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Published: February 28th 2008
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We got up, Dan made a delicious scrambled egg and toast (and bacon) breakfast, and we were off for Cape Town. There was much debate about a trip up Table Mountain, since from our perspective in Rooi Els, it looked like the “tablecloth” was on. That means that the clouds/mist rolls over the top of Table Mountain and drapes it like a tablecloth. As we got closer, it appeared to clear, but then we got up to the top, and of course, it was all cloth! We still had a nice lunch up top…well, the company was nice. My chicken burger was questionable. We basically looked off the top of the mountain at white cloud - haha. But it was still a gorgeous view as we came down to the ticket area, which is also quite high up. And the weather was fantastic, sunny but cool breezes. We went down to a little market, perused the crafts, and walked the harbor area. Tons of people, shops, restaurants, boats with a gorgeous backdrop of Table Mountain. I saw a little seal by the boats. We wandered and enjoyed the beautiful day.
Next we were off to a cocktail party at Pat’s friend’s
Driving by a baboon
he was just chillin' roadside house. Her place is right on the harbor, with wraparound decks that allow wonderful viewing of the harbor, ocean and Table Mountain. We were there through sunset and enjoyed all the views that go along with that. Not to mention Pat’s interesting and influential South African friends. The five “kids” felt a bit under accomplished I think chatting it up with the types of people who are literally changing the world for the better. Discussions of the American 2008 presidential election, the South African presidential election, the decline of proper grammar teaching, the passage of time as one ages, women in technology, the species specialist’s work, the taming of unruly Bakabung teen-age elephants, the reasons not to drink at a cocktail party (having previously crapped in the faces of friends), and the list goes on and on. What a fun evening!
Dave’s random thoughts of the night: Cape Town is an unbelievably beautiful city. With Table Mountain as a back drop to a huge modern harbor the twilight camera shots don’t really give it justice. While we were at the party I talked with one of Pat’s friends about a lot of different subjects. American and South African politics seem
to be what was on her mind. She asked questions about the upcoming elections and where I stood (I’m still waiting to decide until we get a lot closer to election time, and yes I know, a Chicago democrat on the fence, unheard of!) and about American policy around the globe. She talked about the 1994 apartheid change here and how now the ANC is in turmoil over corruption, greed and new power. I told her that though it seems different thru the media, it’s the same in the States and most places we’ve gone around the world. After a lot of back and forth in ideas she asked what was the one thing that changed in the states? A stumper!!! Then out of nowhere, I said that it seemed that the American attitude somewhere in the early 1980’s changed from a “we” prospective to an “I” point of view. That our fathers worked in the 1970’s for a better place for their children and the next generation worked for more money for themselves. Such profound thought coming from a carpenter!!!! Hahahaha it was a great night and I had a lot of fun.
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