Table Mountain
There are certain landmarks around the world that are simply known to people. Not that they could pinpoint them, or even attribute a country, let alone a city to them. The Taj Mahal, Machu Pichu, the pyramids...these are all historic tourist hotspots, brands that are as well known as Coca Cola and Legos. You can safely add Table Mountain among the who's who, or what's what, in international travel. Add the fact that this is one of the only landmarks that is not man made, and the place becomes more remarkable. No maintenance required, no permits needed, just a gift bequeathed on the good people of Cape Town by Mother Nature herself.
Before our ascent up Table Mountain, we need to appease the kids and take them to the Two Oceans Aquarium in downtown Cape Town. It would be easy here to simply forego the trip downtown, owing to a dilemma all too common to world cities. That wouldn't be traffic, or even accessibility, but the availability of parking. We are fortunate in that we are able to park less than a block away from the aquarium near the Waterfront. Whereas many world cities will have you slapping down hard, cold cash, an arm and a leg, or another mortgage on the house, our bill for the privilege totals 15 rand...little more than a dollar when all is said and done. We like it.
Two Oceans itself features supersize aquariums featuring various unique species of sea life, from sharks to sea horses to nemos (an actual name for the orange and white striped fish). The kids have a ball with the fish, in addition to the penguins, the star attraction at the aquarium, particularly during feeding time.
Following the aquarium and a quick lunch by the waterfront, it is time to tackle Table Mountain. We easily find the place - thank you, GPS - and park near the cable car station, along with the hundreds of other vehicles lined up along the roadside.
We wisely purchased our tickets in advance online, which would save us a considerable amount of waiting time...money in the bank, especially when you are traveling with two little kids, who are as jumpy as Pogo sticks fresh out of the factory. The cable car itself can carry sixty passengers, although I am fairly certain that we crammed more people into it before finally shutting the doors.
You would think that the first passengers in would have the advantage. To the back or the front, right? Except that the floor inside the cable car rotates, enabling every passenger plenty of photo ops on their way up the mountain. How's that for a panoramic view?
In advance, we have done our research on Table Mountain. If the winds are too strong, the cable car won't go, simple as that. A cable car malfunctioning or even crashing is not the sort of publicity a world heritage site can easily live down. We are amazed that there is little to no wind once we reach the top at little more than a kilometer above sea level. At the top, there's a snapshot festival you wouldn't witness at all of the city's weddings for the year. Below is the city and the vast stretches of the ocean, plus the famous penal colony Robben Island in the distance. We pause for a drink. For me, a pint of freshly squeezed orange juice.
Of course, the kids have other priorities. World heritage site, main tourist attraction, a biotope for numerous endangered plant and animal species...all of this matters little to them. There are hundreds of mini rock formations for them to climb, a natural playground if they have ever seen one. I have said this before, and I'll say it again: to kids, the Eiffel Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Himalayas have absolutely nothing on a playground, or anything resembling it.
On our way down, the cable car operator thanks the passengers for flying Table Mountain Air ( which has never experienced a crash, knock on wood) and hopes that we enjoy the rest of our stay in Cape Town. Okay, then.
Later in the evening before sunset, it is time for a run. Up the coast, for as far as I can go. Cape Town is a runner's dream. The only problem is, on my way back to the apartment, I run into the teeth of a strong wind coming from the east that makes me feel like I'm running on the moon. The wind is so strong it knocks my chewing gum straight down my throat. Note to self: avoid chewing anything during the next, or any, run.
That's a lot for a day, but only the tip of the iceberg, or the Table Mountain. The next few days have more scenic treasures in store for us.
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