The Signs of Zimbabwe (the southern Africa Edition)

One of Africa's most amusing and endearing features?  Its (creative) signs!

Like this one from Boulders, South Africa--I had no idea penguins bite and I admit it sent me into giggles.

(Check out the penguins here.  Be ready for an avalanche of ridiculous adorableness.)

(For the Senegal/West Africa edition of creative signs: go here!)

All over Zimbabwe are animal crossing signs (elephants, wild dogs, cattle...).

I was so shocked to see the actual animal being warned about near the sign!

Nothing like an (inappropriate) pun to sell some eggs in downtown Harare.

Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe -- I think it should more correctly warn you that the deadly hazards are lions, elephants, etc...

The ex-pat in me found this one particularly amusing in a very junior high type of reaction.

Cape Town, South Africa -- totally made my morning when I drove past it.
Nothing like a Chuck Norris reference to make you chuckle.

Well, well, Gaborone, this is a bit risqué! Apparently Botswana has a certain type of humor. 

Nandos, the South African chicken food chain, has a history of pushing boundaries in its advertising.

It aired a commercial called "Last Dictator Standing" (see video below)
that was never aired in Zimbabwe after Nandos workers in Zimbabwe began receiving death threats.

During Zimbabwe's presidential elections, I thought this was one of the more clever ads.
It shows the leaders of the MDC-T opposition party examining the election manifesto of ZANU-PF, the ruling party of Robert Mugabe.


Approximately 30 feet away from this sign was an entire braiding extravaganza in Gaborone with approximately 20 woman getting their hair done.

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Snapshots from the road: the most beautiful drive

While visiting Cape Town, South Africa, I drove along the coast of the Cape Peninsula.

The scenes, from its cliffs, to its coast lines, just left me on repeat of a gush of "wow, wow, wow..."

The Cape Peninsula has dramatic mountains, absolutely adorable penguins, 

staggering capes of stunning beauty and historic importance, and beautiful bays like this one.

I have a thing for sunsets.

Camps Bay.

Okay, let's face it, I should probably just admit it:

My sunset obsession is very nearly as strong...if not stronger, than my lighthouse obsession.

I officially have a problem, but it's nearly impossible not to when Africa is just engulfed in stunning sunsets.

The drive into Camps Bay on the Cape Peninsula.

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Cape Point, South Africa

Not far from the Cape of Good Hope is Cape Point, South Africa.

The goal: hike up to this wonderful lighthouse.

(It's been so long since I've been able to feed my lighthouse addiction!!)

Up this beautiful path we went...

...and wow. Wow. Wow.  Just pausing en route took your breath away.

This is the Cape of Good Hope and Dias Beach.

The lighthouse made me miss the waters of Senegal.

The trip to the paths near the lighthouse are more that worth it.

Look at those cliffs!  That water!  Just wow. Wow. Wow!

For some reason, the cliffs made me think of this movie clip.

It's probably because I'm a huge fan and am still waiting to come face-to-face with a ROUS.

Looking down put the drop into perspective...

...and made me feel like a wimp. I mean, seriously!  This lizard was just chilling. No big deal.

New York City was 12,541 kilometers from the Cape Point lighthouse.

It had never felt so far away before.

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Take My Breath Away: The Cape of Good Hope

The Cape of Good Hope, South Africa

The view of the Cape of Good Hope and Dias Beach from Cape Point.

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The Cape of Good Hope is the most south western tip of Africa.

(I've also been to Africa's most western tip!)

The Cape is absolutely a take-your-breath-away moment of stunning beauty.

The first "modern" rounding of the Cape happened in 1488 by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias.

Dias called the cape the Cape of Storms but John II later renamed it because of the optimism the opening of the

sea route to India and the East was so great.

It was fitting that a ship--albeit a small sailboat--sailed past as we watched the Cape's crashing waves.

The Cape of Good Hope is the home of The Flying Dutchman, a ship that never returned to port.
Legend is it's crewed by tormented and damned ghosts who forever try to round the cape but never succeed.

Another view of the Cape.

With its stunning beauty, the Cape of Good Hope, after traveling the Skeleton Coast of Namibia,
was extremely dangerous for ships---wrecks line Africa's south western coast.

More information on the Cape of Good Hope.

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Penguins...in Africa! Wohooo!!

While visiting Cape Town in South Africa, we drove the Cape of Good Hope,

to see PENGUINS!!!

They were so ridiculously adorable.

And graced us with some swimming!

The penguins come up to about your knees.

And live on this breathtakingly beautiful beach in Boulders, South Africa.

Don't you just want one?!!

I had never seen a penguin before.  Even in a zoo.

So cute!  And surreal, to be in Africa, looking at an animal that in my mind should be somewhere very cold.

Doesn't he look like a convict? Hehe.

This was my first view of a penguin. Ever.  For real.

Walking to the beach, we found this guy in the drain pipes, a bit confused...

The penguins picked a stunning place to make their home!

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