Southern Africa Adventure - Capetown, South Africa - Part ll - November 2025
Continuing down the False Bay (Western shore of the Cape) we saw this old sign & wondered.
The roads were spectacular again.
I wanted to be driving my MGA or MINI, so long as the brakes were good…
…whoops!
Cape chacma baboon.
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At this plain, Howie stopped & we got out & walked around. It was not difficult for me. Howie sure knew the flora & fauna.
Leucospermum conocarpodendron. The tree pincushion is endemic to the Cape Peninsula.
Banksia tree.
And off in the distance the Atlantic Ocean, elands & springbocks!
The eland is a gazelle.
“The springbok, a small and agile antelope, is South Africa’s national animal – and the symbol behind South Africa’s National Rugby team, the Springboks.”
“The Springbok antelope (Antidorcas marsupialis), is known for its ‘springing jumps’ (pronks) and striking appearance, holds a special place in the heart of South Africans. It’s a symbol of national pride, resilience, and unity. Springbok are hunted as game throughout Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa because of their attractive coats; they are common hunting targets due to their large numbers and the ease with which they can be supported on farmlands. The meat is a prized fare, and is readily available in South African supermarkets.”
It was never on any menu for us.
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Note my cane keeping this ,endemic to the Cape Provinces Berzelia, steady in the wind.
The spiny rush.
Watch your toes. These are carnivorous plants.
Candelabra Aloe.
What a good directional.
Cape of Good Hope & Platboon Bay in the South Atlantic Ocean.
The first modern rounding of the cape was in 1487 by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias.
About 150 km. around the bend to the east, is where the Indian & Atlantic Oceans meet. The water can get pretty rough hereabouts.
“Dias called the cape Cabo das Tormentas ('Cape of Storms'; Dutch: Stormkaap), which was the original name of the cape.”
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We drove around from the Cape of Good Hope to the Cape Point & then up to Kalk Bay.
Cape Point.
From Cape Point looking north along Buffels Bay.
From Cape Point looking north along Buffels Bay. We were headed up that way to Kalk Bay.
YOGA & CAKE on the M4 in Fish Hoek.
Harbour House, Mediterranean restaurant in Kalk Bay.
Tiger’s Milk Lager. “This proudly South African beer is carefully crafted to match the menu, so if you are in the mood for something offering the perfect blend of flavours, then this is one to try.”
Kalk (Afrikaans for lime) Bay.
Kalk Bay.
Kalk Bay.
Harbor House Restaurant where we had lunch. Kalk Bay.
Kalk Bay.
Kalk Bay.
Kalk Bay.
Colourful bathing boxes where the bay is closed off allowing calm swimming. Since the end of apartheid, folks from the crowded settlements can now come here, by car or on the interurban rail line to rent a bathing box for the day at Kalk Bay.
Kalk Bay.
Kalk Bay.
We drove up north towards Cape Town’s downtown. First up to Signal Hill for a view…
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Seen from atop Signal Hill, Sea Point neighborhood of Cape Town.
Seen from atop Signal Hill, Three Anchor Bay neighborhood of Cape Town.
Seen from atop Signal Hill, Mouille Point, Cape Town Stadium & Victoria & Alfred Waterfront of Cape Town.
Seen from atop Signal Hill, downtown Cape Town.
The three cylindrical towers under Table Mountain were an anathema to the folks of Capetown. A series of them were planned but protests put an end to that. Many would like to see them removed.
Now driving down & around Cape Town at sea level we encountered Clifton & Clifton Bay. It was so windy here that Nomi had to steady my body so I could take this photograph.
High school near Sea Point with Lion’s Head towering over it.
Even though it was terribly windy here the Atlantic Ocean almost looked calm with no white caps.
Aaaah, Tiger’s Milk again “…offering perfect blend of flavours…” One of many Tiger’s Milk outposts. “This is all about your good time.”
Sea Point.
Driving along Beach Road on Moiulle Point.
On Beach Road the 1920s Winchester Boutique Hotel.
