Day 196: Mossel Bay – De Hoop Nature Reserve

The second attraction in Mossel Bay is the Cape St. Biaize Lighthouse. From the outside, it's rather plain and practical, but the real experience is that you can climb inside. The lighthouse is protected only by a "Do not touch" sign.

The entrance fee includes a drink, so we get a second cappuccino with a view of the sea and: whales! So amazing.

We make sure we leave the N2 quickly with the rushed returnees to Cape Town (weekend/end of school holidays) and drive through rural South Africa. A gravel road runs past huge farms with winter wheat, rapeseed, sheep, and ostriches. There's even a short ferry crossing.

And then the De Hoop Nature Reserve. We actually only booked it to escape the hustle and bustle for two nights. Good decision. A stunning landscape with fynbos, dunes, and the "vlei," a saltwater lake that has long since lost its connection to the ocean. A picturesque village that somehow reminds us of Holland or Denmark. Bunting, which we haven't seen yet. Lots of birds.

We take a short walk along the vlei, and since we had salmon ravioli for lunch, we'll have the current cold-dish favorite: avocado, cheese, and eggs :-).

And probably our last campfire :-(