Monday, July 30, 2012


We travelled from Capetown to the Cape of Good Hope along the most spectacular road which follows the coastline.  The morning was overcast so we didn’t get to see the view at it’s best as we had done on our bike tour last year.  On one side were the peaks of the mountains on the other side was the ocean shrouded in fog - just a beautiful drive.  
The cliff drops from the side of the road straight down to the water
The Cape of Good Hope is directly behind us
Then it was back into the coach and off to lunch at the Black Marlin Cafe which perched at the water’s edge.  We had been told that we might spot some whales while we ate our lunch but I don’t think anybody told the whales so we didn’t see any.

And this is just a single serve of fish wrapped in bacon served on a skewer
Not far up the road we stopped to see the Penguins at Boulder Beach.  There weren’t a lot of penguins ashore at the time, as they were probably out fishing, but there were several babies still sporting the downy fluff.  They look like they don’t know what to wear - they have half their baby feathers and half their adult feathers.  

Handsome little fellows in their tuxedos
In the morning we were on the road to Oudtshoorn, where our beds for the night were at an old farming property.  The main house was built in the 1800’s with walls about a foot thick,  probably because the temperature in this part of the country is pretty cool.  Next morning the manager told us the temperature had dropped to 2 degrees when we woke up so it was pretty chilly - I don’t think I warmed up till lunchtime. 
It's a chilly start to the day, even the AC couldn't beat the cold
In Oudtshoorn the farmers don’t grow  vegies but farm ostriches.  We visited an Ostrich Farm for our education in the difference between breeding for meat and ostriches bred for their feathers.  Now you can ask me all about the fascinating life of ostriches

Look Mum, I can stand on Ostrich eggs and I don't break them.
Unusual colouring for a feather duster
Our travelling days are pretty full and in the afternoon we visited Monkeyworld which is a sanctuary for endangered apes.  Some of the apes are from laboratories, some have been orphaned but they seem to thrive in this protected environment and while I’m not a great fan of monkeys it was lovely to see them up close and swinging through the trees.  It was hard to get a photo of them as when you think you’ve got them lined up, they move.  It was a bit like some of the photos I’ve tried to take of Isabella.

Madagascan lemurs share a fruit salad snack
Not sure what this guy is, but he was a handsome fellow
Same guy showing off as he swung across the suspension bridge

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