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.
Table Mountain forms the northern spur of the mountain range that runs between Cape Town and the Cape of Good Hope. From the northeast, it is guarded by Devil's Peak, which rises to 975 meters. Another notable peak is Lion's Head, which juts out on the opposite northwestern ridge. Table Mountain consists of several layers of sandstone on an ancient granite base. The mountain's cliffs, standing out against the sky, are known as the Twelve Apostles.
And this is not a wild corner of nature, but the most popular park in Cape Town. Three hundred and fifty trails have been laid from the foothills to Table Mountain. However, most tourists wishing to ascend prefer to use the funicular.
The glass sphere glides along the cable almost vertically. Its floor slowly rotates around its axis. The surrounding blue spaces create a feeling of magical flight, a slow twisting into the sky. Instead of a peak, the mountain has a spacious flat plateau, as even as a table top.
- Very often, the plateau is covered with a cloud blanket called a tablecloth, - says Alfred. - Today we are lucky: there is no tablecloth yet.
Along the edge, a viewing trail is laid around the entire perimeter. Being here, you feel that you are standing at the edge of the Earth, and beyond this amazing place, there can only be other worlds.
By lunchtime, the heat became unbearable - 38 degrees. We were heading to the famous Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town. How many adventure books and films have been written and created about Cape Town and its harbor! After all, ships from all over the world used to dock here!
To my disappointment, I learned that the once world-famous harbor is no longer a harbor, but a commercial and entertainment center. And Cape Town is no longer a global seaport...
A few years ago, South Africa's main port moved to the city of Durban, which took the baton from Cape Town. The famous Victoria and Alfred Harbor has been retired. By the way, the port architecture has been preserved here. All the buildings have been restored and adapted to new conditions. The spirit of maritime adventure still lives here and has not faded. The Victoria and Alfred Harbor, as before, is full of lively life. There are many taverns, restaurants, bars, and breweries. Beautiful demonstration halls, salons, theater venues, shops... a whole city of entertainment, culture, and leisure.
The day ended at Signal Hill, where under an ancient acacia, Alfred organized a delicious picnic with his friends.
The day faded with bright colors splashed across the boundless spaces of the sunset. Before it disappeared beyond the edge of night, the sun resisted for a while, but eventually sank after a few moments, leaving a red-yellow shimmering spot.
...Today is the last day of summer - February 28! And it so happened that today is the meeting with the dream - the Cape of Good Hope. The suburbs of Cape Town, drowning in greenery, flashed by quickly, and the further south we traveled, the steeper and tighter the spaces became.
In the old bay of Hout Bay, we made a stop for an interesting cruise on a boat to Seal Island in the open ocean. For about thirty minutes, the ship sailed along the rocky shore. After rounding it, the vessel entered a sufficiently wide strait between the shore and the rocky island rising from the water. The shores of the island serve as a resting place for amusing and seemingly clumsy animals. They lay there, raising their whiskered faces. Rolling over, they crawled from rock to rock. At the leader's command, they rolled into the water, where, gaining strength and agility, they frolicked, catching silvery fish.
A real surprise for us was the visit to the colony of African penguins in the Boulder’s Beach area. And finally, we reached the main entrance to the Cape of Good Hope, which is part of the national park.
In May 1488, the Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias, nearly perishing in an ocean storm, first landed at this spot and named it the Cape of Storms. Later, King John II of Portugal, who had high hopes for the sea route to the East opened by Bartolomeu Dias, renamed it the Cape of Good Hope.
It is said that the climate at the Cape is one of the best in the world. How else can one explain the extraordinary diversity of plant life? There are 2,600 species of flowering plants here. Even a short walk was enough to confirm this. First and foremost are the beautifully blooming proteas, which gave their name to a large family and have become a kind of symbol not only of the Cape of Good Hope but of all of South Africa.
In Greek mythology, Proteus is a sea deity capable of taking on various forms. One of the most noticeable and beautiful plants at the Cape of Good Hope is the silver tree, whose leaves shimmer like silver...
And then we ascend to the rocky summit of the cape. A picturesque path winds its way up to the sky. How wonderful it is that we did not succumb to the temptation of taking the funicular “Flying Dutchman” up here. Each twist of the path is a step that expands the spaces of wonderful beauty. Often, it leads to sheer cliffs facing the distant oceans. The beauty is untamed. The fierce winds do not allow one to fully enjoy the contemplation of these majestic scenes.
