Cape Town Never Disappoints!

We spent Labor Day weekend in Cape Town, our second trip, but just as amazing as the last! Charlie the lucky duck got to fly on his 6th birthday!

Joanne & Mark beat us there by a day, we caught up with them for a few adventures. First the birthday boy wanted to go on the pirate ship in the harbor.  We saw seals & dolphins jumping the bow wave!

We liked this seal that was sleeping in the tire

At one point on the V&A Watefront we walked by this guy sleeping on a bench, so we took a quick photo with him!

Katie is rocking her new outfit, she fell in a fountain and got soaked..so we did some emergency shopping at Cape Union Mart, kind of like the South African version of REI!  The guy had no idea we had so much fun at his expense!

On Saturday morning, we went to Muizenberg, the surfer's spot. We ate the most incredible breakfast at the top floor of a restaurant where we could watch the surfers & read the Sunday paper.

I brought my swimsuit but figured I'd dip my feet, but the girls convinced me to sign up for a paddleboarding lesson with the girls, it was really fun and Charlie was delighted because he got to rent a wetsuit & boogie board.

We then went to a beautiful winery (against Greg's wishes- right Joanne & Mark?) and had lunch before we headed to the rugby stadium.  We saw the Western Province play the Qruiquas.

At the end they let the kids go down on the field to meet the players-so fun!

Here is another of the interesting signs, darn we forgot the vuvuzela!

Not everyone found the rugby game fascinating...Katie was reading her Nook-thanks Auntie Julie-she takes it everywhere!

On Sunday we went to Boulders Beach & swimming with & chasing the penguins,

the best is how they hop if you watch the video..it is at the end...
https://goo.gl/photos/iLncJe6NXd3bZF7v7

Here is a penguin swimming, he isn't at a zoo, he is swimming right in front of me & the guy who looks like my brother Chris!
Charlie building a sandcastle with a penguin checking out his progress!

We left the penguins and headed to the furthest South we have ever been, the Cape of Good Hope!

Katie at the top by the lighthouse!

Amazing views, we tried to find some whales, but no luck!

They had a "vernicular" a little tram that took you to the top, kids wisely rode up and we decided to cheat and ride down!

Charlie and I were super excited about our next stop!  We had read about an old shipwreck near the Cape that you could hike to. It was a WWII Liberty Ship that broke up on the rocks after the lighthouse was turned off during the war to not aid enemy ships...

The start of the trail looked like we were walking on the moon!

We made it!  Mark figured out this was the anchor hausepipe!

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Greg happy that this wasn't the fate of the Block Island (his NC ship)!

 We found a cool old whale skeleton, but we took speedy pictures because the wind picked up and was pelting us with sand-for those of us in shorts it was painful!  We were really being sandblasted!

Cool birds Mark spotted- I looked them up later to learn they are African Black Oystercatchers!

We had to go back to school and work sadly, so our final day we had a last, lovely breakfast and then we did a bike ride to the lighthouse that is near the waterfront.

Charlie showing me his tricks on the bike!

We were very sorry to leave and super sad to say goodbye to our travelling buddies, Joanne & Mark!