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5/24/09: Arrive in Cape Town
Well it has finally arrived! I made it to Cape Town by myself in one piece! My uncle Denis and Cilla were at Cape Town International to pick me up and they took me back to their house in Edgemead. Though it was quite windy, we went to see the Milnerton view of Table Mountain with the "table cloth" over it. Seeing that icon for the first time on this trip, I could tell that I was finally here in my homeland.
I then saw my cousin Justin and Jenny, as well as my other cousin Dean and Nikki. Meeting my second cousin, Rebecca, who is almost two was great. She looks just like Dean! I gave all of them my American gifts (all food) which they were pretty stoked about.
Jet lag was kicking in, so I had some coffee to cure it for a little while. Cilla made some chicken soup with bread for dinner. Then I called everyone I needed to visit to set arrangements to get together. Luckily, my laptop and hairdryer are dual voltage, so a converter was not needed. Also, Dean--being the computer genius he is--installed a
wireless network onto my computer so I could go online.
5/25/09: Canal Walk, Grocery Shopping, and Spur
I got to sleep in until 10 AM to catch up on some much-needed zizzes. I ate some Pronutro for breakfast and then headed out to Century City in Canal Walk with Cilla. In order to exchange my traveler's checks for rands, American express was deciding to be difficult by requiring me to show them my green card, since a South African passport was not going to cut it, so I tried two other banks before I successfully got my money. I was then able to buy a South African adapter and lotion that I carelessly forgot to pack. I searched for real Australian Uggs, but no one seemed to have any. They are supposed to be much cheaper here than in the states.
After walking around the mall, we went to Spar to buy groceries. It felt like I was buying the entire store to take back with me to America! I miss all of the traditional food I used to eat back when I was living in South Africa. A few examples are: Milo, Nik Naks, golden syrup,
tennis biscuits, Provita crackers, Lady Fingers, Romany Creams, Zoo Biscuits, Marmite, Bovril, Roobois tea, etc. I will be buying loads of Cadbury's chocolates on the way to Johannesburg airport, so that they don't melt at Kruger Park.
Cilla and I had pies at home. Oh how I miss those pies! I had a pepper steak one. It totally brought back memories! For dinner, Uncle Denis joined us for Spar burgers. I have never heard of a rib burger, but it was pretty good. I also had a cider. When we finished, we went outside to watch an African group sing and dance. Very entertaining. Then, we drove around Greenpoint and saw the 2010 World Cup Soccer Stadium in the works. It's huge! Afterwards, we drove to Dean and Nikki's house so that I could have a tour of it. Luckily, they had an extra cell phone for me to borrow.
5/26/09: Blouberg, Welgemoed, Primi, Camp's Bay, and Signal Hill
I woke up at 9:30 AM and ate Weetabix for breakfast. Cilla and I then headed out to Blouberg Beach, since it was supposed to be a nice day. However, Table Mountain was a bit fogged over, but
La Ferme Chantelle
my sister wishes this was named after her!cleared up the rest of the day. It was great walking in the soft white sand. The tide pools looked nice as well. In hopes of having some scones, we went to a local cafe, but decided that anything other than fresh-baked scones was not good enough. Therefore, we had fried calamari and fries instead. I also enjoyed a grapetiser. On our drive back, we stopped at the roadside where a Zimbabwean woman was selling her brother's goods. Although I felt bad, I managed to bargain with her, since I was her first customer of the day. I knocked R10 off each of the items I bought. I'm sure Florence was happy with the R100 I gave her, in exchange for a giraffe bowl, lion, and wooden African continent with the Big Five. When I worked it out, I really only paid about $12-13. Clicks was the next stop to get my SIM card and airtime minutes.
Justin then picked me up and drove me to Woolworth's where apparently you can buy groceries. I thought it was only for clothes. The lady had his special organic carrots, celery, and apples ready for him. We then drove home to his
magnificent house on the hill in Welgemoed. The view is stunning. I still cannot believe he designed the house. It's beautiful. Of course, we had to have some homemade juice before going out, so Jenny came to the rescue!
I had ravioli for dinner at Primi, a restaurant overlooking Blouberg Beach. However, it was dark, so I couldn't see much. Jenny told our server that she could call her at any time to help with her travel consulting career and she was so appreciative. It just opens your eyes a bit. This lady most likely lives in a shack, yet she showed so much potential. I think we take for granted a little too much.
We then went for a drive, stopping in Camp's Bay where we had ice cream. Milo ice cream was a bit different. I also managed to get a picture of my mom's old apartments where she met my dad! Our Signal Hill drive was awesome. Cape Town's billions of lights seen from above was great.
5/27/09: Welgemoed
Justin made me a fruit smoothie for breakfast this morning. When he came back from his meeting in the afternoon, he took me out
to lunch at Kauai. I had a wrap and apricot smoothie. Gotta love the healthy stuff!
For dinner, Jenny and I made a vegeterian pizza with green peppers, tomatoes, pineapple, and mushrooms (not for me, thank you!). She made me roll the dough that she made in her bread-maker. Afterwards, we watched a little Oprah and Dr. Phil.
5/28/09: Tea and Scone, Cattle Baron, and Cubana
This morning, Sharron, Anne, and Anne's sister picked me up to take me for Earl Grey tea and scone on Oxford Street in Durbanville. Oh how I missed real freshly-homemade scones! Then we stopped by Anne's house to see her sons, Colin and Allan, their girlfriends, and Rusty, their dog.
After realizing only after Sharron took me to Canal Walk that I had my backpack and laptop bag in the car, she took me back to Uncle Denis' house where I had some tea with Cilla.
Later, Darryl picked me up to meet with his family, the Mazes at Cattle Baron. I had a sweet white wine with pork ribs and prawns for the first time. I must say that I prefer regular shrimp. These reminded me of Mr.
Bean (you'd understand if you saw the latest movie)! It was great to catch up with them again. Afterwards, Darryl, Tammy, and I went to a local bar, Cubana at Blouberg for a drink. They actually checked my ID for the first time since being here. I then spent the night.
5/29/09: Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Muizenberg, and Cape to Cuba
Most of today--which rained on and off throughout the day--consisted of taking a scenic drive through Stellenbosch and Franschhoek with Uncle Denis and Cilla. We went to Simonsberg Cheese Shop as well as past and through many winerys, including a winery named after my sister (just kidding!): La Ferme Chantelle.
We went past Stellenbosch University where my cousin attended. Soon after, we ate breakfast at the berry farm named Hillcrest Orchards where they sell dozens of different flavored jam. I had a chai tea and a croissant with bacon and eggs. The place brought back memories from last time I was here with my family outside having tea and scones.
After, I went to the little touristy shops in Franschhoek and bought some postcards to send back to California. Then, we went up to a high winery
on a hill and saw a spectacular view of Franschhoek. Then, we got traditional fish 'n chips at a fish shop in Stellenbosch, but we had to travel a bit to eat it. Finally, we ended up eating it in the car on Ernie Els's winery! We must be the only people to say that we have done that! There were so many fries stacked on top of the fish that we couldn't finish it. I also wanted to buy Ernie Els's wine, but it was going for R500!
The time had come to get going, so we drove through Somerset West and Khayelitsha. That township is HUGE! It stretches for miles! Now I have an idea of where I will be going to with my study abroad class.
We then made it to the coast and took a drive all the way down to Muizenberg. There, I met Glynnis (who visited us in California with her friend and my mom's friend) and her kids at her big, beautiful house in a safe, gated community. She showed me around town and then took us all to a nice restaurant in Kalk Bay: Cape to Cuba. It was very
nicely decorated inside and out. We all got cocktails. I had Cajon chicken with butternut and roast potatoes. You'll never get those side choices in America! We also all split a dessert platter filled with rumcake, breadpudding, crepes, banana with pastry around it, ice cream with tortilla strips, and Don Pedro Liqueur.
