cranky penguins

This past weekend, we went to Simonstown. It's a town about an hours drive away from Cape Town. The purpose of the weekend was to give our group a chance to just relax, because ever since we arrived we have had scheduled activities every day. Simonstown is known for its African Jackass Penguins, as well as baboons.
On saturday afternoon, most of us went to Boulder Beach. You had to pay to enter, but we were willing to pay a small price to see penguins. The beach was so beautiful. The water's edge was located in a quiet bay surrounded by enormous boulders. The water was such a clear blue that you could see straight down 20 feet. Nevertheless, we kept getting freaked out by our own shadows thinking that they were the shape of a great white. Who knew giant sea weed could be so intimidating. Since shark attacks are common in South AFrica, my main objective was/is to avoid donating my arm to a shark that wants an afternoon snack. In terms of the penguins, they were everywhere. Unfortunately my dream of snuggling a penguin could not be fulfilled since they bit anyone who came too close. Thus, I tried to compensate by taking an inappropriate amount of pictures. I also discovered the joy of chasing penguins, because watching a penguin "run" is hilarious.
After the beach, we were taken to the Cape of Good Hope. This is where the Indian and Atlantic oceans theoretically meet. Once we climbed to the top of the cliff, the temperature changed as we stood in the clouds. But when the clouds moved on, we could see the vastness of the horizon. When looking out at the blue water, I thought I could see the curving of the earth. I also took many pictures here, but they cannot fully depict what I saw.
On sunday, we slept late due to a saturday night out. The day was relaxed, and we planned to "braai" later that night. "Braii" is the word used here for barbeques, a common occurrence. We had previously be-friended the hostel owner named Andrew, who offered to take a few of us get get all the right meet and supplies for a proper braii. When they returned, they brought a ridiculous amount of lamb, chicken, and pork, along with wine. Oh how I love the exchange rate here. By the time the meat was ready, we were all hovering around the grill. With no utensils, plates, or napkins, we smashed the meat in about ten minutes. I really think that the dripping meet juices on our hands and faces really solidified our group bonding that made way for a great night. Among many events, the evening included a few memorable ocurences: cutting an un-ripe lime with a butter knife, a pseudo rugby game, disney movie soundtracks, and seeing shooting stars while laying in the cement driveway. Unfortunately, we all had to wake up at 5:30 this morning to get back to school in time. I have never had a more extreme case of the mondays. I can't wait to get back home today to Langa to see my family/sleep/watch Generation. It's growing on me.