Day-trip to Cape Town

I hopped on the train and headed for Cape Town this morning. The train fare was a whole 22 Rand, return. That's about CDN$2.80 (Canadian dollars). Moreover, that was the first class fare (though there's not much "first class" about it... just less crammed, and probably safer for tourists).

Luckily, it was a beautiful day. Here are some photos I took.

Cape Town has palm trees.

Table Mountain, as seen from downtown Cape Town.

Under construction!

I saw species of birds I didn't recognize.
(It's an Egyptian Goose, thanks Jan G.)

I walked to a touristy area called the Waterfront. Lots of knick-knack stores that sell elephant trinkets, etc. There's also a rather large mall, very much like a North American mall.

I was watching some boats manoeuvre in the harbour, and I noticed a line of bubbles coming my way. Sure enough, I saw a big seal gracefully swoop by under the water.

After the Waterfront, I headed to the Iziko South African Museum and accompanying Planetarium. At the front desk, I was afraid to ask how much it cost. He said admission to the museum was R20, but for R25 you could also see the planetarium. For those keeping score, that's about CDN$2.50 for the museum, and an extra 65 cents to see the planetarium. That's crazy cheap, especially considering how big this museum is. In North America, I would expect to pay at least $20.

Here is a tiny sampling of the sights.

SHARK!!

Blue whale skeleton

When I saw this cute little primate, I immediately heard a tiny voice with an English accent, "Please, sir... might I bother you for another crust of bread for me mate?"

All-in-all, the trip was a great success. The only hiccup was being honked at while crossing the road. The walk sign turned green, so I started walking. However, the walk signs around here only stay green for about 4 seconds, then flashes red. I was half-way across the road when a van stopped beside me, honking. I looked up and saw the flashing red. But it was green when I started. Frick, you'd have to be in starting-blocks to make it across in time. I was pissed, but wasn't about to raise a scene. I was probably in the wrong... somehow.