5/30/09: Constantia, Bishop's Court, Cavindish Square, Silvermine, Kommetjie, and Simon's Town
Today, Glynnis was a great tour guide for me. She took me through Constantia and through a rich neighborhood called Bishop's Court, which reminded me of Beverly Hills, except the people aren't celebrities, but rather wealthy South Africans. We also went to a mall called Cavindish Square, where we searched for Uggs that I have been meaning to get, but no luck. Not even the Australian store carried them. We got some biltong and wow, how I had missed that! Too bad I won't be able to bring it back to America to rid my friends of their liking of beef jerky! It just doesn't compare. After browsing the stores and market, we ate some Cadbury's Top Deck chocolate on the way to Silvermine on the back of Table Mountain. There was a gorgeous view
of Cape Town below.
All throughout the day, we had been hearing on the news that about 60 four-meter pilot whales had washed up on shore at Long Beach, Kommetjie, so we decided to go check it out. Because guards were blocking one part of the beach, we drove a short distance to another where I got some close up pictures and videos of this rare event. The leader of the pack must have been calling the rest, so they all followed him onto the beach. The public and conservationalists in wet suits were trying their best to move the whales out to sea again, but they kept coming back, leaving them stranded all along the beach. After three dying by themselves, the police then came to euthanize them. It was so heartbreaking hearing gun shots and cries of people who were trying to save them. Soon, the shore turned red. It was a very sad moment, but one that is once in a lifetime. I guess I could say that I was lucky to be there.
I then got dropped off in Simon's Town at my mom's best friend Rosie's house. It was awesome to see her
again as well as to meet her daughter, Carly. I don't remember ever meeting her when I was little. She's so funny! Unfortunately, Rosie's son, Johnathan is working in Johannesburg at the moment. A short time later, about 10 others came for their Rugby party. I had no idea this was happening, but it was cool to see everyone again, including Rosie's sister, Bev, her husband, Kevin, and son, Michael. We (the Bulls) beat New Zealand (the Chiefs) in the Super 14 finals. I finally got to eat South Africa's most famous sausage (Boerewors), since we had a braai (BBQ). My sister, Chantelle managed to skype me, so we all talked to her, which was great. After the game ended, we all danced in the living room and watched a Rolling Stones show. Then we had ice cream with Cadbury's chocolate sauce that Carly made and coffee to keep me awake. Everyone left at about 1:45 AM, so it was for sure a traditional South African party, unlike in America where guests leave before midnight.
5/31/09: Boulder's Beach, Noordhoek, Kommetjie, the Chapman's Peak Drive, and The Red Herring
Today was another sightseeing day. Rosie, Carly, and Michael took
me to see the penguins at their hibernating area at Boulders Beach. Since it is winter now, I never saw any of them on the actual beach, but rather burrowed in holes in the ground or walking around under trees. I took the same short hike as last time, but this time, I saw a Dassee in a tree. Believe it or not, this animal is the closest relative to the elephant! I then walked through some markets where I bought two African masks for R130 and three African men, a hippo, and a mask with the Big Five on it for R100! I am learning how to bargain!
Lunch in Noordhoek consisted of babotie, potatoe, and chicken samoosas and a cook sister for dessert. Memories! Carly's boyfriend and best friend met us there.
When finished, Rosie took Michael and I past Long Beach, where I got some nice shots of a sunset and over the cliffs from Kommetjie, where we saw a pack of baboons! They are known to highjack, so I decided to roll up the car window when passing the big daddy. Some were nursing their babies while another baby was climbing on it's mom's
A Dussee
closest relative to the elephant! back for a ride. They were so cute, but so ugly at the same time. Then, we drove by Chapman's Peak where I saw some ostriches on a farm.
I got a little taste of South African nightlife tonight in Noordhoek at The Red Herring. This was a small place upstairs with a live band and bar. We had a few drinks there with Carly and her boyfriend.
6/1/09: Simon's Town, Kalk Bay, and Kalky's
This morning, Rosie had to go to her office at Pam Goulding for a little bit, so I wandered around outside. I walked down the dock in Simon's Town and then bought some stamps at the local post office. I tried finding a zebra purse, but no luck. Then, I got excited when I saw the local Africans selling their crafts again. I bought a zebra, giraffe, springbock, and lion for R150 from one man and two hippos and a buffalo for R60 from another. I feel bad bargaining so much, but they must be so used to it and I was the latter's first customer.
Rosie and Allan then took me to Kalk Bay where we walked around, browsing the
little shops and walking through the harbor. We ate grilled yellowtail and chips at Kalky's, which is much like Snoekies in Hout Bay.
They then dropped me off in Edgemead at my Uncle's place. Plans had changed, so I ended up staying for the night. Luckily, I was able to do some laundry before heading to stay in Greenpoint from Wednesday onward. Cilla made pork sousages, mashed potatoes, and peas for dinner. For dessert, we had her homemade scones with Milo. I also imported my pictures and videos onto my computer. If I have the time, I'll try to put some on this website.
6/2/09: Paarl, Franschhoek, and Romantica
This morning Cilla and I cut out magazine pictures for when I make a collage with the African children. Then Kerri--Gerda and Trevor's daughter--picked me up and took me to Pick 'N Pay to get curry powder. I am hoping I can find it elsewhere if it's better. If not, this will do for now.
She then took me back to the grape farm she lives on between Paarl and Franschhoek. It is so pretty. The view from her house consists of vineyards, lemon trees, guava trees,
and the mountains. I went for a walk with Richard and their two Jack Russel puppies, Cody and Shem. We went down to the river which is ideal for swimming in the summer. I also got to meet the owner of the farm-a Dutch couple.
Richard and I then drove about 10 minutes to pick up the kids--Emma and Gaia--from school. They were wearing their uniforms and just had field hockey practice. When we came back, Kerri showed me her art studio, which is right next to her house. She is one incredible artist, as well as Richard.
Later on, we all went out to a restaurant called Romantica. I tried sushi for the first time. I wouldn't rave about it. Good thing the prawn meat was cooked. For my main course, I had a "rump" steak, potato wedges, butternut, and creamed spinach. Afterwards, I had an Irish coffee.
When we arrived back home, I caught up with some reading for my study abroad class that starts soon.
6/3/09: Check-In at Greenpoint Apartments and Bravo
I had some muesli for breakfast and then did some more reading until Kerri drove me back to Edgemead. There,
Cilla had made milk tart especially for me, so I had some.
Then I packed and got dropped off at my apartment in Greenpoint at about 5:30 PM. I was so excited to be the first one there to pick my room with a bathroom. However, when the rest of the study abroad students arrived after 11:00 PM, they asked if I could move to another room so six of them would be together. Of course I said "no" since I had already settled down and unpacked. They had to be split up, but two of them asked if I could move to the smaller room, since I wouldn't have a roommate, so I did. I ended up in a room with an extra bed, so I'm lucky that I have more space for myself only. There are two tables, a lamp, cupboard for clothes, and mirror. The apartment consists of three rooms with two beds each, two bathrooms with a shower, bath, and sink, a living room with chairs, table, and TV, a kitchen with a refridgerator, oven, stove, microwave, toaster, sink, cupboards, and drawers filled with kitchen supplies and silverware, and a patio.
