Penguins, Whales, Dossies...

It's overwhelming trying to decide where to start writing. We've covered a lot of ground and seen a lot since the last post. We have already been on countless breathtaking drives through mountain passes, along cliffsides that go straight down to the ocean, through vineyards, and of course through the tin shack townships that go as far as the eye can see.

After leaving Stellenbosch we drove out to Cape Point National Park and hiked to the southern most point of the Cape Peninsula. Then we visited the penguins in Simonstown! Their nickname is the Jackass Penguin. This was the third time I've gone to see them, but it wasn't until Michael pointed out they sound just like donkeys, that I finally got the connection!

Cape Town is as beautiful as always, and we got to enjoy it from a Bed and Breakfast across from Table Mountain. We've actually been spoiling ourselves quite a bit, so far, with meals and lodging. Michael skipped LOTS of rocks, and we saw our first WHALE! It was jumping and spraying and slapping its tale for a long time, just for us, I think.

We went to a couple of museums in Cape Town, including the District Six Museum, which records the forced removal of black and coloured (the term they often use here, including in the museum) people from in the city. We spent sometime at the posh Waterfront, and we saw a play at the University of Capetown. It was an adventure to try to find the theater in the rain and without a detailed map. We got there in time but only to discover that about ten percent of the dialogue was in English!

After that we spent a night in Hermanus which is supposed to be the best place in the world for land based whale watching. Technically they say their whale season starts next month, but we saw one! Then we went to Oudtshoorn where there are Ostrich Farms everywhere. Turns out Michael loves to eat ostrich at least as much as me, so we've had ostrich steaks several times. It's a lean red meat and is delicious, so try it if you ever see it on a menu.

Maybe he loves ostrich more than me.

Today we did an awesome hike called Kingfisher Trail in Wilderness. We saw lots of birds, some big and colorful, and heard lots of different bird calls while we ate our peanut butter sandwiches and dried fruit by the river. We bought some cheese on the side of the road on our way to Plettenburg Bay, where we're sleeping tonight. I think we're hiking again tomorrow.