Friday, April 16/ 9 a.m.
After a very short night (four hours sleep), we had an early start and easy ride to the airport. We're off to a good start, we think. Inside the airport, however, we find chaos --- crowds of people looking bewildered. What's going on? An agent calls out, "Anyone NOT going to Europe?" Oh, right. The volcanic eruption. Hundreds of thousands of travelers have had their plans disrupted by a faraway natural phenomenon of epic proportions. We're among the fortunate heading in a different direction. But our minds are filled with possible scenarios of unmet obligations, students stranded, vacations ruined---and worse. How many weddings need to be rescheduled or fathers who will meet their new babies when they're two or three days old? There will be a story to be told for each of these altered events for years to come. We can only imagine what they might be.
Saturday, April 17 10 p.m. Cape Town
Smooth, very long flights. Six hours to Dakar where there's a two-hour stop for refueling, and we're not allowed to leave the plane. It doesn't matter though because it's a good time to meet fellow travelers from our tour. Eight hours later we land in Johannesburg where we have our first taste of World Cup fervor.
On to Cape Town, a two-hour flight, and finally---we've arrived! Our guide is Tony Shuman, a well-spoken Afrikaner of British origins. We can understand every word. Tomorrow we explore, according to Tony, "the world's most beautiful city." We'll let you know. And now to bed--
Sunday, April 18/Cape Town and Vicinity
So, IS Cape Town the world's most beautiful city? The photos will answer the question for you, but let me add only this: imagine San Francisco with Yosemite within its city limits and the Big Sur coastline outside the golden gates. Hard to imagine? Just look at the pictures.
Here is the view from our hotel window, Table Mountain in the distance, looking as if it's in the middle of the city.
And it is.
On our way to Table Mountain. Early morning fog is beginning to lift from Cape Town.
Here's the view from the aerial tram. You can really see why
Cape Town reminds us of San Francisco. The peak on the left
is called Lion's Head.
Looking south - to Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope. There are more photos to come of those famous sites. But for now, this will do. Suffice it to say, we were blessed with a singularly gorgeous day, a day that would make San Francisco proud --- as well as Cape Town. Would you agree that Cape Town is truly one of the world's most beautiful cities?
2 comments:
It really is a beautiful city, and it's funny, you never hear people talk about it in that vein. Who'd have thought? Hard to tell who is doing what justice--the photos or the actual city or both?
We've been touched by the kindness of the people, happy to see strong infrastucture, clean streets, new construction, etc. A truly modern city. Lots of problems, of course, but having the World Cup here is solving some of them.
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