For our second day in South Africa, we first headed downtown to visit the Company Gardens in the heart of the city.
This was a lovely way to start the day. I told everyone that Mozart started most of his days before work by walking in a garden. It alway seems like the perfect way to start a day.
Historically, the Company Garden was a vegetable and fruit garden where sailors came to find refreshment and restoration after a long sea voyage.
Today, it is just a beautiful garden stretching several blocks through the centre of the city and containing many old and enormous trees, figs and Norfolk pine and other specialities.
From the Company Garden, we began our trip down the Cape Peninsula, stopping to take in the magnificent coastal scenery with its superb ocean views. We also bought some souvenirs and gifts at roadside stalls.
This was also the time to get a closer look at the coastal fynbos, the unique type of flora that carpets the hillsides along the coastal road.
At Cape Point, we saw groups of ostriches but no baboons, even though there were lots of warning signs.
At Cape Point, we climbed to the top of the hill to the lighthouse where we were able to get something of the sensation of the two oceans – Indian and Atlantic – colliding.
Down the hill, we walked to the Cape of Good Hope where we were able to walk very close to the mighty, crashing white ocean waves. Immensely invigorating.
From the Cape of Good Hope, we started back to Cape Town, stopping on the way at Simon’s Town, where we found a market and celebration going on in the town square.
The weather was still perfect for a walk in the sunshine and a time to relax by the harbour and a time for a little quick gift shopping.
