Final Farewells in Cape Town

November 29, 2012 by B + B in Africa, South Africa

It's only appropriate that our last week in Cape Town has been filled with family, friends and a little adrenaline.

We soaked up every last minute with Mary - hanging at the house, eating breakfast out on the patio, having tea and getting out in the city to some old favorites and new spots. And we reunited with Cape Town friends and the Wild Coast crew for some epic last suppers.

We spent our last weekend in South Africa at a beautiful beach house in Britania Bay with friends Annette and her son Matthew.

Matthew is just wrapping up his first year at university and we quickly found out that South African university students play almost  identical drinking games to the American ones. Unfortunately for us, all we had to use were bottles of de… — Matthew is just wrapping up his first year at university and we quickly found out that South African university students play almost identical drinking games to the American ones. Unfortunately for us, all we had to use were bottles of delicious South African wine. Ouch.

A reunion of friends we've met along our travels in South Africa. This fine Cape Town eating establishment is called The Dogs Bullocks. It only serves burgers (50 per night to be exact) and wine, and there is very little room inside to eat. So we ju… — A reunion of friends we've met along our travels in South Africa. This fine Cape Town eating establishment is called The Dogs Bullocks. It only serves burgers (50 per night to be exact) and wine, and there is very little room inside to eat. So we just ate on the ground in the alley.

During the day, The Dogs Bullocks space serves different food and is known as The Bitches Tits.

And, we decided last-minute to go out with a bang and go shark diving with great whites. We had gone back and forth about shark diving since we arrived in Cape Town. Originally, we were very interested, but some local surfers told us it can lead to shark attacks and bring sharks closer into shore. We also were weary of the ethics of the industry and tour operators - much in the same way as safaris, there is a wide spectrum of opinions and codes of conduct. But, others we met along the way argued that there is no connection between diving and shark attacks - which is why scuba divers never get attacked while under the water - and that there are ethical operators who do it right. Conflicted but excited, we booked with White Shark Diving Co. out of Gansbaai, South Africa, about 2 hours outside of Cape Town. It was a great experience.

Our first shark of the day makes a pass at the bait. This one was big, approximately four meters long.

While sitting in the cage face to face with a Great White is quite the exhilarating experience, the view from the top of the boat offers a completely different (and awesome) perspective. — While sitting in the cage face to face with a Great White is quite the exhilarating experience, the view from the top of the boat offers a completely different (and awesome) perspective.

They picked us up from Mary's house at 4:15am (yikes!) and drove us to Gansbaai. We met the guides, who put us right at ease with their knowledge and respect for the sharks, and took a 25-minute boat ride out to the dive site where we were outfitted with wetsuits, hoods and masks. The guides immediately started chumming the water and in less than 30 minutes... we saw our first great white! Brendan and I jumped at the chance to be first in the cage. The water was shockingly cold - 11 degrees Celsius (about 40 degrees Fahrenheit) - but as we heard the guides yelling, "BAIT! BAIT!" meaning the shark was heading our way, we couldn't feel a thing. Seeing a great white shark is an amazing thing. Neither of us had seen anything outside of a reef shark in the wild before and these are definitely not reef sharks. The first shark was "medium-sized" and measured 3 to 3.5 meters (12-15 feet)! It definitely did not seem medium sized when it swam by the cage, close enough to reach out and touch (if you had a death wish). Throughout the day, we got some epic views of seven different great whites, from the cage and on deck. They are graceful and powerful and amazing to watch. The most surprising thing for us was that, while the great whiles are obviously killing machines, they did not seem aggressive. If anything, they were curious and timid in their approach. We left feeling completely exhilarated by the day and in awe of the ocean's apex predator.

Looking back over the past three months, it seems all at once like a lifetime ago and to have flown by overnight. We have so many amazing memories - visiting the Maasai cu cus, shoveling trash and planting trees with CTC in Kenya, being spoiled rotten on the beach in Zanzibar, taking the never-ending train-ride through Tanzania, being one with nature in Zambia, swimming in Victoria Falls, falling in love with a city and all it has to offer in Cape Town and experiencing more new people, places and things than we deserve. More than anything, we are so appreciative of the people we spent time with along the way - strangers who amazed us with their courage and generosity, friends that we will keep beyond Africa and family that means the world to us.

We're moving forward, but a big piece of our hearts is staying behind on the dark continent.

