Cape of Good Hope--An Optimistic Name for the Former Cape of Storms

The original explorers who sailed around the cape called it the Cape of Storms because of the miserable weather they experienced. However, when their ship arrived back in Portugal, the king did not think that was a very promising name so it was renamed the Cape of Good Hope. Obviously, the king hoped for much better. The drive along the coast to the Cape of Good Hope reminded many people of the French Riviera. The condos and apartments near the shore were for the very wealthy who could enjoy the sweet life if they could afford it. The irony of the beautiful beach was that while the water was a beautiful azure blue in color, the temperature in South Africa's summer (December through February) is only 9 degrees C. The road curved back and forth between the top of the rocks and the shore.

While we hoped to see baboons, we did not. However, our guide informed us that the baboons do not worry about people but rather people need to be concerned about them. If a person had a small apple in a pocket, the baboon would get it out. We also passed an ostrich farm, a healthy form of red meat that is lower in fat than a fillet. The male is black while the female is gray. Life for these ostriches cannot be too bad because they have lots to eat and live on a beach.

The funicular to the top of the Cape of Good Hope is called the Flying Dutchman after a living legend who challenged the guards that he could make it around the cape on a stormy night but was never heard from again. A lovely American couple who we spoke with at the top told us that they were on a SKI vacation--Spending Kids' Inheritance. Then they added that they had brought all of their children and grandchildren to South Africa on a two-week vacation--what a wonderful memory of them for their heirs!

At Boulder Beach, we saw the jackass penguins, which were so named because of the braying sounds that they made. However, someone did not think that was a very flattering name so they were renamed African penguins. These birds mate for life and return every year to the same area to nest and raise their their little ones. The markings on their chests are unique like humans' fingerprints.

Lunch on this ship's tour was delicious with two generous glasses of wine or bottles of beer complimentary. Everyone agreed that they would love to visit Cape Town again.