Kirstenbosch

P1010086
Originally uploaded by ddemar1

Today a prof in the department took me to Kirstenbosch, with his wife and 8 month old. Kirstenbosch is hands down the most amazing botanical gardens I have ever seen. The only plants there are native to South Africa, and the diversity in species is fantastic. They encourage people to go on the grass here, and even have plaques to read up under the trees which encourages you to go up close to the plants. Many people were picnicking. The setting for the gardens is part of what makes them so breathtaking - it is at the base of the back side of table mountain. Apparently you can walk straight up the mountain from trails at the back of the gardens.

We also had lunch at a restaurant in the gardens - it must be the most beautiful view I have ever had from a restaurant table. I wanted to buy gifts for people at the gift shop, but found things overpriced. I'm glad I waited, because after we left the main part of the gardens, the prof''s wife (who is also a prof by the way - just not in the dept. hosting me) wanted to stop at the nursery. The shop there had many of the same items for 1/4th the price - I now have most of the gifts I wanted to buy :)

My camera ran out of batteries so I have only 3 of the gardens. The prof let me take many with his phone - which had a 3Mpix camera. I will have to get them from him before I go.