Milnerton stroll

A view of Table Mountain and Cape Town

Catching a gust

Endless skies

On a windy, bright Sunday afternoon, we browsed the wares at the Milnerton Flea Market, just north of Cape Town. We enjoyed snacking on chocolate pastries as we walked along the booths selling various items including antique chairs, car parts, and colorful spices.

We also spent some time at a nearby beach enjoying the sun, the waves and the views of the city in the distance.

A memorable day around Muizenberg

This was written on the evening of the 10th:

We had a a glorious day outside today. We drove to Muizenberg, on the Indian Ocean side of the Cape, in the early afternoon. We didn’t really have a plan for these few hours, we were just looking around. It was a warm and sunny day. We did find something though – a flea market by the ocean. We walked through the crowded passages, smelling the good food and the salty ocean. Then we walked along a boardwalk by the ocean. As we walked, we watched the surfers ride the rows of breaks stacked in the ocean in front of us.

After that leisurely stroll, we met up for the planned action of the day, our hike up Bishop’s Kloof to a cave near the top of the mountain. We met up with our friends in the parking lot of a grocery store, and started up the mountain. It started with a series of steps. The steps were all made of large stones. Clearly someone has been taking care of this trail, and we surely appreciated it. As we climbed up the steep sides of the mountain, we occasionly stopped to look over our should at the ocean spread out behind us.

As we climbed, the plants changed dramatically. Cape Town is a unique floral zone, and we hadn’t seen anything like it before. Once we reached the top of the ridge, we walked across the top for a while, and then we could really concentrate on the plants. It was like Alice in Wonderland. You’d look out at the beautiful colors of the fields in front of you, but not concentrate on exactly what the plants looked like. Then you’d fixate on a plant, and it was surreal. Almost like you woke up on another planet.

Our group was jolly and fun. We made it to the cave, and every crawled through a small passage (except Lisa, who walked around – a little too much claustrophobia). Then we strolled down the side of the mountain, back to the ocean, as the sun set. It was an absolutely lovely afternoon.