South Africa Part II

December 22, 2016 - January 4, 2017

After a short flight from Pretoria to George, the afternoon of December 22nd found us cruising east on the Garden Route of South Africa, admiring the blue waters of the Indian Ocean that crash into the cliffs dropping off quickly from the continent.  After stopping for an organic salad (with steak) and springbok burger lunch at Zucchini restaurant in the town of Wilderness, we continued east to reach the popular holiday town of Knysna.  The city sits atop a lagoon created from the Knysna River running south into the turquoise ocean.  The city is a popular summer destination, with the Christmas season being one of the busiest in the warm southern hemisphere December.  After settling in at the cute backpacker lodge 52 on Main, we explored a bit of the town on our way to the waterfront.  We were soon on a boat heading through the lagoon toward the two headlands that block the Indian Ocean inlet to the lagoon where many boats of historical lore have met with the rocks to their doom.

The following morning we enjoyed an eggs benedict breakfast with a view at the East Head Cafe before continuing along the Garden Route and returning inland on our way to the lovely town of Montague.  The town itself is tucked away amongst the jagged and rocky landscape, with the road to town passing through a blasted portion of a large rock jutting from the mountain edge.  We stayed at the beautiful Mimosa Lodge, a quaint and tranquil location with a lovely terrace, old world styled bar, and offering a fantastic four course dinner with perfectly paired wines from their own vintner.  Unfortunately no photos taken here, as we were enjoying the atmosphere, delicious food, and refreshing wines.

Our Christmas Eve day started with a delicious breakfast which we walked off by meandering the streets of Montague before traveling toward South Africa's wine country.  The town itself had a few quaint shops, however after walking the few streets, we determined that the real draw for anyone wanting to visit the town was by far the relaxing Mimosa Lodge.  We then drove west through the Robertson wineries, making tasting stops at Arabella, Viljoensdrift, and the bubbly at Graham Beck.  In addition to the beautiful weather, gorgeous scenery, and fantastic wines, tasting had additional perks as we were able to select a few favorite varietals to pack into our little rental car and save for enjoying on other days of our journey.  As we moved west toward more wine country, the road wound through mountainous passes leading to the wine town of Franschhoek, with the town settled in amongst the mountains and green with the many vineyards.  We stopped for a lovely lunch consisting mostly of cheese and bread before continuing on to the final destination of Stellenbosch.  We stayed at The Stellenbosch Hotel in the heart of town, within walking distance to several lovely shops.

Christmas morning was bright, warm and clear, and started with a relaxing morning run through the streets of the town lined with trees and then out of town amongst hilly trails behind Stellenbosch University.  Later, we wandered through town to get a better feel, quickly realizing there was a sharp distinction between the quaint, affluent part of town and the sudden transition to the working and lower class side, with much of the distinction also following a racial divide.

We were sorely missing our families for celebrating Christmas, but as fortunate would have it one of our GHSP Mbale housemates, Julia, was only a 45 minute drive away in Cape Town. We couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend the day with a member of our Peace Corps family so Dennis and I packed up a bottle of wine and set out for the coastal city, making a stop at Speir winery along the way where a multitude of families were picnicking on the green lawn.  

We met up at Julia's hotel, then walked to the Mount Nelson Hotel, also known as the Pink Palace, for a late afternoon Christmas dinner of bubbly and appetizers and lounged in the summertime heat while hotel guests basked by the swanky pool.  

Nearing sunset Dennis and I made our way back to Stellenbosch.  As we drove through the outskirts of the city, overhead electronic road signs read in capital letters, "HIGH CRIME AREA - DO NOT STOP" while we passed the densely packed corrugated metal shanty towns with rows upon rows of houses being supplied with power by seemingly unending rows and rows of electricity poles towering above.  I spent Christmas evening contemplating the extreme economic and racial divide which I was encountering and even participating in firsthand: in Cape Town and Stellenbosch where that divide becomes even more clear as you see such a stark contrast between the airy and bright central part of town filled with wine bars and restaurants where we were staying to the tiny shacks of corrugated metal crammed together with almost no moving room on the outskirts of each town.  

