Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town is known for the mountains that dominate the city. Arriving into the port as the sun rises is spectacular.

We should be able to walk into the city . It doesn’t look far. I think first stop should be to the Hop on Hop off bus office and then to the mountain before it gets crowded. Let’s get going. I think some of our photos might be wobbly from the top of the bus.

Many of the main streets have retained their original buildings.

As in most cities, most of the population occupy those apartment blocks you can see. Unlike Durban these don’t have the electric fences . In the outer suburbs, there are some but not here. Do you feel the city is friendly, I do.

We are at the mountain . Time to queue for the Cable Car. I don’t think we have time to hike up there. They say it takes 2 hours.

Wow there are actually people hiking up.

There is so much to see. We need more time but now our feet need us to return to the ship before it sails.Look I have a ring for you…too big? More sea days then Walvis Bay in Namibia. We may have fun getting that visa.. the site is hopeless.

It doesn’t take long to walk around the top although I believe there are hikes you can take across the mountain.Coffee? Oops we have come in the wrong way. How kind of Thami to sort it out for us. I feel quite special, don’t you?

When we came, the queue took an hour and a half. With the queue stretching half a kilometre, they will be there for ages.

Where to next, the route goes along the coast and back to the city. We could then take the blue route to the Botanical Gardens.

Building has been restricted on the mountain to no higher than 3 floors. Developers bypassed the restrictions by placing these high rise on lower slopes. They are not popular buildings with locals who consider them an eyesore.

The coast has many beaches. They are fringed by rock formations in the mountain. Called the 12 apostles although there are 17 buttresses, they are a distinctive feature of the landscape

To get to the beach, you have to climb down past very expensive real estate. Some beaches are popular with families, others with young or singles.Next stop the Botanical Gardens

I don’t think we will be able to walk around the whole gardens….let’s start with the tree canopy walk.

My favourite section was the plants peculiar to the desert region.

The Welwitschia plant comes from the Namib desert. It consists of just two leaves. Amazing isn’t it.

I think there is just enough time for some retail therapy and to see something of the actual city.

In some areas, there is a shanty town. These houses spread up the hillside and are made of corrugated metal and other materials. There are problems with water and other services to these houses. The government is now looking at low cost housing that perhaps these people could occupy with better services and security.

The Modern Art Museum is built inside a disused silo. They have kept the basic structure and cut sections .If you like stained glass, you will be impressed.

There is still so much to see. Sorry , it’s time to return to the ship before it sails. More sea days and then Walvis Bay. We just have to get the e-Visa but the Namibia website is making it difficult….keep your fingers crossed….and everything else. With so few ports , it will be fun to get off.