Apologies for the brevity of this post. I have had an amazingly full and varied life over the past two weeks.
It started in Minneapolis, took a week's interlude in Johannesburg to celebrate with approximately 50% of my school mates our fifty years reunion. For at least seven of us, it was over 60 years since we started at school together. Although it was a church school, many of us were sent there because it provided one of the best educations around - in a stunning setting to boot.
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| St. John's - one of the oldest schools in Johannesburg |
Then I flew to my home in Knysna, 800 miles away, packed the car and a trailer and drove the 300 miles to Cape Town where my friend Mette and I have bought an apartment. On the way, I managed to see my 'grand daughter', Maya - actually the grand daughter of my late younger brother. The we unpacked the STUFF into the new apartment, which, by the way, we saw for the first time. Yes, I know, you think we were crazy to buy something sight unseen.
Then back to Knysna, pack up some more. Drive to Cape Town again - via Maya. And today we flew to the bush for 10 days of idle pleasure next to Kruger National Park.
Many people question why I am leaving Knysna, which is regarded as one of the most beautiful spots in South Africa. And it certainly is. But when push comes to shove, I am a city boy and the lure of Cape Town was too much to resist. Mind you Cape Town ranks at least as high as Knysna in the beauty pageant.
As I write this, I am sitting in the bush, watching warthogs, baboons, and mongooses. In a few minutes we will drive to some remote part of the farm and sip wine while watching the sun go down. perhaps a herd of elephants or buffalo will join us.
Here are a few photos of why Cape Town is so appealing. The first European settlement was by the Dutch in 1652 to plant a vegetable garden for ships going to the East Indies. Of course, people had been living in the area for centuries, notably the Khoi-San.
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| Painting of Jan van Riebeeck arriving at the Cape in 1652. |
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| The beautiful and fine University of Cape Town |
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| The iconic view of Cape Town with Table Mountain behind. |
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| Nelson Mandela's home for many years - Robben Island |
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| A view of the Cape Town bowl from atop Table Mountain, which is about 3500 feet (1000 metres) high. |
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| The Cape of Good Hope. To some it was the Cape of Storms. |
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| The dramatic crags of Cape Point |
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| Some of the locals are quite aggressive. |
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| The main house on Groot Constantia - a vineyard established in about 1670 and still going strong. |
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| Kirstenbosch - the national botanical gardens on the side of Table Mountain |
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| Bantry Bay, where we have bought an apartment with views of the Atlantic and Lions Head (in the background) |
A tired Stan - Thursday