For those traveling to Africa, and specifically South Africa, I highly, Highly, HIGHLY recommend reading the book "Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by comedian Trevor Noah, which in straightforward and oftentimes comedic terms outlines the history and its implications of exploration, colonization, discrimination through apartheid, and difficulties transitioning to democracy in South Africa and beyond.  

In spite of the ever-present racial tension and economic divide, we did continue to explore the country and take in as much as we could. 

The following day Dennis and I continued wine tasting in Stellenbosch, stopping at (* = recommended, - = pass in future):
*Avontuur
-Ken Forrester
*Peter Falke
*Webersberg

The wines were fantastic and the green landscape incredibly beautiful.  For dinner that evening we went to The Fat Butcher, where every table was "booked", but they managed to find a table for us next to the upright piano.  The menu was incredible, and the steaks even more amazing, grilled to perfection and served with a whopping side of bone marrow to make the meal decadent.  Paired with a bottle of Syrah wine, we were in heaven.  

On the 27th we left Stellenbosch to continue our trip to Cape Town, though not without a few more stops in wine country including:
-Brenaissance
*Jordan

Jordan was by far the favorite winery visited, a secluded vineyard nestled at the end of a single-lane dirt road, overlooking a small pond.  We sat on the veranda and tasted delicious cheeses alongside homemade bread, olives, and a lovely bottle of Chenin Blanc.  That evening we settled into our cozy Airbnb apartment in the Walmer Estate area, with Devil's Peak towering high overhead.  

The morning of the 28th we started the day with a beautiful morning run along the ocean and continuing toward the touristy, but thankfully not yet open for the day, Victoria and Albert Waterfront.  On the run back we stopped to watch a pod of dolphins playing in the surf.  Later that morning we made our way from Cape Town down the peninsula, stopping first at Boulder's Beach, known for its large penguin population.  That's right, penguins! The beach was filled with the awkward-on-land yet beautiful-and-sleek-in-water birds that cannot fly.  I was giddy and loving every second with them.

We continued south to Cape Point, with a long line of cars waiting to get in to the park.  We were greeted by a friendly park ranger who warned that the wait time to get a parking spot in the park itself could be upwards of 2 hours, and to return on another day much earlier in the morning.  We hedged our bets and continued into the park, encountering a pair of zebra running wild and a troop of baboons, and within a mere 20 minutes we were parked and making our way to the top of the lighthouse at Cape Point.  The view is spectacular, almost a shear drop to the bottom, and water so clear we could see a seal playing in the surf far below.  From the lighthouse we hiked down to the Cape of Good Hope, the southwestern most point of Africa and of historical and literary lore in the exploration era traveling around what was then considered to be the southern most point of the continent.  It is rumored that the Cape has some of the best air quality, as the winds travel northward from Antartica.  

For dinner that evening, we had lovely French fare at Bizerca Bistro, highly recommended for future travels.  

The following day we chose to sleep in and relax, then finally started the day in the later afternoon with sushi at Willoughby & Co, before apologizing profusely to the fish swimming around in their tanks at the Two Oceans Aquarium.  Continuing with the down day, we looked for grocery stores to purchase a few simple items for dinner, however encountered the economic divide once again, finding that most of the grocery stores we were frequenting were not in the nicer areas of town, and unfortunately had food that was definitely not of quality or taste value.  It wasn't until the fifth stop in a distinctly better-off area that we were able to find quality fare for munching during a low key movie night.

Friday the 30th of December was an early start for the two hour drive south to the town of Gansbaai, where the mighty Great White sharks can be witnessed firsthand in the South African waters.  Only 30 minutes out into the water, with chum laying the scent and tuna heads as the main bait, we saw our first Great White shark!  As someone who loves Shark Week on The Discovery Channel every August, seeing the shark up close and personal in the wild was a childhood dream come true.  The massive creatures move so efficiently in the water, and their might is impressive up close.  

