Cape Town - Friday 11th March

Went back to our local restraurant for our $5 breekie then into the car for  sightseeing drive to Cape Point and around the Cape Peninsula .

We left Green Point and drove the coast road down to Hout Bay in amoungst very strong winds which increased as we got into Hout Bay with the backhoe clearing the sand blow from the road . 

A quick stop off at the bay for Jo to get out and take a photo whilst nearly getting blown away

 Here's a view back to Hout Bay from the other side which looks very pleasant

The drive around the coast down through Chapmans Peak is stated as one of the best coastline drives in the world with lots of tourists on the road heading to Cape Point.Post  entry to the park we did a couple of side drives and then arrived at Cpae Point to take the Flying Dutchman Funicular up to the lighthouse . 

The wind was absolutely howling as we got out and walked the final 50 metres to the lighthouse

Had a superb view of the Cape of Good Hope and now know why so many ships came to grief around the cape.There is a misconception that the Cpae of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa,because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian oceans however the the most southern point is Cape Agulhas where the 2 oceans meet.The Cpae of Good Hope marks the point where a ship begins to travel more eastward than southward.

The first European to reach the cape was the Portuguese explorer bartolomeu Dias in 1488 who named it Cape of storms. It was later renamed by John ll of portugals the Cape of Good Hope because of the great optimism engendered by the opening of a sea route to India and the East. 

 We headed off to Simons town for lunch however there were loads of roadworks so we kept going until Kalk Bay and stopped at the Harbour Restaurant and enjoyed a sushi and sashimi late lunch and Sav Blanc overlooking the ocean

Arrived home for a rest then headed just down the end of our road for a light dinner at the Thai Restaurant to finish the day.