of parts of the US west coast.
Hout Bay
Back in Cape Town the V & A Waterfront is a new upscale development.
Nice parking space.
Downtown is a mixture of old and new.
The Mount Nelson Hotel
The Company Garden's rose garden with the Planetarium in the background.
South African National Gallery
Houses of Parliament.
House of Harley
Bo-Kaap a colorful community in Cape Town formerly known as the Malay Quarter.
Despite the glitz and glamour of downtown and the many high class suburbs around Cape Town
most of Cape Town's residents live a very meager existence.
most of Cape Town's residents live a very meager existence.
South Africa is ranked as the country with the highest income inequity in the world.
It was very evident in Cape Town.
This brings to an end our 9-week 20-country adventure.
Hope you have enjoyed reading about it as much as we enjoyed the trip.
Next stop HOME!!
Hope you have enjoyed reading about it as much as we enjoyed the trip.
Next stop HOME!!
