Arriving into Capetown was a welcomed relief after living in rainy Switzerland. I never thought three weeks without sun or swimming could effect me so much. A second wind was inspired upon exiting the airport and seeing a blue horizon dotted by cumulous cloud beauty marks.
We were picked up by Steph's best friend DD and her two children aged 5 and 3. After the porter managed to stuff all 30 of our bags in the truck's flatbed, we took off into Capetown rush hour traffic at a crisp 6:50 a.m..
While the ladies caught up, I looked around at the sights. A small (less than a mile in length) shanty-town to my right, brightly painted concrete tenements to my left, and Africans e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. Walking the streets in between the cars, waiting for buses, overcrowding the beds of pick-up trucks. We were clearly in the industrial section of Kaptstadt and all of the people were on their way to work.
One $50 ticket for cell phone use and 3 screaming children later, we arrived in Blouberg. My jaw was gaped the whole time. Blouberg is a suburb situated across the bay from Tablemountain and the downtown waterfront area. The neighborhood is on a hill overlooking the bay and Tablemountain. The houses are all ultramodern impeccably landscaped pueblos. Our house looks out onto the water and Tablemountain- It is two stories with a rooftop lounge, pool and Jacuzzi. Its been two days now and I still cannot get over the beauty of the scenery. At night you can even see the twinkling of the lights from the city.
There is one aspect of nature that I am not particularly fond of: the wind. It can't even be classified as wind, more like a constant gale. I'm somewhat disappointed to be living a 10 minute walk from the beach and not be able to enjoy it out of the incessant wind and cold water.
This morning we went for a walk to the beach. While this beach lacks the charming qualities of Florida and Caribbean beaches i.e. powder white sand, warm water, lolling waves, and attractive half-naked people, the beach on the Cape has pebbles, cold water, a hard surf, rocks, and few people. There are, however, a few kite-surfers and surfers dotting the shore line. The beach is still spectacular. The rocks make for a delightful playground for the brave set against the deep blue bay and the dramatic backdrop of Tablemountain. It is plain to see why Sir Francis Drake named Kaptstadt the most beautiful cape in the world.
A word on Tablemountain:
It is a flat mountain that holds the city at its base. I watch the clouds roll over the mountain- they look like an intricate lace flapping in the breeze.
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| From CapePics1 |
The summation of this landscape, the mountain, the water, the horizon, and the birds is a continual drama of life. Here, you cannot lose vigor, strength or drive to live. The birds chirp in the trees, the sunlight spills throughout the house, and the breeze captivates your hair. It would be a sin for one to be asked to leave this place. I now understand why my sister chose to live here rather than return home.
Melkpos Beach at Sunset
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