The tour concludes with three glorious days in Cape Town. Friday morning we headed for Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, on the backside of Table Mountain. It is such a fantastic setting and the native trees and flowers are spectacular. From there we headed into the Stellenbosch wine region and enjoyed a cellar tour and huge, delicious lunch at the Middelvlei Winery on the edge of town. The town itself boasts a marvelous collection of 19th century buildings, many in the 'Cape Dutch' architectural style.
A double-collared sunbird rests on a protea at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens with Table Mountain as a backdrop
King protea - South Africa's national flower
Libby, Kent & Babs at Kirstenbosch
Libby and Babs in a ginormous tree!
A tree aloe!
Camphor Avenue in Kirstenbosch
Middelvlei Winery - John uses the wine thief.
Clothesline in the town of Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch, Burgerhuis, now a museum and offices
Stellenbosch - Church in the main square
Back in Cape Town, the Bo Kap (Malay) district provides bright color!
Cape Town's Soccer Stadium, built for the 2010 World Cup
The Convention Center next to our hotel is hosting the unveiling of the new 911 (for 2012) model of Porsche. It is a month-long event with 120 of the new cars and currently they are flying in dealers from around the world to 'test' them in the Cape area. Sixty of them enjoyed Chapman's Peak Drive with us today!!
The new 911 Porsche
Hout Bay on Chapman's Peak Drive
The group (minus Ruth) at Hout Bay
Chapman's Peak Drive
Nordhoek Beach
But it's a really good picture....!!
Penguins? In Africa??
Yup, and not just a few of them.
The African Penguin is known as the 'Jackass Penguin' because it sounds like a braying donkey.
The Cape of Good Hope, from Cape Point
an amazing diversity of flora in the 'Cape Floral Kingdom'
The group at Cape Point, high above the Cape of Good Hope
Chris leaps high at Cape Point (much to his mother's chagrin)
The Cape Peninsula is in the background.
Ostrich at the Cape
Thousands of cormorants and gulls enjoy a wild sea at the Cape!
Barbara at the Cape of Good Hope
Baboon Mother carries her baby
Evening light over Cape Town, viewed from the side of Table Mountain
Chris, Libby, Babs, and Barbara at Table Mountain.
The Lion's Head is in the background.
Ruth smiles in front of Table Mountain
Sunset from Signal Hill, and so ends our wonderful tour as the group flies home to the USA.