V&A Waterfront

One of Cape Town's biggest tourist attractions, the Waterfront evokes images of the early activities of the harbour and a modern city. Much of its charm lies in the fact that this busy commercial harbour is set in the midst of a huge entertainment venue with pubs, restaurants, specialty shops, craft markets, theatres and movies.
如果在南非开普敦想要漫无目的的闲逛，V＆A港口是个好去处，豪华的酒店，各色餐馆酒廊，顶级的购物环境，应有尽有。远处是南非开普敦５星级的CAPE GRACE。惬意极了。

The lego man at the V&A waterfront harbor.

If you draw a line between San Francisco and anywhere in the world, Cape Town literally is the furthest city from the bay area.

在地图上，从三藩市为基点，到世界上任何一个地方为终点，画一条直线，南非开普敦可以算是离三藩市最远的地方。

View Outside of Radisson Blue Ocean Front (2)

Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront酒店俯瞰着Cape Towns著名的Robben岛和大西洋. 风景如画. 悠哉游哉.

Hiking Up the Table Mountain (2)

桌山(Table Mountain),又称＂上帝的餐桌＂, 是开普敦的地标，其山顶如桌般平坦，好象是用刀削平. 整个山顶的地貌基本上如此。

The Table Mountain is also called the God's Dinner Table. It's all flat at the top, and thus the cloud that some times covers the top is called "table cloth". Cute!

山脚下的开普敦一角。

On the average, it takes about 2 and a half hours to hike up the Table Mountain. A long and demanding straight-up-and-straight-down hike. Like what's said on the stone, "I climbed this far slowly but surely. :)"

当白云飘过桌面时，开普敦居民会将此景称為「白巾舖桌」。在山上可以俯视整个开普敦市区，同时也可以眺望好望角。桌山旁边是魔鬼峰，以及排列整齐的12门徒峰，形成一幅壮观的景緻。

Random shots.

Garden Route Day 2 - Colorful Animals in South Africa

South Africa is a colorful country, no question about that, colorful flowers, colorful birds, colorful clothing, and colorful everything... Not sure why the bird likes to stand with single-leg. Oh well, this is the world that promotes the uniqueness.

"How about a quick swim?"

"Come here, honey. Give me a quick kiss. :)"

What an evil-looking bird?! And, apparently, the zoo keeper does not agree with that comment at all. I thought he got annoyed when I said the bird looks a bit ugly and evil. Thank God, he did not throw me into the crocodile tank at the next stop.

Somebody is on high alert.

Somehow, this bird reminds me of Anton Ego, the food critic in the movie Ratatouille , especially the way the bird walks.

Anton Ego:" In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations, the new needs friends."

Damn! That's the job I should have. :)

Garden Route Day 2 -Ostriches, Ostriches, Everywhere

The second day on the Garden Route made me wondering whether there is a certain part of the God's kindom is reserved for Ostriches, or at least the corner that's reservved for the Ostriches in South Africa.

I am holding a duster made of Ostrich feather, which is supporsed to work wonders dusting around the house. :) Who knows?! I did not bring it back all the way to the US.

到处是鸵鸟，好生了得。

Of course, the entrance of the restrooms must be identified with the lovely birds.

Garden Route Day 2 - A Close-up with Ostriches

After being fed with the Ostrich steak, not sure it's that delicious to my personal taste, we definitely feel obliged to pay those big birds a visit and build some personal relationships.

吃过鸵鸟肉，不去近距离接触一下她，好象有点说不过去。

Ostrich family.

A mom-Ostriches is nesting her eggs. Apparently, she got annoyed by a bunch of curious tourists like us and walked away, the-farther-the-better type of attitude. That attitude makes me think of my dad, who always said that when mom and I got into our usual mom-daughter-arguments. :)

趋车前往，恰巧一个鸵鸟妈妈在孵蛋。她见到我们来了，一副不开心的模样，一声不吭地走开了。心里一定在想，＂哼，这帮讨厌的游客。＂她这种走得越远越好的态度，到让我想起我家马老者。每次我和我家王老太婆小吵小闹的时候，我家马老者就是一副敬而远之的态度。到不是觉得我们烦人，就是不须同我们一般见识。 想起他，就觉得好笑。

Freaky Ostriches close-up #1. The tour guide asked us to touch the Ostrich eggs. "My God, it's still warm!"

