Five days in Cape Town

The noon signal gun - Castle of Good Hope

South Africa is famous for several things but their biggest export is Diamonds. Pat and Hammie had arranged a tour of the local Diamond works (Coincidentally the same day as their wedding anniversary - and I had left my credit card at the hotel, just in case). The Diamond works had a lot of lovely things and the history: it is an interesting story about the young boy who found some glass in a field. Sold it to a prospector and eventually one of the worlds biggest diamond mines was built. With our finances still in tact, from there we visited The Castle of Good Hope which also had a lot of history behind it and several hours around the three museums had everyone exhausted. Lunch in Wimpy in the city centre (nothing but the best) inspired some us to wonder the Market place checking out all the cleverly created crafts. Handbags from old records Radio cases made from wire and bottle caps. Loads of stone and wood carvings and the latest novelty are wire frame animals covered with beads. Anything from a small lizard to a life size lion's head. We ended the day watching the sunset in Camps bay before a much deserved Ice cream.

Nelson Mandela's cell

You can't go to Cape Town and not notice Robben Island. The prison which housed Nelson Mandela for 18 years has a long history going back to the 1600's. Judith and I ran out of time during our last visit to Capetown in 2004, now we were here so we had to go. I think depending on your background you have a different opinion of the trip. There is no doubt that the conditions and treatment suffered by the blacks in comparison to the whites and coloured inmates was disgraceful but the tour to the island could have been a bit less 'pro-black' and perhaps more about the whole history of the place. As you may say, 'One man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist', (our tour leader had been incarcerated for being in the ANC and having bomb making equipment!) It was worth the visit but I'll not be rushing back for a second look.

The one thing everyone must do is visit table mountain and after lunch there was a gap in the 'table cloth' so up we went. 1000m above sea level you have a very good view of cape Town and being on the west coast you get a spectacular sunset. The clouds rolled in and out several times and although there was a cold wind blowing we waited it out and saw another fantastic sunset.