At the very top, a lighthouse and a circular observation deck hang over the vertical cliffs. The wind from the ocean fiercely rushes onto the mainland. Indeed, the Cape of Storms! More than a hundred ships, caught by the winds of two oceans, have crashed against these sheer coastal cliffs.
The Cape of Good Hope is not the southernmost point of the African land. The southern tip of the continent is Cape Agulhas, which lies half a degree further south. And even further south, across the ocean, five thousand kilometers of water spaces lie Antarctica - the land of my dreams.
Time flew swiftly. I did not want to leave this place. Some attractive force created an inexplicable desire to stay here forever.
Perhaps the same feelings were experienced by the young Dutch navigator Jan van Riebeeck, sent by the Dutch East India Company to this part of the world. On April 6, 1652, he successfully landed at the Cape of Good Hope, built a defensive fort, and also established gardens. From 1657, van Riebeeck began to release his hired men from service, allowing them to cultivate the land independently. Perhaps this circumstance became the starting point for the colonization of South Africa and the emergence of a new people - the Boers. Labor was needed. Van Riebeeck began to import slaves from West Africa, Madagascar, Ceylon, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia. More than sixty thousand slaves were brought to the province, laying the foundation for the unique blend of cultures and traditions that we observe here today. In Cape Town, there are still neighborhoods where Malays and Indians live compactly. The miniature houses are painted in various colors: red, yellow, orange, etc. Previously, the guide tells us, there were neither street names nor house numbers in Cape Town, and the owner was identified by the color of his house.
The Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, located on the eastern slope of Table Mountain, is recognized as one of the seven best and most famous botanical gardens in the world. The area covers 528 hectares. At the dawn of the 20th century, this land was purchased by Cecil Rhodes, known to us from history books as the most notorious villain among all imperialists. In reality, Rhodes turned out to be a very decent person and bequeathed all the land he bought from Table Mountain to the state, that is, to society. On his former estates today, besides one of the residences of the President of South Africa, is the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. At the entrance to the shady oak alleys, visitors are greeted by a monument to British Queen Victoria. The squirrels are almost tame and eagerly grab nuts from people's hands. In the summer, classical music concerts are regularly held here. Various walking routes run through the garden. Here, you are unlikely to need a guide or any accompaniment. You enter paradise and realize that this is not a fantasy, but the most earthly reality.
The paths are entwined with exotic flowering plants, ponds, waterfalls, and rocks - everything is in its place. Including spacious emerald lawns where the residents of Cape Town spend their days like herbivores. Picnics, meetings, and dates are organized here. Surrounded by otherworldly beauty, you forget the bad, your soul awakens, and a surge of happiness lifts you above the ground. You do not want to leave this place...
...In the morning, the sun is blazing again. The sky is cloudless. Alfred says that the meteorologists promise around forty degrees today.
We are heading northeast along the coast. We passed Cape Town. We are moving away from the coast to the north. We cross the low Black Mountains. The landscapes change. There is less vegetation, and soon the terrain resembles the foothills of the Fergana Valley. Only solitary cacti and clumps of aloe on bare trunks indicate that this is Africa.
In these lands, the Dutch who came here almost five hundred years ago found favorable conditions for growing grapes. The famous varieties of merlot, chardonnay, pinot, and cabernet provide growers with excellent harvests. The abundance of sunshine has given the fruits special taste qualities and aroma. Several vineyards supply wine to many global markets.
We visited a couple of such farms. The wines, I must say, are inexpensive - about three dollars per liter. To make the right choice, you will be offered to taste a wide range of red and white wines. However, this pleasure also costs money - 25 rand (about 3 dollars). So if you go for a tasting, you need to try everything.
By around five in the evening, we reached the town of Oudtshoorn. We settled in the magnificent La Plume hotel with a view of the picturesque valley. A cozy room, a pool, and good wine adorned the rest of the day.
The town of Oudtshoorn is the center of the global ostrich industry. It is located in a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides. Here, unique flora and fauna exist, and the climate is perfect for ostriches, which have inhabited these places for many centuries.
Ostrich farming is a very profitable venture. Everything is valued and sold: meat, feathers, leather, and especially eggs. From all this, so many various products, items, and souvenirs are made that it is crowded even in solid stores. Eggs are painted to resemble various characters; globes, lanterns, barrels, vases, teapots, flasks, boxes, and a multitude of other items are also products of ostriches. From feathers, capes, scarves, hats, bags, and much more are sewn.
