Day 7 - Cape Town

Our last day in Cape Town!  Today would start early, for we had booked a 9AM tour at Robben Island.  This island was known for its infamous prison, which housed many political prisoners throughout the years of Apartheid.  It's chilling to remember that this prison still housed people until the time I was in high school.

We caught an early Uber to the waterfront area.  At the dock, passengers were already lining up just after 8:30AM, so we knew we were in the right place.  In just a few minutes, we founds seats on a ferry that would take us to the island, an outbound trip of about 40 minutes or so.

A short time later, we arrived at the island.  Our group was taken from the dock directly into the prison and into the political prisoner cell block, where we were met by a former prisoner.  This gentlemen had been incarcerated in 1977 and served his time of 15 years for political dissension.  He told us a bit of what it was like to be a prisoner there, a bit about the daily life and what it was like to be there under the regime.  He listened patiently to our questions and answered truthfully, holding nothing back.

After a brief discussion, we moved to other areas of the prison, passing the isolation cells where prisoners would be segregated from the others.  We also passed the cell that once held Nelson Mandela.

Our tour of the prison concluded in the multipurpose room, where the prisoners would have the religious services and watch educational films.

We thanked our guide and left, this time joining a tour bus that drove us around the island.  We could see the rest of the grounds, where the prison warden and staff lived, which was now converted to museum space and housing for the Robben Island curators and guides.  All-too-quickly, we soon boarded the ferry and headed back to Cape Town.  Strangely enough, my heart was not heavy.  In fact, I was focused on a statement our tour guide made earlier, that the prison was a testimony to people learning to not let imprisonment deprive them of their humanity, and to one day overcome it.

Back in Cape Town, we stopped at the waterfront for a nice lunch.  We found a nice restaurant that Ramona looked up on the way back, and had a quick bite.

Following lunch, we walked through an adjacent market, looking for souvenirs and trinkets for the trip home.

Now, it was time to head back to our flat.  We'd gotten used to the walk from the waterfront, and soon found ourselves back at the flat.  We would have enough time to pack and clean up the flat a bit, since our flight wasn't leaving until late that night.

Day 6 - Cape Town

Our days in Cape Town are drawing to a close.  Our plans for today would include a few culture stops, so we started the day with breakfast!  Ramona found a nice, local place just around the corner from our flat.  A coffee and wonderful French Toast was all I needed to get myself started. 

The restaurant, Bacon on Bree, was cosy - and of course they had tons of bacon for sale!

Fully fueled, we headed out for our first stop, the District Six Museum.  As the source of one of the largest displacements of people during Apartheid, the museum was dedicated to the memory of those who lived there at that time.

Thanks to a break in the weather, the clouds cleared up enough for us to see Table Mountain, so we stopped for a quick photo op!

We intended to go to Castle Good Hope next, but they were hosting a craft beer tour, and were charging an extra entrance fee.  Ah well!  We took a few pictures outside the fort and soldiered on.

On the walk back, we came across the Slave Lodge, a museum dedicated to the history of the slave trade in South Africa, and its roots in the foundation of the city.  All of this touring was adding to our hunger levels.  Ramona was craving ramen, and we'd failed to score some the last few nights for dinner.  One of the best ramen spots in Cape Town was on the next block:

...and they were closed until late evening.  Fortunately, a short walk away, we passed a Japanese restaurant that was serving ramen.  Score!

Refueled, we continued a few streets over to Bo-Kaap, an area known for its colorful homes and shops.  We stopped in a local store and talked with the merchant for a bit, looking for souvenirs to bring home.  Finding none, we walked the streets to capture the colorful homes.

A short walk later, we were back in our flat and packing our bags.  Tomorrow would see our last day in Cape Town; we still had an important visit to make, and wanted to make the best use of our remaining time.

Once Eric returned, Ramona had the notion of going on a "food tour".  We wanted to see how many places we could go tonight for meals!  First up:  Eric suggested "The Orphanage".  This was only a few blocks from our flat.  We ducked in to get a quick drink and an appetizer, and ended up with a bucket of popcorn.  Still, it wasn't bad, but we expected better luck at our next stop.

Next up: "Rick's Americain Cafe".  This restaurant was themed after the Humphrey Bogart film, and featured a variety of Mediterranean fair.  Ramona opted for a (fantastic) salad and fish; I had lamb kafta.

