The Garden Route and Cape Town

Our final four days were spent following the coastline, exploring the famous Garden Route, situated between the forests of the Tsitsikamma and the winelands of the Western Cape.  We spent two beautiful days exploring the town of Knysna which is located on the waterfront.  Great food, lovely boats and lots of activity. Our accommodation was on the edge of town and was, once again, a repeat of previous lodges....absolutely gorgeous!

Fun restroom sign at lunch stop.

We observed bungy jumpers
leaping fearlessly as we dined

Our shack at Knysna Hollow

Bob's view from our front porch

Our sitting room...note the vibrant
flowers through the window

Kembo waiting for someone to
play giant chess with him

Bob was so relaxed and boneless
after our stay here that Brigit and
Veronika had to carry him to the truck.

As we head closer and closer to Cape Town, we journey through Sir Lowry's pass where we have our first sight of the beautiful city of Cape Town, only this time, we see it from the east side instead of the west side as we did when we toured upon our arrival 46 days ago.  We visited Groot Constantia wine farm for a wine tasting.  The farm was established in 1685 making it one of the oldest and most famous in the Cape.

Groot Constantia wine farm

Grapes, white buildings and mountains...
ahhhh...gorgeous!

Our second last dinner in Cape Town
with two of our favourite fellow tourists,
Brigit and Veronika. On chilly evenings,
blankets are provided on the patio

The next morning, while the rest
of our group headed to the Cape of
Good Hope, where we had already been,
we took a long walk along the sea wall
These horses are communicators
for children. Note the horn in the mouth
and another in the butt....aha, you've got it now!

The dragonfly girl and her dragonfly
friend, an art exhibit.  Rachel, this one's for you!

Returning to the restaurant
area of the waterfront, we enjoy
a very unique beer (delicious)
in a very, very unusual and expensive
 glass. We were each asked to give the server one
of our shoes as collateral until we paid the bill

Beauty!

In the harbour beside us, sailing vessels gathered
for a big race

After lunch we took a cab up to the Table
Mountain cable car....our third attempt
since arriving in South Africa

A perfect day!  All systems "go"
and I am thrilled. 

The cable car turns as it climbs
so that everyone has perfect
views in all directions

Higher and higher

Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned

The top

There are several reasons one has to race to the cable car in
a very few minutes to get off the mountain....high winds,
fog and rain.  I accidentally discovered that I could actually blow
the clouds away!

A better view of Robben Island

Gorgeous views of the city.  See the stadium in the
upper left?

Here is what it looks like with the telephoto lense on
my new camera

Do you recall that little "rock baby" we discovered in
the Zambian bush and our guide Gilbert said that they
are not found there but are seen most frequently in Cape Town?
Well here is a little guy, living in the rocks way up on Table
Mountain

Amazing flowers nestled among the rocks

The road below is the one we took returning to
Cape Town

Our cute little friend again, sunning himself

Kembo showing us how South Africa Day is celebrated

My last Cape Town meal came specially wrapped

After dinner, we all hugged and said "goodbye"
and then we asked Lezanne and Kembo to
pose for this special reminder of our African Dream
trip.  What a blast!!!  

It was the most wondrous 48 days and we learned much as we travelled around.  I doubt that we shall experience anything in the future to surpass this trip.  We know that we will love any place we visit, however to walk and travel through this place, the cradle of civilization, was beyond anything we could have imagined.  We thank each and every person we met and especially our guides.  Emails are flowing back and forth to them and we know that we shall meet again. "Hakuna Matata".....it's a beautiful world! (Adam's translation)

Here are some notes that Bob made of our exciting discoveries.

THE BIG FIVE

Lion, Cape Buffalo, Rhino, Leopard, Elephant

THE LITTLE FIVE

Elephant shrew, Rhino beetle, Leopard tortoise, Ant lion, Buffalo weaver

THE GREEN FIVE

Buffalo Thorn, Rhino Thistle, Leopard Orchid, Lion Tail, Elephant Grass

The higher a baboons tail is held, the more power he has in the clan.

A giraffe has 6 vertebrae in its neck, the same as a human.  It also has a larger heart and two sets of valves in the neck to help get blood to the head.  It sleeps with its head up for a few minutes at a time.

Thorns on the Thorn Bush are sterile and can be used as sutures.

Groups of the following animals are known as:

- A "dazzle" of zebra

- A "tower" of giraffes if standing still

- A "journey" of giraffes if moving

- A "parade" of elephants

- A "pack" of hyenas

- A "pride" of lions

- A "herd" of buffalo

- A "parade" of warthogs

- A "parliament" of owls

- A "pool" of crocs

- A "chorus" of frogs

- A "flock" of birds

Addo Elephant National Park

 On the highway to the park, we saw the memorial to the
three young black African men who were murdered in the '60's,
setting off the human rights battle that eventually ended apartheid

One of many large ostrich farms

If they only knew....

Beautiful birds in the lush foliage

Great sign!

This fellow was sitting on the roof
of the lodge as we arrived.  We
could hear them running about on the
roof of our cottage

Another welcome by this big fat fellow, in
the lobby.  He and his equally chubby
buddy (seen in the background) greet
all visitors

Our gorgeous cabin.  Almost all of our
accommodations were considered 3 star...
simply amazing!

Huge bathroom with a shower on the
other side of that little wall

Plus a garden shower that I
used, in spite of the cool weather

Lush gardens

Our cabins from afar

Floral display as we entered a nearby park and hiked the gorge

One of the roosters at the lodge

Drinks in the lounge before dinner

Kembo giving us a pre-dinner chat

Early the next morning we entered the Addo Elephant National Park.  The park stretches from the semi-arid Karoo area in the north, over the Zuurberg Mountains, through the Sundays River Valley and south to the coast, covering about 180,000 hectares.  The original elephant section was proclaimed in 1931 when only 16 elephants remained in the area.  Today the ecosystem is sanctuary to over 550 elephants, lions, buffalo, black rhino, spotted hyena, leopard, a variety of antelope and zebra species, as well as the unique Addo flightless dung beetles found almost exclusively in Addo.  Plans are well underway to expand the park to 264,000 hectares.  The mega park includes a marine protected area that includes islands that are home to the Capes largest population of gannets and a breeding ground for the endangered African penguins.

Elegant and beautiful

Great view from up here!

Kembo taking a shortcut to the cab..
trying to prevent Brigit from hijacking
the truck

Finally giving up

Yikes!

..and other predators

Lezanne and Kembo's tribute
to Movember

A little fox finding lunch

Turtle migration

Heading to the water hole

Atta girl!

Africa has serious drug problems and we all agreed that crack should
be first to be banned....holy!!!

We discovered an injured male elephant along the track.  His hind leg was swollen to double it's normal size and we watched him limping across an open area, becoming weaker and weaker.  Elephants leave their herds when they are ill or injured and find a place to die.  Someone asked Kembo if park officials ever intervene to save an animal and he replied that they allow nature to take it's course.  He expected that predators would take his life before the night was over.  We all felt extremely sad and helpless.