At 6:00 PM--just
after I checked in--Jessica Morgan came to pick me up to go to dinner. However, her car battery died, so her dad, Bruce, came to help on his way home from work. Therefore, since I had some time to spare, I brought my passport and money down to the main office to be stored in the safe. By that time, the car started and we drove to a close Italian restaurant that didn't serve pizza (how weird!), so we went to another one in Greenpoint called Bravo. I had pizza with chicken, artichokes, rocket (a gourmet lettuce), feta, and other toppings. We both had asked for no chilis, but we tasted them in our pizzas. Oh well, I added chopped garlic all over mine and took my leftovers home, since it was so big. Apparently my roommates could smell it. After dinner, Jess's car wouldn't start again, so the African men had to push it. It still wouldn't start so I ran back to the restaurant to ask if anyone had jumper cables. Luckily, I found a man who did and we were on our way again. I tipped the two Africans R20 each for all of their hard work
that made them tired.
I did some more reading back at the apartment, waited for the rest of the group to finally arrive (their flight was delayed), and read more. I also got to meet Luke, our tour manager.
6/4/09: Castle of Good Hope, District Six Museum, Bo-Kaap, Langa, and "Sangoma"
My first real educational day about the city and history of South Africa occurred today. We all met at a cafe on our block for breakfast. I had a cappucino and eggs, pork and beef sousages, bacon, cooked tomatoes, and ciabatta toast.
We then went to the Waterfront mall to give everyone else the opportunity to exchange their money and then climbed the rocks where we could see the ocean and the World Cup Soccer Stadium in construction. It is planned to be finished on December 14th, 2009 in time for the June, 2010 games.
Ibrahim--our tour guide of the day--told us all about the city on our bus. The first stop was the Castle of Good Hope, a fort that took 13 years to complete and has been standing for 300 years. We got to see the pyramidal structure that stored the weapons,
a pool which was the site of America's Next Top Model finale, and a small brick room, called a "bunker," that stored 60 slaves in the dark with a hole in the middle to relieve into. Ibrahim also took us up to the six flags that fly above the castle, which indicate the six governments that ruled the cape. The current flag was designed by an Irishman. Red indicates bloodshed dating back to 1910, black indicates the black community (79 %), gold indicates South Africa's many minerals, white indicates peace, green indicates agriculture, and blue indicates the blue sky (which was seen after the bloodshed occurred, hence the red above the blue). After that interesting bit of information, we took a group photo on top of the castle with the city--including city hall--in the background. We also saw what the entrance doors to the outside would have looked like back then: the Atlantic ocean. Now, all one sees are big buildings. Land was built over the ocean.
Our bus driver then took us past what is left of District Six, a community of 60,000 people who were forced to leave their homes for the sole reason that they were
black. Everyone had respected each other, no matter what race they were, but in 1966, the government declared District Six a white area. Therefore, the inhabitants were required to move. When in the District Six Museum, I saw pictures of what it had looked like before and now. Everything was demolished. I also learned about the "pass books" that were meant to be carried on a person at all times (the law). If the police held a rifle up to one's head and asked for the pass book (which indicated race, but now, region), they shot the person if it was placed somewhere else. Arrests and prosecutions awaited 17 million Africans. Today, these books are used every five years to vote. People had saved the street signs and had claimed their property on a huge map of District Six in the museum.Since Ibrahim was an ex resident, he showed us where he lived on the map. However, his father wants nothing to do with it, so he hasn't written anything on it. I finally took pictures of famous South African food recipes. Maybe my mom would like to compare them to her own.
We then walked through Bo-Kaap/the Malay
Castle of Good Hope
6 South African flags Quarters, which housed very colorful houses, symbolizing freedom. While Luke was picking up some "sonomies," Indian curry burritos, I quickly went across the street to buy some leaf masala from a shop that sells everything for traditional Indian curry. I got the medium/hot kind that can be used for bobotie as well. I was also given instructions for making butter chicken, leaf masala, and bobotie.
Our next stop--after a longer drive through rush hour traffic in the rain--was Langa, a township. Then, there were 60,000 inhabitants and now, there are over 100,000. However, government now allowed 12 schools to be constructed. Residents speak mainly Xhosa here. Ibrahim showed us his primary school and where he was moved to after leaving District Six. In Langa, we visited an African doctor, or herbalist. The room had only a candle burning, so the herbs could keep their effectiveness. There were lots of random things hanging up, spread out, stoked up, and attached to walls. I curiously asked the doctor if he could give me 20/20 vision. He said that I needed to mix cuttlefish powder with water into a liquid and drop the potion into my eyes by a handkerchief for three
days and the blurryness should end. No thanks! Outside, I bought a banana tree picture on cloth of an African tree, ladies, and huts, which I hope to frame. The man randomly priced it as R40, but I only took R20 off the bus, so he halved it with no problem.
Our final stop was Shoprite to stock up on groceries to hopefully last us. I also managed to find some custard powder, Taystee Wheat, and Mrs. Balls Peach Chutney to take back to America. You're welcome Mom! Dr. Roberts (my course professor) and I then walked down the road to Woolworths to buy much better fruits and vegetables. I then put my passport, credit cards, and travellers cheques into her safe in her room, along with everyone else's.
For dinner, I heated up my leftover pizza from the night before and drank cream soda, which was amazing. I also had to buy the internet for 14 days, which I am on in my room.
6/5/09: Green Market Square, Pan African Market, and Surprise Welcome Dinner
Today, I made myself some honey whole wheat Pronutro and tea for breakfast. We went to the other apartment to
have a lecture, but Dr. Roberts and Luke decided that we should go shopping first, so I quickly grabbed an apple and orange (since I miss my juicing!) and took a taxi to Green Market Square. There, I bargained for a black African bag with animals and zebra print on it for R60. It was the closest I could find to the solid zebra print bag I was looking for. I also bought a stone family structure for R40 from another African. However, I didn't have time to get my rhino that was being textured especially for me, so I will have to go back and get it some time. We settled on R80, which I still owe him.
Next, we went to the Pan African Market. It was a couple stories high filled with elaborate objects of all sorts, including different ancient masks. Luke was very knowledgeable about the history of so many of these artifacts. We also went to a wholesale place that sells items for much cheaper than usual. I was tempted to buy so many things, but decided not to, since I had bought so much already.
We also went to an African music
store and then had coffee. A taxi was there to pick us up, but made one of the two of us in the front seat lay down on top of everyone in the back. I ended up with the best seat by myself in the front while nine others were squished into six seats in the back! The driver was scared that he'd get a ticket but we insisted that he took us, and we were fine. I must say that he was one crazy driver, honking people, and driving as if he owned the road!
Once we got back to our apartments and had lunch (I made myself a beef pastrami, lettuce, and tomato sandwich), we went to the other apartment again to have a lecture and discuss the day before. I learned about the development of lifestyle understandings of death and special considerations when working with orphans and vulnerable children.
So far, the course itinerary has been changing, so Luke took us to his friend's house for a nice home-cooked South African meal. This surprise welcome dinner consisted of boerewors appetizers, salad, yellow rice, butternut, and mild chicken curry. It was weak! We all got some
drinks at a liquor store before, as well. There were some Africans playing guitars and a huge traditional African drum at the party. They played their own songs as well as various covers with several guest musicians. Dr. Roberts even played her ukulele.
6/6/09: Moyo, Spier, Winetasting at Neethlingshof, Stellenbosch, and Mama Africa
This morning, I made myself some tea, Pronutro, and fruit salad (guavas, apples, and oranges) with peach/apricot yogurt. Our bus driver drove past Khayelitsha, the largest black informal township in Cape Town and second largest in South Africa. Ibrahim told us that the people here think they are living in a luxurious palace, since Mandela had given them three basic human rights: electricity (used for light and TV), water, and sanitation. Yet, they still live in shacks, squatter camps, and shanty towns (informal), rather than brick houses (formal). Now, 1.4 million people reside in all 12 square kilometers (about eight square miles) extending to the Atlantic Ocean, with 3.5 people/shack.
