It’s been another exciting week in Cape Town, filled with lots and lots of great adventures and memories. We started off on Monday morning by visiting the Two Oceans Aquarium at the V&A Waterfront. It was one of my favourite places. Although we were really eager to get into the Aquarium, our appetites got the better of us and we first had some snacks at the Shoreline Café, which also had a play area where I spent some time.

Once inside the Aquarium our first stop was to the Clown Fish tank, or, in my language, the Nemo Tank. It’s a stunning tank in that it is a cylinder, and kids can get into the middle of the tank and look out. I loved it!

I also got the opportunity to touch sea creatures and plants, so it was a fully sensory experience. I touched a star fish, which proved to be very rough. I also held (and tried to eat) sea weed, sea lettuce (you can appreciate my confusion), kelp and dead man’s finger which are long tentacle shaped plants.

The penguins reminded me of the Penguins of Madagascar and I looked for Skipper, Private, Rico and Kowalski, but I guess they were out on a mission, as they weren’t there to say hi. The frog show and frog enclosures enthralled me, and Dad explained to me that frogs are an incredibly important part of our environment, and sadly that there aren’t enough of them around anymore.

As part of the peak season the Aquarium also set up a sandpit for the kids to play in. Afterward I spent some quiet time sitting in the kelp forest reading the frog brochure that Granny bought me.

After the Two Oceans Aquarium I had another wonderful sensory experience – we went to the Scratch Patch. Mom and Dad have tried to take me often, but on those occasions either I was asleep, or the Scratch Patch was closed. So Monday we success.

I sat in the middle of the Scratch Patch and showered myself in semi-precious gemstones. I rolled in them and examined them and collected them. I had a bag that I filled with stones that I collected that I could keep. It was an awesome experience.

In the evening we had a family get together at Kim’s place. They had 100 crayfish tails which we all tucked into. Admittedly I wasn’t too impressed with them, but apparently I’ll grow to like them. While there I also met Tracy and Jonx, and Chad and Loren (who everyone thought was Angelina Jolie’s double) for the first time. Linda and Lorraine were also there, as well as Frankie and Henriette. I met my Great Uncle Alex for the first time too, and we had a nice long chat.

It was an awesome evening and I really got on well with my newly met cousins. Chad and I even went to the car park together where ‘he made a deal’; I can’t reveal more, as I’m sworn to secrecy.

Tuesday morning we headed off to Boulders Beach on the other side of Table Mountain. Although it’s a long drive it is worth it, as the beach is stunning. It is sheltered from the wind, and the huge boulders in the sea also make for gentle swimming. And swim I did, for the first time ever in the sea. I was so thrilled, and Mom and Dad felt so proud of me.

After my swim Dad and I built sandcastles and splashed about in the shallow surf. While we were playing Mom asked us if we’d like a cool drink or ice cream. Mom was thrilled when I responded beautifully by saying “I would rather have an ice cream please”. Mom’s heart melted faster than an ice cream in the 30?C plus heat! She showered me in kisses.

We left Boulder Beach after midday, as it was too hot to stay outdoors. I snoozed in the car on the way home. Back at Blouberg, where we were staying, Dad and I visited the Viper Lounge, who rent out Harley-Davidson motorbikes. Dad was really keen to rent one for a day and take Mom on a cruise. Unfortunately all of the ‘smaller’ bikes were out and they only had available was an Electra Glide, which was bigger than our tiny rental car. Dad said he would think about it, as he was nervous riding such a huge bike without his biking kit – especially the ankle boots.

In lieu of possibly renting the bike, Dad and I raced up and down the Blouberg promenade on my little push bike. This holiday brought with it a breakthrough in that I started becoming comfortable on a two wheel plastic push bike.

In the evening Mom and I played matching cards and I worked through the whole pack correctly. Everyone was so proud of me and I felt thrilled.

On Wednesday I woke up with a low grade fever and a bit of an upset tummy. Fortunately it settled down pretty quickly and we headed out to Little Bay in Blouberg. While we were there Dad built a track and a bridge for me. It would be the first of many such projects that would improve as the days went by.

