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Published: January 5th 2006
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Ok, I know i have been really bad at updating this journal. I have been trying to come up with so many excuses, I got seriously eaten by a Great White, mauled by a lion, kidnapped by a thousand South African belly dancers and forced into slavery. Then i though so what if i hadn't updated it yet....I am in Africa, andtherfore working in African time...it'll get done...EVENTUALLY
There is something about this continent that has my heart racing. Admitedly I have only been to 3 countries here, Egypt, Kenya and now here South Africa. From the moment i my feet hit the tarmac of the airport i had already fallen in love with this place.
Ok...so Cape Town is the jewel of South Africa, or so i am reliably informed. It's true...this city is vibrant and exciting. The people are friendly and very proud. The food...well any carnivore would be a fool not to come here. The city is still has haunting reminders of the legacy of the Apartheid regime, particularly their idea of "urban planning". In other words they had specific designated areas for whites, blacks and coloureds. Driving in to the city form the airport you
drive past one of the largest townships, Guguletu, literally shacks with corrogated iron rooves, if they were lucky. It was quite an introduction. The typical African shantytown, yet this was an obvious reminder of the apartheid regime, black areas where whites and coloured don't enter. Labeled townships by the regime they are still known as that today. It is not recommended you go into the townships on your own, or indeed at all, yet everywhere offers township tours, driving trough them in people carriers, so you can experience the poverty they live in. It is a bit sick really. (You'll be pleased to hear that the ANC ae trying to improve these areas and are now building housing for them. A process that will take several generations i am sure, as there are millions living in the flatlands, but at least they are starting to do somethng about it. I only hope they follow thru with it to the end.)
You'll be pleased to know that i avoided this type of tour. I was lucky enough to be taken into Guguletu by one of Luke's friend's, an aptly named Mandela...It was an amazing experience. We went on a Sunday to
Luke's friends
Mandela, Misa, Mandla and Xeander the lacal hangout which was a butchers called Mzoli. He had set up this hge business where people buy his meat then he braai's (or bbq for everyone else in the world) it for you. I have never seen anything like it.There were hundreds of people there, and te queues never died down all day and weel into the night. It was obviously THE place to be if you hang out in the Guguleto ghetto!! It was quite a strange place to be, we were the only white people there and as such got a lot of looks and even more attention. People coming up wanting to meet us, take photos of us, you name it,but never once did i feel threatened or scared, in fact it was quite the opposite, i felt warmly welcomed. An amazing start to the trip and a huge eye opener into balck SA attitudes and culture. Their thirst for knowledge and friendship was truely astounding. What was amazing was talking to some of them about Apartheid, and what struck me was how soon it all was, within our generation. Blacks my age told me stories about it. No Blacks signs dotted all around the
city, beaten if they were ever seen talking to a white man, banned from hundreds of places, horrific stories of mass oppression and even tourture. I remember vaguely when i was younger having Anti-Aparthied stickers which Tim and Richard, my olders brothers gave me, but i never until now really fully understood the whole history behind it.
One of the strangest things that i have felt here is the way everyone is labeled as their colour, Black, White or Coloured. In fact that is quite a standard question to ask of someone their race andthey are not offended in the slightest. A couple of Africaans boys we met on the rof of Lukes appartment (by the jacuzzi, i would like to add) asked us if there were any coloureds in England. We told tem that there were but you aren't allowed to call them that, and explained why. They were amazed...it just makes you think, eh...
Ok you must be starting to nod off now with all this political talk...what have i done...a brief summary:
Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope - well you have to go to the end of Africa, where you hear so many
stories of dangerous seas and ship wrecks. It was amazing, i really did feel at the end of the earth...which reminds me (sorry i am going to digress for a sec...) There is one tv channel out here called the Hallmark channel, we have now renamed it the Benedict Cumberbatch channel. I have seen Hawking 3 times, and every episode of To The Ends Of The Earth twice...that is a lot of viewing (nice one Ben!). Anyway, back in the room now...it was a very touristy thing but had to be done...i even had a photo taken by the Cape of Good Hope sign!
Robben Island - This is an island out in Table Bay. It has always been used as a prison, by both the colonial invaders (yup...us again, although we were not alone) and the Apartheid rulers. Only one person has ever escaped, swimming across Great White infested water. It is probably best known as the place where Nelson Mandela was held for the most part of his captivity. The tour was conducted by an ex prisoner, who shared his experiences of the place as we went around. There were of course the usual wierd tourists on the tour, a middle aged Austrailian man, very kindly informed me, as we were looking at Nelson Mandelas cell, that "the last time I came here, bout 4 years ago, they actually allowed you inside his cell, I even sat on Mandelas bed." What can you say to that?
Boulders Beach. Penguins penguins penguins...Originally called Jackass penguins although now more affectionately named African Penguins, these were cute little things. Hundreds of them, just chillin on the beach next to you as you sunbathe...awesome, they are the funniest creatures on this planet, and they certainly give you a nip when they bite!
Table Mountain was awesome too, the panaramic view from the top was like being on top of the world. Although to call it a mountain is a little hopefull on the SA's point of view. It is more like a big hill. A pretty hill all the same.
Other than that i have just been hanging out on the beach, well beaches, waking around and generally winding down from "normal" life. I'll update about Xmas and New Year soon...in the mean time i am off to look into going to Mozambigue for a couple of weeks...it's a hard knock life!
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