Friday, October 31, 2008

Farewell Cape Town








I fell in love with Cape Town but it's hard not to. The weather was perfect, the people friendly, and scenery spectacular. I had no idea what to expect to be honest. One sees photos of Table Mountain but it doesn't prepare you for the experience of this mass dominating the city. One reads about the Cape of Good Hope and yet I was overcome standing on ground I had only ever imagined I would read about and watch in tv documentaries. Even in this shrinking world I had never really believed I would make it to the end of Africa.





























































I had thought it might be spoiled like so many places I have dreamt about but what I found was a place almost too beautiful and colourful. The landscape pulled bits of memory from me. The architecture here and there was reminiscane of Martha's Vineyard and Maine. On Cape Point I saw glimpse of the bleakness of Goonhilly in Cornwall and the Majesty of the Rockies in Canada.



































I had to fight back tears by the end of the Robben Island tour. I knew it would be emotive but I hadn't expected the sight of Nelson Mandela's cell to hit me so hard. I was also struck by the fact that my children knew nothing of Aparthied. At first I was shocked at their lack of knowledge then I realized that they are global kids who have no concept of this sort of racsim. I walked away lifted knowing that at least part of the world had changed for the better.


























I hated leaving yesterday but I know we will return to explore with more leisure. This flying visit was a taster and I certainly want more. Plus I didn't make it to the vineyards although I sampled many a good bottle of wine with the fabulous seafood.











P.S. JJ the penguins were adorable and just the right size to slip into your handbag but they are rather too fragrent to do so :-)



13 comments:

Jenny Beattie said...

OH. Oh. Liz. Those little beady creatures (I had to enlarge them to work out what they were) are so divine. It's all so gorgeous.

Love the zebra bottoms; gutted the penguins are too fragrant to send on to me... the right size too.

DOT said...

I am so envious of you but pleased you had such a good time

Jan Jones said...

I had to enlarge the beady creatures too. Very, very clever.

Lovely photos, Liz. Thanks for sharing them with us.

Jessica Raymond said...

It looks amazing and I'm so glad you had a nice time. You look great in the photo by the lighthouse!

P.S. I'm intrigued to know what a penguin's fragrance is like...

Flowerpot said...

sounds like a really amazing trip Liz.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Lovely photos, it makes me want to got there right now.

Glad you had such a fab time.

CL Taylor said...

Gorgeous photos! Makes me really want to go :o)

sheepish said...

WOW WOW WOW that probably covers it. Absolutely stunning pics, lucky you.

Rick said...

This is such a fairy tale tour! Thanks for letting all the rest of us go along for the ride.

Steve Malley said...

I've been planning a trip out that way for years-- from Kilimanjaro right on down to Cape Town.

Soooooo beautiful... Thanks for sharing!

Phillipa said...

What amazing pictures, Liz and whay an experience. I'd have cried at Robben Island too.

cs harris said...

I haven't been to South Africa in almost thirty years. After being on a panel with a South African writer at Bouchercon and talking to him about all the many changes he's witnessed in his country, it really made we want to go back. Now I see your photos and I can almost taste it...

Liane Spicer said...

Absolutely lovely photos. Thanks for sharing!