Nostalgia, Gardens and Pigeon Rescuing

I deeply underestimated how tired I would be after all this. It's a good tired though- energy expended rather than wasted.

Per the previous post, today our friend arrived to pick us up and ferry us into town for an excursion to the Iziko South African Museum, a place me and my sibling have been going to since childhood. We haven't been back in a while and have been near electric to revisit it, along with the Company Gardens that surround it.

So naturally once we sorted out the fuckery that was parking we immediately took a turn in the National Library of South Africa.

Spontaneous, certainly, but worth it. At least for architecture, as most of the Library isn't open to casual visitors and checking in through security took longer than the tour. And, perhaps, I definitely think we went in the wrong way?

Once inside, however, it hardly matters, the central hall is massive and as soon as you pass into it the most amazing hush descends on you, a pressure of history and contemplation. There is a stage situated at the back, and we all took turns walking it and breaking out into (respectful) giggles. 8/10, good place to duck in to.

That small adventure wrapped up, we pressed on to the Gardens. Nothing officially calls it just 'the Gardens' but it's all I heard growing up and it flows better so I'll use it.

I did not appreciate the composition of this view as a child.

We didn't take in too much of it, as we were all eager to make our way to the Museum and as fast as possible. Me and my sibling jumping and flailing all the way.

And as we mounted the steps and crossed past the door emblazoned with a design of a fossil, we swiftly got our tickets and fell in.

The first exhibit we hopped into was all about rock/cave art and had an immediate emotional effect. I didn't take too many photos in here, still a little anxious to, but it was very beautifully set up.

From here it's a pretty swift entrance into the first floor, which is comprised mainly of marine animals with a side exhibit of arctic exploration. This first floor also houses the jaw bone of the blue whale, and suspended above are the casts of the juvenile blue whale and a sperm whale. This 'Whale Fall' exhibit is also a stair climb distance from the whale sounds area, which is a sort of yellow box you can climb into and observe the whole room while the calls play on loop. Fair warning, it is dirty in there, not sure why they don't clean it, but it wasn't too bad.

A very good boy.

Also notably, the plaster cast of the giant squid is displayed on this floor, and she is as beautiful as the day I first met her.

This whole floor in fact was all but dripping in nostalgia for us, and while it was slightly embarrassing to shed a few tears over the display of Ammonites, it's also been a rough adulthood.

Those are megalodon teeth on the right.

I don't remember too much of the second floor, save a few incredibly cunty photos I took of my sibling (not pictured as they are shy), and the giant giraffe. Most of this floor was closed, but there were a few highlights. I also believe the minerals exhibit was on this level.

Another floor up however and we get dinosaurs! I had to shake my sibling's partner in excitement over this, mostly because he was the closest by. Any energy that may have been flagging was instantly regained, and my memories of wandering this exhibit came flooding back in full force. 

My sibling was recalling a scene of two dinosaurs violently ripping apart a third, and initially we dismayed, thinking it to be under maintenance, but we quickly realized that it was on the floor above this one.

Before trekking upwards, however, we ducked into the bird section which is past one of the biggest assembly halls I've ever seen in my life and strangely hidden away. Here we also found the mammal exhibit we had been craving and had a delightful time cooing over what I can only assume is the taxidermy.

BABIES.

This is Miss Bug in a different font.

Hilariously good photo, just shocking.

I like him greatly.

Heading back, we ascended to the fourth and final level, and were met by more fossils and the aforementioned vicious dinosaur mauling which gave my sibling a panic attack in our youth. And, yes, looking at it again I really don't blame them.

There are intestines, lovingly rendered, and spilling forth.

Not the best photo, but you get the idea.

This all done we bid a fond farewell to the Museum, which was almost entirely empty at this point, and hurried out into the Gardens proper for some water and snacks.

This urge satiated, we spent a small portion on a few benches as my roommates fed the birds. Here the great pigeon rescue occurred, as my roommate and our mutual friend yoinked him out of the air and freed his talons from a length of string. 

We were menaced by a goose and no less than three separate squirrels. The rats ran rampant as I have never seen them before. 

Favourite view of the day. That cloud is a portent.

Our final stop was to look upon the oldest tree in the Gardens, a pear tree brought over in the time of Jan Van Riebeek, and which our family claims was the work of his gardener who was allegedly an ancestor of ours on our mother's side.

Citation needed, to say the least, but huge if true.

And with a final hoorah we pushed back out into the Cape Town sun, bundled into the car and drove to a grocery store for chicken breast and garlic paninis.

All in all an appropriately riveting day, but exhausting by sure volume of enthusiasm. I sweated my sunscreen into my eyes, and got an email from my godmother about applying for a job at a bookstore.

Would be nice! For now, I have to retrieve the bin and possibly take a nap.

10/10, I love bones.