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After a few days here in Cape Town, I am remembering what I love about it so much. The vibe is low key and layed back... the streets move with a certain pulse, more smooth than Joburg...not as hectic... but there is still that raw feeling of Africa that, despite it's bad rap, is alive and is what makes Africa what it is. I am at an internet cafe and still cannot upload photos because I didn't bring enough money with me to "rent" their flashdrive adaptor that I can hook my SD card to( you then get the money back when you hand it back in)... anyway, I know now where I can do it, and I can try again soon. I have so many photos of the falls, Namibia and it's treasures, plus a few from the first few days in the Mother City. Elisha commented on how hipster Cape Town is... it truly is... the same mass produced cool guys and girls that a city like Austin vomits up. It is so funny sometimes to see how hard these people try... I mean, how skinny can jeans get?

Money is sad... since none of the projects/companies I worked for paid me what was established (or at all) and I was basically ripped off and let down...other than the last place ... we do not have much money and what we do have is not really ours- I just have a very caring family. We are trying to be frugal, but then you do have to buy groceries... and we want to get gifts for folks back home as well... but thankfully so many of the backpackers across the country are giving us free stays as we worked at a backpackers... so accomadation is not an issue... just getting from town to town.

We are Penthouse on Long Street Backpackers. great place. friendly people, run by a family in this giant inner city flat/office building. We went up on the rooftop and the view of the city at night is spectacular. Table Mountain is as magnificent as ever, beaming high over it's city... we wanted to take the cable car up but it has been closed due to fog over the mountain.
So we took the Robben Island tour. I am sorry to say, but it was a huge let down. I was so excited, it has such history about it... Leper colony, outcast island used by the British before they used the larger dumping ground- Australia... and finally the political prison of the Apartheid era... the tour was rushed and mediocre at best. we were given no time to actually explore the cells and read all of the information. I was so angry. How can they promote it as such an important icon in history(which it is) and then give it no justice. The worst part is that the tour leaders are former inmates themselves and why he wouldn't want people to completely absord all that it can offer us as a lesson of the past- is beyond me.

Some people have given me the idea that they are disappointed that my venture here has become more of a personal adventure than doing volunteer/ community work. I tried. I have done so many things in South Africa, including starting my own computer program that is still functioning... they just didn't need me after all... politics of colour are funny... but if anyone wants to tell me they are disappointed, please come off of your high horse and send me the check and we will start something together. I am here.

take care...
(will try photos again soon!!)

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