Our last night in Cape Town was a memorable affair, filled with the exciting sounds and rythms of African music, and dancing. Along with the entertainment we ate delicious local food - much of which was vegetarian - each of the 20 small tasty dishes of food were freshly prepared. I even had my face painted with flowers like the girl pictured above.
We set off in bright sunlight the next morning along the Atlantic coastal route - a very picturesque journey known as Chapman's Peak Drive.
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courtesy wiki
and arrived at the Cape of Good Hope |
We arrived here early and had it virtually to ourselves, apart from baboons leaping over rocks.
and the occasional ostrich patrolling the beach.
The Cape of Good Hope marks the point where a ship begins to travel more eastward than southward. It was once thought to be the spot where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean, but that is a few miles further around to the east of this southerly point. Known for its spectacular scenery it was originally named the Cape of Storms; later it was renamed, by King John ll of Portugal, the Cape of Good Hope because of the great optimism engendered by the opening of a sea route to India and the East.
This remote spot had us completely spell bound with its roaring Atlantic rollers and the many shades of blue in the sea and sky. The glistening amber coloured rocks, the kelp twinkling in the sunlight, together with the hundreds of glossy jet black Cape Cormorants posing and preening
What a magical place to see Rosemary. I loved your pictures, and it occurs to me I have never seen photos of the Cape of Good Hope before, despite hearing about it in constant references to the discovery of Australia and the East. The cormorants, the sea, the kelp, the rocks, all look wonderful. Enjoying your visit to South Africa very much.
ReplyDeleteIt was so wild and beautiful Patricia - we felt as if we were on the edge of the world - looking out to sea, the next great landmass is Antarctica
DeleteDear Rosemary - So dynamic wildlife with such breathtakingly beautiful shades of blue at the Cape of Good Hope. I can hear the sound of waves and wind and the vigorous calling of the birds. I’m moved and feel elation with the birds who look to show the joy of living. I really understand how you felt reluctant to leave.
ReplyDeleteYoko
Dear Yoko - I am so pleased that these images conveyed to you the magic of this pristine spot. Memories of it will live with me forever.
DeleteHi Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteYou certainly get the feeling from the photos about how wild it is. Such beautiful scenery. I am sure you found everything South Africa had to offer exhilarating. There seems to be a missing picture though... The one of you with your face painted. ;-)
Hello Catherine - she painted my face with blue forgetmenots and white dots in a similar fashion to hers, but I steer clear of having my own photo taken.
DeleteI avoid cameras myself. I was teasing you.
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DeleteDear Rosemary, I came back just in time to enjoy your very informative and beautiful posts about South Africa. I have always admired Cape Dutch Architecture and have incorporated the neoclassical gable design into one of our buildings. The last design looks so much like the designs you see all over Italy.
ReplyDeleteDear Gina - how lovely that you have incorporated a neoclassical gable into the design of one of your buildings. The buildings in the winelands looked so attractive in their valley settings.
DeleteHello Rosemary, What a great name is the Cape of Good Hope, almost like something out of Milton. How remote and natural it seems, infinitely distant from the world's cares and problems. The sign reminds me of when I went to Key West, where everything bore a sign proclaiming it the Southernmost something-or-other in the U.S.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hello Jim - the sign definitely didn't fit comfortably in this remote spot for me.
DeleteThe Cape of Good Hope! What a fabled place! It's so beautiful too and your photos are fab as always.
ReplyDeletePS -- FYI, I answered your question about Justice, Manitoba on my blog. I won't repeat it here on your blog because it's too long, lol.
Thanks Debra - I will take a look
DeleteAll I can say is WOW, trying to picture ostriches on the seashore, now that's different.
ReplyDeleteThat is something that takes some getting used to in South Africa, the wild animals are everywhere - we are so used to seeing them only in zoos.
DeleteAgain your pictures are gorgeous, so many cormorants together, we have lots of them too, but this is different. I think the photo of the ostrich is my favorite this time, I knew they have ostrichfarms in South Africa but when you see one in the wild watching the sea...that must have been a happy moment.
ReplyDeleteI must admit to being rather bemused myself to see an ostrich marching along the beach it was so unexpected.
DeleteWonderful photos, the roaring sea and the Cormorants are spectacular !
ReplyDeleteLoved it there Jane
DeleteLooks lovely there. I always love big swells and waves. West Coast of Ireland and Australia have similar huge seas even on a calm day rolling in from the open ocean.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to reflect that the next landmass across this roaring sea is Antartica.
DeleteDearest Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely spot to observe the wildlife of South Africa.
Never had seen such glossy jet black Cape Cormorants and indeed, they loved posing in front of your lens!
When we went to South Africa we did start out in Johannesburg and went to Pretoria for the Conference. Later to Cape Town and to Durban.
Sending you hugs,
Mariette
I will never forget standing on this dramatic piece of coastline Mariette.
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DeleteWhat a wonderful place to visit. You almost reached the same latitude as Melbourne!
ReplyDeleteThe mountains and wild seascape photos are fantastic!
I hadn't considered that, but you are right.
DeleteAfter we sailed around Cape Horn my next wish was to visit The Cape of Good Hope - thanks for the glimpses!
ReplyDeleteDo hope that you make it there♡
DeleteIcould also have watched the cormorants for hours, your photos gave a tremendous impression of the movements and noise of this area. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed seeing a reminder of your own visit♡
DeleteI have never seen such a bird,and there were so many. What pretty Dutch facades on the buildings and the canyon reminds me a bit of our Grand Canyon.
ReplyDeleteWe have cormorants in Europe but not so glossy and jet black as these at the Cape.
DeleteVautsi, so many cormorants, never seen.
ReplyDeleteAll photos are so wonderful, the place is beautiful.
It is a wonderful and memorable location
DeleteWhat a wild and lovely spot, written about in so many stories passed down over the years. How casually you threw in the bit about baboons on the beach!
ReplyDeleteThis spot is forever imprinted on my memory - the brilliant sunshine must have played its part too making the colours so vivid and all the surfaces sparkle.
DeleteI can understand your reluctance to leave this shoreline it must have been lovely to just share it with the wildlife. Were yiu on an organised holiday with guides? Sarah x
ReplyDeleteYes we travelled with a group - I think that it would be very difficult to organise all of the things we saw if you were doing it yourself.
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