This Cape is the most stately thing and the fairest Cape we saw in the whole circumference of the earth.” – From the journal of Sir Francis Drake, on seeing the Cape for the first time, 1580
Isn’t it funny how you can live in a certain place for your entire life and seldom take the time to get out and appreciate what so many tourists travel from across the globe and pay to come and see all the time - right on your doorstep! Travel is a curious thing really… We obsess about “getting away”, but often forget that we can do precisely that, without really going anywhere at all. For Capetonians, I think “Cape Point” is likely one of those places. Jaw-dropping landscapes and views, history and wildlife all in one, and yet most of us have been there less than a handful of times.
Cape Point is in the Cape of Good Hope nature reserve within Table Mountain National Park, which forms part of the Cape Floral Region, a World Heritage Site. It includes the majestic Table Mountain chain, which stretches from Signal Hill to Cape Point, and the coastlines of the Cape Peninsula. This narrow stretch of land, dotted with beautiful valleys, bays, and beaches, contains a mix of extraordinarily diverse and unique fauna and flora.
Rugged rocks and sheer cliffs towering more than 200 metres above the sea and cutting deep into the ocean, provide a spectacular background for the Park’s rich bio-diversity. Cape Point falls within the southern section of Table Mountain National Park. The natural vegetation of the area, fynbos, comprises the smallest but richest of the world’s six floral kingdoms. The scenic beauty of Cape Point is not its sole allure; it is also an international icon of great historical interest with many a visitor drawn to the area because of its rich maritime history… TEXT SOURCE
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Common place on pretty much most of the mountainous areas of the Cape... and also as you can see, the baboons, are there to greet everyone... VERY enthusiastically! They are quite a spectacle really because the tourists are unfamiliar with them and do not guard their food and drinks efficiently enough.... which inevitably get stolen. My mom told me some horrendous stories of people's encounters with baboons. They are fascinating creatures to observe (from a safe distance), but can quickly become very aggressive, especially when good food is up for grabs.
We set out for the "Two Oceans Restaurant" with empty stomachs and one-track minds to fill them. This restaurant is extremely unique, and the views are, in my opinion, unrivaled! Additionally, and fortunately for us... the service was absolutely seamless on this particular occasion. Considered ourselves blessed - we genuinely could not have asked for a nicer day to go out and enjoy it. The sun was out to play, and there wasn't much breeze, something we Capetonians are ALWAYS glad for!
The wine was served, and a Cederburg Rosé was my order of the day :) The little bit of breeze that was floating around was quite fresh, so I was torn as to whether I wanted to drink a chilled rosé or warm myself up from the inside out with a red... but the rosé won at the end of the day and I definitely did not regret it!
Table bread was served, with smoked paprika butter as well as a traditional one. Jude ordered the lamb riblets with chips - he was in his element! Outside of pizza, lamb is his favorite. Both him and his tummy were very happy indeed! I stole a chip or two (bad mommy - lol) and they too were VERY more-ish!
As you can see, the starlings are equally as enthusiastic to eat.... YOUR food! We spent a good amount of time chasing them away from the table. They are so intelligent and exceptionally observant. You literally cannot take your eyes off your plate for a second. According to the waiters, their favourite is the chips and bread…
I decided that I wanted to explore the menu, so I opted for two starters instead of one main... and I began with the Tempura prawns... truth be told - I was so full after the tempura prawns that I skipped the second starter and went on to a savoury dessert… which was a cheese board served with pickled onions and moskonfyt jam (grape jam)
I was way too full for dessert, but David opted for the baked cheese cake - which Jude really enjoyed too lol... begging at least three spoons... hehe! Lunch done and dusted, full tummies and all - it was time for a little exploring! Jude was enthusiastic... as always... to get "out and about"... off to the lighthouse it was... it was quite a long road to the top so we opted for a shuttle. I made comment to the fact that my dad would most certainly have frowned at all of us for our sheer laziness to climb the hill, and had he been there, he would most likely have put the shuttles to shame too. hehe :)
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The baboons are always on the lookout for any "easy snacks" - just waiting for that "unsuspecting tourist" to wander past with their packet of chips or cold drink. lol - in fact... one of those two was busy enjoying an orange that it had just stolen from somebody... hehe
WHAT A VIEW, right?! - I was thankful at this point not to be so out of breath from the climb (had we done it), as I got to TRULY take in what amazing beauty I was surrounded by, rather than spend 15 minutes gasping for breath! The photos simply do NO justice!
The baboons were not too worried about all of us wandering past, and seemed quite fixated on the amazing view... cannot blame them! It really was a sight for sore eyes!!! and like I said... the photos just DON'T do it any true justice!!!! The graffiti and memorabilia on the lighthouse itself as well as on all the surrounding rocks, was quite a sight to behold... so many people and SO many memories shared in one spot!
The last time I was at Cape Point was when I was about 12 years old and I have to say, as somebody who actually LIVES in this one-of-a-kind town, it is nothing short of breathtaking! I love photographing nature and although it was time to head home... I was NOT about to miss an opportunity to capture King Neptune in all his glory on the way!!! I have an enormously healthy respect for the ocean... and mother nature in general actually. I LOVE the ocean, but unlikely you will catch me in it these days lol!
Just a few more stops to admire the magnificent road and landscapes ahead… during his explorations, Jude shouted repeatedly for us to come nearer... as he had discovered a heart-shaped rock! Pretty damn cool, I thought!
The road home pretty much anywhere in the Western Cape is always a sight for sore eyes - and this was no exception! I have to restrain myself from asking to stop literally every fifteen seconds to get out and take photos. There is SO much natural beauty in this world and I am so very grateful that I do not have to spend my life in a concrete jungle.
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The locals that make a living from begging at the robots are every bit as charismatic as the views afforded by mother nature... not to mention creative with their "promotional boards" (Robots = traffic lights for those of you that might be confused by our South African term)
It was an absolutely amazing day out! Jude's first time visiting Cape Point and one he will never forget I am certain! As Capetonians, we are so blessed to be living in a place that has so much beauty, no matter which direction we choose to look in! We should all learn to show A LOT more appreciation for it! And for those of you who have not yet visited this breathtaking part of the world... now you know what you have been missing... and you can start booking those tickets!
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Until next time...
Much Love from Country Bumpkinland, South Africa xxx
Jaynielea
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Very nice! You got some really great shots of the ocean from above.
Thanks for the post : )
Thank you :) The views are insane really... so I have to say that as far as my photos go - mother nature did all the hard work and made it pretty effortless for me, lol.
such a nice place ! with beautiful restaurants and food and drink , yummy
the bird sitting on the table looks so funny 😇
It really is such an amazing place to visit. Lovely to "meet you" and thank you for taking the time to read my post :) Hope you have a beautiful week!
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Thank youuuuuuuu @ultravioletmag!!! <3 and @curationcoconut!!! <3
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Baie dankie skat! Much appreciated :)