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Saturday 17 October 2009

SIMONSTOWN

Simonstown is a quintessentially English seaside town with intricate Victorian wrought-iron balustrades and the flag-flying British Hotel dominating the main street. Enticing alleyways lead up to whitewashed houses on the hillside, which overlooks a charming waterfront complex and the False Bay Yacht Club alongside extensive Navy buildings.

A visit to the rare African Penguin colony at Boulders Beach, a couple of kilometres out of Simonstown, should not be missed.

During whale season (July to September) it would be virtually impossible not to see an enormous southern right whale cruising along the coast next to you.

In 1814 the English colonial governors of the Cape turned Simonstown into a Naval Base and it has remained one ever since. In 1940, when the sailors' favourite Great Dane dog created a nuisance of himself on the trains, a request was sent to the British parliament asking for him to be enlisted in the Navy. Permission was granted and the dog was brought to the Recruiting Officer, who inquired: "Name?"
"Nuisance, Sir", the sailor replied.
"First name?"
"Just Nuisance, Sir," the sailor stated.
Able Seaman Just Nuisance was the only dog ever to hold rank in the Royal Navy and he became a legend in his own lifetime. He died prematurely after a boisterous leap from a moving vehicle but is immortalised in the life-sized statue in Simonstown's Jubilee Square.

4 comments:

Nettie said...

Hi Pumpy! thanks for giving me your blog address which I shall now follow with great interest! My sister is in Port Elizabeth, her daughter is in Jo'burg. Enjoy your travels, is this a holiday for you or a world cup research trip? Nettie

Desire Fourie said...

Still envvying you. I must say visiting the cute Penguins at Boulders are always a hightlight. They are such animated creatures.
Hugs
Desire

Pumpy said...

It is a holiday Nettie, adding a bit of World Cup, trying to attract viewers !!!! My Uncle and Aunt live in PE. they are 91 and 92, so every now and again, I like to go and give them a kiss. Lovely hearing from you all. xx

Pumpy said...

Yes Desire they are so cute, but on the downhill I believe, will look into that and blog it. lovies xxx