BEST. Valentines. Day. EVER!!!

Too bad we didn't take this sign seriously when we first saw it...maybe
Ben would still be alive:)

Ahhhh...where to begin?  Happy Valentines Day for starters.  Totally forgot about this special day until we went looking for a place to eat this evening!  One waitress looked at me like I was insane...so we had grilled cheese and plums for din din.  With a Cadburry chocolate bar for dessert...of course!

Dave had a bit of a tummy bug today so he was a serious trooper cuz today was the road trip of all road trips.  There is a drive here known as the "Garden Route" that starts here in Hout Bay and ends at the southernmost tip of the African continent known as the Cape of Good Hope.  First, just let me say that the drive was AMAZING!!!  Sheer cliffs and views to die for at every turn...it was really the best day ever!  The road itself is lined with walls of limestone brick that glimmer in the sun.  Some of the walls are carved out so the road is covered like a half tunnel.  

Half way to the Cape we stopped in a little town called Noordhoek Bay for lunch.  Jake wanted some McDonalds so, ya...we ate there:(  Anywho...as we walked in guess who we saw?!  The missionaries!  Three from Utah and one from Madagascar.  It was super fun to talk with them.  I actually got a photo with them but my phone is dead (more on that later).  Again...small world over here!

After lunch we headed over to Boulders Beach on the Indian Ocean side of the area.  This beach is special because it  has a colony of Jacka## penguins that roam around.  Yes...that is their real name.  Yes, my kids tried to use their name throughout the day. You can hike into a little swim area and hang out with them.  My kids were super pumped to see them.  They are really cute but are super smelly and will hiss at you if provoked.  The Indian ocean is a lot warmer than the Atlantic which made for a great day of swimming.  We are all so seriously fried...not even funny!  Unfortunately, a rogue wave came and drenched my phone and camera...so no instagram for a couple of days.  We have backup cameras thank goodness!!!

Next we drove into one of several Table Mountain National Parks to go see Cape Point and the Cape Of Good Hope.  There is a falsity that has been spread over the ages that the Cape of Good Hope is the southernmost tip...it's really not.  That is on the other side of the bay which we may go see tomorrow.  Anyway...about half way up the Garden Route we started seeing warning signs for baboons.  We discussed them at length...how big we thought they would be...are they really that aggressive to warrant such a huge sign AND so many signs...etc.  We looked and never saw any so by the time we got to the parking area at the Cape we didn't think they existed.  Oh...let me tell you...they EXIST and they are terrifying!  It was crazy windy there so we all got out and looked over the edge and almost blew away.  Ben was eating a granola bar and the next thing I knew he was running and screaming like a girl...because a baboon was chasing him!!!  Then we all started screaming and running into the car.  Luckily Ben threw his granola bar cuz it saved his life!  The workers all had a good laugh at the expense of our family...but seriously, those things are NOT cute!  Unless they are babies...which we saw...which made us sad because they turn into evil baboons with gross butts!!!  There were a ton up at the parking area..sitting on peoples cars and harassing innocent tourists.  I hate them!  Ben says he now has a new fear...baboons!!!

After the incident of the baboons we made it over to the Cape of Good Hope which was a spectacular sight.  The currents churned and frothed...it was an overwhelming amount of foam and spray!  There was a lovely little hike up to a lookout point where we saw a bunch of over sized rodents that live in the rocks.  They scared me to death.  They were everywhere!!!  We also saw some Sprinboks and Ostriches roaming the hills.  It was a magical place.

On the way home the Garden Route was crowded with lovers who had pulled over and were sitting on the cliffs, enjoying the sunset.  Some were drinking champagne, some were having a Brai (BBQ), it was the coolest sight to see.  The sunset was a lovely end to one of the best days ever!!!

Here's a photo for Kitty of our rental...pretty sweet!

Hout Bay in the background...the tall peak on the left is called the Sentinel.

Pulled over to take this phone while on the Garden Route

Emily and her new BFF at Boulders Beach.  They would actually get in and swim right next to you...then hiss at you if you got too close!

Jake and Brooke frolicking at Boulders Beach.

Rejected on Valentines Day by a penguin!  Forever alone!

This photo does not show the ferocity of the waves and wind enough...this place was wild!

Pure EVIL!  These guys are huge and their butts are UGLY!

Wild Ostriches

Ben and Brooke at the tippy top lookout point

Dave and Emily with beautiful green mountains in the background...on our drive.