Today I was determined to have a fabulous hike and boy did Cape Town deliver! After a quick drive to the table mountain, we decided to climb one of it’s off shoots called The Lion’s Head. This rocky tower sits watch over Cape Town and Camps Bay, jutting high into the air right on the Atlantic. The hike began normally enough with a trail slowly spiraling up the head. Along the way a giant grove of Silver Trees (Leucodendron argentum) surrounded us, shimmering in the early sunlight. The hike got progressively harder and more rocky, soon we were walking purely along rock shelves, the soil left behind. Then the fun began, ladders! After a few of these and some mighty narrow rock faces, taking many breaks along the way, we started a hybrid hike/climb for the rest of the way. It was a work out! And then to Matt’s chagrin, we came to a pure climbing section on metal handholds bolted into the rock face. It was so much fun!!! Then after a little more hike/climb we reach the top, and wow, it was glorious! The views were 360° up in the clouds, with table mountain looming behind us and peeks of Cape Town in the fog below. Just breathtaking. It felt like you were at the edge of the world, overwhelmed by the enormity.
The hike down we dreaded but it ended up not being bad at all, the rock hopping and climbing definitely easier on the way down. The fog had crept up to join us so the temperature was delightfully cool and about 3/4 of the way down we spotted a falcon, just hanging out in a rock above us. After many a photo we headed back to our car and out for a late lunch.
For lunch we headed to the Victoria Waterfront, a giant shopping area along the harbor near our hotel with lots of restaurants. We picked at random and ended up with just a great meal, scallops with pineapple and grains (trust me it worked), calamari with avocado and anchovy tartar sauce (again, trust), and finally some Mozambique Prawns in a spicy curry sauce that I could eat by the gallon!
Back to the hotel to drop off our car, we had an impromptu gin tasting and a bit of a relax before our reservations at the fanciest restaurant in Cape Town, The Test Kitchen.
Matt had been wanting to go to this restaurant ever since he saw it in Somebody feed Phil and because of Covid, we were able to get a res on very short notice, usually the wait being at least 6 months. We grabbed an Uber to get over there, having a very in depth conversation with our driver about 80’s American soft rock, and he dropped us off in the middle of what looked like an industrial district. After wandering for a few minutes we finally found the restaurant hidden away in an old biscuit factory and were ushered into pure culinary delight!
We got a full 7 course tasting menu of delectable treats too numerous to count. Our favorites were a broth extraction made out of celeriac and dashi with the most umami mushrooms you have ever tasted, a coconut laksa that was spicy and savory, and a beef tairtare with yorkshire pudding that was fabulous! Along with these we got to try many wonderful South African wines and just had a splendid time! After a very filling meal back to the hotel, tomorrow early we’re off to Tswalu Kalahari!! 
5/4/21