The symbol and calling card of Cape Town is considered to be Table Mountain. I read somewhere that from the ocean side, on a clear day, sailors can see Table Mountain from a distance of 100 kilometers from the shore. Whether this is true, I do not know, but the first thing I saw as I flew into Cape Town was Table Mountain. I recognized its characteristic silhouette. And that meant that in a few minutes the plane would land in Cape Town - the romantic city of my youthful dreams.
Cape Town appeared to me as a noisy and cheerful port with many sailing ships, where stevedores were bustling up and down the gangplanks, and captains were leisurely chatting, anticipating the romance of distant voyages. Behind them, hiding behind a shabby shop, slender dark-eyed courtesans were watching. After noon, the coastal taverns of the harbor filled with merriment. Ships came and went, and people leaving Cape Town left a piece of their hearts, dreams, and hopes behind. Could I have imagined then that many years later I would step onto this land filled with the romance of memories!
In Cape Town, we were met by Eric - a German by origin. Many years ago, he and his wife Ella set off on a journey through Africa in their own car. This romantic journey lasted several months until it brought them to the edge of the continent. Here, at the very southern tip - in Cape Town, they decided to stay forever. Eric himself, a former marathon athlete, built a small paradise guesthouse in what was then the suburbs, where he and his wife Ella have been living for fifteen years.
In the evening, Eric took us to a seafood restaurant located on the shore of the bustling harbor. I was completely disoriented about how and where the city was situated. One thing was clear - we were in Cape Town, at the edge of the African continent.
The cold ocean wind was palpable, and our desire to sit on the open terrace evaporated. The fish menu spanned dozens of pages! We could not do without the help of experts here. Eric talked for a long time about the peculiarities of the dishes. Finally, we decided to entrust the choice of our dinner to Eric himself.
The morning, bright with summer sun and blue from the nearby ocean, flowed down from the cliffs of Table Mountain. A picturesque view. Cape Town, sprawling like an amphitheater at the foot of steeply rising mountains, captivated the eye. I am convinced that few large cities on Earth could rival Cape Town in beauty.
For over five hundred years, it has walked from the ocean promenade to the very base of the cliffs, rising in layered sedimentary rock.
The acquaintance with Cape Town begins with Table Mountain. Our guide Alfred is a hereditary Afrikaner. He starts by mentioning that in ancient times, ship captains would give a gold coin to the sailor who first spotted Table Mountain. Its height is 1,085 meters. This is truly a rare creation of nature. The millennia of strong winds and water acting on the nearly horizontal layers of sandstone have given the mountain an unusual shape: the northern side, over three kilometers long, is barren, while the plateau at the summit is crossed by small streams and valleys.
