blog update:)

So - an update!
        We left that wonderful resort in Pezula and headed towards Franschhoeck , which is in the wine country.  We stayed in a most wonderful villa (which seemed like it could have been in Italy) and it was the biggest room and sitting room we had ever seen.  They brought us a tray of goodies and a bottle of champagne to welcome us!  Not too shabby:)
\         All that being said, we didn't find too much to do there, though the town was quaint.  We did go to one winery where we had fun but we found that one was enough, being the big oenophiles that we are!   We did one nice walk there and basically toured around - went to the town of Stellenbosch which boasts a lovely university and is quite charming. 
           We then drove down the "Garden Route" to get to Cape Town, where we have been since Wednesday and we leave tomorrow for our last safari camp in Kruger Park ( by the way, this trip is very much like "If this is Tuesday, it must be Belgium!!!:) So much packing and unpacking - finally have it down to a science!  
            Cape Town has been fabulous!  Our first day, we took the cable car up 1,067 metres to the top of Table Mountain, which is the highlight of the city.  Absolutely gorgeous - we walked around the top of it for quite a while, looking at all the different views, and admiring the vegetation up there.  Quite amazing - you kind of feel like you're on the moon!  Following that, we went for a drive along the coast (imagine the Fort Lauderdale boardwalk going for miles but with bigger waves!) and had lunch outdoors looking at the ocean.  FUN!   Then our driver drove us thru the downtown area, pointing out places of interest, including the Cape Flats, where all the blacks were herded in the late 40's and 50's under apartheid rule.  Unbelievable how this happened!  Of course also saw where the other people live - so all in all, very interesting.
          Yesterday, we were also with the driver and we had a full day Peninsula Tour - our destination was the Cape of Good HOpe, where we did a super walk but not so scary :) - down to the sea.  You will have to see the photos( hope they come out!) to appreciate the beauty, and even then, who knows if it will come thru??    We drove thru some of the towns along the way, and then stopped at |Boulders Beach to see the "raft" ( new word for me!) of penguins.  These little guys used to be called jackass penguins because they sound like donkeys ( no I am not kidding!), but that term ended up to be not politically correct! - so now they are called African Penguins.  They are very cute indeed!  OUr hotel is strategically located at the V and A Waterfront, which is a most happening place, so we have wandered around there a few times to get the feel of it.  Lots of street entertainers that are fun to watch. 
            On our own today so we did very educational stuff!  Walked to the Holocaust Museum, which was very well done, then had lunch outside in the Greenmarket, where there are tons of little stalls trying to sell all kinds of souvenirs and "junk".  Beautiful day to sit outside and just watch what was going on.   Then to the District 6 Museum - which is dedicated to the memory of those who were forced out of that District to live in the Flats - very interesting and sad. They are in the process of relocating these people but not nearly finished - not a very good commentary on what went on here.  THe only difference between the people who institiuted these"forced removals"( as they were called) and the Nazis is that these people didn't kill - they just forced them out basically into ghettos and treated them as worse than 2nd class citizens.
           After all that, here I am sitting in the beautiful hotel hoping that this blog goes through!!!
We leave tomorrow early as I said for Lion Sand in the Kruger park - we HOPE to fly home thru Heathrow on Monday night/Tuesday a.m. - not sure what the story is with this volcanic ask and everything.... will keep you posted if we have to make any changes in our itinerary...
            Bye for now - better go pack!
             x0x0x0x
             Anne
ps still having the best time and can't believe we have only 3 more sleeps(in beds - 1 on the plane!)