Trip to Cape Town, Part 2

We stayed in Cape Town for a total of 5 days and tried to fit in as much as possible.  On our third day there, the weather channel stated it would be 101 degrees so I thought a day at the beach would be the perfect way to cool off.  We headed off that morning to Boulders Beach as it is the home of a penguin colony.  After paying a small fee to enter the beach area I was quite surprised by how small the beach was, until I noticed everyone climbing over and under boulders to get farther down the beach.

Mark gathered all our bags and towels and we climbed through the maze of boulders to get a little more up close and personal with the penguins.  I was amazed at how close they would let you get to them before they started giving you the signs to back off.  Adalyn did not seem to know what theses signs meant and tried to pet them every time.

You never knew around each rock if you were going to find a penguin or two just hanging out or when you would be swimming one might just swim right past you.  It was fascinating to see them be so comfortable with humans in their area.  

After a morning of swimming and playing in the sand we headed back up the coast to Cape Town for some "real" ice cream (Africa produces lots of ice cream that is not made with cream at all but vegetable fat) at the VA Waterfront.  It was a nice marina area with lots of boats, souvenir shops, and restaurants.  After getting our fill of ice cream we strolled along taking in the sights and sounds of the lively tourist spot.

The next day we traveled down the coast again to Hout Bay to hop on a boat that would take us out to seal island to see the hundred of seals gathered there.  Except that the fog was very dense and the boat could not get close enough to the island this day so we were only able to take a nice boat ride then enjoy the seals around the harbor.  Adalyn did not seem to know what she was missing and it made for a cool morning for a change.

With another seafood meal for lunch we hopped back in the car and went to St. James Beach.  Known for it's tide pools and colorful beach huts we were looking forward to a relaxing afternoon.

 Adalyn loved collecting sea shells and seeing the little fish and crabs in the water.  

You could walk out pretty far on the rocks and it felt as if you had the ocean and beach all to yourself.  With the waves crashing on the rocks you could not hear the others at the beach and it was serenity at it's best.  St. James Beach was by far my favorite part of our trip for it's beauty, relaxation and fun family time together.

Cape Town made for a perfect long weekend getaway for our family of three before we are a family of four in a few months. I look forward to going back again to visit the winery's and even more attractions as there seems to be no end to what this part of the country offers.

 

Trip to Cape Town, part 1

This past weekend we flew to Cape Town for a little vacation.  It was a nice and short 2 hour flight and we have heard everyone raving about Cape Town so we are glad we were able to experience it.  After settling in our apartment the first day we decided to walk along the beach.  It was not a calm beach as the waves were quite large and I did not think Adalyn would get much out of it.  We lucked out as about 50 feet away was a massive public swimming pool area called Sea Point Swimming Pool.

Set right on the beach and for only $2 per person you could enjoy one of 4 salt water swimming pools.  Each pool varied in depth and the one on the far right which we enjoyed the most was about 2 feet deep so Adalyn could dance and play in it for hours.  The weather was pretty hot, over 90 that day so we only stayed for about 2 hours.  We managed to get some great photos and it was neat to see the large waves crash into the side of the pool wall, therefore spraying everyone.

The next day we set out early to ride the cable car up to the top of Table Mountain.  At a height of  3,559 feet I was quite amazed it only took a cable car holding about 40 people 5 minutes to reach the top.

 One great aspect of the cable car was that the floor rotated so you always had a great view.  Once at the top we walked along the trails to see the 360 degree view the mountain provided.

 Breathtaking is the best word to describe all the wonderful sights you could see from up top.  Valleys on one side and Cape Town on another with ocean views almost the whole way around.  There were set walking paths or you could deviate at your own risk.  We captured some great photos of the landscape and a few family moments too.

After about 2 hours of exploring and 1 hour getting to the top since it's a very well packed tourist spot, Adalyn was done and we headed back down for lunch.  Maybe next time we are in the area feeling adventurous and I'm not pregnant, we will hike up to the top.  It was a fun day to admire the beauty of Cape Town.

The Africa Zoo minus the animals

This past weekend we ventured to the Pretoria Zoo.  Given that it is in Africa one would think with access to an abundance of wildlife that the zoo would be stocked and you could see about any animal you wanted.  Well that was not the case and we were a bit disappointed in what the zoo had to offer animal wise.  If you like beautiful vegetation, water falls and long paths, then you might want to visit the Pretoria Zoo.

Only about 20 minutes from our home, nestled in downtown Pretoria right next to tall buildings is the Pretoria Zoo.  I signed up for Groupon for Pretoria and the zoo was offering a great deal so we decided to make use of it.  As usual we arrived when the gate opened and were the only ones wandering parts of the zoo, never seeing any other patrons for up to 30 minutes at a time.  It was nice to have the zoo all to ourselves for a while.  We choose to walk around the zoo but little did we know that you can actually rent golf carts to view the animals.  It was a cool morning so we did not mind, though with the lack of animals, a golf cart would have been quicker.

Upon entering the zoo, we viewed the large variety of birds then made our way over to the "farm animals" as they called them.  Sadly, there were only 2 goats and nothing else, the entire section was run down with paths blocked by mud and water, something we encountered often along the zoo's paths.  Next we were able to watch the buffalo eat their breakfast then followed one of the numerous trails making our way through the zoo.  Sadly we only saw one elephant from afar, 4 zebras, 3 hippos under water, 2 tigers and 1 bear.  

From all over the zoo you could hear the lions roar, pretty amazing.  Though the lions kept hidden in their enclosures, with only 2 choosing to come out and walk around, we were glad to see them.  We were able to watch some apes eating and koalas, but several of the exhibits were either closed due to mating or the animals just were not out yet.  Maybe a different time of day would have made for a better outing.

Before heading home, we road the tram to the top of the hill which overlooked the zoo and the city of Pretoria.  It was beautiful to see the city in the background of the lush trees around the zoo.







 Adalyn of course loved the ride and at the top there was a little trail with look out points for pictures.  For 3 hours we wandered the zoo, trying to spot any animal we could.  I would not venture back to the Pretoria Zoo in the future but if you are looking for a quick half day outing with or without kids, it makes for a pleasant visit, as long as you are not expecting much.