Day four. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man look outside to see if the weather is nice. There are a few non-truths about Cape Town. One is about the weather. No, it does NOT rain every day, just every other day, and mainly in winter. Yes, it can be windy, and no, you will not be blown over to the other side of Table Mountain. Rooftops, trees and other stuff will fly, but not you. You might have a slight lift-off experience and could be blown over to the other side of the road, but that’ll be all. So if you’re visiting during late spring or early summer, then beware of the Cape Doctor, a strong and determined south-east wind which will blow away everything polluting the city. Grab a pole and hold on tight! Another more talked-about non-truth is…the passion gap. It’s a Cape Town thing and everyone has one. No, no, no, not true! We’ll elaborate on this one later 😁, after telling you about our day. It was a bit cloudy, no rain, and we were chauffeured by the birthday boy for an excursion to the coasts and mountains in and around the city. Our first stop was at the…

Boulders Beach Penguin Colony

On the shores of the False Bay, is Simon’s Town, home of the South African Navy. Not far from here you will find the penguin colony, which is home to the African or Jackass Penguin. It is a very popular tourist attraction where many come here to see the penguins in their natural habitat. Surprisingly though is that this “natural habitat” is right in the middle of a busy residential area. You have to walk down a street, with houses on both sides, to get from the car park to the entrance of the visitors centre from the car park. The adjacent neighbours, the many cars and lots of human traffic poses a threat to these endangered penguins. The amazing bit though is that the penguins only started settling here in the early eighties, despite it being a residential area. So you see, this time the humans were there first. Once you’ve paid your entrance fee at the visitors centre and passed through the turnstiles, do not expect any of these cute little fellas to waddle or sashay towards you in greeting. You have to use the wooden walkways to see the penguins. A tourist at the time: Is this their dance floor? Hmm, no comment! The walkways meander right through the colony and it’s amazing how near they are. We’ve seen some cuddling, kissing, fighting, fishing and also sleeping. We’ve also seen some really mind-boggling people leaning over the railing just to get that one photo or selfie of themselves patting a penguin. Oh please! There are those of us who still remember the time when there were no boardwalks or restrictions. It was fascinating and not many had the guts to touch a penguin. Those who tried were promptly nipped by a razor sharp beak. So please stay on the walkway! It is for the safety of the animals…pun intended…

Chapman’s Peak

Chapman’s Peak is a mountain about fifteen kilometres south of Cape Town and has a very spectacular scenic road running between Hout Bay and Noordhoek called the Chapman’s Peak Drive, or Chappies, as it’s called locally. Chappies took seven years to build and was officially opened in 1922. The road meanders high above the coastline, with breathtaking views, very shear drops, white beaches and sometimes a stubborn baboon or two blocking your way. It is definitely a “must-do”! You should note a few things though. Chappies is now a toll road! This has advantages as there are not many cars about and you can stop to take some photos. Very few opportunities to park your car along the roadside exist, and it could be deliberate as the drive could or could not be quite treacherous. After many rockfalls, (some were fatal), the road was closed for a few years (twice up to now) and measures taken to ensure that the road is safe from falling rocks and other perils. If it is or has been raining and for the few days afterwards, the road will be closed completely. A light drizzle, like when we were there, is not (yet) considered a threat, but even if the sun is shining, and the authorities feel it necessary to do so, it will be closed. It was a bit “spooky” driving there as we were the only ones on this long and curvy stretch of road. Memories of days gone by when we cruised with our open-top cars, bumper to bumper, people everywhere, and with not a worry that anything might fall on your head…those were the days my friend…Did you know: a very famous car brand commercial was filmed on this very drive in early nineties. The car drove too fast round a bend and plunged one hundred metres down a cliff. Mr White, the driver, was not injured, as he was driving one of the safest cars in the world. The one with the star. A classic advert at the time…

Hout Bay

The Republic of Hout Bay. Hahaha, it’s not really a republic, but this is what the locals have been calling it since the eighties. A “republic” was declared to promote the town and some say also as a statement that they had nothing to do with the then apartheid regime. Others say it was because Hout Bay is sort of cut off from the rest of the Cape Peninsula as you can only reach it via three mountain passes, one of them the Chappies. Whatever the reason, this promotion worked. They even issued passports which were very sought after. A close friend even boasts a few immigration entry stamps from various countries of the world. Hout Bay has a boat and yacht marina, a craft market and some of the best fish and chips eateries in the area. You know they are fresh because firstly the air smells very fishy and stinky, and secondly you can see fishermen offloading freshly caught fish. The fish factories are nearby. Another attraction are the many seals that swim here (look between the boats) and the view of the Chapman’s Peak across the harbour. Sit down, eat and enjoy the bustling yet laid-back atmosphere.