Smile and Wave Boys, Smile and Wave

Last night after class, I hung around Warehouse17 for a while, talking with Johann about the PM class and how to get the most out of it for me specifically, and then met up with my suite mates (minus Henry) to grab dinner at a great place on the Waterfront called Ginja, and then go to the Cape Town Comedy Club! We didn't have reservations, and weren't sure if we were going to be able to get in, but when we arrived just 10 minutes before the start of the show, we were led to a table right in front of the stage. I think it was a strategic placement for the venue to put the Americans in the front row, so the comedians could make jokes at our expense. And the comedians did make jokes at our expense, talking about how we have land and Trump, in American accents while explaining every South African cultural reference. Griffin (or Kentucky, as he was known by the comedians for the night), who was sitting closest to the stage, took the brunt of it. Overall, we are all pretty laid back guys, so we just kind of smiled and waved. The show was hilarious though, especially the MC and the headline act (who founded the Cape Town Comedy Club), and my cheeks was sore from laughing when we left.

Today, Saturday, was supposed to be our first excursion, but shark diving was postponed for the Ghouma group, so I was on my own for the day. I decided to go to Boulders Beach where the penguins are (yes, there are penguins that live on beaches in South Africa. Yes, it's awesome), and I decided to bike there. So, after sleeping in a little (though I still got up around 8:30 since my body has just adjusted to the early mornings) I went down the street to the bike rental place and got a bright orange, fixed-gear, big, cushy seat, peddle break tourist bike. It wasn't ideal for the 50 mile ride ahead of me, and it was even more disheartening/embarrassing seeing people on legit road bikes doing a triathlon in Camps Bay, but it was a bike, and I went with it.

The ride was amazing. The road reminded me a lot of the PCH that winds down the California Coast, especially the Devil's Slide area, but with even bigger mountains, steeper cliffs, and beautiful bays. Like the sunrise over Lion's Head, the pictures do it more justice than my words can:

There was a shoulder in some parts, but I was mainly just riding on the road with the cars (the left side of the road here in South Africa, formally an English colony). It was a tough ride, but I eventually made it to the top of the major mountain pass, and then on to Boulders Beach.

Congratulatory sign written at the top of Chapman's Peak

When I got there, I saw some penguins hiding under bushes, but decided to first go to the beach part, and just cool down after the ride. It was a much smaller beach than I expected, but there weren't a lot of people there, and it was really nice. It is immediately clear why its called Boulders Beach:

I read for a few minutes there, stuck my feet in the crystal clear (but freezing!) water, and just enjoyed the space. After about 40 minutes, I made my way back to the penguin part of the beach. You don't actually get to interact with them (though I did see a couple up close on Boulders Beach), but rather stand on a boardwalk overlooking them. There were literally hundreds of penguins on the beach, and it was fascinating to watch the different ones waddling around, grooming each other, swimming in the water, etc. 

At one point, a seagull swooped down and stole one of the eggs. The penguins were quiet for the most part, but when they did make a noise, it was loud and strange - not at all what I would expect a penguin to sound like. I took off, after about 30 minutes of taking selfies with penguins and buying a penguin keychain/postcard, and saw some more wildlife on my way out. A baboon was just walking along the streets of Simons Town, right next to the downtown district. I stopped to take this picture of the baboon, at which point a much larger baboon started charging at me from up the hill, so I quickly peddled away. 

The storm (which I knew was coming but decided to bike in anyway) was moving in when I left Boulders Beach, and the wind gusts were brutal on my bike. It was so strong that it was a challenge to go downhill! When I finally made it back to the base of Chapman's Peak pass, I found the road closed and a line of cars not able to get in. I rode to the front of the line, asked the guy standing there if I could go, and he made a signal for me to just pick up my bike and walk around. So that's what I did. Probably not the smartest idea to ride on this pretty dangerous road during a storm with a high threat of rock slides, but it ended up ok. Plus, since the road was closed to cars (and no one else was out biking) I had it entirely to myself. It was so beautiful and peaceful in that grand mountain pass (a little too peaceful at times), and everything worked out great. Once I got through that pass, I was more confident I would make it back before the bike was due, and sure enough I pulled up to Camps Bay around 5 PM, 6 hours and 80 km later. 

I quickly showered, devoured a burger, chips, and gelato, and have just been sitting on the couch exhausted since. And tomorrow is another early morning: 7:45 for our actual first excursion!

P.S. Shoutout to the Y150 for making the Grand Final at IRAs. I'll be watching you guys in California from Cape Town.