Vasco Da Who? And Brad Pitt is a Merman? You Don't Say!

How awesome is Cape Town?  F'in awesome!  Take San Diego, mush it with Big Sur and Napa Valley and add a really cool accent -- BINGO! Cape Town!  How are the people of Cape Town? F'in awesome!  How do I know this?  Because I made two friends while I was there.  Oh I know it was their job to be nice to me, but I really feel I made friends, even if it was just for the day.

So who were these people?  They were my guides during my stay there.  Jacques picked me up at my B&B the first day and we did The Peninsula Tour.  At first I didn't know what this entailed because my fabulous travel agent, Camilla,  booked the tour based on my request to see penguins.  That's all I cared about.  So to me everything else didn't really matter.  I was going to see penguins!  So Jacques (and no, he is not French) picked me up and started his tour guide.  He pointed out different mountains and areas and gave me the local run down.  All very interesting I must say.

However, you know that moment when you realize you may not have all your synapses firing at the same time?  No one else may realize it but you do?  I asked Jacques to give me the history of Cape Town, when it started, who was there, blah blah blah.  Basic history.  So he starts to tell me about this guy Bartholomew Dias and his ship, and I stop hearing him a little, because my brain is pinging some registration on the name.  Then he mentions Vasco Da Gama and then it all clicks. Into place. Slowly.  

It went something like this:  Bartholomew Dias, I know that name.  Where do I know that name?  I taught that name.  When did I teach that name.  Vasco Da Gama?  Oh I know that name too!  Wait! These guys are explorers.  They traveled, where?  They traveled around The Cape of Good Hope!  The Cape of Good Hope is in.... South of Africa!  I'm in Africa!  WAAAIIIITTT!  I'm near the Cape of Good Hope??? This is so much better than the penguins!!!  All of this was in my head, mind you along followed by - How did you not know this?  What 2 synapses did not function properly to make the connection? 

(Uh Duh!)

So Jacques took me to see the penguins (so cute) and the Cape of Good Hope (so awesome) and the botanical gardens (so beautiful), not to mention a seal tour (they sleep a lot).  Along the way he pointed out various points of interest and we drove through some really cool towns.  Along the way we had some really cool conversations and I realize, us humans, we are not so different.  We all have the same hopes and goals and needs and wants.  That is the best part of any trip for me. 

(Not penguins, but we saw them on the way to the Cape of Good Hope)

(That's a baboon.  He's on a boat)

The next day Yvonne picked me up and we "did the wine country".  She asked me a few questions at first to get a feel for who I was, and then she customized the tour a little bit to suit my personality.   Even though it was only 10:00am we went Brandy tour and tasting.   Brandy at 10:00 can be really nice with the right juice.  Yum!  We stopped at the oldest store in South Africa - the Oom Sammie se Winkel.  What an odd but interesting little store!  Then  we drove through Stellenbosch and had lunch in Franschoek.  From there we went to Victor Verster prison where Nelson Mandela was released.  Very moving.  Then off to wine tasting!  We went to Fairview but Yvonne kept the best for last.... wait for it....  CHOCOLATE TASTING!!!! Think about it, I'll give you a moment.  Yep, like wine tasting but with chocolate!  I think I heard angels singing, not to mention the extra baggage I had to get for all the chocolate I purchased! Yvonne's the best!!!  Even though the end of tour was at hand, Yvonne still pulled through.  She knew I wanted to see the waterfront but wasn't sure how to navigate the taxis and transportation.  She drove me to the waterfront, talked with a taxi driver and arranged for pick up at a specific time.   

Which brings me to my point about this whole post.  Jacques and Yvonne were my tour guides, but they both made me feel like an old family friend.  They could have stuck to the "tour guide speech", but instead I got to know them as people. And what great people they are!  Jacques could be the type of guy you drink a beer with, watch a game, have a b-b-q with, while Yvonne has that total Mammaluca vibe (yes, I made up this word but it works)!  She looked out for me as if I were one of her family.  Without them, Cape Town would not have been the awesome experience it was!  Thank you both!

PS - There is a mall at the Waterfront and when you go up one of the escalators, this unfolds in front of you.  Tell me I'm wrong!  I dare you!