From the ocean to the mountains
We drove inland to the Groenlandberg. This area is intensively farmed with fruit and so to begin our walk we were transported like apples by tractor.
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Our walks at the sea had been so spectacular that we doubted they would be rivaled, but although the peak of the flowering season had passed we were treated to the most magnificent views and incredible flower diplays (perfect weather also helped).
I photographed many individual flowers but those can wait for another time EXCEPT FOR this exquisite Gladiolus. The top of the mountain was covered in thousands of these delicate beauties.
However flowers were not the only source of wonder for us. We also saw this very beautiful and rather vain southern rock agama.
But for me the highlight was a wonderful Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion sp.) that Helen spotted. My experience is that these special creatures are much rarer now than they were in the past and anecdotal reports supports this. Their decline has variously been ascribed to habitat destruction, climate change, pesticide use.
If you have never seen a Dwarf Chameleon, these beautiful reptiles are aptly named because they are surprisingly small and cute.