Once we had seen a few sharks from above the water, it was our turn to get into the cage.  With a wetsuit and goggles on, you jump into the frigid ocean with your head just above water until a shark is sighted and you are told to go down below the surface to see the shark in its own environment.  For the first shark that came our way, the apex predator surprised our guides and the bait was not moved out of the way quickly enough, causing the shark to slam into the cage before swimming off into the deep blue yonder.  The shark hit right in front of where Dennis was positioned, giving him a face full of teeth.  Before hitting the waters we had rented a GoPro, which was essential to capture the incredible creatures on film.  

After a morning with the sharks, we travelled further south to reach the absolute-most southern point of the African continent at Cape L'Agulhas.  The directions took us down a gravel road for over 22km before reaching the town of L'Agulhas.  When pulling into the national park area a passerby graciously pointed out a very flat tire.  In inspecting the car, we also noted a large crack caused from a rock flung up from the road.  Awesome.  Thankfully Dennis had become an expert at changing tires, and this time there were no opportunistic predators for me to look out for.

At the southern-most point, the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean.  The waters are pristinely clear and blue, with the waves crashing against the rocky shore.  Absolutely worth the cracked windshield and flat tire to get to this point.  After a snack of calamari, battered fish, and chips, we carefully made the three hour drive back to Cape Town.  Once there, we were able to change out the vehicle for a new rental.  Thanks, Thrifty!  Once at home, we enjoyed a bottle of one of our Stellenbosch wines while reviewing the amazing video captured earlier in the day, then sending the video or some select still shots to unsuspecting friends and family.

New Year's Eve day found us hiking up the beautiful and steep Table Mountain that domineers above the city of Cape Town.  After the hour and a half of what felt like sheer vertical climbing up the Plateeklip Gorge, the top of the mountain offered spectacular views of the city and the length of the cape past the Twelve Apostles - 12 peaks in a row - and on to Cape Point.  Spectacular view.  We made the additional hike to Maclears Beacon, offering a trek through the beautiful flora decorating the top of the mountain.  On the way down we took one of the contour routes, walking along a ridge jutting out on the side of the mountain and leading us toward the lower cable station.

Back at our apartment we celebrated the hike and the end to a lovely 2016 by enjoying a bottle of sparkling Rosé with some delicious cheese as our "lunch" before heading out for NYE celebrations.  While getting ready I had an amazing and much needed hour-long catch up session with the lovely Meagan Campol Haynes, a true highlight to end the year.  Later in the evening we made our way to Camp's Bay to enjoy dinner and NYE festivities at a Japanese fusion restaurant called Umi.  As midnight drew near, we were surprised that there was no plan for a countdown, and even more surprised when we began to hear slow waves of cheers coming from outside the restaurant, as each location decided when it was the new year on their own.  There was no Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve countdown, no ball dropping in Times Square to mark the beginning of 2017.  It would be over 8 hours until that would be happening in New York City.  We kissed and toasted to the new year while watching the fireworks display over the waterfront as the streets came alive with revelers.  When we joined the throngs of people on the street, there were numerous people begging, holding out Coca-Cola cups to pick up coins from the drunken good will pouring out from the bars and restaurants.

New Year's Day was relaxing, with a short venture to the Gardens district for brunch at Knead and a stroll around Company Gardens before returning to the cool apartment to escape the heat and enjoy some wine for an easy day of catching up on journaling.

On Monday the 2nd we drove out of town around False Bay and took the scenic R44 drive with the mountains dropping sharply on the left and the vast blue ocean bay on the right.  It is one of the most beautiful coastal routes we have ever driven, rivaling the famed Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Los Angeles.  There are signs and stop-off points along the road to enjoy the view, as well as whales during the birthing season from June through November.  But the real destination for this outing? A large colony of penguins that reside at Betty's Bay.  There were far fewer crowds here, and with the amazing backdrop of the steep and majestic mountains.  


