On Top of Table Mountain, Cape Town

As we head up to the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, two things pop into my mind…one sort of expected, one not expected.

Thought one (expected)…”I am really here! I am at the south end of the African continent about to look out towards Antarctica! This is real!”

Thought two (unexpected)…”On top of spaghetti, all covered with…” Now where did that childhood song come from! Perhaps I should change the words “On top of Table Mountain, all covered with cloud.”

 

Aside: I am continually amazed at the power of the brain to make seemingly random connections and then manage to rationalize how the connection makes perfect sense. Has that every happened to you?

 (Hint: Click on any photo to enlarge it.)

However, today is one of those rare days in Cape Town that the cloud seems to be lifting off the mountain so we (and hundreds of others) have headed to the aerial cableway. We disembark, walk through the small  cableway station and are immediately aware that it is windy up here. Seriously windy…the kind of wind that could knock you down, the kind of wind that makes you put your hood up and tie a scarf around your neck and zip up all sweaters or coats you may have with you. The kind of wind that…oh, that’s right, the kind of wind that could move the clouds off Table Mountain.

The table top analogy is a very apt one. It is quite spacious up here and relatively flat. Lots of rock outcroppings, a bit of vegetation hugging the ground. It always amazes me how adaptable and tenacious plants are. Given half a chance to survive, they can survive. I wonder if any little animals live here on the top of Table Mountain?

Heading over to the edges  it seems to be even windier. Look down, way down. Up quite high aren’t we. From here the lower cableway station looks like a model for a miniature train setup. And look at all the cars parked along the roadways leading to the station. Some of those visitors had a major hike just to get to the station!

There is downtown Cape Town where we are staying. You really get a good overview of how the city is laid out when you are this high up. And there is the stadium that was used during the World Soccer events a few years ago. Quite a distinctive and attractive shape to that building isn’t it.

Aside: Later on a bus tour we saw the stadium from a very different perspective. Click here

There is Lion’s Head mountain. I understand the “mountain” part of that name but quite frankly I do not get the “lion’s head” part.  Does that look like any part of a lion’s head to you?

The bay has a  grayish look today. Probably windy down there too. I wonder what that island is part way out into the bay? You know, I bet that is Robben Island.

Moving over to another side of the table top…yikes, it seems like we are even higher here! Probably because there is not much land between us and the ocean, or maybe it is steeper over here. Either way I am glad these stone walls are in place even if they are not that high. Guess that was the norm way back when these walls were put in place. Nowadays (at least in North America) there probably would be metal barriers higher than the tallest person.

There’s Camps Bay. It really is sandwiched between the ocean and the mountain isn’t it! Perhaps we can head down there for a late lunch after our visit here. I always wanted to say I had lunch “with” the rich and famous.

What a view! The water stretches endlessly. Somewhere way, way out there is Antarctica. Somewhere down there are probably ruins of ancient ships that did not survive the waves on a day as windy as today. (Okay I guess that is an exaggeration. Perhaps it is not THAT windy up here.)

Continuing on one of the paths. Oh, look…washrooms. Did not expect that on the mountain top. Inside the station, yes, but not out here.

And look, a shop! A very well stocked shop with quality merchandise. You know, the type of souvenir you will actually keep and use for many years after you return home. Do you want to come in with me or are you going to wait in that restaurant while I go in? I might be a while.

Read more about our visit on my blog Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa and at Walking Up Table Mountain, Cape Town…A Caution.

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Happy travels!