While on the beach a young boy brought me a cup with little fish in it which he had caught. I was thrilled. Dad filled my sandcastle bucket with sea water, gathered up some sea weed, and we released the fish in the bucket. I was thrilled with their little habitat. Mom and Dad started chatting to the little boy’s parents, Peter and Henreite, and it turned out they were from Germany. Dad immediately started to chat to them in German and we all spent a nice time together on the beach. Mark, the little boy, and I played with my bridge.

While we were on the beach chatting and playing a thick mist suddenly started to roll in from the sea. This was our cue to leave. Because I was a little unwell I had a really nice long snooze in the afternoon. For dinner Dad went out to get us pizza!

By Thursday I was perfectly fine again. We went to Mouillie Point near Sea Point where there was a ‘Blue Train’ and a playground. I was thrilled when I saw the train and I gave it a kiss, because it looked like Thomas the Tank engine. I told Granny it was awesome. After my first ride on the train with Mom, Dad and Granny I played on the playground and rode my little bike on the track.

While we were there Mike arrived with a very special delivery. As a gift to me he had printed out all of my blog postings in glossy books, seven in total. I was thrilled! Mom and Dad were ecstatic. We had a long chat with Mike and it was really awesome to finally meet him and make a new friend. We promised we’d meet up again when we were back in Cape Town.

After Mouillie Point we popped into the V&A Waterfront where we had shawarmas for lunch. Near to where we ordered the shawarmas there was a raised platform, which looked like a stage. I climbed up, walked to the edge of the stage and announced “Ladies and Gentlemen”. Mom and Dad were thrilled and people couldn’t wait for my show to start!

I spent the rest of lunchtime playing on the jungle gym at the Waterfront. Afterward we wandered through the Red Shed Craft Market and then on to look at some of the stores in the Waterfront. Believe it or not, we serendipitously met Henreite and little Mark again, whom we met on the beach the day before. This was a sign! We exchanged details and promised to stay in touch. Apparently Mark kept asking to see me again since meeting on the beach the day before. He showed me his Lightning McQueen haircut – a zigzag just above his ear. I thought it looked awesome – his Mommy was not too thrilled.

Leaving the Waterfront I fell asleep in the car for my snooze. Dad drove through the centre of Cape Town so Granny could see how things looked / had changed. In the afternoon we had sundowners at the Blue Peter where we met Scott and Karen, whom Dad knew through Twitter. Scott had given me an honorary mention on Parenting24 a few weeks earlier, so we had to meet.

As it was getting late, Mom took me home where I did some art with Granny. Mom went back to the Blue Peter to spend some more time with Dad, Scott and Karen. Needless to say, I was still bright eyed and awake when Mom and Dad got home later in the evening.

Dad and I went to the beach alone for a while on Friday morning. We practically had the entire beach to ourselves. We built sandcastles and threw sand on each other. Dad buried me and then we had a ‘jog’ along the shore together – it was good Daddy/Jay-Bee bonding time.

After the beach and getting all the sand off ourselves we headed off to Canal Walk. Mom, Dad and Granny needed their annual fix of CornDogs (they’re not available in Johannesburg). The adults devoured the CornDogs without any words! I also had a tiny bit of one. Some window shopping ensued and then we met Aunty Birgitt and Uncle Wayne at the Canal Walk Spur. We had an awesome lunch and then I walked with Dad, Aunty Birgitt and Uncle Wayne to their new place inside Century City. They are so lucky – within walking distance of Canal Walk along the canal! While at their flat they presented me with an awesome toy – a solar powered car. I couldn’t wait to get home so Dad could assemble it for me. But first Dad had a physio appointment as his back was flaring up.

Once Dad was home from the physio he assembled my car for me and we left it on the balcony to charge in the morning sun. While I bathed later on Dad and I had water pistol fights in our apartment.

Mom was dealing with Roxy’s second escape while Daddy was doing my cares. Apparently the thunderstorms back home in Johannesburg were wild and as Roxy is frightened by thunder she does silly things. Earlier in the week she somehow escaped during one of the thunderstorms. Our local Sector Police SAPS Patrol Vehicle picked her up and took her to the vet where Leonie and Richard (our house sitters) collected her again.

