South Africa
Once again, EL Travels Bugs packed bags and cameras and
flew off on another exciting adventure, heading southeast
across the Atlantic Ocean ~ destination: South Africa
Our transatlantic flight from the US took a flight break after
the first nine hours in the Cape Verde islands ( and we were only
half way to South Africa).  Loaded down with new fuel, off we
flew again with our cheerful Captain announcing that we had
another nine hours of flying before landing in Johannesburg...  
Flight and travel route in South Africa
But that was not our last stop... from Johannesburg, we flew
onward to Cape Town, an additional 2 hours away.  Whew, what
a flight ~ with many laps around the plane to stretch our legs!
With our itinerary beginning and ending in Cape Town, we included
day trips East along the Indian Ocean coastline, known as the
Garden Route, through the beautiful city of Port Elizabeth and
the exciting Addo Elephant National Park.
Flying in to Cape Town, South Africa
Landing in Cape Town, South Africa
We picked springtime (their late Fall) as it is off-season for most tourists who arrive from Europe in droves during the summer months of December through February.  
Plus during this time, weather is still warm and sunny, with comfortably cool nights.
Cape Town was a spectacular vision when we landed, showing off
its rich farmlands and growing urban sprawl, against their
dominant flattop landmark, Table Mountain.  Locals will tell you
that usually a cloud cover forms a "tablecloth" appearance over this
famous mountain, hiding its flat table-like top.  
Table Mountain ~ Some visitors are lucky (like us) to get that
fabulous view of its flattop with a gorgeous blue sky.  
Don't miss the cable car ride to see spectacular views of Cape Town.


Cape Town from Table Mtn
In exploring the sights outside of Cape Town, we took a drive south
towards coastline to Cape Peninsular, with a stop in Hout Bay.  
Hout Bay

Along the way, we made sure that we checked out all local handicrafts.
To say that there were thousands of carved animals to choose from is an understatement...
Every animal available ~ carved in wood or malachite, offered in various colors and sizes.
Even some sculptures were so magnificent that they would require a container ship and a flatbed to deliver to your home.

How about a life-size elephant with several lions climbing over him?  It would make a fine lawn piece!
Our drive towards the Cape of Good Hope, the most southern
point of Africa, was noticeably absent of traffic and tourists.
Excitement build as we approached our destination, hoping that
we would have a quiet and all-to-ourselves moment for a
photographic opportunity with the “Cape of Good Hope” sign.  
As we climbed out of our rental car, a vision of bees to honey came to mind as a bus load of eager tourists make a mad run behind the sign, claiming their smiling pose of their crowning moment with each of their cameras.  
This built-up excitement was too much to handle for us, so we
ventured up the east hill and walked a few kilometers to the
Cape Point Lighthouse.  
A funicular ride up to lighthouse.
 
View of Cape Point Peninsular

Back down at the gift shop, we are warned about the infamous Baboons looking for edible handouts.  
They have been known to come into the store for their fix ~ shoplifting potato chips, candy, or what ever they can grab, even postcards of themselves.
Some say their more heinous crime involves purse-snatching...running off with it while rummaging for food, cash, or even credit cards!  Hum, sounds like well-trained entertainment.
On the way back to Cape Town, we stop at Boulder's Beach to check
out their famous sunbathers who waddle, nestle and squabble.
Though it may sound like a typical beachgoer, we found hundreds of happy African Penguins.
     
Our journey lead us southeast towards Port Elizabeth, driving
is easy as their roads are in great condition and well marked
(remembering that they drive on the left).
We made a stop in Hermanus, a lovely coastal town that draws huge crowds to watch the annual Southern Right Whale migration from Antarctica.
 
After leaving Hermanus, we head north to an ostrich farm in Oudtshoorn.
Our tour included very informative ostrich facts, like his eyeball is larger than his brain...  
which explains his eating habits >
Let's put it this way, anything that will fit into its mouth gets eaten.  There is a massive display of what has been found in their stomachs, everything from coke bottles, spark plugs, and rocks, even  heels from women's shoes.  Unfortunately, none of it gets digested and passed.
We continued on day's journey to Port Elizabeth, where we stayed in a fantastic B&B ~ the Admiralty Beach House, readying ourselves for our upcoming game reserve adventure.
Admiralty Beach House
Next stop Addo Elephant National Park...

 Back in Cape Town, we stay on the other side of Table Mountain in
the area known as the “Winelands”.  Here wines are produced in
spectacular surroundings, giving the French a run for their money.
One of our favorites is “Anura”, a small winery near Paarl, where
the view matched the quality of their wines and the tasting comes
with a generous sample of their homemade cheeses and crackers,
and of course, their very knowledgeable wine pourers.
There are scores of wineries and estates that could easily take weeks to cover adequately.  We only visit a few in our remaining days, but the little time spent make us realize that we are not doing justice to this vast area.

EL Travel Bugs enjoys a tasting
And what a great way to finish off our visit to South Africa!
WHAT'S NEXT???
Authored by EL Travel Bugs, Copyright (c)

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