Hiking Around Cape Town

November 24, 2012 by B + B in Africa, South Africa

Our last two weeks in Cape Town have been an absolute blur. We got back from the Wild Coast, water-logged and a little stir-crazy, and hit the ground running (or more accurately, hiking). Mary took us to the Newlands Forest and the Contour Path, which is a great series of moderate walking trails through the forest below Table Mountain. It's cool and shady and was the perfect warm up for our car-weary legs.

We also finally got to climb Table Mountain! We took the Skeleton Gorge route which is through Kirstenbosch Gardens. Unfortunately, you have to pay to enter the park, even if you just cut through to the trailhead. We think you can also get there from Constantia Nek or Rhodes Memorial to avoid the extra cost (around $10/person). It was a great hike - challenging and beautiful. The trail is pretty steep, but is wonderfully maintained and there are stairs, ladders and hand holds to help you along the way. Our favorite part of the climb was hiking up a waterfall in the middle of the forest. We got wet (nothing new for us after the Wild Coast) but the water was cool and felt great! Getting to the top took a bit longer than expected - it's about 4 hours up and as with most journeys the last bit seems to take forever. But, once we made it, we were rewarded with amazing views of the city. We walked the perimeter of the mountain (which is flat on top, like a table) and made our way to the cable car and bar area on the other side. We drank a cold beer and decided to pay for the cable car down - our legs were shot and our stomachs were empty. Mary met us at the base and swept us off to an amazing dinner at Royale, a well-known burger joint on Long Street.

The next day was a road trip out to Cape Point. Cape Point is not quite the southern most point on the continent, but it's definitely more scenic and more accessible from Cape Town. And, there are great stops along the way. Our first was Olympia Deli in Kalk Bay, a Cape Town staple that's been serving breakfast and lunch to hippies and beach bums for decades. The food was delicious, but burgers the night before and a big breakfast made for a few tummy aches. Not that we would let a little thing like that stop us. We headed on to Boulder's Beach, where hundreds of Atlantic Penguins make their home year round. We walked out to the beach expecting to see the March of the Penguins only to find a few tourists sitting in front of changing huts. Confused, we walked back to the entrance and learned that the best times to see the penguins are in the morning around 8am and in the evening around 5pm. Luckily, we could easily swing back by on our way home, so we left Boulder's and drove south the Cape Point.

Before heading back towards the penguins, we made a quick stop at Scarborough Beach, where I slept (and got stuck) in the car and B and Mary explored the shore. The penguins were waiting for us when we got back to Boulder's around 5, as promised. It was definitely worth the second trip. They are funny and entertaining birds, especially when they run.

Another highlight of the last two weeks were the sunsets. They were brilliant. And almost every night. We caught several above Camp's Bay, at Sunset Beach (appropriately named) and, our favorite, from the summit of Lion's Head. We hiked up with a cooler and bottle of wine, watched the sun go down and then realized we had no head lamps for the way down. Luckily, we did have liquid courage from the wine, so we scrambled down slowly, making friends along the way and stopping to see the city at night. The night view is almost as awesome as the sunset. Definitely do this if you're in Cape Town... But don't forget flashlights or headlamps!

Getting out and about in Cape Town again made us fall in love with the city all over again and was a bittersweet reminder than in one week, we'd be saying goodbye.

Wining & Dining in Franschhoek, South Africa

November 17, 2012 by B + B in Africa, South Africa

Yet another wonderful benefit of life in Cape Town is it's proximity to hundreds of the best wine farms on the continent. And, where there is good wine, there is good food. And where there is good food and good wine, B and I can usually be found. So, this weekend, the Bs and Mary packed up the Polo and headed to wine country for a little R&R and a lot of eating and drinking. We didn't have to drive far to begin the festivities - Stellenbosch is the first official wine-country-town and is only about 30 minutes outside of Cape Town on the way to Franschhoek, our final destination. So, by 10am we found ourselves sitting around a table at Ken Forrester, a small family-owned-and-run wine farm, sipping Chenin Blanc and other light white "breakfast wines." Another tasting followed at Kleine Zalze and before lunch on day one we were well into our best wine-tasting characters and had managed to "accidentally" leave several purchased bottles behind like a trail of bread crumbs (which we picked up on our way home a few days later).

