Cape Town Day 1

 CAPE TOWN:

Yesterday as the gentleman driver and I talked as he drove us to the hotel he commented “You know a lot about this country”, I thanked him and said there is always more to learn. I then shared my thoughts on how important I feel it is to study about a place I am going to visit. He agreed, saying a visit can be enhanced with such knowledge.

So, as we journey about South Africa, I will try to inspire you with little bits of my learning. I hope to light the fire of discovery in you. 



Anyway, South Africa came to be in April of 1652 when Jan Van Riebeeck was dispatched by the Dutch East India Company to the Southern tip of the African Continent. His mission was to establish a port to supply thae spice ships with fresh meat and produce, as scurvy was decimating the crews of the spice ships. Thus Cape Town came to be. More as we travel along.

The Table Bay Hotel has an amazing breakfast buffet, I would say one of the best in the world. So many choices one has to be prudent in trying not over eating. 

After breakfast we headed out to just explore with an intent of finding the water taxi, canal and harbor cruises. I wanted to visit the Rugby Museum but learned it was closed.

We did find the Canal and Harbor Cruises, these are hop on hop off buses of the waterways. It was fun seeing some different birds as well as fur seals. I was hoping to see the South African ice breaker and research vessel, the Agulhas II. This was the ship used to find Shackleton’s Endurance. Alas, she left a month ago and is currently out to sea. 



After our Private Yacht Cruise ( ok we were the only ones on the water taxi :) ) we found a food hall at the V&A waterfront. Here we had some pork dumplings and Koeksisters ( a South African doughnut or malasada). 



In keeping with my research project to try the hot dogs of the world, I located a The Hot Dog King. Had a good dog with sautéed onions, a stewed tomato relish and mustard. It was good but not Iceland Hot Dog EXCELLENT. 



We headed back to the hotel and met some folks we will be traveling with. 



Tonight for dinner it looks like a Springbok Potjie will be on the menu.   

Here are some pictures for the day: 

                                                      Harbor Clock Tower

                                                         Table Mountain

                                                      Table Bay Hotel

                                                     Seal in a Wheel

                                                  Ferry to Robben Island

                                                             The Canal

                                                Egyptian Geese

                                                   Heartlaub's Gull

                                                        Blacksmith Lapwing

                                                    Our Private Yachts

                                                      FUR SEALS

                          Dry Dock which was once used as a Swimming pool

                                                           Pork Buns

                                                       Koeksisters

                                                 A hot dog in South Africa