July 5: The Gorgeousness Of Cape of Good Hope & Cape Point

First day in Cape Town. Already in love.

We are staying with Crics’ friend, Laurent who is from France but has been living in Cape Town for the past 6 years. His home is super lovely and beautifully decorated. Laurent is also the proud owner of the most amazing dogs and cats (little Louis slept with me last night!).

The nature around Cape Town is flabbergasting. We drove down the eastern coast until we reached Cape Point / Cape of Good Hope. On the way, we stopped in Kalk Bay for lunch at Olympias Cafe and I had delicious Yellowtail with mashed potatoes.

Driving a bit further down, we stopped in Boulders Beach – the place to see penguins. They are everywhere, peacefully hanging out as if no one is around. I think penguins are actually little people dressed in tuxedos, but I am yet to confirm this information.

From Boulders Beach, a 30 minute drive took us to the Table Mountain National Park – where both Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope are situated. I really do not have the proper vocabulary to describe how beautiful this place is (glorious, mind-blowing, super ultra amazingly gorgeous, maybe?). The fact that you are at the almost-southernmost point in Africa (Cape of Good Hope was once believed to be the divider of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans – the real point is actually Cape Agulhas), discovered and first rounded by the great Bartolomeu Dias and later on by Vasco da Gama (the Portuguese were the first to dominate the sea route to India), makes it all even more special and relevant. The Cape of Good Hope is actually psychologically an important point where one begins to travel more eastward than southward.

Such an amazing day, truly begs the question: am I lucky or what? Here I am, during probably the only World Cup to be held in Africa in the next bunch of years, seeing stunning scenery, eating delicious food and connecting with great people.

Thank you, Gods of Football.