We arrived in Franschhoek and amazingly found our way to Bedside Manor, our adorable home-away-from-home for the weekend. The owners are interior decorators and the house is very well done. Our favorite spot was the sun room looking out onto a side-yard garden. And, if the weather had been warmer, the backyard and pool would have been at the top of the list. To top it all off, we got a great deal and it was so much cheaper than most hotels in the area, with so much more to offer. Thank you Home Away!

Franschhoek is beautiful. It's Napa, but even more dramatic - or maybe the idea of drinking amazing wine overlooking picturesque vineyards in AFRICA just makes it seem that way. And, most of the wine farms are just that - small, family-operated farms. Our favorite vineyard and tasting was at Le Petit Ferme. The owner, who was a farmer in his earlier life, built the place by hand and gave us the tour personally. He loves the romance of wine making and gives all the credit to the French for doing it right. However, he did divulge that a massive insect outbreak in the mid-19th-century killed all the vines in the world with the exception of the US, so, technically, all wine currently grown in the world is from American plant stock. America... F#*k yeah! The French couple in our group was not amused. Either way, the tour, the owner's knowledge, enthusiasm and general awesomeness and the wonderful wine made for a great experience.

If we weren't spoiled enough already, Brendan and I splurged that night and treated ourselves to an amazing dinner at one of the best restaurants in Africa. To get snobby for a second... The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Frances has been named one of the 50 best restaurants in the world eight times and the Best Restaurant in Africa and the Middle East four times. The executive chef, Margot Janse takes traditional Cape-Malay to a fine-dining level, but makes sure that each dish has its own story. So, the dinner is an eating and educational experience all in one. The laid-back vibe of the restaurant and the friendly, communal wait staff made the 3.5 hour, 5-course meal and wine pairing fun and informal.

The next day brought more tastings, more delicious food and more memories with Mary (the ones we can remember at least). We tasted at Boekenhoutskloof and Moreson, sipped bubbly at Haute Cabrierre. We ate at Bread and Wine, Rueben's and the Cafe de Arte. We'd recommend them all with the exception of Rueben's, which felt a bit like a chain steakhouse (Rueben is actually a Cape Town institution, so hopefully no one is offended). We finished off the wine-tasting weekend with another drive through Stellenbosch to pick up our lost wines and visit beautiful Tokara - for a tasting and food. Our friends Chrissy from San Francisco (that we met in Kenya) and Ralph, an ex-professor from Durban with a soft-spot for science fiction drove out to join us. We celebrated with bubbles and dessert oysters and goofed around around on the vineyard's rustic, artsy playground.

Note that all the indulgence did have a price... I can't speak for Mary or Brendan on specifics, but I gained 3 kilos over the weekend, which when converted equals about 6 pounds. Yikes! Yoga anyone?

Kirstenbosch Gardens

October 30, 2012 by B + B in Africa, South Africa

Kirstenbosch Garden is a collection of stunning botanical gardens in the heart of Cape Town. Today, we walked through the park (easily an all-day activity), spread out a blanket and read in the sun for the afternoon and finished the evening with an appetizer and glass of wine at Moyo, the in-garden restaurant. Not too shabby!

For lovers of plants and just plain beauty, Kirstenbosch is a must-do. Manicured paths meander through acres of native plants from Southern Africa, including common fynbos (a genus with hundreds of different species in the Cape), 200 million year-old cycads and prominent, colorful proteas, including our favorites Pin Cushions and Silver Trees. The city has done an amazing job putting together the park. In the summer they have Sunday night concerts, which gives us a good excuse to come back in December.

Hybrid Protea in honor of Nelson Mandela

Lion's Head

October 30, 2012 by B + B in Africa, South Africa

Along with Table Mountain and Devil's Peak, Lion's Head is one of the prominent landmarks in Cape Town (appropriately named for its profile which looks strikingly similar to the head of a lion). It's also one of the many hike-able areas around the city. All roads lead to the top and the 360 degree views of Cape Town encourage locals and tourists alike to make the climb.

It's more of a walk until you get closer to the peak, then all of a sudden, you have to go straight up. When given two options, we, of course, chose the path that was labeled "not recommended" and ended up having to use a few ladders, chains and handholds to make it up. We thought we were pretty hardcore until we saw some kids blazing the trail in front of us.

