Cape of Good Hope

I don't know about you, but just saying the name "Cape of Good Hope" gives me inspiration.  It seems like I was in the 6th grade or something, when we were studying Africa (the Dark Continent) in our Weekly Readers, and I first heard the name Cape of Good Hope and decided that somehow, sometime, I would go and stand there.  And today I did.

That's me, standing there, looking somewhat windblown.

(Disclaimer:  for the purists in the group, I am actually standing on Cape Point, which is about 1/2 mile from Cape of Good Hope,  COGH was a turn off from the road we were on, and entailed a 90 minute (each way) hike, and we didn't have enough time to hike out there, BUT.  Can we say "Close Enough?")

But let me back up.  The 2010 Teach with Africa Fellows only have two empty weekends.  The weekend just ended and the weekend upcoming.  These are our only chances to get out an see the countryside, beyond the LEAP School, Beluah Lodge, and the townships.  Yesterday, a group of us did Lion's Head, then the beach, including stopping at a nice restaurant and having a nice dinner (and wine!) and watching for the green dot when the sun went over the horizon (which I missed.) :(  THAT was a great day.

Today, we got up early, and Leon the Tour Guide .... wait - have I talked about Leon yet?  Leon has his back to the camera, in the pale green jacket, in the middle.

Leon can, and often does, talk non-stop for 20 minutes at a time.  That man is so FULL of information, it is unbelievable.  I don't know how previous Fellows found him, but he is a gold-mine.  He shuttles us from here to there (for a price, of course), giving us the background, history, and adding his own commentary along the way.

You perhaps can't see them all but left to right:  Subina, Mona's bottom, Josh, Leon, Kevin, Monica, and Vernon.

But back to our day.  We got up early (it is 9:00 am here) because Monica had set up a kayaking trip for us.  We got into our kayaking gear (for me that was my ski tights, favorite Mountain Gear fushia colored shirt, and sunglasses) and headed for the beach.  This town is Simon ....... something or other .....

We were reminded that it is perfectly fine to go barefoot, so we all took off our shoes (in the middle of winter), and clomped down the ladder to the boats ...   mind you, it is the "dead" of winter here in South Africa, which means that it is a rather balmy day.


Off we go for a couple of hours of kayaking .... because I had to leave my camera in the car (I didn't have a waterproof container), I don't have photos of the Fellows kayaking around the marina, or out into False Bay, or even of seeing the penquins.

Once we got back to the marina, most everyone went back to the lodge to prepare for Monday's workshops which they were teaching.  Because I am an MBA person, I don't have a workshop, so was able to play more :)

We ate lunch at a waterfront restaurant, had an outSTANDing burger with cheese and a salad, then Monica, her husband John, and I proceeded to the Cape of Good Hope.  (cue starting music)

We DID see some baboons ...  But we couldn't stop the car.  There were people, maybe they were Friends of the Baboons sorts of folks who shouted at us to keep our windows rolled up and the doors locked.  Really, we wanted to stop the car and be irresponsible people and feed the baboons apples and candy.

But we didn't.  I only got a photo of the sign...

Getting closer to the point, though.  Here's the entrance to the park -

(I am almost here ... anyone else excited????!!?)

We are here!!!!

That's Monica and me. Monica is the other Mom on this trip.  Note the clothes I am wearing are sort of damp from the kayaking.  I forgot to bring dry underwear and socks, so everything I have on is somewhat soggy.

But LOOK WHERE I AM!!

:)

On to the point -


Here it is!  The snub nose of the end of the continent.  Next available land mass - Antartica.  So in the space of 14 days, I have flown over the north pole, stopped in the Middle East, and walked to the tip of the African continent.

(disclaimer:  ok, I didn't actually walk out there, but is a photo good enough??)

It was a busy day to be sure.  Tomorrow brings a new week and a renewed focus on the projects that we MBA's have been assigned.  I feel the time slipping away, only five weeks left until we go home and there is SOOOO much work to do.

Onward.