We then made it to Spier. There, we browsed through Moyo, a place I remember eating at last time I was out here. We all got our faces painted, as well. A short walk
District Six Museum
street signs from District Six took us to a cheetah laying down and owls at an eagle sanctuary.
On our drive to Stellenbosch (the oldest town discovered after Cape Town), we drove past ostriches, zebra, wildebeast, impala, and springbok. We then went to Neethlingshof (founded in 1692) to experience a little wine tasting. We tried two white wines, two red wines, and one dessert wine (which I bought: Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest). We were also allowed to eat cream crackers inbetween each tasting.
We then made it to town in Stellenbosch and browsed through an inherited store, called Oom Samie Se Winkel (translating into Uncle Sam's store) and I took a picture of a chicken just like I did the last time I came to this place. I then went to Mugg & Bean to get a Horlicks hot chocolate and a scone with strawberry jam and whipped cream. However, it wasn't warm, which was a bit disappointing.
We then drove to Fairview Wine Estate in hopes of doing some more wine tasting and trying goat cheese, but we got there just as they closed. We still got to see the goats and peacocks, though.
For dinner, we headed out
District Six Museum
map of original District Six to Long Street at Mama Africa. I had a Robben Island Iced Tea, crocodile kebabs (they taste like chicken!) with vegetables and rice, and malva pudding with ice cream. There was also a really good live African Marimba band to watch. The restaurant was really nicely decorated, with a coke bottle chandelier being one of the unique decorations.
6/7/09: Lion's Head Hike
Today was really exciting! I made myself some Pronutro and tea for breakfast and then had some fruitsalad with cape fruit yogurt later on. Right before we left, I made a beef pastrami sandwich. By the time we drove up Signal Hill to start our hike up Lion's Head, I was ready to go. It took about two hours to the top. Part of the hike involved climbing up chains, which was a pretty big adrenaline rush, since I had to trust a chain and my hands only. The views of the city, the Water Front, Green Point, Sea Point, Clifton, Camps Bay, the Twelve Apostles, Table Mountain, and Devil's Peak were breathtaking. The weather was perfect: not too hot and not too cold. We ate a little something before heading back down. However, I decided
District Six Museum
"pass books" / before and after of District Six not to go down the chains this time since that is much harder than going up. When we got to the bottom, our bus driver took us through Camps Bay, Clifton, and Sea Point on the way to Green Point where our apartments are.
Uncle Denis and Cilla then came to pick me up to have boerewors hotdogs for dinner. Dean, Nikki, and Rebecca came over a little later. I then got dropped off at my apartment again and said my "good-byes" to Uncle Denis and Cilla (since they are leaving for Germany on Friday).
6/8/09: Olive Leaf Foundation in Khayelitsha
Today was the first day that we interacted with the African children. I made myself Pronutro for breakfast and then headed to the other apartment for lecture. I learned about Western / American cultural & historical perspectives on death / socialization about death. Afterwards, I had some fruit salad and granadilla yogurt as well as the last of my left over pizza (finally!) before I left. On our bus ride to Khayelitsha, we met our new tour guide--Arlene. As we were driving past it, she was telling us that kids play soccer and play in dirty
Bo Kaap
Malay Quarter puddles right next to the highway. We also looked slightly above to see lots and lots of cable lines wrapped around a pole.
When we got to the Olive Leaf Foundation office (formerly Hope World Wide), we had a short orientation and collected paperwork to read and sign. We were now volunteers for the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) project. We played with the kids at a primary school in Khayelitsha. First we all spread out between the kids in a huge circle and played a game. Then we took pictures of the kids and they took pictures of themselves. They love cameras! For the majority of our time with them, we made art projects with the supplies we brought over from America. They made masks, played with balloons, colored, made collages, etc. It was an afterschool program with a kick. These kids were overjoyed that we were there with so many cool things. At first, they were a bit shy, but when clean-up time came, they literally devoured my bag of pens! I had a big packet of art supplies coming into this, but left with only magazine pictures and paper! They were that excited!
After a
fun time with the kids, we went to Vicky's Bed and Breakfast close by. She is considered the most popular person in Khayelitsha, if not the South African tourist industry. The house is a two-story shack with seven rooms, a patio, kitchen, living room, etc. It is actually very nice inside. Only the view isn't very nice: miles of shacks. We got to meet her two daughters. The youngest one loved having stickers all over her face!
When we got back to the apartment, I made myself a salad and spaghetti. I also went down to the gelato store on our block with my roommates. I had Bar One and Cherry Marzipan Pistachio...yum! Since I had ran out of air time in the middle of a call earlier, we walked to the local pharmacy, but it was closed.
6/9/09: Green Market Square, Lunch at Vicky's B & B, Olive Leaf Foundation in Khayelitsha, Learn to Earn, and Rafiki's
Today I made some tea and Pronutro for breakfast. Then, my roommates and I took a taxi to Green Market Square where I finally picked up my rhino with its newly textured hair. When combining the partial payments from
today and friday for both the rhino and the stone family structure, I think I paid about R150, since I made the Africans--John and Anxious--wait another four days. I could be wrong though, but it was still much lower than the original prices. We also went back to the wholesale place, where I bought turquoise earrings. I also recharged my airtime minutes, since I got cut off in the middle of a conversation with Carly the night before.
After the same taxi (coincidence) dropped us off at the apartment, we left for Vicky's B & B again. Only this time, we got to meet Vicky, herself, and eat her homecooked food for lunch, which included chicken, vegetable curry, yellow rice, cabbage, pumpkin, etc. She then gave us a lecture on Xhosa customs of death, which was very different to our culture.
We then went to another primary school in Khayelitsha where we interacted with about 30 (much less than the day before) schoolchildren. We all brought different things for them to work with, such as fingerpaints, paper bags, puzzles, bubbles, paper, stickers, and most importantly...CAMERAS! One kid must have taken over 50 random photos with my camera. Another
two kids were dancing, so I videotaped them and showed the kids. They were so overjoyed to see an instant playback of themselves. After clean-up time, we passed out cups of water, bread, apples, and oranges to the kids. Some were apparently hiding food so it looked like they didn't have enough. I guess they will do anything for survival. Others ate their food right away, because that was most likely their first snack of the day.
Our next stop was at Learn to Earn, a place in Khayelitsha that gives Africans with potential a chance to succeed and earn a decent income. The manager gave us a tour around the place, showing us where the students learn graphic arts, sewing, welding, and craft-making. We saw many items made by these individuals, including pictures of their faces, clothing, and silicone vases.
On the bus ride back to Vicky's place (where half of the class was spending the night), we ate "Fat Cake" (Afrikaans: Vetkoek), which was a sweet roll with apricot jam and cheddar cheese in it.
Carly then picked me up at my apartment later on and we met some other students in my class at
Cubana down the street. However, they were ready to leave, so we went to a different bar on Kloof Nek Road, called Rafiki's. We sat upstairs with her friend and had a drink. I had a Vodka and RedBull, because I wanted some caffeine to stay awake to get things done on the computer. I think it is working, especially since last night, I was dosing off for over two hours until I gave up at only 11:00 PM. For dinner, I made myself some cheddar and broccoli soup with toast and Cream Soda (for extra caffeine).
