Second Day in Cape Town 开普敦第二天
April 12, 2025
Our 25-day cruise journey finally ended today. We traveled all the way from Asia to East Africa, and onward to South Africa. Along the way, we passed Cape Agulhas—the southernmost tip of Africa where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet—and then continued past the famous Cape of Good Hope before arriving in Cape Town. Every port and every country the cruise stopped at was new to us, making this an extraordinary experience.
After enjoying our last breakfast onboard this morning, we reluctantly disembarked. We ordered an Uber at the pier and checked into the nearby Westin Hotel. The cruise line had offered a bus transfer to the hotel at $40 per person because many passengers planned to stay there and continue their sightseeing in Cape Town. However, upon checking the map and seeing that it was just a few minutes away, we opted to call an Uber ourselves, which only cost us $3.
After checking in, we quickly headed out to explore. We were very lucky yesterday—the good weather gave us the chance to ascend Table Mountain. Today, however, the weather turned windy and rainy. Undeterred, we took the blue-line sightseeing bus, visiting Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Groot Constantia Winery, and the World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary.
The National Botanical Garden was beautiful and meticulously maintained. Despite the chilly rain, walking through the peaceful grounds felt refreshing and serene.
Groot Constantia, the oldest winery in South Africa, was a lovely stop. We enjoyed a relaxing lunch at their café, savoring local flavors with chicken wings and a comforting bowl of seafood laksa (curry).
In contrast, the World of Birds was a bit underwhelming. We were also disappointed to miss the Monkey Jungle exhibit due to its short opening hours.
After 25 days aboard the cruise ship, we were really craving Chinese food. We found satisfaction at Dawn Asian Restaurant, where every dish—stir-fried string beans, Hong Kong-style prawns, and egg noodles—was flavorful and hit the spot.
开普敦第二天
2025年4月12日
25天的邮轮旅行今天终于结束了。一路从亚洲来到东非，再到南非。又从印度洋与大西洋的交界处，也是非洲大陆的最南端奥古哈斯角 （Cape Agulhas）绕过，再经过著名的好望角，最终来到开普敦。这次邮轮停靠的每一个港口，每一个国家我们以前都没来过，所以这是一次很不错的体验。
早上在船上吃了最后一顿早餐后，依依不舍地下了船。在船码头叫了Uber，来到不远处的Westin酒店入住。因为船上有不少乘客今天下船后将入住Westin酒店，继续在开普敦游玩，我们邮轮特地提供从船码头到酒店的大巴服务，收费每人40美金。看着地图才几分钟的路程，我们决定还是自己叫Uber, 结果才3美金。
办完入住赶紧出去转转。我们昨天很幸运，好天气让我们有机会登上桌山。可今天的天气是刮风下雨，但我们依然出门游玩，搭乘了蓝线的观光巴士，依次游览了国家植物园、Groot Constantia酒庄以及鸟类世界公园。
国家植物园风景如画，维护得井井有条。尽管天气寒冷、细雨绵绵，在花园中漫步却意外地令人心旷神怡。
Groot Constantia 是南非最古老的酒庄，环境优美，氛围宁静。在酒庄的餐厅里，我们享用了当地风味的午餐：炸鸡翅和一碗暖胃的海鲜喇沙（咖喱汤面），十分美味。
相比之下，鸟类世界公园让人有些失望。我们还错过了园区内猴子丛林的开放时间，稍感遗憾。
在船上待了25天之后，我们非常想念中餐了。于是我们去了 Dawn Asian 餐厅，点了清炒四季豆、避风塘大虾和炒鸡蛋面，每一道菜都香气扑鼻、令人满足。