Another meal down, we headed for our final stop of the night, "Kloof Street House".  This rather posh location was - you guessed it - based on very large manor house.  We had to wait about 30 minutes for a table, but it was well worth it.  Our dessert included a caramel cheesecake with popcorn for Ramona, and I had a chocolate fondant.

Again, dessert did not let me down!  Our food tour complete, we headed back to our flat and turned in for the night.  Tomorrow would be an early and busy day! 

Day 5 - Cape Town

Another gorgeous day in Cape Town!  The weather was splendid once again!  Ramona dressed and got ready to attend her sessions for the day.  My plan?  Sit on the patio and just enjoy the weather!  I also had a plan to wander off in search of a hot towel shave as well, but first things first!

Soon after Ramona headed out, I made a quick breakfast and sat in the sun.  The late morning sun was certainly strong, concealing the fact that it was just over 60 degrees and windy.  As long as I was in the sun, it was fine.  When a lone cloud covered the sun, I swear it got 10 degrees cooler...

Later in the afternoon, Ramona and I would meet up to go to one of her conference sessions.  I opted to go for a short walk and get a hot towel shave!  We'd spotted a nice location near the District Six museum, so I took a short stroll.  There was no line, and I got my shave in just enough time to make the conference session with Ramona!

After the session wrapped up, it was dinner time.  There was an offering of appetizers following the last session of the day, so we indulged a bit before dinner.

Walking a short distance, we stopped at the Obi restaurant, after seeing their menu on the street.  Inside, we had a delicious Japanese meal of tempura, sushi and sashimi.  And of course, I had to top it off with matcha green tea ice cream!

Now, it was time for the main event.  Friday nights are First Friday at the Museum of Contemporary African Art (MOCAA).  We stopped out front to challenge the strange, spinning chairs we'd seen as we passed the MOCAA on our Hop-on, Hop-off tour.

After becoming suitably dizzy, we entered the museum and proceeded to take in the cultural experience.  There were quite a number of strange and wonderful pieces.  As always, I continue to struggle with modern art.  I sometimes just wish I was in on the joke....

Wrapping up the museum, we walked back to our flat.   Mona had an early morning, so I took an opportunity to plug in our various electronics, so that we could be charged and ready for the day.  The clubs on the street were already thumping their loud music, so I knew it would be an interesting night for (attempted) sleep.

Day 4 - Cape Town

Another gorgeous day in Cape Town!  The clouds broke early in the morning light, letting us get to a great start today.  For the first time since we arrived, we could see the top of Table Mountain, completely free of clouds.  Today might be the day to grab an Uber and take a run at it!

Today is the first day of the conference that brought Eric and Ramona halfway around the world.  We started the morning down on the street, fetching a cup of coffee.  Based on the distance from the University of Cape Town, it seemed as if an Uber would be the easiest way to get to the conference.  Eric dialed up our ride and we were on our way in minutes.

The drive took us to the east, out of the city center where we've been for the last few days.  The roads rose slightly, just beginning to climb into the foothills at the base of the mountain.  Our driver, Ahmed, was very cheery and natural, talking quite about the local weather patterns and what to expect from Table Mountain during our stay.  As a Cape Town native, he knew just the building that Eric and Ramona needed to get to, so he smoothly navigated around campus and brought us right to the appropriate door.

We took a brief stroll around campus, taking a moment to get a view of the city.  Bidding Eric and Ramona farewell, I took a few minutes to walk around campus to see what I could find.  I was looking for a campus bookstore, to perhaps buy a t-shirt.  I worked my way to the student union and found the bookstore, but alas, the t-shirts weren't really to my liking.  With that chore completed, what now?  Wander aimlessly?  Take a tour?  I flew all the way to South Africa and left the charger for my Fitbit Charge HR.  Ramona's band for her Fitbit Alta had also broken as well.  I thought, "why not find replacements"?  So, I quickly Google'd the local mall and started my walk.

