Well another four days have passed in the blink of an eye. On Monday we went up Table Mountain. You have to choose your day carefully for this because there is quite often cloud on the top which spoils the views. However, we chose well and only had to wait an hour for the cable car to the top. That in itself was quite an experience as it is a car holding about 30 people which slowly revolves as it goes up a very steep cliff face. Once at the top we had a walk round the immediate vicinity of the cable station then had lunch before exploring further afield. It was quite an experience as I was able to look down on some of the other places I had seen in earlier travels.
On Tuesday Alta had arranged for me to have a manicure (also pedicure and facial on Thursday) for a Christmas gift. Afterwards we went down to the Waterfront to book a tour to Robben Island for Wednesday before driving out to Stellenbosch to visit a vineyard. This is part of the Wine Route and there are lots of vineyards you can visit. We went to the Spiers Vineyard because they also have a cheetah enclosure (about 6 animals) which Fleur was keen to see, and also a very good restaurant. Unfortunately by the time we had visited the cheetahs we had left it too late to taste the wines. However we had a booking at the restaurant, Mojo, which is very African in style. It is an open air venue with tables in trees, under trees, under tents and in a large marquee. The food is a serve yourself buffet with huge choices and I tasted a few African dishes including mealie meal, sweet potatoe and antelope as well as a few others whose names I cannot remember. It was a very good night out - if somewhat expensive by African standards.
Yesterday we visited Robben Island which is famous for being the prison of Nelson Mandella. This entailed a ferry visit, a bus ride round the island and a tour of the prison conducted by a previous political prisoner. The island itself has also been used for other purposes before the incarceration of prisoners, including the housing of lepers until they found out leprosy was not contagious and sent them all back to the mainland. The tour was very interesting and I'm really glad I went although I did not feel how I expected to about it. The commentary given by the ex-political prisoners is all very one sided and I couldn't help feeling that, whilst they had been badly treated many of them (including the one who was our guide) was a terrorist who had been imprisoned for using and being in possession of firearms and explosives. I just felt that maybe some input from those who used to be the warders there for instance (many of whom still live on the island anyway) would have given a more balanced view. They are after all extolling the reconciliation of the races.
Today has been a very quiet day at home - apart from the trip to the beauty salon for my facial and pedicure. We have visited the places that I wanted to see and now we will be spending some time relaxing before I set off for Oz.
On Tuesday Alta had arranged for me to have a manicure (also pedicure and facial on Thursday) for a Christmas gift. Afterwards we went down to the Waterfront to book a tour to Robben Island for Wednesday before driving out to Stellenbosch to visit a vineyard. This is part of the Wine Route and there are lots of vineyards you can visit. We went to the Spiers Vineyard because they also have a cheetah enclosure (about 6 animals) which Fleur was keen to see, and also a very good restaurant. Unfortunately by the time we had visited the cheetahs we had left it too late to taste the wines. However we had a booking at the restaurant, Mojo, which is very African in style. It is an open air venue with tables in trees, under trees, under tents and in a large marquee. The food is a serve yourself buffet with huge choices and I tasted a few African dishes including mealie meal, sweet potatoe and antelope as well as a few others whose names I cannot remember. It was a very good night out - if somewhat expensive by African standards.
Yesterday we visited Robben Island which is famous for being the prison of Nelson Mandella. This entailed a ferry visit, a bus ride round the island and a tour of the prison conducted by a previous political prisoner. The island itself has also been used for other purposes before the incarceration of prisoners, including the housing of lepers until they found out leprosy was not contagious and sent them all back to the mainland. The tour was very interesting and I'm really glad I went although I did not feel how I expected to about it. The commentary given by the ex-political prisoners is all very one sided and I couldn't help feeling that, whilst they had been badly treated many of them (including the one who was our guide) was a terrorist who had been imprisoned for using and being in possession of firearms and explosives. I just felt that maybe some input from those who used to be the warders there for instance (many of whom still live on the island anyway) would have given a more balanced view. They are after all extolling the reconciliation of the races.
Today has been a very quiet day at home - apart from the trip to the beauty salon for my facial and pedicure. We have visited the places that I wanted to see and now we will be spending some time relaxing before I set off for Oz.
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