Rocks, Gardens, and Folly

Today was our second trip on Table Mountain, YAY! This time was a trail around the mountain about half the way down maybe. We began at the Rhodes Memorial at UCT and climbed up from there to meet the trail around. Again, it was incredible, apart from being exhausted. While everyone else gets to nap after school during the week, I am busy with extracurricular activities or being toted around by colleagues. Thus, my energy was next to zero. Anywho… it was great to see the MSU crew again today. The last three days felt like years, especially without phone or internet. Amazing how connected the world has become and how different it seems without these amenities.

Back to the hike… the path was unbelievable. I wish I could chronicle and video everything here. It was unreal: waterfalls, large boulders, streams, some wooded path, some rocky path, some flat bridged path. I could not have asked for a better trail myself! The only thing I could ask for is more knowledge to explore the off beaten parts or the stone stairways up! There were a few times when I did venture on to some rocks, and these were really not smart. Haha, but it is a good thing I like climbing and am not prone to injury (there were several times when I should have easily rolled or broken my ankles today). I climbed up this virtually straight up rock, wet and covered with moss and little footholds. I made it up and back down, not without some concern though. The next was up to a little cave on the other side of the waterfall… which was easy peasy compared to the first climb. Last included getting up to a large boulder, where I could have done cartwheels it was so flat on top. Again, not an easy climb nor descent, but thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless. From all this folly, I think I discovered I am meant to rock climb or something…. :D

Once finished, we were at the Kirstenboesh botanical gardens. And as much as I hate to say it, but it kicked the MSU botanical gardens to the curb! Location could have done that easily, but also with the variety of plants, grass areas, restaurants, etc. There was this one flower, called pleasant bird or something like that, that looked exactly like the wild creature's head in the movie "UP." It was unique and beautiful! I would definitely have loved to get lost in these gardens for hours, as well. Perhaps even enjoy a picnic like many of the families that were there. It seems that Cape Town keeps getting better and better.