Another attraction of these places is the Cango Caves, located on the slopes of the Black Mountain. It consists of several interconnected underground chambers. Tourists are shown only a small part - a ring about a kilometer long. It is believed that the cave was first discovered by a local farmer, Jacob van Zyl, in the late 18th century. It is unknown how many halls van Zyl discovered. In any case, the first hall of the cave, located immediately after the vestibule and the inclined passage, is named after him. The hall is enormous, stretching 98 meters in length, 49 meters in width, and up to 15 meters in height!
All the halls and passages are richly decorated with cave formations. Massive stalactites, stalagmites, and columns are found everywhere. In narrow tunnels and ceiling niches, lawns of helictites and crystals bloom. As a specialist in cave research, I must say that the Cango Caves are one of the few spectacular caves on the planet.
Subsequently, other halls of the cave were discovered, given exotic names: the Alley of Lumbago, the Crystal Palace, the Tunnel of Love, the Grave, the Mailbox, and the Devil's Chimney. Soon, speleologists discovered and explored a system called Cango-2, which is 270 meters long. It was discovered in 1972. Three years later, a branch 1,600 meters long was found. This is already Cango-3. The natural colors, the beauty of the crystals, and the formations inside the last two caves, according to speleologists, are much richer and more interesting than in the Cango-1 system. However, to preserve the unique limestone formations, they are closed to mass tourism.
The most astonishing formations in the publicly accessible system are the stalagmite "Cleopatra's Needle," which is nine meters high and is believed by specialists to be 150,000 years old. But the most impressive sight is the large stalagmat - a dripping column that rises 125 meters from the floor to the ceiling in the center of the second hall. In van Zyl's hall, a beautiful dark gray ceiling with patterned streaks, protrusions, and depressions is very interesting, contrasting effectively with the smooth, vividly yellow calcite walls.
In one of the first halls of the cave, a sample of ancient cave art has been preserved: a limestone carving of an elephant attacking an antelope.
After visiting the cave, we ascended to one of the passes of the Black Mountains. An endless panorama opened to our view. The valley in green waves of hills, low clouds, and high mountains in the haze reminded me of my native Kyrgyzstan. And this feeling once again confirmed the thought that the world is unity in diversity.
In Oudtshoorn, Alfred introduced us to a local speleologist, Rudi. Over dinner, Rudi told us many interesting things about the caves of the province. Besides the Cango Caves, there are sixteen other "Pluto's Palaces" known in this area. All of them are horizontal and very beautiful. One of the caves was opened quite recently, extending along the bed of an underground river and, apparently, will turn out to be very extensive.
- We are currently researching it, - Rudi informed us.
I also told him about the caves in Kyrgyzstan and invited Rudi and his team to join our expedition to Kokshaala Too.
We return to Cape Town. On the way, we visit a beautiful beach in the town of Wilderness. But tourists do not come here for the silvery sand. Due to special conditions, huge waves are born here, attracting not only surfing enthusiasts but also oddballs like us. It looks cool. You step into the water to meet the incoming wave. It is enormous, a meter higher than you. And you face it. The wave picks you up like an empty can and carries you to the shore. This game is so captivating that you forget everything else in the world. Alfred urges us to heed reason and continue our journey to Cape Town.
Soon we make another stop. We visit a factory where everything is made from aloe: shampoos, juices, ointments, creams, and much more.
There is a lot of interesting scenery along the way: vineyards, ostrich farms, towns of black residents of South Africa, the so-called townships - small huts made of wooden boxes, stuck to each other. And several parallel narrow streets. This "wonder" of architecture occupies an area of about 4-5 square kilometers, enclosed by a high fence. From the outside, such a little town resembles a zone.
And the white masters have long since lost power, and apartheid, which Mandela fought against, is no more. However, apartheid has not disappeared; it has only changed form, dividing the people into rich blacks and poor blacks.
The new government that came to power has become an elite that has easily forgotten both the people and Mandela's bright idea of equality in unity and harmony.
Now in South Africa, there are three distinct social classes: five million whites living in luxurious villas overlooking the ocean. They own the land, farms, businesses, and finances. One million black officials who possess power and the state budget. And the poor, the so-called "rabsi," numbering 45 million. Immersed in these gloomy thoughts, I did not notice how the road, having crossed the low mountains, descended to the shores of the Indian Ocean. It ran, following the curves of the coastal slopes, to the finish line of our long African marathon.