6/10/09: Rehoboth Old-Age Home/Hospice and Overnight in Khayelitsha
Today we left early to pick up half of the class from Vicky's B & B and then head to Hanover Park where the Rehoboth old-age home and hospice is located. There, we had tea and coffee and attended the staff's morning worship, but I could barely keep my eyes open since I never slept the night before. I was laughing inside when the main lady would site part of a Bible verse and the others automatically knew which verse it was. They made us sing for them, as well. Then, we went
on a tour of the hospice and old-age facility. Some of us watched the elders practice for their sport tournament. They were doing dribbling, kicking, and passing drills in order to train for their "olympics" all around South Africa. Then, we visited the Alzheimer's patients where my professor was playing the ukulele for them. Finally, we served the residents some lunch. For our lunch, we went back to Learn to Earn where food was prepared for us: salad and a cheesy pasta dish. I had a Stoney gingerbeer.
Half of us then got dropped off at Vicky's B & B where we got situated in our rooms upstairs. We then went to the shabeen just across the dirt street. The alcohol was behind bars where the seller and her son were. A huge bottle of beer was only R9 (just over $1)! We played pool with the locals and my team won! They were very good, but I think that is because they have nothing better to do every day. We also played a little bit of cards. We then spent literally the whole afternoon and evening playing with the township children. We never brought anything with us for
them to do, but we managed to keep them entertained for hours. We swung them around, gave them piggy-back rides, played limbo, played hand games, took photos of them, etc. We then got bread and fruit to pass out to them. They all lined up outside of Vicky's B & B. Vicky, who had a stick with her, wacked one boy because he came back for more when he was already given. No one messes with her! She made us and her children a chicken and veggie curry for dinner. I also had Pine Nut soda, which reminded me of Cactus Cooler. Of course, I was the first to pass out at 9:00 PM, since I had pulled an all-nighter the night before.
6/11/09: Rehoboth Old-Age Home/Hospice
Vicky made us homemade scones and muffins along with coffee for breakfast. Then, the bus came to pick us up from Vicky's B & B to take us, along with the rest of the class to Rehoboth again. There, we had tea and sandwiches. After, we cheered on the sports teams. The team I picked was the "Yellow Tulips." The elders had to shoot some small baskets and throw rings over
Moyo, Spier
face painted targets. A lady who I was sitting next to asked me the same question over five times: "Are you partaking in the games." I presumed that she had Alzheimer's disease. It was really sad to witness, but she seemed so happy. A few of us then went over to the hospice center where we met the oldest person residing there: a 100-year and 3-month old woman. We listened to her life story with a journalist and photographer. We also got a tour around the hospice where the sick were being cared for . Lastly, we served lunch to the hospice-care patients.
I decided not to do anything tonight and just take it easy for once.
6/12/09: Maitland Cemetery, Olive Leaf Foundation in Khayelitsha, Cattle Baron, and Cubana
This morning, I made some Pronutro for breakfast and then headed out to Maitland Cemetery. We saw Africans singing before a body arrived to honor it. We also saw an Islamic holy man's coffin in a secluded room. I also visited my great grandparents and great great grandparents' gravesite, along with my brother's ashes.
We then went to a "creche," in Khayelitsha which is a type of day-care center.
The children, who were only 3-6-year-olds, sang for us. They were so adorable! We then allowed them to play with things we brought, such as plastic parachutes and soldiers, foam and regular stickers, etc. Then, we passed out yogurt, fruit, and peanut butter sandwiches to them.
Later on when I got back to my apartment in Greenpoint, Darryl came to pick me up and took me to the Waterfront Mall to exchange some more traveler's checks for rands. The exchange rate slightly dropped. Since I never brought my green card, they made me sign the same form as before to override it. I never had this much trouble when exchanging my traveler's checks for pounds in London. We then recharged our airtime accounts at Pick 'N Pay. It seems to run out extremely quickly.
We then met Darryl's family again at Cattle Baron for his 28th birthday dinner. I had a calamari salad and a Savannah Dry cider. Afterwards, Darryl, Tammy, and I went to the same Cubana in Table View right by the restaurant. We met all of his friends there where we had a great time celebrating his birthday. His friends are really fun and outgoing,
especially his best friend, Dustin. It was 80's-themed that night, so they were playing all kinds of 80's music. I had a Windhoek lager, Hunter's Extreme (an energizing cider), Vodka Lime and Soda, and Vodka Redbull. It was pretty late, so Darryl took me back home so that I wouldn't be very tired for the Cape Peninsula Tour the next day.
6/13/09: Cape Peninsula Tour, Primi, and Bar-Hopping
Our whole day was devoted to a cape peninsula tour today. The bus took us past the Sea Point promenade, the four beaches of Clifton, Camps Bay, Llandudno, Hout Bay, Chapman's Peak (which was unfortunately closed), Kommetjie and Long Beach, the Constantia wineries, Simon's Town, and Kalk Bay. We stopped to hike up to the site of another Islamic holy man's coffin in a secluded room. We also stopped at the Hout Bay harbor where a few of us took photos with a huge seal that was just chilling in the parking lot. I think it was the same one I saw on my previous trip to Cape Town. Fay, my family's previous neighbor, came to pick me up, since it was pouring with rain. She took me past Fish
on the Rocks, Snoekies, and Mariner's Wharf. She also took me to see my family's old house in Hout Bay. We also stopped at Cape Point where we hiked down to see a beautiful beach. The bus also stopped at Cape of Good Hope, the most South-Western point of the African continent. There, we saw ostriches and baboons! Later on, the class and I walked through Boulder's Beach in Simon's Town where I saw lots of penguins on the beach this time. We then had a late lunch at Kalky's in Kalk Bay. I had hake and chips this time. The bus then took us all of the way back home.
Dean came to pick me up with Nikki and Rebecca in the car. As I was walking to it, my cousin Kim jumped out and surprised me! She came back to Cape Town from Graffe Reinnet for the long weekend (Youth Day). I was really happy to see her, since I didn't think I was going to be able to. We went to another Primi at the Waterfront for dinner. I had pasta pockets and an orange Fanta.
As I arrived back at the apartments again, the
class was just about to leave to go bar-hopping, so I quickly got ready to get a taxi with them. Luke's friend first took us to a bar/sex shop on Kloof Street, called Kink. I had a Vodka Redbull and Vodka Lime and Soda. He then took us to another bar on Long Street, called Fusion. There, I had a Hunter's Dry cider while watching a DJ competition. Later on, we went to a Cubana on Somerset Road in Greenpoint, where I had a Savannah Dry. We then got a taxi home.
6/14/09: Cape Town Fish Market, Ruyterplaats Estate, and the Morgans' House
Since the ferry rides to Robben Island were cancelled due to the weather, we had a free day, so I decided to see my cousins again. Dean, Nikki, Rebecca, and Kim came to take me to lunch at the Cape Town Fish Market at the Waterfront. I had a "Bento Box," which consisted of calamari strips and light vegetables. Everyone had sushi (Nikki even had caviar), but not me of course. I'm not into raw fish. However, the conveyor belt which held all sorts of sushi was cool to look at.
Later on, Fay
and her daughter, Lauren came to pick me up from my apartment. They took me to see my first house in Ruyterplaats Estate where the guard let us in with no problem. It was dark, but I managed to get some photos. The house is not up for sale or rent any more.
They then took me back to their house in Hout Bay where I saw Bruce and Jessica again. Fay let me read my mom's old letters she wrote from our voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, and finally, America. It definitely brought back a lot of memories. Fay made chicken, potatoes, and butternut for dinner. I also had a muffin that Lauren made. We then watched a little bit of Clueless and a Celine Dion documentary. Lauren then drove me back home to Greenpoint.
