We spent several days in Durban, South Africa (below) on the Indian Ocean en route to the Cape. It was a far more integrated city than the very segregated Johannesburg. Everybody runs in the weekend foot races and bikes around town, everybody surfs, and goes to beaches, malls, restaurants, and the aquarium, regardless of race.
Unfortunately, Capetown, with the best weather, beautiful mountains and beaches, cultural attractions and shopping, remains very segregated with most whites living behind high security fences topped with charged electric wires and security cameras, and only moving around in locked vehicles…just like in Joberg.
PROTEA! Abundant in Capetown, from the top of Table Mountain to the sea, in every size and color, especially in the national botanical garden (KIRSTENBOSCH), sweetened by a tour with a docent (lucky for us, our friend Andrew). Add the Skywalk, elevated above the tropical canopy, and some steep trails up to the top of Table Mountain above, and you have a ‘killah’ day hike, filled with rock sculptures…
and Dassies (like marmots with big teeth).
We enjoyed very professional theatre in Capetown as well as many street performances…
and we felt badly about pissing off a very large tortoise in the garden of our breakfast spot with Steven’s niece, Alexia’s family in Capetown….
enjoyed sauntering by the ocean with Jackass Penguins by the thousands…
and seeing an ostrich creating a traffic jam at the Cape of Good Hope.
The Cape has it all, with weather very similar to the San Francisco Bay Area. We played golf at the oldest golf course in Africa, The Royal Cape, and had a wonderful meal and wine tasting at the oldest vineyard (Groot Constantia) with our friends Jenny and Andrew, as well as wine tasting at several vineyards in Stellenbosch. We planned to dive but after interviewing these early morning divers about diving conditions, we passed due to lousy morning visibility when the winds would predictably worsen diving conditions as the day progressed.
Steven wants to live here seasonally, but I cannot get past my discomfort at the Apartheid era qualities that persist here. I have to keep reminding myself that South Africa only abolished Apartheid 20 years ago. In the U.S., 200 years after the abolishment of slavery we still contend with the effects of racist society, especially in our law enforcement and justice systems. So sad, because I have never been to an area with more perfect weather: year round mild, with some fog and rain, lots of sun and wind…never too hot for all the sports we enjoy. Add great food, sufficient cultural attractions, and family and friends nearby…so close to a perfect city for us. We will just have to continue our search for our second San Francisco Bay Area.