CAPE TOWN

 

We finally arrived in Cape Town, South Africa.  It is a wonderful port city and capital of South Africa.  Cape Town is surrounded by mountains, most notably, Table Mountain which got its name because of its flat top.  It is an iconic mountain which draws lots of tourists. We have heard how beautiful and nice this city is and we wholeheartedly agree!  Such a change from the African cities we have seen thus far.  We didn’t see the economic difficulties that we had observed earlier. You could definitely see the British influence in this beautiful city.  

Here’s what the  Viking Daily had to say:

“Cape Town enjoys one of the world’s most picturesque settings at the foot of the iconic Table Mountain.  The cosmopolitan city is the gateway to dramatic coastal splendor, a thriving wine country and a rich array of cultural venues that embody the spirit of the “Rainbow Nation.”  The city’s heritage took root in Company’s Garden, where 17th-century European settlers grew food to stock ships rounding the Cape.  In and around the celebrated Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, historic architecture and delicious cuisine reflect an array of African, Dutch, English and Malay influences.

We were docked here for two nights and there was so much to see that we felt very rushed!  At the last port we saw Giraffes and at this one we saw Penguins!  We also visited the city center, Botanical Garden, a small fishing village, Table Mountain and the Harbour Waterfront!  Whew, that’s a lot to see in two days!

We had three excursions plus walked around on our own.

On the first morning we took an excursion called Boulders Beach and Kalk Bay.  We took a coach just out of town to see the penguins!  They were so so cute!  

After that we went to Kalk Bay, a small and charming fishing village.  Unfortunately, we were rushed here and only had time to visit the dock. The old boats were quite charming!  Mark also was able to capture some photos of seals and sea lions that were frolicking at the end of the pier!  I stayed back and enjoyed the sunshine and views while lounging on a bench.  It was a very nice morning!

We enjoyed a quick lunch on the ship and then we were off again for an afternoon tour of the city. This time it was the included tour called Introduction to Cape Town. This was a city tour (sorta) and a tour of the Company’s Botanical Garden.  (Company’s Garden is the oldest garden in South Africa, a park and heritage site located in central Cape Town.  The garden was originally created in the 1650s by the region’s first European settlers and provided fertile ground to grow fresh produce to replenish ships rounding the Cape.  It is watered from the Molteno Dam, which uses water from the springs on the lower slopes of Table Mountain. Today the garden features a lot of green space with beautiful flowers, trees and many statues.). The garden was very busy today with locals walking, resting on the abundant benches, and socializing in the green space.  

When mentioning earlier that we visited the city center, I said “sorta” because the area that we toured was only the area surrounding the Company Garden. The buildings that we saw did gave us a flavor of the city architecture which was beautiful here.  You could definitely see the influence of the British.

We toured the inside of St. George’s Cathedral which is located just at the entry of the Cape Town Company Garden. The Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in South Africa and the seat of the Archbishop.  It is also the burial site of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.  His remains are interred in front of the high alter.

There are always shopping opportunities on Viking tours!  This one dropped us off at the local mall.  Mall was crazy busy and vey nice. It definitely felt like a typical mall where we might shop at in the USA, but busier.  I find the malls at home seem to be empty most of the time.  We found a store called “African Trading Port” where we were able to pick up some souvenirs and gifts!

We were up early the next morning for a trip to Table Mountain, one of the NEW 7 Wonders of Nature! (A take on The Seven Wonders of the World). We took a cable car to the top and spent over an hour walking on the trails and admiring the views.  It was amazing and almost impossible to pick photos to display here because every view was as beautiful as the next!  We feel so very fortunate to have made the trip to the top of the mountain! We were also very lucky to be able to visit on a beautiful clear day.  Our guide said that most often it is foggy at the top and there is little visibility.

After arriving back to the ship, we decided that a walk along the Harbour was in order.  The “boardwalk, per se” had a very fun vibe. It was upscale, full of restaurants and shops.  Not a peaceful walk as one would think a harbor boardwalk would be!  Instead, it was bustling and full of energy!  The water had sea lions and seals constantly entertaining us with their antics!

Here are some “Doors of Cape Town” that I found on our tours!  We loved this stop and vowed to return to Cape Town someday!