Cape Agulhas was named so in the 15th century by Portuguese sailors, the first to round the southern tip of Africa. At the southernmost point of their route, they discovered a magnetic anomaly that caused the compass needle to deviate. They named this point Cape Agulhas.
It is at this cape, where the continental shelf gradually descends into the water, forming the so-called Agulhas Bank, that two oceans converge. This memorable place is located 155 kilometers southeast of the Cape of Good Hope and is marked by a stone stele. Here is the edge of the Earth! A place where two oceans merge into one. And this is not just a merging. The eye can easily distinguish the boundary - the turquoise cheerful waves of the Indian Ocean do not wish to mix with the dark blue, gloomy waves of the Atlantic. Another landmark is the wreckage of the Japanese trawler "Meise Maru-38" that sank here...
An interesting attraction of Cape Agulhas is the lighthouse built in 1848. This is evidenced by the inscription made on the tower. For a time, the lighthouse was abandoned but was restored and resumed operation in March 1988. Today, the light from its lamp, with a power of 7.5 million candles, is visible for 30 nautical miles.
Since 1994, a museum has been opened at the lighthouse. Seventy-one steps lead to the top of the tower, from which unique views of the ocean open up.
We returned to Cape Town through rocky mountains and coastal villages along the mighty ocean. In the twilight of a warm evening, we entered Cape Town. The city was lit up with lights...
The program was exhausted. The days flew by rapidly, filled with so many events.
From my diary. The swift African marathon was approaching its finish. There will still be time to reflect on and evaluate all that we managed to see and experience. There will be another day tomorrow for souvenir shopping and packing, for the move to the airport.
The last day will be cloudy, and instead of the planned pool, we will prefer a walk along the Cape Town waterfront. To say goodbye, a pair of whales will swim out to us a few hundred meters away and, waving their broad tails, will dissolve into the expanses of the oceans. The red proteas will lower their heads in farewell sadness, and only the lion's head, gazing into the distance of the oceans, will remain indifferent, as befits a stone.
The flight to Istanbul will take all night. Then there will be a hotel and again the airport. The flight to Bishkek. And home! But all this is yet to come.
- How far in the past is that day when we left Bishkek. How good it is that there is a homeland, there are people with whom you live nearby. But to understand this, you need to leave far away at least once. Sometimes very far.
Through the ringing of spaces
...In Istanbul, it is a cool morning. It is drizzling. The last eventful day in Cape Town and almost a twelve-hour night flight have exhausted my strength. The flight to Bishkek is only in the evening. I want one thing - to get to a bed and sleep, sleep, sleep.
Our hotel is in the city center, in its old part, called Ak-Saray. Somewhere nearby is the famous White Mosque and the Hagia Sophia. But we have only one desire...
...In a dream, in the golden light of the setting sun, I saw Africa again. It was unclear what place it was and where. A deep canyon with stone layered towers, vertical sheer walls overgrown with rainforest greenery, light pouring down in a warm stream, and music, magical music, flowing down the cornices and drops into nowhere.
The picture slowly floated, and it was unclear where I was, from what point I was observing all this magnificence. One thing was clear: this place was somewhere at the edge of the canyon, because sometimes the enclosed walls broke open, revealing a parallel world filled with golden light, bubbling with the joy of yellow and purple rainbows.
As if understanding my desire to peek over the edge of the canyon, the picture slid down. In an instant, endless spaces of savannas with huge baobabs, raising their numerous branches to the dark ruby sky, opened on the screen.
Where am I? What is happening to me? The images I see are so real that I immediately dismissed the feeling that this might be a dream. I saw the perfection of Africa, born from reality, fatigue, and assumptions. And again, Kalahari - majestic, in the bright colors of sunset. Illuminated by stars. And sad in the twilight of morning. Through the invisible sadness, I hear the very cry that I fleetingly felt there, in distant Tau Pane. Through the ringing of spaces, I see radiant drops falling from the edges of the opened umbrella acacias. Without touching the ground, they disappear, dissolving in the emerging light rays of morning.
I wait for the continuation, but it does not come. The piercing ring of the phone breaks into my consciousness, and the picture fades.
- I apologize, sir. It's time for you to go to the airport; the car is waiting, hurry up.