Entry 5.

(click the photo to enlarge it!)

The neighborhood dogs finally roused me from my slumber at 11am this morning. Hey, it's Sunday - the day of rest - and I am on vacation! A bowl of yogurt and muesli got my engines running and then it was off to Cape Town to be a tourist. Driving through the city, I get a warm familiar feeling. The downtown buildings, waterfront shopping, winding scenic roads and sailboats in the bay are strikingly similar to San Diego. The steep grades and beautiful rows of urban homes that line the streets up to Table Mountain remind me very much of San Francisco. And then there's the mountains. They are what make this view unique. Seeing Table Mountain (the flattop one in the panorama above) and Cape Town stadium (where they held 17 World Cup games) in person is wonderful, as this landscape is an element in the mural. This area isn't technically the southernmost tip of Africa, but pretty darn close.

South African money is called Rand. 1 US dollar equals about 7.5 rand. I love that they've adorned their bills with native animals rather than famous faces. Great colors too! I think we should petition our government for bills with new hues. Wouldn't Lincoln look great in fuschia?!

The vendors at the market were incredibly friendly and pleasant to talk with. This is my new friend Jeff. He immigrated to South Africa from Kenya and was proud to share that he belongs to the same tribe as President Obama's father. In fact, he saw Obama in Kenya about 6 years ago. He was seriously rockin' the Members Only jacket.

Try before you buy.... VUVUZELA!!!

My last purchase... ready for chips and dip - zebra style.