About 10 minutes later, I found Riverdale Mall, located near the UCT campus.  Entering the mall, I struggled to find a directory or map.  After circling aimless for a bit, I found two unmanned information counters.  I followed the nearest escalator up, and found a few tech shops.  Neither of them carried what I was looking for.  At a shop around the corner, a young man pointed out another store that might have what I needed, so we walked across the mall to a new section I hadn't entered.  Sadly enough, they didn't carry them.  Bidding the young man farewell, I returned to Google, in search of more ideas.  After an exhaustive search, I saw postings from a wilderness outfitter store near V&A Waterfront (where we visited yesterday), so I set off in that direction.  With Google Map pointing out a 50-minute walk, I hailed and Uber and we proceeded to the waterfront.

The Waterfront mall was considerably bigger.  This time, the information desk was manned and I was quickly pointed to my destination.  And, alas, still no Fitbit bands or charger!  Out of ideas. it was finally time for lunch, so I grabbed a quick bit at the Waterfront food stalls we'd eaten at the day before, and I started my walk back to the flat.

Another Uber ride would have been nice, but I figured I'd walk back to the flat.  The afternoon sun shifted behind the buildings, so it was nice and comfortable.  In about a half hour, I was back at the flat.  Ramona and I had booked a massage later that afternoon, so it was a nice change to take a break and wind down for the evening.

Our massage was a great getaway - a chance to decompress.  The allure of nachos called to her, so I headed across the street to pickup an order of chicken nachos with avocado.  A word to the wise:  if you like carry out (called 'takeaway' abroad), plan accordingly!  Many restaurants don't post their menus online.  You have to discover what delivery service they use (Orderin, MrD, etc.) and visit their websites instead to figure out what you can order and what you can have delivered.  Ramona tried and found this out only after significant effort.

Dinner finished, Eric and Ramona shifted to conversations about work and their program at the university.  I drifted to getting caught up on work email, as it was late afternoon back home.  Tomorrow would be another day at the conference and I had very little on my plate.

Day 3 - Cape Town

Another glorious day!  The morning started considerably cloudier than the past two days.   The dark, morning clouds seem to foreshadow the imminent rain.  In the distance, the sun peaked out over the sea, but the land was completely shrouded in cloud.  Table Mountain, as well, was fully-obscured by the low-hanging clouds.

We started our morning by rejoining the Hop-on, Hop-off bus.  For the price, it was certainly a cheap way to get around town!  This morning's stop: the Waterfront. We headed towards Victoria & Alfred's (V&A) Waterfront, full of shops and eateries.  We found a food court, full of a variety of shops and food stands.  I had a fruit smoothie and meat-filled pastries, while Mona had a nice salad.

We continued our walk across the wharf, looking in a large warehouse that had been converted to merchant stalls.  Before long, we found ourselves back on the bus, continuing along the coast.  Today, our adventure would include walking along the beautiful seashore before continuing back into the city.

The roadside wound its way along the coast, passing multi-million dollar bungalows and retreats for the obnoxiously wealthy.  All manner of construction was underway, everything from new gardens and pavement, to massive decks and build-outs on steel structures.  I would probably be shocked by the amount of money tied up by this renovation work...

After walking a little over a mile, we dropped back into the city and continued along the sea shore.  We paused by a seaside pool and took in the view.

Returning to our walk, we were a short distance from the the Hop-on stop, so we waited a few minutes to rejoin the bus.  We finished meandering through the streets to find us back our originating stop.  This was the last day of our three-day pass, and we'd certainly seen lots of Cape Town thanks to it!

Heading back to our flat, we came home to discover Eric (Ramona's colleague) was here and ready to hang out with us!  After a quick discussion, we opted to try a Portuguese diner not too far from us, Dias Tavern.    Just a short distance up the street, we found ourselves there.  Climbing the short staircase, we found a quaint diner, filled with patrons watching cricket and rugby.

At a table in the back, we ordered our food.  Mona couldn't decide on her fish, so she asked our waitress to surprise her!  Fortunately, she got a nice fish that she could easily de-bone.  Eric opted for fish as well, and I tried the beef tempata, a schwarma-like skewer of meat.

Dinner finished?  Time for dessert!  Fortunately for us, our lodgings put in right in the heart of the entertainment area (as noted by the bars, noisy until oh-dark-early) and adjacent to a lot of eateries.  We found ourselves next at Unframed, a gelato restaurant.  The variety of flavors was a bit overwhelming, so I went with the old standby - green tea matcha!

