The wakeup call came in today at 6:00am. By 6:45am, breakfast was served and we were on the road before 7:30am because Capetown is a city of more than 5 million souls and no one lives in highrises so rush hour traffic can be absolutely horendous. Actually Capetown is alot like Sydney, Austrailia in that respect.
The tirp into town took a bit more than an hour, thanks to the morning traffic, but by 8:40am or so we were at the peer and waiting for the ferry to Robben Island, site of the infamous prison where countless criminals, including Nelson Mandella, were incarcerated during the time of aparteid.
At 9:00am, there was an announcement made: although all the passengers were waiting, there was some mechanical difficulty with the ship, so the departure was delayed for thirty (30) minutes. We waited with mounting suspicion until sometime shortly before 9:30am, the news was that the departure would be further delayed until about 10:00am, reason being that the vessel would have to be refueled before it could embark. By that point, we had to make up our minds and as it turns out, we decided to leave because there could always be further delays and we needed to be back from Robben Island by 1:00pm at the very latest.
Plan B took us to the Victoria and Albert Waterfront where we were set loose to enjoy a morning beverage and to explore the shops. The waterfront complex actually begins to come to life around midday. From that time on, there are musical groups and buskers of all sorts mixed in with souvenier shops and cafés.
Sufficiently fed and watered, even if some had still not had enough time to explore the shops, we set out around 2:00pm for Table Mountain, one of the Seven Wonders of the world. From the top of this perch, we could appreciate unique views of the sprawling city of Capetown , some 1,000+ feet below. Access to the top of this mount is gained by cable car or on foot although time limits for our visit precluded the possibility of us stretching our legs too much or donning mountain climbing gear.
Breathtaking views of Capetown, the Indian and Atalntic Oceans, Robben Island and the rest of the vista were ours for the taking as long as we could keep ahead of the 'skirt' of cloud that swirled just below the peak of Table Mountain. The wind currents at that level are such that the bank of clooud is constantly moving on currents of warm ocean breeze and more temperate winds, cooled by the altitudes of the mountain - perfect conditions for hang gliders who populate the skies like colourful eagles soaring in the wind.
A city tour was next on the list, including short walks through some of the neighbourhoods to appreciate the bright colours of the houses and the steep inclines of streets that brought to mind memories of other such cities where we would equally be on the lookout for streetcars.
Capetown, like other parts of South Africa, is a melting pot of religions. Duch Reform churches stand in some cases side by side with mosques. The variety of religious traditions is somewhat explained by the plethora of traditional African religions and practices mixed together with the British and Dutch influences over the past four centuries.
Yet another feast awaited us at the Captetown Convention Centre before our return to the hotel for the night. What a spectacular day; even though we didn't get up close to Robben Island, we did get our fill of Capetown.
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