Approaching downtown Cape Town with fog covered Table Mountain to the right.
Relaxing on our patio at the Alphen Boutique Hotel.
“Unwind (after a long day’s drive) at Incognito, the (Alphen) hotel's stylish cocktail and tapas bar and restaurant.”
ANKRAH MARTINI - Grey Goose Vodka, Martini Prosecco, Passion Fruit. Pineapple, Vanilla
MARGARITA - Jose CuervoTradional Silver Tequila, Lime, Triple Sec.
That’s a photo of our room in that open booklet on the table.
I appreciate vintage automobiles & this 1970’s beauty was in front of the restaurant entrance to admire & make me smile before breakfast. Only a damaged reflector. Likely, it’s irreplaceable.
We knew it was going to be a long drive to Stellenbosch so a big breakfast was needed. No problem at Alphen Boutique Hotel’s La Belle Cafe & Bakery.
The avocados here were outstanding. And delicious “melt in your mouth smoked salmon trout” consistently appeared on breakfast menus in South Africa.
Off to Stellenbosch.
An informal housing settlement along the way.
A more formal housing settlement.
“South Africa is losing its film industry – one delay at a time
A frozen incentive scheme has hollowed out South Africa’s film industry, costing jobs and investment.”
Cape Town to Stellenbosch.
Entering wine country.
Stellenboscch.
The farmer here is raising springbok.
“…springbok have great potential in extensive domesticated production systems…commercial springbok production systems have already been established with varying degrees of success.”
Ostrich leather accessories for sale in Stellenbosch.
Stellenbosch is one of those, “Oh. maybe I could live here” places, like Healdsburg, Calif. Stellenbosch has a very deep, troubling racist history that they are still dealing with.
Stellenbosch - Schroder House Ca. 1710 - The oldest documented dwelling in South Africa.
The ca. 1687 Moederkerk (Mother Church) in Stellenbosch is the second oldest congregation of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa.
After a 1710 fire destroyed most of the town“…the church was rebuilt in 1723…on what was then the outskirts of the town, to prevent a similar incident from destroying it again. This church has been enlarged a number of times since 1723.”
Jacarandas in Stellenbosch.
“Welcome To the World of Strawberries” in Stellenbosch.
As a bicyclist, I found these signs just lovely. There were many but this was the first that I could photograph.
“Vergelegen (Dutch: "remotely situated") is a historic wine estate in Somerset West, in the Western Cape province of South Africa….that was settled in 1700…The Hottentots-Holland Mountains in the background.”
“…in 1987, a team was commissioned to restore the Vergelegen gardens and grounds in the historic core of the Estate.”
The Vergelegen Estate manor house interior had some remodeling in 1917.
Pictured above are branches of “Camphor laurels (Cinnamomum camphora) planted by Willem van der Stel in about 1705 which have been declared a protected provincial heritage site.”
Vergelegen Estate.
“…a theme of generous and intimate garden areas developed, contrasting the simple with the bold and the formal with the informal….” at the Vergelegen Estate.
Vergelegen Estate.
Founded in 1998, Guardian Peak Winery & Grill…
…is named after the towering peak on Stellenbosch Mountain.”
“Our Live with Wine philosophy…
…is built on our firm belief…
…that wine and food should be inseparable in our daily diet.”
Guardian Peak Winery & Grill.
Guardian Peak Winery & Grill.
We finally made it to our destination, Babylonstoren Farm Hotel, that was to be our lodgings for the next two nights.
Dinner at Babel Restaurant where “We have a farm-to-fork philosophy which means we like to serve food that is seasonal and that reflects our ‘pick, clean and serve’ approach.”
We found Babel a little “over the top” for our tastes.
The servings were small which was good after all we ate that day.
At Babylonstoren Farm Hotel’s Babel, the dessert was the best part of the meal.
Tomorrow we’d be meeting Howie again for a tour. Things we expected had changed so we didn’t know exactly how the day would unfold. Of course it was great. There’s nothing wrong with baboons, flowers, sculpture, beer, vintage autos, good food & stupendous scenery.