Our African Safari - Cape Town

It was Bob's turn to choose our trip this year, and he's been hoping to travel to Africa for a long, long time. Well, even though I wasn't quite sure about Africa, off we went.

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We had a little time to spend at the Amsterdam airport, and I spotted this cute Delft play area.

We flew into Cape Town and stayed at the Spier Wine Estate, where the ground were extensive and beautiful.

How clever! The succulents are planted in wine bottles!

I just loved this little guy. He would look awesome in my garden!

Yum! Of course we found the bakery!

This flower, the King Protea, is the national flower of South Africa.

During our stay in Cape Town we visited the penguin colony. These little guys are so cute, and unlike their Antarctic cousins, don't like the cold weather.

We stopped along the Indian Ocean, and it looked pretty cold. Africa was just coming out of winter, and it was a dreary day when we visited.

Oh heck, why not go in a little. Now I can say that I went wading in the Indian Ocean!

The three guys in the tent are our tour guides who provided a nice lunch for us that day.

Chocolate! Bob loves chocolate!!!

Next stop, the furthest southern point in Africa!

The hike to the lighthouse on top of the hill was steep, but had great views.

They had baboons there, and I didn't like them at all. If they thought anything you were carrying was food they'd try to get it, and they have big teeth! (there's one watching Bob on the right)

He looks cute and peaceful here, but I wasn't fooled at all. He watched everybody coming up the trail.

Nelson Mandela was honored in front of the first place he gave a speech after he was granted freedom, but my camera shook.

Our van and friends.

Not too far from our fancy Spier Wine Estate we passed Khayelitsha Township, one of the biggest townships in Cape Town. Driving past and seeing how these people live really makes us appreciate what we have.

We also visited a Cheetah Outreach Center. Cheetahs are endangered and the people at this cheetah center are trying to train dogs to chase cheetahs off farms. Cheetahs attack live stock and farmers shoot them to protect their animals. The dogs are a better idea.

There were rules we had to follow while petting the cheetahs: always kneel while near the cheetahs, speak softly, always stroke with the palm on your hand in the same direction, etc. and disinfect your shoes before entering the cheetah pen.

Next stop: wine and chocolate!

These are our new traveling friends, and it was such a fun group!

Bob took a trip up Table Mountain with some of our friends the last day we were there. A trip on a cable car, not my cup of tea!

They could see Robben Island from Table Mountain. That's were Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for eighteen of his twenty seven years in prison.

These are the ladies that Bob traveled to Table Mountain with. We called them the Alabama ladies, but we know that Monica and Karen are not Alabama ladies. ha.

That's Bob all right, with some of Cape Town in the background.

On the way back from Table Mountain they passed this colorful section of Cape Town. Freed slaves who couldn't read painted their homes in bright colors to identify them. Pretty clever!

NEXT STOP: Sabi Sabi