Day 12 – Treks around Cape Town & Boulders Beach

Today we travelled along the Atlantic Seaboard to the Cape of Good Hope.

 

Along the way we really experienced Cape Town’s dramatic scenic beauty as well as its notoriously changeable weather. 

 

For example, one moment we were in scorching sunlight and the next in a dense cloud of fog – the transition so abrupt you could physically see the difference:

The freezing mist unfortunately followed us to Cape Point so despite hiking up the small 300m climb, we were greeted by no spectacular view but just more fog and the now eerie looking lighthouse. 

 

On the way to these iconic landmarks, we encountered some rare wildlife:

Some eland (despite their size are very difficult to spot and this was apparently a rare sighting according to locals):

Cape fur seals:

Two ostriches which felt peculiar to see them so close to the sea:

 

We also spotted some lamas and a few cheeky baboons with some carrying babies on their backs.

These are animals that are not so rare in the area and have become somewhat more like pests than marvels of nature as they have now learned to open fridge and car doors, even windows in order to get at resident’s food.

Our rarest animal that we spied was the red hartebeest which we saw fighting! (It's so called because – although it was hard to make out – their antlers grow in the shape of a heart):

And on the way to Boulders Beach, we even spied a small pod of whales:

 

The penguins themselves were adorably cute and just hilarious to watch. Some were preening each other:

 

Snuggling up in their little nests:

Sorting twigs out for their beds:

Splashing in the water:

 

And others were either cooling off in the shade or sunbathing on the beach:

We went back out to the V&A Waterfront area that evening and stumbled upon a sophisticated sushi and extended cuisine restaurant that was sublime. I had crayfish to start – a wonderful tian with a tomato and caviar salsa – it was absolutely scrumptious! The crayfish melted in the mouth and the sweet/acidic flavour of the tomato complimented it beautifully. I’d never had caviar before but it was actually rather tasty yet I still can’t see what all the fuss is about.

 

I then had Kingklip as my main. This proved to be a popular dish in Cape Town’s cuisine and was seen as the best fish that the city has to offer. It delivered a good flaky yet almost meaty texture, a clean white taste and a subtle sophistication sautéed in the creamy white wine sauce finished with tomatoes, spring onion, creamy mash and crispy onion wires, it was fantastic!