Day 3 Cape Town

This morning we drove over to Kirstenbosch botanical gardens.  These beautiful gardens cover an area of 528 hectares with 36 hectares of cultivated garden. The gardens are a celebration of South African flora - showcasing only indigenous South African plants. Fynbos, proteas, cycads and rolling lawns are intermingled with streams and ponds and well-laid out pathways for easy walking. A great variety of birds inhabit the gardens and the sweeping views from the upper slopes are spectacular.  Although we thoroughly enjoyed our morning strolling round the gardens, unfortunately the flowers were not at their best, this being due to the fact that is was late summer in South Africa and most of the floweres had already flowered and were beginning to die off.

We then drove to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, we booked our ferry to visit Robben Island in the afternoon, which left us the morning to explore around the sights and shops.

Victoria Wharf

Clock Tower at entrance to Victoria Wharf

Lynn's favourite the Giraffe

We had lunch at a waterfront restaurant, which served burgers and fries, which suited all of us, washed down with some cider. Then we walked over to the ferry terminal for Robben Island, to be informed that due to the sea state the ferries were cancelled for the afternoon visits.
So we decided to visit the Marine Aquaruim which was very interesting, and more of the little penguins.

Once we had seen all the exihibits we strolled round the docks area and had our pictures taken in Noble Square in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront featuring the statues of South Africa's four Nobel Peace Prize winners, Albert Luthuli, Desmond Tutu, F.W.de Klerk and Nelson Mandela.

Four Nobel Peace Prize Winners

Later in the afternoon we collected the car and drove to Clifton Beach, where we had our first experience of a street side unoffical parking attentand. Guarded our parked car, while explored the beach. He charged us 50 pence on our return. Much better, and definitely more reasonable than a parking meter.

Cool drink and good seats

Lion’s Head forms part of the Table Mountain range and provides a scenic backdrop to the City of Cape Town. It falls within the Table Mountain National Park and rises to a height of 669m (2195ft) above sea level.
During the 17th century Dutch settlers first named the peak Leeuwen Kop (Lion’s Head). Its counterpart, Signal Hill, was referred to as Leeuwen Staart (Lion’s Tail), as the two mountains and the space between them is reminiscent of a crouching feline.

Clifton Beach with the Lions Head Mountain