Arrival on a New Continent

Not to worry, all is well. We’re here and the long flight is a mere memory. I was a little delirious when I wrote the last entry. The rest of the trip yesterday after my somewhat ominous closing was uneventful. We landed in Joburg (we have now earned the right to call it that) ahead of schedule and, except for a brief panic during which we were mis-directed and ended up a little pressed for time, we made the plane for Cape Town and met Steven, our future guide and driver who immediately took us under custodial care and delivered us to the hotel.

We checked into the Table Bay Hotel without incident and were soon abed. And this morning it was like the long ordeal had never happened! Because out of our window we have a sight to behold: the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront with Table Mountain behind it. The Waterfront is typical with its tugboats and fishing boats, schooners and yachts, sightseeing vessels, cargo ships and bustling water traffic. It is lined with palm trees, and the restaurants and shopping opportunities could occupy you for days. Behind the frenetic activity of the harbor is the 900 million year old Table Mountain, so called because of its flat top and its “tablecloth” of cloud cover. In Texas we call it a mesa.

Today is a day of leisure, so the four of us met after breakfast—a sumptuous feast to rival the Asian spreads we have seen--and simply walked the Waterfront and explored the area.

I have been trying at this point to post some pictures which can show the V and A Waterfront much better than I can describe it, but once again the blog gremlins are getting in the way. Bear with me please and I will keep trying.