(This is part of a trip report to Africa, flying United Global Business/First, costing $87 and 120,000 miles which were Ultimate Reward points from my Chase Ink card, transferred to United.)

Capetown, South Africa is a very cosmopolitan city, which was somewhat of a surprise. We stayed at the Park Inn, using my Club Carlson points, where you stay two nights, and get the third night free! It was quite nice, in a good location, and included a free breakfast. We were on the go all day, every day, so I don’t have photos of the hotel.

Our first day we hired a guide, who picked us up at the hotel and we did Table Mountain and the Cape, with lots of stops along the way. We were fortunate to have beautiful blue skies and clear weather, which is not always the case! The photo above is the tram going up the mountain.

Views from the top…

Table Mountain, one of the Seven Wonders of Nature, looks like a table from a distance and when the clouds come over the mountain, they say it’s the tablecloth!

 

Even though we had blue skies, it was still cold (and windy too)!

My son was working overseas and was able to join us, so it was nice to squeeze in a visit with him!

 

 

Great photo of my son…

The cable car was built in 1929, and of course, has been upgraded many times since then!

Headed to the Cape, about an hour south of Capetown.

 

This is the Cape of Good Hope, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet!

Cape Point Nature Reserve is over 19,150 acres, with areas for hiking, biking, and camping! The baboons were everywhere, and we were warned NOT to feed them!

 

 

We drove around the Cape on the other side as we headed back towards Capetown, again, with stops along the way. The African penguin, the only penguin to inhabit Africa…on Boulders Beach, aka, “Penguin Beach.”

 

We ended our day shopping at the Waterfront in Capetown, near our hotel. The next day we toured the small towns of the wine country. My son went to the Franschhoek Motor Museum, while we went shopping.

All the South Africans think very highly of Nelson Mandela…

This day we saw the fickleness of Capetown weather, as it was cloudy all day, so this is my one OK photo of the beautiful wine country at the end of the day…

We spent the evening with friends, which ended with a night-time view of Capetown.

Next up, Mala Mala safari camp in South Africa…