Now, Friday afternoon, for the second time Roxy escaped because of the really loud thunder. Again she was found, with some minor injuries. On Saturday however we all agreed that it was be in Roxy’s best interests to stay at the vet in a kennel until we came home from our holiday. The vet would sedate her slight when the storms would start.

Once Mom had made all the necessary arrangements for Roxy on Saturday morning we headed out to Small Bay in Blouberg. Cousin Linda met us there, as she, Lorraine and Wayne had been on a really long walk on the beach and happened to find us. Granny and Linda immediately got down to the business of building a bridge for me on the beach.

Dad and I then went to the ‘island’ at Small Bay – it’s a bunch of rocks and beach sand that is accessible when the tide goes out. As we arrived on the island I immediately got to the business of finding treasure! Dad showed me mussels that were clinging to the rocks, as well as barnacles. I wanted to know the mussels’ names – Dad said there were way too many to know all their names, so I just waved to all of them!

We left the island and back on the ‘mainland’ Dad and I had water pistol fights and he spun me until we both fell over from dizziness!

Mom and Dad had planned to go out with the cousins on Saturday evening, so Granny would be babysitting me, Erin and Jenna. Dad and I walked to the KFC and the café before they arrived to get some dinner and snacks. After Erin and Jenna arrived, Mom, Dad, Linda and Lisa left. Lorraine and Richard joined them at the Primi Blue where they had an awesome evening. The girls, Erin and Jenna, went to bed dutifully at 9:00pm, as Lisa had told them to. I on the other hand partied until Mom and Dad got home.

Sunday morning Granny, Dad and I headed off to Small Bay for some beach time. Mom stayed home and snoozed for a while longer. At the beach Granny built me a track with bridges for my monster truck. Dad was ousted as chief engineer of road works as the road Granny built me was incredible. Richard, Silvia and Issy joined us on the beach and we had ice creams together and played hard. Mom joined us – she walked from our apartment to the beach.

After spending more than three hours on the beach it was time to head home for a team snooze. The afternoon was spent with a leisurely walk on the beach; but we didn’t get too far as the temperatures were in the mid 30?C’s!

Well that’s all for this week.

Love,

Jarrod

Photo 1 Inside the Nemo tank

Photo 2 Wow! Nemos everywhere

Photo 3 Dad had to collect me from the Nemo tank

Photo 4 Mom and I looking at fishies

Photo 5 Mom and I checking out a Lion Fish

Photo 6 Starfish meet and greet

Photo 7 Seaweed

Photo 8 Deadman’s fingers

Photo 9 Chilling out in the kelp forest

Photo 10 Froggie stickers

Photo 11 Hanging out in the cocopan at the Scratch Patch

Photo 12 Collecting gemstones

Photo 13 Rolling in a sea of gemstones

Photo 14 Some colouring in – no white spaces!

Photo 15 Loving Boulder Beach

Photo 16 Getting ready to swim

Photo 17 Swimming ON MY OWN in the sea

Photo 18 Planning to go out further!

Photo 19 Dad keeps a close eye on me

Photo 20 Loving it

Photo 21 Ice cream time

Photo 22 Yum

Photo 23 Hanging out at the beach

Photo 24 Dad and I hard at work

Photo 25 My first bridge

Photo 26 Playing hard

Photo 27 Getting into bigger construction

Photo 28 Testing the bridge

Photo 29 Fun times!

Photo 30 Little fish from the sea

Photo 31 Waiting for the Blue Train to start at Mouillie Point

Photo 32 With Granny and Mommy on the train

Photo 33 Looking out the window

Photo 34 Cheesy grin

Photo 35 The “Old Lady” Blue Train

Photo 36 On the race track

Photo 37 My printed books!

Photo 38 Train ride with Granny

Photo 39 Sunset at the Blue Peter

Photo 40 Granny and Linda helping with my road works

Photo 41 Bridge building well underway

Photo 42 Ice cream beach giggles

Photo 43 Playing with my monster truck

Photo 44 Granny ousted Daddy as chief highway engineer with this awesome track she built for me

Photo 45 Issy and I on the beach

Photo 46 Issy having an ice cream

Photo 47 Yummy

Photo 48 ‘Til next week

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