We were in Cape Town for a conference, so I do not have too many photos to show here. On our first day (13th July), we took a bus tour around the gorgeous coastline and up Table Mountain. But the clouds came down and we could not see a thing! The harbour is a great place to walk around and Lawrence thoroughly enjoyed the Aquarium and a trip to Robben Island.
I did manage to pick a fine afternoon for a wine tour and we could see the attraction of living here.
On 18th July, we took a full day tour south around the coast to the southernmost tip of South Africa. The views were splendid and the sunset was fabulous.
Camps Bay.
Houts Bay.
Simon’s Town penguins.
The Cape of Good Hope as the sun was setting, with a lively sea and strange seabirds!
The last day of the conference (19th July) was Nelson Mandela Day, when one is encouraged to spend time giving to others. The conference organisers offered a variety of events for participants, and Lawrence and I chose to help with a gardening project. We were bused out to a township where the driver got a little lost and we wondered where we were. It was very bleak on a grey, cold, wet afternoon. We stopped at a community centre and gardened indoors out of the rain! The ladies there were learning to plant seeds and raise vegetables, but all we could do was help mix the compost and put it into clothe flower beds which they had made. Then we planted the seeds and hoped for the best. These were lovely ladies, so welcoming to a bunch of strangers from all around the world. They sang almost all the time and it was wonderful. It was a kind of slave song/chant.
That morning in our hotel, we had heard more singing as the older residents of Cape Town came in for a special morning tea event. The hotel staff sang to welcome each guest and danced like mad! The manager had real trouble getting them to stop and serve the tea!
Following our brief stay in Cape Town, we flew off to Nambia to start an amazing road trip through the wilderness and game parks. Click here for a general description of Namibia, and here for more details.
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