6/15/09: Robben Island, Center for AIDS, and Center for Baby Orphans
I had some guavas and yogurt for breakfast this morning. It was a nice day, so we got dropped off at the Waterfront to catch a ferry to Robben Island. The sea was flat, but it was a bit windy on the top deck where I was sitting.
The view of the mountains and the city from the ocean was amazing. However, once we got to the island, it was all clouded over, so what once was seen had suddenly disappeared, unfortunately. On the island, we took a bus tour and learned about the prisoners who had to mine in a limestone quarry. Here, Nelson Mandela had placed a single rock down and the other prisoners did the same as a moment of silence to remember the prisoners who couldn't handle the struggle any longer. On the other side of the island, we saw a Taiwanese shipwreck from 1977 washed ashore and the Robben Island Battery (a military base). I also learned that prisoners had to go into the freezing-cold water and get seaweed, just as extra punishment. After the tour of the island, another tour guide--an ex-prisoner--took us through the Maximum Security Prison where Mandela was sentenced for 18 years. His cell was tiny, with just a small table, blankets, and a thin strip of material to sleep on. The barred windows had no glass over them, so the prisoners would be freezing, especially in the winter. Blacks had to wear shorts and no shoes, whereas coloreds
could wear long pants and shoes. They never ate the same foods, nor got the same portions, either. We got to stand in the same place where they worked outside. After the tour, the ferry took us back to the continent.
The bus picked us up from the Waterfront and took us to a center for AIDS patients. The owner took us on a tour, where we went in a rondawel to watch some African children play marimbas, a church, a gym, and room where HIV-infected patients resided. He also took us to a shop with different crafts made by the people at the center. We then took a small tour of a center for baby orphans.
For dinner, I made spaghetti for two roommates and myself, since I wouldn't be eating at my apartment any more.
6/16/09: Youth Day Ceremony in Langa, Khayelitsha, "State of Play," and Justin and Jenny's House
At about 5:30 AM, I got a text from a lady with the shark dive company some of us were going to go out with. The trip had to unfortunately be cancelled, because of the weather. It had rained hard all throughout the night
and drizzled a bit in the day where we were. The trip to the island would probably be miserable. However, it was a little disappointing, since here is the only place in the world where people can go cage-diving with Great Whites.
I had fresh guavas and yogurt for breakfast before we went to a primary school in Langa. There, we watched a Youth Day ceremony where performers included African dancers, African singers, marimba and African drum players, and actors. Youth Day is a national holiday celebrating the many young people who marched at the Soweto Uprising, especially Hector Pieterson, who I will get to later on in Johannesburg. They were protesting the implementation of Afrikaans as a language tought in every school. They had fought for their own rights to keep their own languages, but many died trying. After the celebration, we passed out muffins, small sandwiches, and fruit to the children. There were so many kids, that the huge amount we brought wasn't enough.
Afterwards, we went back to Vicky's B & B, where we got soda, fruit, and bread to pass out to the township children in her community. Vicky was there with her stick
again to keep everyone under control. Some kids had come from the part of Khayelitsha where there is a 100% unemployment rate. I couldn't imagine how hungry they must have been.
When we arrived back at our apartments, Dean and Kim came to pick me up and take me to meet Nikki, Justin, and Jenny at Canal Walk. We saw a thriller, called "State of Play." The ticket system is so different to that of America. The seats were actually assigned like they would be for a concert or play. Afterwards, we went to Justin and Jenny's house in Welgemoed to have pesto pasta for dinner. There, I also Skyped my dad for the last time. Luckily, Kim had an extra cardboard box and bubble wrap from Justin's work, so I was able to pack all of my wooden and stone gifts as well as all of the groceries I bought to take home to my family. Dean and Justin taped the box up with lots of sturdy string. It ended up weighing 12.6 kilograms or about 27.72 pounds. I don't know what I would have done without that box, since I only brought one suitcase (we were allowed
Mama's Crocodile Kebabs
and Robben Island Iced Tea two 50-pound suitcases). Justin and Jenny then took me back home.
6/17/09: Olive Leaf Foundation in Khayelitsha, Arlene's House, and Rosie's House
I had guavas and stewed fruit/custard yogurt for breakfast this morning. I then headed to the other apartment for a lecture on bereavement and ritual. Then, we participated in our final volunteering project with the Olive Leaf Foundation at the first primary school we went to last week. The children decorated their photos that were taken of them last week, made masks and colorful beaded bracelets/necklaces, and facepainted. It was also my professor's birthday, so they sang to her in English and Xhosa. Afterwards, we went back to the Olive Leaf Foundation office to surprise her with cake. There, we also filled out volunteer questionnaires and donated our left-over groceries that we never got the time to have.
The bus then took us to Arlene's house in Lansdowne--another surprise for my professor. There, I had some white wine and a Savannah Dry. I also called my mom's old boyfriend, Peter as well as my grandpa in Durban with the small amount of airtime I had left. Dean then came to pick up his cell phone
that I was borrowing and we said our final "good-byes."
Finally, Rosie and Allan came to pick me up and take me back to their home in Simon's Town. There, I saw Bev and Michael again (Kevin was in bed with the flu). Max--their dachshund--was also there to greet me, but I don't think he remembers me from 2 1/2 years ago. Rosie made a salad and tomato bredie for the first time. I then Skyped Trevor and Gerda, who just came home from Singapore. Rosie and Bev then took me all the way back home to Greenpoint. I stayed up very late finishing my third reflections journal for class.
6/18/09: Arrive in Johannesburg, Check-In at the Africa Center, Nando's, Apartheid Museum, and Cool Runnings
My roommates had failed to tell me the night before that the journal wasn't due at the airport this morning. Everyone kept giving my professor shots last night, so she decided to postpone the due date! I am just glad I got that writing portion of the trip out of the way. Everyone else has a lot of catching up to do now.
Our flight left at 8:00 AM this morning.
Breakfast on the plane consisted of the saltiest bacon and eggs I have ever had, a roll, yogurt, orange juice, and coffee. When we got to Johannesburg airport, Luke and our new tour guide, Lutendo were there to meet us. It took a while for me to get my checked-in box, since it was with the fragile items. We took a huge luxury bus to the Africa Center where we will be staying for the next couple of days. The accommodation is beautiful and very Africa-like. There is a pool, jacuzzi, lounge, bar, dining room, and playground. My room's door has a lion carved into it. The pillows, walls, and curtains have African animals all over them. I also have one roommate now.
Once we checked-into our rooms, we all went to Nando's for lunch. I had a Meditteranean chicken wrap, peri peri potato wedges, and a grape Fanta. They are known for their peri peri spice used in their food. Then, the bus took us through the city where Lutendo told us all about the history of gold here as we passed many gold mines. We then arrived at the Apartheid Museum where half of us were issued
Lion's Head Hike
climbing chains! a "whites" and "non-whites" ticket to enter. My ticket was the "non-whites" one, so I had to enter at a separate entrance. It just goes to show how segregated this country was in the past. We also walked through a separate exhibit all about Nelson Mandela's life. The couple of hours spent in this museum were very intense. At one part, we had to walk under nooses and watch a video of policemen beating innocent blacks. I found myself holding back tears--it was that powerful. Once I walked through all of the parts of the museum that displayed the many events of the apartheid era, I took a rock and placed it on a big pile of rocks in front of the South African flag, reflecting on what I had seen, heard, and read.
