Africa Day Thirteen: “All Good Things Must Come To An End” : One Last Walk Through Capetown, South Africa.

It was my last day in Capetown, and Africa, and I had a few free hours in the morning  before  we had to leave for our flight home.  So I was up early and took a taxi back down to explore  the  Capetown waterfront.

It was a cool and  overcast morning and  the peaks of Lion’s Head and Table Mountain were hidden in the clouds when I arrived at the waterfront. Like many cities in the world in these modern times , it was dominated by a large Ferris wheel. 

I quickly made it to the piers  and inspected the many ships docked there, large and small, and, as I always do,  wondered  who sailed them , what they have seen and experienced on their voyage and where they were going next.  

There are so many things to reflect on at seaports and harbor towns located at the far ends of the earth and Capetown was one of them. 

And like most ports and harbors there were birds. 

And,  also, like most ports and harbor towns these days, there were shops, restaurants and hotels. 

I walked through the new hotels and shopping malls  and into the industrial and warehousing  areas and found an old pier extending out into the cold waters of the south Atlantic Ocean. 

I spent some time reflecting on my trip and this port here so far from home. As a child I dreamed of places like this, remote, exotic and isolated and I realized how blessed I was to be here. 

I also watched  more of the many shores birds and were everywhere along the stormy waters. some 

I could spend hours watching the sea gulls gracefully soar through the strong winds coming off the ocean. Here is a link to some more photographs of some of the birds I saw on my walk. . https://keepyoureyespeeled.net/africa-october-2016/nggallery/africa-october-2016/South-Africa-Capetown-waterfront-birds-October-21-2016-

I made my way back to the commercial waterfront and past the shops and restaurants. 

I wish I had more time to explore, I would have loved to have had the opportunity to visit Robben Island, where the famous South African, Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Hopefully, God willing, on another visit I will get that opportunity.  

As I left the waterfront and walked back into the city of  Capetown, I came upon the statutes of this great gentlemen who had so much influence on the nation that is now South Africa. 

Great men such  as Desmond Tutu. Here is a link to more photographs of these great men. https://keepyoureyespeeled.net/africa-october-2016/nggallery/africa-october-2016/South-Africa-Capetown-waterfront-statues-October-21-2016-

I made my way through the street s of downtown Capetown, blending in with the many students, workers and business people on their morning commute.

I retraced my walk from the previous day, walking past the old neighborhoods to my bed and breakfast. It was a nice walk to reflect on the many new experiences I enjoyed and friends I made on this latest adventure. Here are some more photographs from my hike.   https://keepyoureyespeeled.net/africa-october-2016/nggallery/africa-october-2016/South-Africa-Capetown-waterfront-walk-October-21-2016-

After one last delicious breakfast  we traveled to the airport to begin our long flight to Doha, Qatar, and after a short layover, our second long flight to my favorite city in the world, the City of  Brotherly Love, Philadelphia. It is always goo to see the skyline of this, the first city I ever explored, and the many wonderful memories it have provided me over the years. After a short two hour drive I was back in my own home, Ready to start planning my next adventure, the home of my fathers family Poland. Unless I get tired of the cold, and head somewhere south in the Winter.  And, of course you are all welcome to join me again on my next adventure. It is always nice to bring you along. 

To travel is to live.”   Hans Christian Andersen