Glorious Cape Town

Wow, the weather in Cape Town has been just perfect, as have our days here. Saturday, after buying groceries for our braai party on Sunday, we went downtown, where Laird, through his amazing memory, found Green Market park where there is a permanent vendor market. I bought a couple of presents, but was greatly hampered by having given all my cash to Laird earlier. I did pick up a couple of presents, but saw many more I could have gotten. Maybe it was good I didn’t have any money; I depended heavily on Marita and Noekie to drive down prices. I had to borrow money from Marita, so I definitely listened to her. Afterwards, we drove to Sea Point and a couple of other beaches. Oh so gorgeous, bright blue sky, with many kite surfers or whatever they are called, flying over the waves, light breeze, that wonderfully soft feel to the air — and my skin, not like in NM! Went to Hout Bay for fish and chips on the waterfront. Drove through Constantia on the way home, where the really, really posh folks live. Sandy, just think of our drive around Monterey, CA on that coast road, that’s the idea. RICH. There is a house in Upper Constantia I saw in the real estate section of the Cape Times several times that has me drooling. It has 5 bedrooms, at least, plus a cottage and staff quarters, so there will be enough room for all of us — we could all pitch in, what do you think? It is R29 million, but it’s been on the market for a month, so I think I could get the price down some.

On Sunday, we invited our friend Elsje and her sister’s family for lunch. I love that family — we met them when we were here two years ago, had dinner at their house. What a great meal we had, laughing and laughing, drinking and eating and then, the three daughters sang for us — god, what great voices they have! I think they have lots of other talents as well, I know one daughter is a painter — a very, very good one. I saw one of her paintings that I still think of after two years. I really want it! So Sunday, The sister, Frieda, her husband and two daughters allowed us to return the hospitality. How swell, the same thing happened again, laughs and laughs, drinking and eating — who could have predicted such a thing????

Today, we went to the Strand and either up or down the coast (I have no idea where any direction is here — I miss my Audi’s rearview mirror compass) to Bettysbaai (Betty’s Bay) where we happened to see a sign for penguins. How much fun to see formerly named Jackass penguins (because their call sounds like a donkey’s bray), now called African penguins. Also a colony of Dossies — you’ll have to look them up. They look like they should belong to the rodent family, but I think they are related to something astonishing, like elephants or similarly dissimilar mammal. Back down (up?) the coast and home — so thankful that we were driving in the opposite direction of most people flooding out of CT in the daily traffic jam from hell. A glass, or two, of Amarula, cheese sandwiches and now it’s time for bed. The western cape coastline is breathtakingly beautiful! We still have to have high tea at the Lord Nelson hotel, go to Stellenbosch and Franshhoek, go back to green park market and I’m sure a host of other things for which we won’t have time. I can’t tell you all enough: YOU MUST COME TO SOUTH AFRICA!