The weather in Cape Town was cool (but not cold) and mostly sunny, so our tour director said we were changing our itinerary and venturing up to Table Mountain. We took the Aerial Cableway up to the top, and as we hoped, we enjoyed great views of Cape Town and the ocean and had the opportunity for “retail therapy” at the summit gift shop before the clouds rolled in.
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After returning to Cape Town, we went on a city tour, starting with the District Six Museum with its sobering exhibits on apartheid. Our museum guide, an apartheid survivor, gave a captivating presentation (using museum photos) on what his home town, a thriving multi-racial and multi-faith community, was like before and after the government forcibly relocated families.
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After our museum visit, we went to the Company’s Garden, a large botanical garden and public park. We toured the gardens, walking past historic buildings, and saw lots of birds and an albino squirrel.
Egyptian Geese
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We also had a brief stop at the colorful, predominantly Muslim BoKaap neighborhood before returning to our hotel.
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Our afternoon was free, and I chose to visit the Two Oceans Aquarium which is next to the One&Only. As the name suggests, it features the sea life in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. I watched a scuba diver feed sea turtles, rays and guitarfish at the I&J Ocean Exhibit. At the Penguin Exhibit, I watched one of the keepers feed the African penguins, and what was interesting is that he was keeping a record of what each penguin was eating while he was feeding them (to ensure they are getting enough food). An aquarium guide explained that each penguin has distinguishing marks (for example, spots or bands on the chest), which helps the keepers to uniquely identify each bird.
African Penguins
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After my aquarium visit, I did a bit of shopping at the Watershed arts & crafts market. It’s a great place to find clothing, artwork, sculpture and unique souvenirs crafted by South African artists and designers.
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In the evening, we headed out to the Cape Town suburbs to have a traditional braii (barbecue) at the home of a local chef and his wife. The food was excellent, and our hosts were welcoming and very gracious.
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