When we got back to the Africa Center, my roommate and I watched the last half of "The Game Plan" in our room. Then, Luke and all of us walked to Cool Runnings--a restaurant and bar. Luke bought all of us Bob Marley shooters, which consisted of peppermint (green), Amarula-like liquor (white), and Sambuca-like liquor (red). For dinner, Luke and I split a pizza. I
Lion's Head Hike
climbing chains! thought I would try something different again, so my half had rib meat, mince, chicken, and garlic on it. I also had a huge glass mug of Peroni lager. We then walked back to our accommodation after J-walking again. Here, fines for that are unheard of.
6/19/09: Soweto, "Sangoma," Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Wandie's, Hector Pieterson Museum, Mandela House, and Steers
We had a buffet breakfast in the dining room this morning. I had scrambled eggs, sausage, a crepe, a muffin, a scone, fruit salad and yogurt, mango juice, and Five Roses tea. The bus then took us through the biggest black township in the world--Soweto. I felt like it was a lot more developed than Khayelitsha in Cape Town. There were many houses owned by African millionnaires. We walked down one street in a squatter camp where children were begging us to let them write their names in our notebooks and take photos with our cameras. Another tour guide, Eric took us past a tiny day-care center where children were playing on a jungle gym and a house with tires on the roof (believed to stop lightening strikes). We also stopped to see a female "sangoma," who
showed us her certificate that was given to her after years of training to become an herbalist. I witnessed her throwing bones and shells as she claimed that she was communicating with her ancestors. One of the students even went to an orientation with her. I wasn't going to waste R50 on something I am not sure that I believe in.
We then drove to the Regina Mundi Catholic Church, which served as a refuge for the young protestors of the Soweto Uprising. We saw several bullet holes in the ceiling and a corner of the alter that was broken off by a policeman's rifle out of anger. The church held 7,000 children and teenagers, many who died running in and out of it. Just being in the church made me feel disgusted, knowing what really happened in it on June 16th, 1976. We also saw a painting of the Black Madonna and Child
We then went to lunch at Wandie's, a restaurant started by an average black man in Soweto. It has become very successful, now that people from all over the world have come to eat there, including Oprah. There were business cards, notes, and bills
in different currencies all taped to the walls and ceiling, including our names that we put up. We had a buffet, which consisted of chicken, beef, lamb, sausage, mashed potatoes, pumpkin, African spinach, rice, and cole slaw. For dessert, I had cake, fruit and custard, and blueberry and neopolitan ice cream.
We then went to the Hector Pieterson Museum where we walked past flyers on the street that read "Our Struggle Continues / Reclaim June 16th." We also saw the Hector Pieterson Memorial and the only photo of him being carried by a fellow student with his sister running by his side. He was one of the first casualties, dying at the age of 12. We spent about 30-45 minutes in the museum, browsing all of the information on the happenings of the Soweto Uprising when students were protesting the imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in township schools.
We finally drove through Orlando West on the only street in the world that housed two Noble Peace Prize winners: Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.
For dinner, half of us went to Nando's. However, since I am all about variety, I decided to get a Steers
Lion's Head Hike
tallest point of mountain burger to eat there. It just made me miss In 'N Out more! I then jumped on the trampoline outside of my room and it was actually pretty fun!
6/20/09: Constitution Hill/Court, Hillsbrow, Nelson Mandela Square, and Nando's
I had the same buffet breakfast this morning, with an omelette instead of scrambled eggs and a pastry instead of a crepe. We then made our way to Constitution Hill where we got a tour of the prisons, including another one where Nelson Mandela served some time, as well as Mahatma Ghandi. We went through Constitution Square (where prisoners awaited trial), the Women's Prison (separated into black and white sections), a Xenophobia exhibit (displaying photos of township attacks all over South Africa last May), the men's room (where they were packed like sardines), Number Four (where showers were used once a week by the prisoners), the torture room (which held a flogging frame), a watch tower (to make sure no political prisoners escaped), and isolation cells (one of which is believed to be haunted). Finally, we went to Constitution Court. The huge double doors had the 27 basic constitutional rights carved into it and inside the building, we saw an
art sculpture, called the "Freedom Ladder," which symbolized the steps to a better democracy within South Africa. The courtroom had 11 justice seats that could move around and the largest porcelain-beaded South African flag in the country. After we saw the court, we walked through an art exhibit, containing many different kinds of unique pieces. There are also some stairs outside that separate the court and the prison, symbolizing an end to segregation and a beginning of a superior government.
After the tour, Lutendo took us through the center of Hillbrow and through to the Nelson Mandela Square, where we took a group photo in front of the 20-foot statue of Mandela. We all had lunch in the food court of the mall. I had a lamb "schwarma," fries, and a pineapple Fanta. It was a Middle Eastern meal, close to the gyros I had in Greece.
When we got back to our rooms, my roommate and I watched "Mr. Bean's Holiday." The students and I walked to Nando's for dinner again, where I ate a 1/4 lemon and herb chicken and spicy rice. I also got an Appletiser.
6/21/09: Nan Hua Buddhist Temple and Youth with
a Vision in Dennilton
I had the buffet breakfast again this morning: an omelette, sausages, peaches and yogurt, a muffin, a scone, manjo juice, and Five Roses tea. We then stopped at the SuperSpar to buy some chocolate and water, since it isn't good in Dennilton. It took us about an hour to arrive at the Nan Hua Buddhist Temple where we would be staying for the next two nights. After we checked into our chalets--which consisted of two rooms with two beds each, two bathrooms, a lounge, and a kitchen--we drove a long way to the middle of nowhere: the Youth with a Vision facility for orphans. There, we attended a lively African church service under a thatched roof outside. The children honored their fathers for Fathers Day. Lunch was provided by the owner's children. It consisted of fried chicken, salad, mashed potatoes, vegetable gravy, and spinach. I also had granadilla soda, which was also like Cactus Cooler. Afterwards, we watched some singing and dancing performances and then listened to the owner's (Cynthia) vision for the facility. It was started to give youth a second chance after their parents passed away from AIDS. They are given a place
Jumping on top of Lion's Head
with Julius...the only guy on the trip! to stay, food from a kitchen, church space, a vegetable garden, life skills, and a guaranteed schooling. Finally, we brought bubbles and beach balls for the children to play with. I played with Cynthia's last-born daughter. My professor also let the teenagers play her ukulele. Some other students passed out shirts to the people, as well.
Back at the Buddhist temple, we had our first non-meat meal in silence. A monk walked around hitting a wooden block, which meant that dinner was ready in the dining hall. We all stood on one side of the buffet, while all of the monks stood on the other side and prayed. Talking was forbidden, so all one would hear were the forks (or chopsticks) scraping the tiny plates (they didn't want us wasting food). I ate a potato salad dish, corn, fried sweet potatoes, rice, and oranges. We were allowed as many seconds as desired.
After dinner, we met in my professor's chalet where Lutendo lectured on Venda customs of death. I had no idea he was part of an African tribe. Then, I decided to be the first one to shower, but the water wouldn't warm up and the knobs
kept shocking me. It turned out that all of the students' showers were doing the same thing. One girl's arm got electricuted when she touched the shower head. I decided not to take a shower that night, along with the rest of them. Even the sink faucet and the water itself shocked me. I had to stand on a towel in order to turn things off without getting hurt. It was pretty scary.
6/22/09: Nan Hua Buddhist Temple and Youth with a Vision in Dennilton
I woke up early this morning to watch the sunrise over the temple, but the sun only came up when we were eating breakfast. The buffet consisted of green beans, nuts, colliflower, avocado, beets, oranges, bananas, bread and jam, and green tea. It was my first vegetarian breakfast, but I am definately not a fan! The food was good, but some wasn't really appealing for 7:00 in the morning! We then walked through the small Buddhist Museum in the reception area. I saw the clothing they wear, different types of porcelain, etc. We then went on a temple tour and had to take off our shoes as a sign of respect inside. There
View of Lion's Head
taken from Signal Hill were three massive golden Buddha statues that were as tall as the second floor.
