...and then the dust...

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Older babblings...
And he said watch the fire burn... I hope that guy remembers those times, spent driving fast and shouting from the window! Well this side, here at the backpackers in Joburg, met this Indian guy but not Indian like all the other Indians here in SA, Native American if you will but thankfully he is not one of the Native Americans that actually think they came from the ground in the Americas, he knows thatthey have actually only been in the Americas for around 10, 000 years at the most, instead actually coming from Mongolia where some of their distant relatives still reside... he was a very friendly guy, has been staying in SA on and off for a matter of years...has friends and a small plot of land in Swaziland... engaged to a lady from Botswana... he talked for about two hours to me about this book he is writing called "First Dawn of the Morning Star", which he said was like a Native American "Matrix" type of thing... because all of these ancient holy spots throughout the world had to be reunited as people had destroyed the ancient beliefs and whatnot... and it is all very interesting and probably a great deal of it is true. He has spent time in Ireland, Egypt, Australia, Germany, Italy, Antarctica and South America; studying these sites and gathering information that relates all of these ancient worship points in some manner or another. It is all information he is using to compile his book which he says he also wants to see become a film some day. I don't know how much luck he will have as it is a very in depth subject and we all know that most movies that actually get made are, well, shallow crap that does not really mean much to anyone... good guy though and made me think a little about a few things that I had not really given much thought to before... Took this Germany guy named Yakup around the city for a few days. Elisha and I showed him the Oriental Plaza and Market Square by Museum Africa... in the area known as Newtown, but he continued to pronounce it as Newton... really phenomenal guy, kind and fun and easy going... he was happy to jump on the kombi taxis and happy to find our way around parts of the city that no foreigners dare to tread... and we all enjoyed it... got lost... found our way again... had some great food and made a good friend..and contact, as he says whenever we are in Germany we can go and stay with him Dusseldorf. He is a free type of person, he buys old furniture, fixes it up a bit...mainly stuff he buys in Turkey or Belgium and then re-sells it in Germany... that is all. no boss, no office.... no schedule... and YES he does have a degree. that he does not use... just like the Native American guy, who has enough credit hours for like 3 degrees... but that just is not what he wants in life right now. These types of people give me comfort in knowing that if I am, in fact, irresponsible and idealistic as people have said- well at least I am not alone. So as long as there are other people in the world that enjoy life and want to live it for the day , for the moment , for the simple thrill of not knowing what exactly comes next... then I am, in fact, ok. Still enjoying cooking here at the Backpackers Ritz... it is nice because Pete gives me a lot of freedom when it comes to the dishes... I mean of course he has ideas and suggestions but he does not hang over me like that cold demon in the north. I love experimenting and combining flavours and ideas- things from back home with other ideas I have picked up here or there... if you just think, you know which flavours and aromas enhance one another and work well together... and it is...like art really... it has been quite cold lately...not winter cold but...chilly.. and rainy as well.. weather patterns and seasons just do not exist anymore apparently.. as we are still supposed to be in Summer here.... or at least early Fall. But the Summer lasted around a month and a half... I do not know... the rainy season last year stretched out an extra two months after it normally closes down... and from what I hear, it has been very random and hectic back home as well... Yakup made an observation of how two worlds exist side by side in this country... and it is true.. slightly true for the States as well really.. it's just when people go to New Orleans, they avoid that area or when people visit Alabama, they do not venture into the areas where families are living without electricity because the city has swept them under the rug... forgotten and ignored by the rest of their fellow Americans who boast freedom and democracy and yet they fail to acknowledge that there are many Americans trapped under the rafters of this statue of liberty thing and they are scraping, trying to raise themselves up but they just keep falling down... maybe when Yakup visits those areas of the US, he will make the same observation... but for now, yeah he is right. South Africa is beautiful and vibrant and full of amazing people that against ALL odds and doubts have built a growing nation, that YES has plenty of problems and hurdles to get over but... I truly can say I love this country. I love its' peoples for their differences and their similar love for the rolling hills and thick jungles and wild animals of Mzansi... but he is right...when you go on a mini bus taxi, head down to Oriental Plaza and then return to Rosebank Mall and you see people in their big fancy cars and you see the Diesel store and the Gap and Chanel and expensive ice creams... well... you just have to sit back and wonder at this world we live in... and honestly, I love it and I love the idea of seeing it and doing it and living... so thanks... and take care...


Newer babblings...

The volcanic eruption that has basically shut down all air travel into and out of Europe is really taking grip on a lot of the guests here at Backpackers Ritz... some people have been waiting on their flights to be rescheduled for 4 or 5 days...and are being told it may be another 10 days to two weeks... It is awful and I actually feel very sorry for them, as some of them have been told that they will be given no compensation, no hotel room..which is absurd, but often times things are when it comes to travel... I know the last time it happened, it took around two years for things to truly clear up that side... but I must also say I get so sick of young liberal Europeans coming to South Africa with their notions of the way the world should be and then once they arrive they become kings and queens and expect the black ladies to clean up their mess... oh well. everyone is funny in their own way...
on our side, we are having a swell time- enjoying freedom of our days, wandering and making new friends... one of the guys that works here says his dad works for Acacia, an overland Africa tour and says we could probably hop on for a small rate straight to his dad- visiting Namibia,Botswana,Zimbabwe,Zambia and Kenya... it would be amazing and I hope it works out!!
I have found some great cookbooks recently... South African, I purchased an old (1947) Cape Malay recipe book... at this old antique bookstore. It is great really and I hope to score some more good finds... a few people know what these would be used for in the future... and I think it will be wonderful... hope so. hope. A few newer cookbooks as well, I want to get, one called African Salad, South African recipes from all over the spectrum- photos and great handwritten recipes from the people, the faces you see from the Cape to Zululand- black, white, coloured, Indian, Malay- diversity at it's best... Still writing here and there on my book/prose etc- maybe someday you can read it... anyway, for now, take care...

I TRIED TO UPLOAD VIDEOS... but it just will not go through, times out... I am sorry. but I do have video from game parks and around the spot we are staying in... maybe you will see it in the future??

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