这鸵鸟蛋还热乎着。有点在造虐的犯罪感。

Freaky Ostriches close-up #2. Then, she asked me to stand on top of those eggs. Theoretically, Ostrich eggs can hold about 150lb without being crushed. In reality, her assurance did very little to reduce my fear of breaking those eggs and destroying the little lives.

小心翼翼地站在鸵鸟蛋上，如履薄冰,诚惶诚恐。造虐的犯罪感进一步加升。

Listen to the tour guide to give the Ostrich talk. Why I feel the Ostrich is saying to me:"Hmm...I dare you could ride me today."

Freaky Ostriches close-up #3 - The neck feels warm. It's one thing to ride a cold machinery, like a car, a roller-coaster, an airplane. It's totally another thing, a very freaky thing, to ride something that's warm.

On-boarding and getting comfortable. However dangerous I looked, I was trying to tell myself "Hmm...This is not that bad. :)"

不知道为什么，在那一刻，我脑子里所有想的就是＂宝马配金鞍，歪锅配歪灶。＂不用说，我也有自知自明，我是后者。哈， 哈。。

I was literally screaming the whole way through the ride. :)

看我象不象在喊救命？

A certificate of life-time achievement for the coconuthead - survived riding an Ostrich.

颁发荣誉证书。来之不易。

Garden Route Day 2 - Lunch at Highgate Ostrich Farm

After visiting Cheetah, our next stop is the Highgate Ostrich Farm.

拜访过猎豹，就该去骑鸵鸟了。吃鸵鸟肉在南非食文化中盛为流行。

Weather of Sep in Cape Town can be iffy, as it's the end of the winter season and the beginning of spring. And, today is overcast, with a few drops of rains here and there. I felt slightly cold and hungry, and not sure how the breakfast this morning ceased to exist so fast. Oh, well, a nice warm glass of port will do good to my body and mind. :)

The lunch venue has a typical farm-setting, simple, unpretended, unpolished and offers unlimited port and wines to warm our body up. And the farm is famous for its grilled Ostrich steak.

Honestly, I did not care much about the Ostrich steak, especially when thinking about the steak is from those giangantic birds. The texture of the ostrich tasted somewhere bewteen chicken and beef, leaning more towards beef.

鸵鸟肉，说实话不敢恭唯，肉质有点粗。再加上是从那么个又大又笨的鸟身上来的。嚼一口，怎么都觉得有点腥味。吃一口就罢了。按我家马老者的话来说，＂不要多，是个意思。＂

Seeking Entertainment or Pleasure?

Finally, against my wish of not chasing the fads, I picked up the book, East, Love and Pray, from a book store at the V&A Waterfront at Cape Town. I am flying back home tomorrow and need some time-killer for the 30 plus long hours on the flight.

A surprisingly interesting read! Among all the opinions and concepts mentioned in the book, one I particularly applaud about is the idea of seeking pleasure rather than entertainment.

The book talks how Americans, compared to European, are so entertainment-seeking, watching TV shows, riding roller-coasters and screaming along the ride, clubbing, drinking, people-watching at a trendy bar, eating a gourmet meal at a high-end restaurant...., You name it, we have it somewhere in the States.

However, are we really having the pleasure from seeking all those entertainment activities? Do those fun activities really deliver us the much-needed rest and relaxation for our mind and body? Do we feel even more exhausted after a night of being entertained?

Gilled linfish with poached egg.

Having a nice and quiet breakfast at the 19th floor of Westins overseeing the ocean and the lively waterfront is something that offers the true pleasure on my last a couple of days at the South Africa.

BTW, my favorite plate - smoked salmon and tuna paired with 2 different types of brie with slightly different texture.