Today we drove down to the Cape of Good Hope Park and Cape Point. The highway followed the Atlantic, winding around, similar to the Pacific Coast Highway, water on one side – mountains on the other, but as my friend Miley said, the mountains in Africa are “angrier” more jagged, cragged pieces that look as willing to eat you as pose for a picture.
I had my first near death experience, where I thought a baboon would tear my face off for a dry egg salad sandwich. There are signs all over the Cape pointing out that giving food to the baboons is dangerous and there’s even a statue that says “giving food to a baboon is signing his death warrant because aggressive baboons must be put down.” Erica, Melanie, Jane, and I were eating our dry sandwiches outside when a baboon came up and took food from a baby in a stroller, giving the parents and baby a pretty good fright. Initially we thought we might be ok, we were further away from the wooded area, closer to the restaurant and food store, but when the baboon came back we thought we should move inside. Melanie kept saying move slowly and purposefully, but by the time I had to turn away from him and glanced back he was running toward us. I shoved Jane and Melanie inside the store because they were trying to squeeze in and still be able to close the door, but I was having none of that, I’m sure there was some choice wording as I shoved my way through the door and the clerk got a big stick to tap on the window.
At Cape Point, I went to the furthest out point with a walk, basically I went to the end of the Earth…well at least the end of Africa. Not only did we see baboons, but also a variety of birds, ostriches, three whales (sorry no pictures…too far away), and a lizard. It was absolutely beautiful. Africa is not what I had imagined, well not this part anyway, but of course this isn’t the Serengeti. I took the funicular up to the base of the light house then climbed a number of steps up and around the lighthouse before climbing down and taking and hour walk to the furthest point of the Cape, where there is a sign that says “this is the end of the trail.”
After the Cape, we went to Boulder to see the penguins, many of whom seemed to be breeding, and unfortunately, I lost Geoffery. He has gone to claim his homeland and now lives in Boulder. He leapt to freedom from a ledge when I was bumped by a toddler. Poor fella, but at least he is home. This is where his journey must end.
On the way home, I slept the entire time doing that open mouth head bob thing that people always make fun of. All in all, it was an excellent and eventful day. Tomorrow we visit three townships, areas where most of the black and coloured still live, regardless of the end of apartheid. I expect to have a lot to write.
I had my first near death experience, where I thought a baboon would tear my face off for a dry egg salad sandwich. There are signs all over the Cape pointing out that giving food to the baboons is dangerous and there’s even a statue that says “giving food to a baboon is signing his death warrant because aggressive baboons must be put down.” Erica, Melanie, Jane, and I were eating our dry sandwiches outside when a baboon came up and took food from a baby in a stroller, giving the parents and baby a pretty good fright. Initially we thought we might be ok, we were further away from the wooded area, closer to the restaurant and food store, but when the baboon came back we thought we should move inside. Melanie kept saying move slowly and purposefully, but by the time I had to turn away from him and glanced back he was running toward us. I shoved Jane and Melanie inside the store because they were trying to squeeze in and still be able to close the door, but I was having none of that, I’m sure there was some choice wording as I shoved my way through the door and the clerk got a big stick to tap on the window.
At Cape Point, I went to the furthest out point with a walk, basically I went to the end of the Earth…well at least the end of Africa. Not only did we see baboons, but also a variety of birds, ostriches, three whales (sorry no pictures…too far away), and a lizard. It was absolutely beautiful. Africa is not what I had imagined, well not this part anyway, but of course this isn’t the Serengeti. I took the funicular up to the base of the light house then climbed a number of steps up and around the lighthouse before climbing down and taking and hour walk to the furthest point of the Cape, where there is a sign that says “this is the end of the trail.”
After the Cape, we went to Boulder to see the penguins, many of whom seemed to be breeding, and unfortunately, I lost Geoffery. He has gone to claim his homeland and now lives in Boulder. He leapt to freedom from a ledge when I was bumped by a toddler. Poor fella, but at least he is home. This is where his journey must end.
On the way home, I slept the entire time doing that open mouth head bob thing that people always make fun of. All in all, it was an excellent and eventful day. Tomorrow we visit three townships, areas where most of the black and coloured still live, regardless of the end of apartheid. I expect to have a lot to write.
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