Cape of Good Hope

As a final "farewell" to the Soccer World Cup 2010 here is my version of the Oracle Octopus, Paul, which became famous for "predicting" the outcome of the games involving the German soccer team - until it became Spain's "champion".

Back to the natural beauty of our country - let me take you on a "virtual" tour of the Cape Peninsula, starting along the Atlantic Ocean side & a stop on the Chapman's Peak Drive - with a panoramic view of the fishing village, Houtbay.



On the slopes of a hill (= the Sentinel) & behind the harbour of Houtbay is a castle-like building (= a Guesthouse) I tend to call South Africa's very own "Neuschwanstein" (= famous Ludwig II's castle in Bavaria).




The Chapman's Peak Drive "ends" at Noordhoek with its magnificent beach, on which various film-scenes were recorded, e.g. a "wild" horse-ride in the movie Ryan's Daughter.



We have reached Cape Point, where an old lighthouse "holds sway". However it only "serves" as a monument because a new & much more powerful lighthouse was built further down the slope & closer to sealevel.





A look from Cape point towards the Cape of Good Hope - so named because in days gone by, sailors from the Far East & on their way back to Europe, were always happy & relieved to see/reach this point - because it meant the harbour of Table Bay (& "refreshments"!!) was "just around the corner".




Often & to this day, a misconception persists that the Cape of Good Hope is the most southern point of the African Continent! However that "honour belongs to" Cape Agulhas (about 150km further East). Similarly Cape Agulhas (& not the Cape of Good Hope) represents the "dividing line" between the Indian & Antlantic oceans (ditto: between the warm-water Agulhas & cold-water Benguela currents).

We are now "travelling" along the False Bay-side of the Cape Peninsula & reach Simon's Town (named after the popular Cape governor, Simon van der Stel - ditto: Stellenbosch).

Did you know that False Bay was so named because sailors in the past (during their sea-voyage from the East towards Europe) often confused this bay with Table Bay (situated further on)?

The SA-Navy has its "seat" in Simon's Town - with its statue of a a Great Dane. This dog was "promoted" from an Ordinary Seaman & "served" as an Able Seaman during WW II. Called Just Nuisance, the dog was "entitled" to the same benefits as any other Able Seaman, which included a cap (= part of the statue).


To end our "journey" - a view across False Bay with the sun setting behind the Cape Peninsula. On the right (= the northern side) Devil's Peak is visible as well as a "side view" of Table Mountain.