It only takes about an hour to get to the top (compared to the much longer Table Mountain hikes) and the views of the Twelve Apostles, Camps Bay, Clifton, the harbor and the city are amazing. If we have time, we'll go back up with a bottle of wine for sunset - it's a popular spot to watch the moon rising on a full moon as well.

There was one casualty for the day - Brendan's ankle got mangled in a nasty fall on the way down. Texting, talking and hiking do not mix!

West Coast National Park & Langebaan Lagoon

October 30, 2012 by B + B in Africa, South Africa

Our first day trip out of the city took us up the Western Cape to West Coast National Park and Langebaan Lagoon, about an hour's drive from Mary's home in Observatory, Cape Town. The purpose of the trip was wildflowers - during season (August-September) the hills are covered in pink, purple, yellow, orange and white. We caught the tail end, and there were still beautiful flowers to see, but the overall scenery was what really impressed us.

And, we had the entire place to ourselves (with the exception of a few seagulls). We explored the park and walked the better part of 11 Mile Beach to see what remains of a Greek cargo ship that ran aground back in the 1980s. It is just one of many wrecks along the South African coastline - the conditions at sea are not for the faint-hearted. We finished the day with a late lunch at Geelbek, a restored 1860s homestead that serves seafood and traditional Cape-Malay. The food was good, but the bottle of wine was even better.

Noordhoek Beach

October 30, 2012 by B + B in Africa, South Africa

There is no shortage of beach options in Cape Town - the city nearly surrounded by water, so you don't have to look far to find waves and some sand. But, Noordhoek Beach is a must see. Getting out there is one of the most beautiful drives in the city, curling around the side of cliffs past Hout Bay, overlooking the Atlantic, and ending in a 16km white sand beach with clear blue water.

Not a bad way to spend an afternoon. Especially if you bring beach bats and a frisbee, which we've begun to master (note from Brendan that he is already a frisbee champ).

The water is freezing, so we didn't do much swimming, but there was a cool breeze, cold beers and good company to keep us comfortable.

The Mother City - Cape Town, South Africa

October 30, 2012 by B + B in Africa, South Africa

Cape Town is called the "Mother City" because it was the first metropolis in South Africa. But for us, it is the "Mother City" because that is where Brendan's mom (and my African mama), the lovely Mary Hegarty, has called home for the last fourteen years. We would be lying if we said she was the only reason we chose to start the trip on the dark continent, but there were definitely some heart strings on both ends drawing us to Cape Town. And, in the middle of a trip full of unfamiliar places, away from family and friends, it has been so nice to find home half way across the world.

We got to Cape Town a few weeks earlier than planned, meaning we will have a full eight weeks in South Africa. With the exception of a three week vacation (from vacation) on the Wild Coast, we will spend most of our time in and around Cape Town. It will be our longest stay to date in any one country... But still probably won't be enough time with Mary or the Mother City, as each is equally easy to fall in love with.

Cape Town is a dramatically beautiful city, maybe one of the most beautiful in the world, in our opinion. It's nestled in between oceans and mountains, so no matter where you are in the city, you probably have amazing scenery in at least two directions. Cape Town is, as Kenny McCorquodale likes to say, "postcard material."

It also has a vibrant, colorful culture that is, perhaps not surprisingly based on the diverse population, a cosmopolitan mix of European, Middle Eastern and African. Walking down the street, you see people of all colors, shapes and sizes, with different stories, nationalities, beliefs and backgrounds. It is truly an international city, at it's roots as much as on the surface. And that international foundation has led to different influences on art, architecture and, luckily for our inner-foodies, cuisine.

The food in Cape Town is amazing. We have not had a bad meal in the city - including more than a handful of delicious home-cooked dishes. The food has been so good in fact, that we'll put together an entire page of restaurant recommendations and recipes before we leave. It's too much to describe in detail!

The nice part about having so much time in one place is that you can really see the city as a local. It also doesn't hurt to have an amazing tour guide. Mary knows what makes the city special and shares it with us everyday. We've definitely been working our way through the "must-do" list of sights and activities, but in between, we've joined a yoga studio, figured out the local transportation (minibus taxis and trains), explored the city, strolled neighborhoods, made friends, attended epic Sunday lunches and house parties, watched countless picture-perfect sunsets, celebrated national holidays and sat in front of the fire with a glass of South African wine with a good book or a competitive game of Scrabble.

Long story short, it feels good to be home with mama Mary in the "Mother City."