There were many highlights during our 2018 South African holiday, and the first one blew me away.
After checking in to our nice room in a modern Cape Town hotel, we visited the bar for a refreshing ale. This is what we saw from the windows of the bar, the spectacular Table Mountain. We had a lesser view from our room.
Naturally we must visit the mountain. It won't come to us. The mist atop the mountain can be very unpredictable. It could cover the mountain and the chair lift would not operate, nor would it in high winds, but we were fine. The mist swirled and danced around the view over Cape Town. The city would disappear completely at times, then seconds later the full view of the city was before your eyes.
Do I have to check what bird this is? An easy one, a red winged starling.
What was this rat like creature that made its home on he rocks? We had seen very cute chipmunks in Canada a year or so earlier, so it didn't look like those. We asked someone and we were told it is a hyrax, or Cape Hyrax or Rock Hyrax. The creature didn't seem threatening, perhaps because it is a herbivore and has the cutest informal name, dassie. And there were lots of dassies on the mountain top.
Later: Also known as a shrew mouse.
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Superb memories, and I love the name, 'dassie.' So sweet.
ReplyDeleteJB, I would guess Afrikaans in origin.
DeleteHow many continents have you visited in the course of a lifetime, Andrew??
ReplyDeleteWe never visited Antarctica or South America.
DeleteI have to agree with you Andrew that looking down over Cape Town is a truly memorable moment, one that I too will store away in my mental filing cabinet of pleasures, and yes, those dassies were very cute.
ReplyDeleteThey were indeed JayCee. Cape Town surprised me in a number of ways.
DeleteThank you for sharing memories of this amazing trip! They hyrax being related to elephants is stunning, isn't it? Be well, my dear.
ReplyDeleteThe relationship is amazing. Thank you Darla.
DeleteWhat took you to South Africa? I have a lot of friends who left South Africa to live in Australia or New Zealand, especially in the 1990s, and warmly encouraged a trip. But sofar it hasn't happened, alas.
ReplyDeleteHels, Ray especially wanted to see the big wild animals, in the wild, and we did.
DeleteYour first encounter with Table Mountain is unforgettable.
ReplyDeleteRoentare, it was indeed.
DeleteI had never heard of a Cape Hyrax before. Sounds like your view from Table Mountain was quite magical what with the swirling mist and all. A lovely memory of your life with Ray.
ReplyDeleteMagical is a good word, YP. Thanks.
DeleteAn elephant? Must have similar DNA.
ReplyDeleteInternal gonads and something about its feet, my brief glance informed me Kirk.
DeleteI would of guess a little marmot.
ReplyDeleteI just had to check Dora, and they do look similar.
DeleteLove the mountain in your photos, Andrew has mystery to it and amazing the creature is related to the elephant!
ReplyDeleteMargaret, that could be an alternative name, Mystery Mountain.
DeleteCape Town is a beautiful city. I never came across the Cape Hyrax, they are also cute.
ReplyDeleteSami, while we stayed in the old part of Cape Town, I had no idea how it spread so far along the coast, as we saw when we left on a coach.
DeleteI would never guess that was related to an elephant. Nice views and always take that chairlift to the top when you can,
ReplyDeleteTP, you can't see the elephant resemblance?
DeleteWhat a cute little creature that is, Andrew.
ReplyDeleteWe thought it was Pat. Something recently reminded me of them, and I can't remember what.
DeleteI remember in "Born Free" the Adamsons had a pet hyrax named Patti!
ReplyDeleteSteve, your memory for film and tv detail is amazing. Of course we watched Born Free at the time, but no detail really sticks in my head.
DeleteHow adorable, Andrew!
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda.
DeleteI have heard of a shrew mouse, but never seen one. What a glorious place to visit, Andrew. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Sandra.
DeleteHi Andrew, I have never seen a shrew before. The closest animal to this that I do see here in Montreal is the groundhog.
ReplyDeleteLinda, which I don't know at all.
DeleteI have heard about the Table Mountain mists in movies and books, nice to know it is true. That's a cute little furry thing.
ReplyDeleteIt is, River.
DeleteOh this is beautiful! What a wonderful memory of a beautiful trip together! Thanks for sharing it with us. Andrew
ReplyDeleteYes, I had read somewhere that the mountain won't come to Muhammad
DeleteI always wanted to go to Africa and I didn't even know there were hyrax/ hyraxes? there to enchant me.
ReplyDeleteA lovely memory, Andrew
Thanks Kylie.
DeleteThe landscape looks beautiful, I would like to have a little hyrax here, it's funny that a hyrax is similar to an elephant ! Well, we humans apparently stem from apes !
ReplyDeleteIf you remember Ingrid, you put us onto the travel company we used, which was good in South Africa, a bit average in UK.
DeleteVery cute critters. Being in South Africa would be completely different from what you're use to.
ReplyDeleteYes Amy, but fairly easy for us to function. We never felt unsafe, but there was lots of security.
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