We enjoyed the staggering breakfast buffet at the Cape Grace Hotel before setting out for our adventures in Cape Town. While we were hoping to head to the top of Table Mountain early, the hotel concierge informed us that strong winds were preventing the aerial tramway from making the 2,000 foot journey to the top. Needing to call an audible, we took the opportunity to visit the city itself before looking at it from above. Our first stop would be the Company Garden (Company being the old Dutch East India Company) in central Cape Town. The Garden was built in the 17th Century to grow produce for Dutch sailors travelling to the colonies in East Asia. Today, the gardens are flanked by museums, galleries and restaurants. It was a truly lovely place to spend a morning.
The Gardens
Table Mountain in the Background
The Protea flower
Stunning.
From the Company Garden we walked through the city to the Castle of Good Hope, the original Dutch fort in the area. We went on a guided tour, saw a cannon firing demonstration and wandered around the different exhibits. It gave us a great sense of the complicated history of Cape Town, which at different points was occupied by Africans, Dutch, English and French people.
We took a short bus tour around the city and while we were touring, we overheard that the Table Mountain Aerial Tramway was back open. We grabbed a quick, but delicious lunch in the city (Devon had Kingklip and Rob had Ostrich, the best of our trip) and had the Cape Grace car (free for any journey within 10 km) take us to Table Mountain. Our intention was to take the tram to the top of the mountain and hike our way back down to the tram station.
The views from the bottom of the tramway station.
On the way up.
At the top of the mountain.
Robben Island in the distance.
The restaurant at the top.
The winds at the top were very strong and loudspeakers at the top indicated that the tramway would cease operations very soon due to the conditions. We again made an audible to get on the tram back down as opposed to making the hike and fighting the heavy winds and the impending darkness.
We took a cab from the tram station back to Cape Grace and by the time we arrived it was already getting dark. We changed clothes (as it was a bit chilly on the waterfront) and walked over a seafood restaurant called Baia that was recommended to us by the Capetonians that we'd met in Phinda.
It was excellent. We enjoyed the exceptional wine, food and service while overlooking the bay. When dinner was over we headed back to Cape Grace to check out Bascule, their famous whiskey bar. After a scotch tasting and a cocktail or two, it was definitely time for bed. The next day promised to be an interesting one, as we'd be heading to Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for almost 20 years.
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