After our second long drive to the Youth with a Vision facility, half of us did some gardening for the people there. We mixed cow manure with the soil, planted onion seedlings, and watered the crops. Lunch was provided by Cynthia, which consisted of grilled chicken, salad, vegetable gravy, white and yellow rice, spinach, and sweet potatoes. I also made myself a concoction of pineapple and orange Fanta. Finally, we cut long grass with machete-like objects to clear the boundaries for the dirt soccer field. My team unfortunately lost, but I still had fun playing with the locals. They were really good! One can tell that they really take pride in the game.
Thankfully the showers back at the temple chalets were working safely. However, all four of us had to shower one after the other without turning off the water. For our second non-meat dinner, we had fries, greens, chow mein, yellow and pumpkin rice, pumpkin, and grapefruit.
6/23/09: Wimpy, Check-In at Tremisana Lodge, and Sunset Drive
I woke up early again, but the sunrise occurred later on. I managed to
View of Khayelitsha Township
taken from Vicky's Bed & Breakfast balcony take a photo of the monks walking to breakfast from the temple, however. The buffet breakfast consisted of broccoli, beets, yellow and red peppers, apples, raisins and nuts, hard sticky glazed pastries, bread and jam, and green tea. Two vans were at the temple already to go in on our long way to Kruger National Park. The girls in the van had a clever strategy of putting me in the front seat so that our professor wouldn't come in our van. Luckily, it worked! We first stopped for chocolates and after a couple of hours, we stopped for lunch at Wimpy Burger. I had fries with a cheese, bacon, and hash brown burger.
Shortly after, we had some juice at Tremisana Lodge and then checked into our rooms. I now have two roommates. Apparently, a few days before we arrived, there were lions drinking in front of the lodge. We got to relax for a little bit before our sunset drive in open-top jeeps. For all of the students--except me--this was their first time in the bush. We saw impala, wart hogs, blue wildebeests (crossing the street), elephant poop, and an elephant, himself! Our driver had to use a
View of Khayelitsha Township
taken from Vicky's Bed & Breakfast balcony powerful spotlight, since it was already nighttime. He was eating from a tree and seemed content. The African sunsets were beautiful, as well.
When we got back to the lodge, we had dinner, which consisted of chicken, rice, bobotie, pumpkin, and veggies. For dessert, we had lemon meringue. I also had my leftover Smirnoffs from Cape Town. We then sat around the fire and had coffee. Finally, I went to the guesthouse where some of the students were staying to watch "Twilight." Everyone is so obsessed with the movie that I felt like I had to see what all of the rage is about. After finishing my last journal in the ride over to the lodge, I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my back. I don't have to worry about any more writing and now I can just relax for the remainder of our trip.
6/24/09: Safari in Kruger
Breakfast at the lodge consisted of corn flakes, banana and papaya, mixed fruit yogurt, bacon and eggs, a muffin, toast and jam, juice, and tea. On our way to Kruger National Park, we saw giraffes, baboons, and wart hogs. We then got into the
Green Market Square
John and Anxious with my specially-made rhino! open-sided jeeps again and started our safari. We saw springbok, impala, blue wildebeests, zebra (and a baby), giraffes (even one drinking from a water hole), baboons, wart hogs (one was muddy from a water hole), guinea fowl, turtle-like animals, a crocodile swimming, hippos, more buck, elephants (very close up and even crossing the road in front of us), buffalo, and white rhino. For lunch in Kruger, I ate a pepper steak pie with fries and gravy. I also got a Bar One ice cream bar. Many metallic blue birds and some other birds (like Zazu from "The Lion King") were jumping around the tables. I saw zebra and buffalo from our lunch stop, as well. After lunch, we set off on the rest of our safari. This time, we saw more zebras (and a baby), vulture-like birds, a kudu, more buck (including a tiny baby), white rhinos, ostriches, elephants (close up and crossing again), giraffes, baboons, a warthog, and...a leopard! It was so pretty! It was resting in a tree, but since several cars and jeeps had decided to stop on the road to watch it, it decided to climb down so that we could see more than its tail
Bedroom in Vicky's B & B
hotel shack in Khayelitsha hanging down and blending in with the branches. I don't know how the guides learn to spot things so easily. All I wanted to see were hippos (which I did see in and out of the water) and a lion. Though I never saw a lion, seeing a leopard was just as exciting! We even saw the traditional African baobab tree. On our ride back to the entrance, we stopped at a store where I got Smarties Eggs and Mrs. H.S. Balls chutney-flavored chips.
When we arrived back at the lodge, I got a Brutal Fruit mango drink and had salad, green beans, tomato gravy and pap (a porridge-like substance), beef steak, and boerewors for dinner. We then sat around the fire with coffee again and signed the guestbook. Finally, I started to pack my bags once again.
6/25/09: Three Rondawels at Blyde River Canyon, Steers, and Depart from Johannesburg
After doing our final packing, we had breakfast at the lodge, which consisted of corn flakes, banana and papaya, strawberry yogurt, bacon and eggs, a muffin, juice, and tea. A monkey had stolen one of the yogurts and was eating it in the tree above us. Maybe
it was the same one I heard running over my room's roof this morning. We then took the two vans to Blyde River Canyon where the Three Rondawels are located. These are three huge natural geological structures shaped like traditional African huts. The river below was stunning, as well. The local African ladies were selling their crafts here, so I decided to buy a wooden crocodile and baboon. I bargained with the woman and ended up giving her a little less than the R55 we had agreed upon, because I didn't want to break my R100 bill!
The vans then stopped for lunch at Steers where I got a bacon and tomato grilled cheese. We also stopped at a store where I bought about R450 worth of chocolates to bring back to California! I was keeping everyone waiting, but it was so worth it! South African chocolates are the best! Included in my stash were Cadbury bars (of course), Aero bars, Mars bars, Bar Ones, Crunchies, Flakes, Lunchbars, Milo bars, and P.S. Personals. The van then dropped us off at the Johannesburg airport where I quickly put all of my chocolates in my suitcase. My box and suitcase together
weighed 30 kilograms (or 66 pounds). I was surprised, since we were allowed a total of 100 pounds. I bought Amarula for R99 and got a free gift: a world cup glass soccer ball key chain. I then received only $70 for the R700 I had left over (after the fees). The flight left at 6:00 PM and I ended up sitting with the only guy on the trip. We were the only students who were permanent residents of California (he is a citizen of the Philippines).
When we arrived in Dakar, word was out that Michael Jackson had died. I didn't believe it at first, but all of the newspapers at Washington Dulles airport showed him in the headlines. I still can't believe he is gone.
Well that was my trip. Five weeks went by very fast. Cape Town is still my all-time favorite place in the world, but my Contiki tour and train rides through Europe were a lot more fun. Studying abroad is very time-consuming, but I can now appreciate South Africa's history and peoples a lot more. I felt like a piece of me was missing before I went on this
Khayelitsha
Vicky's B & B / shabeen trip, since I left South Africa at such a young age and Californian schools don't really teach about other cultures. South Africa's past isn't something I can be very proud of (even though my parents and friends didn't vote for the system of apartheid), but I definitely can be proud of it's recent past. My homeland is a very unique place that I would recommend everyone to see before they leave this earth.
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Chantelle
non-member comment
Wow Steph, Sounds like you're having a blast! It was nice to talk to you today!