Cape Town - Part One
At the End of Africa

Created October 2007

Compared to a reluctant stop in Johannesburg, Cape Town is THE place most visitors to South Africa want to go. It was also the starting point of my seven-week overland trip. From here, I would travel all the way up to Nairobi, Kenya. One of the countries along the way would become my 100th country.

Seven years ago, when I first visited Cape Town, I asked a question: “Will Cape Town becomes the next glamorous place to be?” With it beautiful surroundings of mountains and ocean, mix of beautiful people in different colors and shades, it could easily become another Sydney or Rio. Seven years later, the answer is an obvious yes. Cape Town has been voted as Top 10 favorite destination in the world by Travel and Leisure readers, two years in a row; and searching articles about Africa in New York Times’ Travel Section, dozens of them are about Cape Town and surrounding regions.

Crime and poverty are still causing problems in Cape Town (as they are in other parts of South Africa). However, Cape Town does emit a more relaxed atmosphere than other South African cities. And more important, it is easier to walk around town to appreciate street life here.

My train from Jo’Burg was two hours late, so it was practical dark when I checked into my hotel. Even in Cape Town, it was still not a good idea to walk alone at nights. Since I had spent almost all my rand on the train and cab fare in Jo’Burg, I could only spend the night in my hotel room (with barely enough money to get a beer at the lobby bar) and waited until tomorrow morning to find the nearest ATM.

THE FAIREST CAPE ON EARTH

Next day, I joined a daytrip to the Cape Peninsula. Cape of Good Hope was thought to be the southernmost point of Africa. However, later it was found that the real southernmost point is at Cape Agulhas, almost 200 km southeast of here.

Driving along the valley between Table Mountain, still shrouded by "Tablecloth” this morning, and Lion’s Peak, we left City Bowl and reached the Atlantic shore. Passing several affluent seaside communities, with some lovely names such as Clifton, Camps Bay, Llandudno, and Sandy Bay, we also passed by some of the most majestic mansions in South Africa. The scenery, which combined the Atlantic coastline and mountains, was spectacular. Beaches here were very sandy, but I heard it was not suitable for swimming due to the cold Atlantic current. With nice beach and some sunbathers, this area did remind me of Florida’s Palm Beach and French Riviera.

Later, we arrived at Hout Bay, where we boarded a small boat to see seals. Though seal viewing was fine, I was looking more forward to another type of marine animals - Penguins. After getting back to the shore, we continued to the eastern side of the Peninsula to visit these cute birds. Passing Simon’s Town, we got off at Boulders Beach. There were so many of them on the beach!

Because South Africa is still a long way from the Antarctica, penguins here tend to be smaller than emperor penguins on the Antarctica. Standing less than 60 cm (2'3") tall, these penguins are the smallest penguins in the world and have a quite funny name – jackass penguins. Just watching them walking around, swinging with their little wings is enough to make us laugh. However, we were only allowed to watch penguins from the boardwalk. Naturally, it was prohibited to feed or touch penguins.

Penguins and seals were not the only interesting animals on the Peninsula, we also saw many baboons playing on the roadside when we drove closer to the tip of the Peninsula, Cape Point. Along the way, we also saw elands and ostriches. Though the whole Cape Town region has very strong European flavor, those wildlife reminded me that we were indeed in Africa (though the ostriches are most likely domesticated). Driving further south, we entered the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve.

Cape of Good Hope, as described by Francis Drake "the fairest cape on the earth," was named by the Portuguese navigator Dias in 1487. The Cape itself was actually often stormy and difficult for navigation. Nowadays, it becomes a very popular tourist spot. Most tourists to Cape Town area come here and it is a ritual to take pictures in front of the bilingual (English and Afrikaan) signpost: "Cape of Good Hope: The South-Westernmost Point of the African Continent.” I had one myself too. Scenery here was dramatic with rugged cliffs and unique stone formation. Some of the famous Cape Peninsula flora (called "fynbos" locally) can be seen around the moorland. It would be great to have a picnic here, watching the ocean and sky changing their colors. Getting on the bus, we continued to the end of the road - Cape Point.

Getting off the bus at the end of the driveway, I had to change to a tram to go further. Up was a lighthouse at the top of the hill. I reached the lookout point and after taking a few pictures, continued walking down a small trail. The trail turned into a even smaller path that led to Dias Point. I continued as far as I could, until I reached the end of the path. This is Cape Point. “No Access Beyond this Point,” as the sign says. I could not go further. Looking ahead, with Atlantic Ocean on my right and False Bay (formerly misidentified as Indian Ocean) on my left, I was at the end of Africa and there was only Ocean between me and the Antarctica. Here, my journey crossing Africa officially began.

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