Food recommendations for the day:
-Sotano for breakfast/brunch with a great view of of Green Point and the ocean beyond.
-A stand near the penguin colony served up some of the most delicious calamari.
-Hussar Grill: chain in western South Africa.  Tasty steaks, although nothing can live up to Stellenbosch's Fat Butcher.


The next day we explored the historical parts of Cape Town, beginning in City Bowl with the District Six Museum, dedicated to the former inner-city residential area in Cape Town. Over 60,000 of its inhabitants were forcibly removed during the 1970s by the apartheid regime. We fed our minds with caffeine from Truth Coffee and our stomachs with dumplings from I Love Laundry, a laundry facility that also makes amazing vegetarian and carnivore friendly fare.

We continued the historical tour to the Bo-Kaap neighborhood, a multicultural neighborhood with a predominantly Malaysian as well as Islamic influence and a background of brightly colored, tightly packed houses, and cobblestone streets. We sampled some of Malaysian food at Biesmiellah Restaurant, with a perfect view of the Tweede Newe Jaar, or second new year minstrel celebration, parading by. There was music, dancing, and everyone wearing bright neon costumes and carrying equally bright umbrellas. The evening found us at a lovely outdoor cafe, sipping a glass of wine and reading while watching the sun slowly set in the distance.



Wednesday, January 4th marked our last day in Cape Town. I took advantage of the spa facilities with a facial and pedicure before afternoon brunch at Truth Coffee.  We then drove toward Signal Hill for a beautiful view of the Atlantic, watching paragliders jumping off the hillside and cascading down toward Sea Point below.  After a relaxing afternoon at Camp's Bay, our last fantastic Cape Town meal was Spanish cuisine at La Boheme, once again taking one of the last available, not booked tables in the restaurant. The food was fantastic so we're adding it to our list of highly recommended restaurants for future Cape Town visits.



That evening we packed up our gear and prepared for the early morning flight to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe!

Learn from us!  Lessons gained from travel in South Africa and Swaziland:
-If planning more than 5 days of national parks in South Africa, look into purchasing a WILD! national park card.  National parks include Kruger, Cape Point, and Table Mountain amongst many others.
-Game drives for animals require a lot of time sitting in the car.  Coupled with road-tripping through South Africa it is A LOT of time in the car.  Plan active outings in between long days of sitting.  Get the humans out of the mobile cage :)
-A 4 x 4 or larger vehicle is preferred on dirt/gravel roads, otherwise make sure to go slow - prevent getting flat tires!
-Having one day at the luxurious tree camp followed by three days on our own/with SAN Parks trekking through Kruger was the perfect amount of time.
-Stay longer in Swaziland - the country is beautiful, with a lot to offer in regard to adventure activities.  We would have LOVED more time here.
-Skip the Garden Route and spend more time in wine country.  Purchasing wine you liked to enjoy later in the trip is amazing.
-Cape Town: rent a car, schedule all out of town activities in sequential days, then return the car and use Uber to get around the city.  Uber was very easy to use, safe, and far less expensive than renting a car.  Lesson learned.
-Book restaurants well in advance, ESPECIALLY during the busy summer/Christmas season.  Restaurants in South Africa are very different from the U.S. - once a table is booked, it is booked for the evening.  There is no turning-over tables as quickly as possible, but rather restaurants focus on sitting and enjoying the meal for the entire evening.
-Ensure to have small bills or coins on hand to tip parking attendants - people (sometimes official, sometimes unofficial) that guide you to an open parking spot, directing traffic as needed for you to get into the spot, and "keeping an eye" on your car when you are out and about.
-Planning days to do nothing, or planning a day specifically for laundry is essential during a long trip.  Seriously.
-Dennis and I had a Sawyer water filter that we used to filter water into our own bottles along the way - great to prevent purchasing multitudes of plastic bottles.  Would recommend bringing one larger than our little 16 oz filter.
-If living in Uganda for one year, enjoying the delicious red meat, seafood, raspberries, wine, bread, and other deliciousness in South Africa/Swaziland is amazing!