Now that we've had dessert, how do we finish the evening!  Karaoke!  Yes, folks, there was also a karaoke bar just another block from our lodging (truth be told, nearly everything we visited this evening was on the same street as the hotel or within a few blocks of it!)

The karaoke lounge was completely empty at 9PM - they told us to come back at 10 and it would liven up.  Sure enough, there were a few more folks singing when we arrived.  Ramona and I belted out a few tunes, in between a few other patrons.  It was really amazing to see people with pretty decent voices who really know the lyrics to some tough songs!

Before long, we'd sung ourselves out and headed back to our flat.  Tomorrow would start Ramona and Eric's first day at the conference!

Day 2 - Cape Town

Another day in Cape Town!  Last night was certainly interesting.  Our accommodations are a block away from a few downtown night clubs.  The "oontz oontz oontz" keeps going until 3AM and it certainly filters up to our 18th floor flat.  We might be sleeping with earplugs in a few nights...

We rose late in the morning and found the weather a bit cooler, but much cloudier.  Probably an indication of pending rain.  Mona wisely packed an umbrella to get to/from her conference, but I had not.  This mornings adventures include taking a walking tour of Cape Town, so we headed off.

A few blocks away, we joined up with our tour guide.  This tour was called "Apartheid to Freedom", and focused on a few of historical impacts of Apartheid on Cape Town and its inhabitants. We started our tour on the next block at St. George's cathedral, where Bishop Desmond Tutu once concealed Apartheid freedom fighters.  Inside the church, we marveled at the ornate stained glass windows as was passed through.

A few blocks away, we reached the high court annex, which used to house the racial classification board.  This court office determined which race you fell into, based on your parents, occupation and variety of completed-unrelated factors and arbitrary decisions.  Based on their ruling, it determined where you could live and work, and who you could love.

Moving on, we passed under an ornate wooden arch, a landmark dedicated to Bishop Tutu, the "Arch for Arch".  We stopped at one of the finest bakeries in Cape Town, Charly's Bakery,  known for its decadent chocolate brownies.  These were sizable chocolate cakes, slathered in fresh chocolate sauce.  Ramona and I shared one, but sadly we couldn't get more than halfway before succumbing to chocolate overload!

Around the bend, we stood near the site where Nelson Mandela addressed a crowd of over 200,000 people after his release from prison after 27 years.  Today, the square was covered with market stalls and signs, but it was incredible to imagine a quarter of a million people packed into a space with a temperature of over 100 degrees in the South African summer.

Bidding our tour group farewall, we rejoined the city Hop-on, Hop-off bus and resumed our bus tour of the city.  A few stops onward, we opted to stop at District Six, a resettlement district where tens of thousands of people were forcibly resettled during Apartheid.  We were met by our guide, Belinda, and she took us through the many blocks.  All around us, people had built their own shanties and shacks.  As climbed the steep hill into the settlement, we found housing that had been built by Habitat for Humanity and other charitable organizations.  We learned that the district had numerous schools for the many children, as noted by streams of children passing us in school uniforms.  We visited a preschool where the children greeted us with hugs, handshakes and song!

Meandering through the town, we arrived back at our bus stop and rejoined the bus tour.  Our next hop off would be the Mariner's Wharf, where we were greeted by the curious site of a man feeding a seal.  He would lop off small pieces of fish and toss them to a seal just a few feet away.

Boarding the bus for the last time, we came back to our original stop and headed for the flat.  The day was winding down, so we found a nearby restaurant and made our way there.  Miller's Thumb was reportedly one of the best places to get Kingclip, a mild whitefish well-known in this area.  We headed over and grabbed a table early, as the Yelp reviews said it fills quickly and reservations are highly recommended.  As this was our 8th anniversary, it was really nice that Ramona found such a special place for us to share!

Our dinner was absolutely fabulous, but lacked something vital - french fries!  It's hard to say 'no' on our anniversary, so we walked a block to a nearby restaurant, DaVinci's to get some fries.  That worked out quite well, as the trendy place wasn't too crowded and we quickly got some pretty good steak fries.

Meandering back through the city streets, we soon returned to our flat and got ready for bed.  Tomorrow would be our last free day, with Ramona joining the conference schedule the following day.