(13) We made it to Cape Town!

We made it to Cape Town pretty late last night so we probably fell asleep on the ride to the hotel because we were basically zombies walking through the lobby!  We are staying right on Table Bay so we have a fantastic view of the water and some pretty extravagant yachts!  We are totally getting spoiled over here!  Talk about fancy dancy!

This was our view from our room this morning!  

When we look out our window, and a little to the right, we can see table mountain!  I was SO excited that it was somewhat clear that morning - I got ready to go hiking because I've been dying to hike up Table Mountain!  I was going to check a MAJOR box on my bucket list!! ....then...I know, your heart sunk too...the sky turned grey and that little cloud tuned into suckville.... it dropped about 10 degrees, and yup - that was a rain drop :( 

Major bummer!!  

That was ok tho!  We still had a fantabulous day in the Cape!  We got picked up by our driver, Shareef who took us to a flea market a few blocks away.  **sidenote** flea markets are pretty much my heaven - but Garth isn't a fan of the merchants getting in your face about buying things right then and there and pressuring you to make a deal...

I would just like to say that I'm so proud of my hubby!  He went from pretty much hating his life walking down each row, to wheelin and dealin like a champ!  He was talking down prices before I could say "bullshit you carved that rock into little African people all by yourself!"

After spending about 4 hours wandering the market and making a couple trips to the ATM...we finally headed out of the city and started our tour of the Cape Town Peninsula!  First stop - wine with a side of lunch in Simons Town!  Then we did the touristy thing to do, and went to see the African Penguins!  Shareef told us they were also known as the "Jack Ass Penguins" but he didn't  elaborate on why so we just assumed it was because they were about as annoying as the seagulls  outside our window so we kept our mouths shut!

We were pretty excited thinking we would see some Chinstrap Penguins but realized they are still only in Antarctica...we can make do with Garth "Chinstrap" Blakely for now... 

Chinstrap Penguin on the left!

These guys are pretty awesome!  They wear fur collars...

And play fetch!

They like to snuggle...

And swim!  (Or take a potty break...but really who doesn't go in the water to pee?)

Even penguins get the cold shoulder from mom and sleep during timeout... 

And they have a pretty aggressive "mean muggin" face 

But in all seriousness, these little guys are awesome!  

They all hang out together and watch out for each other...

Or talk crap behind each others backs...

And someone always gets their feelings hurt...

"Come at me bro"

After hanging with the African Penguins - which by the by - actually do make noises like donkeys so we totally get the "jack ass" reference - we got a penguino cappuccino and continued around the Cape peninsula...

It was pouring rain and extremely windy so we didn't get to see very much, but we did spot some more zebra!  Shareef got excited and told us that it was very rare to see "mountain zebra" but I don't know if he was being serious or just felt bad that it was such a gloomy day - regardless I almost dropped my camera and lenses since I was so excited!  Let's be honest, I did...

And blew my cover ... 

We even saw saw some wild ostrich....

So weird looking!  

Then we finally made it to the very tip of the peninsula - at the Cape Of Good Hope - and we literally almost got blown into the Atlantic...this photo doesn't even remotely show how windy and rainy it was - that's a dang good camera - but we felt like those poor reporters during a hurricane!  

Outtakes to prove the windy/rainy mess...

Garth has his hands around me so I could stand up and literally didn't get blown away...such a good hubby!  And I was hanging onto the post for dear life ... While trying to hold my hood down - so important, I know ;)

The waves off the coast were out of control!  I can't believe that people go surfing out there!

We saw a rainbow!  False hope that it was clearing up...it only lasted 4.3 seconds

Seriously tho, it was such a FUN day!  We are loving Cape Town!  Honestly tho, Garth likes it here more than I do...I really miss being in the bush and experiencing real Africa.  Cape Town is a little too westernized for me but I still love being here and experiencing a new culture!  

Tomorrow we are going shark cage diving!!!  I cannot even begin to describe how excited we are to see some great whites, up close and personal - and apparently it's a good time to spot some humpback whales as well!  I was getting nervous all day that the bad weather was going to mean our dive trip was going to get canceled, but so far we are good to go!!  Yippee!!  :)