Soaking Wet!

I'm sitting in our house right now with 10 other of the group participants. We all tend to blog at the same time. The room is filled with sounds of keys clicking and pencils writing. 

Today was the best day so far. We woke up this morning and walked several blocks away to meet our tour bus. We began the morning by taking a tour through Cape Town. The downtown was very urban. Unlike American cities, very few people live downtown and it essentially shuts down at 6pm. The city is trying to make living downtown more attractive simply to cut down on crime. Efforts are touch and go. 

Following our tour downtown, we drove to the ritzy suburbs that are situated on the coast. Most homes are condos perched on the cliffs and can be as expensive as $10 million (50 million Rand). The beaches are absolutely breathtaking. Even though it's too cold to swim, standing on the beach is still beautiful. 

Following a few opportunities for photos, we boarded a ship that took us to an island off the cape where seals mate. We were unable to get a good view as it started storming shortly after we left the harbor. We were in a little boat with about 6 foot waves and the rain was pouring. Not only were we drenched from head to toe, many were experiencing seasickness. Needless to say, the boat ride was not pleasant and thankfully the guide turned back early. 

After the boat ride, we headed to Simonson, a town south of Cape Town famous for its beach dwelling penguins! I had honestly never heard of penguins on a beach, apparently they exist in South Africa, Chile, and Australia. See the picture above for this craziness, notice that I'm still soaked wet from the boat ride. Considering I took 87 pictures today, a bad hair day was NOT appreciated! The penguins were so cute and live on the beach year round. According to our tour guide they have a tendency to be a bit aggressive, however, we had no problems today. 

After lunch in Simonson, we had the first opportunity to dip our toes in the Indian Ocean for the first time. Technically, the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet at Cape of Good Hope which was our next destination. The drive  to the cape was a bit rough. The roads winding through the mountains did help the fact that many were already still feeling sick from the boat ride. However, the bus ride was well worth the view. I think I have an idea of what heaven is like. 

Cape of Good Hope is the southern most point in Africa and the place where the Atlantic and Indian Ocean meet. In order to get to the cape, we had to drive through a national park which is home to many wild animals. We saw baboons and ostriches feeding along the side of the road. It's funny how baboons, zebras, ostriches, and lions are like deer and raccoons to us. After driving through the park, we were dropped off at a visitors center for the Cape of Good Hope and given 2 hours to explore. 

I can say with a great deal of confidence that Cape of Good Hope and the surrounding area is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. As we took the path closer to tip of the cape, we came upon a beach with no footprints -- it looked straight out of a movie with a deserted beach. We went down to the beach and were amazed by the strength of the waves. Because both oceans basically meet at that point the rip tides are incredibly powerful. Furthermore, we could see a storm brewing in the distance which added to the intensity of the waves. 

After time at the beach, we climbed  back up the cliffs and continued on our walk to the edge of the cape. This is when the rain began to pour. Before coming to South Africa we were told of rain and wind being a staple in the winter weather. In fact, we were advised against bringing an umbrella because it would break in the wind -- a rain coat is our only defense. I don't know that any of us had been so wet in our lives. I had puddles in my shoes, my jeans weighed about 5 pounds and my sweatshirt was soaked...even my tank top underneath was wet and I was wearing a raincoat! Despite the rain and wind (rain is often referred to as being horizontal because it doesn't fall, it is pushed by the wind), we made it to the tip of the Cape of Good Hope and took a few pictures. If my internet was working better, I would post a few pictures, hopefully it is working better tomorrow. 

While listening to the tour guide talk about the elite properties of Cape Town, I couldn't help but notice how inexpensive the cost of living is. In the prime areas of the city (meaning right on the beach and away from the wind) homes average to be about 6 million Rand or under $1 million. In the classier areas of town, rent tends to be about 5000 Rand/month or roughly $700. Food is also incredibly cheap. Yesterday I bought a good bottle of wine, a good cheddar cheese, a loaf of bread, peanut butter, crackers, and a bag of chips for under $10. Going out to eat is also very cheap. A high end meal usually costs around $7, drinks at a bar are usually around $2. I am unaware of the average income of a South African...it's very difficult to tell because of the small middle class. Unlike my last summer in London, Cape Town is very inexpensive and I am enjoying it! 

Overall, despite our issues with the weather, today was an exceptional day. Tomorrow we plan to go to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was jailed during the majority of his incarceration. We will also being having a lecture from another political science professor at UCT concerning current affairs in South Africa. I'm really looking forward to what he has to say!

Thanks for all of your continued comments and support! Hopefully I'll be able to post pictures soon!