Rhodes Memorial Restaurant

            Having already finished classes on the 21^st of October, I’ve found myself having plenty of time to relax, amid studying of course.  I’ve been sleeping in a bit later, and enjoying reading books in between getting ready for finals.  This past Tuesday, the day before my first exam, my roommate SarahCatherine and I went on a nice run in the morning and then made our way up to school.  We walked along the outside of upper campus to the top right corner where a bridge over a wire fence sits.  Beyond the fence, up a short dirt path, sits Rhodes Memorial. 

(Hike to Rhodes)

(Rhodes Memorial)

Behind said memorial, sits Rhodes Memorial Restaurant. 

(Rhodes Memorial Restaurant)

The hike up to campus and up the path had made us sweat, but we quickly cooled off as the wind atop the mountain dried our sweat.  The view was immaculate.  Though the memorial hardly sits above the bottom of Devil’s Peak and Table Mountain, it is still high enough to rise above all of Rondebosch and the neighboring towns.  From where we sat, on a picnic bench resting on a cobble stone deck, we could see our apartment, and all along Main Road.  We could also see much further past Main Road to highways leading out to the townships surrounding Cape Town, and eventually to the mountains sitting across the way.  To our right we spotted the Indian Ocean far away, and to our left, the Atlantic, bordering the city.

(View from our picnic table)

We sat outside, enjoying the views from our table, and ordered breakfast.  I ordered a latte, and our waiter brought it over speedily.  As I’ve already explained in a previous blog, they let you make your latte’s yourself here in South Africa.  Thus, I was given a tall glass mug of steaming milk (definitely not skim) and a small pitcher of espresso.  I happily poured the espresso over the milk.  Though the latte got cold quickly because of the wind, it was delicious.  SarahCatherine and I both ordered Eggs Benedict, the item on the menu that had drawn us to this restaurant in the first place. 

(Eggs Benedict and a latte)

The dish was quite different than what I’m used to at home.  The English muffin had much more a bread-like consistency, with green herbs speckling it, the Canadian bacon much thicker, and the hollandaise sauce thicker and yet less creamy.  The breakfast was delicious, but is in no competition with the Eggs Benedict my mom makes at home, which I will gladly be eating in 22 days time!

After we had finished eating, I ordered a scone to go.  I was to stay on campus all day writing a paper and studying for my final the next day and had forgotten to bring up a snack.  The scones here are different as well. 

(Scone)

They aren’t filled with chocolate or fruit.  Instead they are just a big ball of dough onto which you can spread butter, jam, or this cream mixture.  I added condiments to my scone and let the waiter wrap it up.  SarahCahterine made our way down to the memorial and took a last look across Rondebosch and Cape Town, and then made our way back down to school.

(View from the Memorial)