The Guguletu Gourd

Someone in the manor mentioned the other day that we have less than two weeks until our excursion to Johannesburg/Pretoria/Kruger National Park and that Saturday marked the halfway point of our program.  Time is flying!  

One of the things we had been putting off was eating dinner at Mama Africa, which is a well-known restaurant where you can have entrees of traditional African food, which I guess includes pap and game meats (springbok, ostrich, etc).  Soon we heard that there was a better place, though, called Marco's African Place, which serves the same (or better) "authentic" African experience for a lower price (we think).  On Friday night, we set off towards the Waterfront for our 7pm reservation at the restaurant.  I find that I am quite obsessed with flowers here, so I yanked some from the side of the road and gave one each to Josiah and Sarah.

This picture captures Thomas, Josiah, and Sarah perfectly.  Big T is dubious as ever, making a face at Josiah and Sarah, who had put their flowers in their mouths.  I think we were all exhausted from the work week and lost a bit of our sanity on the thirty minute walk to Marco's.  Thomas kept asking if we were there yet... he was prepared to eat a seagull if necessary.

Behind us, local celebrities Kaitlin and Andrew (both very "powerful," as Josiah will tell you) were enjoying a stroll down the road when the paparazzi struck.

The paparazzi chase was very heated - Andrew remained elusive as ever.  Finally, they made it inside the comfort and privacy of the restaurant.

Whilst there, Kaitlin observed Moakles drink out of a giant gourd.  What was in the gourd, you ask?  Home-brewed beer from the Guguletu township.  No worries - it was non-alcoholic.  It had a milky look and a bubbly feel.  It tasted a bit sour and spicy, though maybe that is not the best description.

Many people ordered the "Pan African Platter," which included warthog, crocodile, and chicken.  Most of us also got a side of skdjfkuquisdlfj (something with a click which we forgot how to pronounce almost immediately), which reminded me of refried beans.  Above is my plate, with the skdjfkuquisdlfj and grilled kingklip fish.  Everything was delicious, though I think our favorite was the warthog.

After dinner, Andrew asked Danielle for a dance to the smooth jazzy sounds of the band.  Everyone in the restaurant was real jealous of them, especially since they were the only ones who stood up.  People were staring.  In a good way...?

Josiah wanted to show us how quickly he could drink his Coca Cola soda by basically suctioning his mouth onto the glass and taking gigantic gulps.  Kaitlin decided to show him just how ridiculous it looked.  It still doesn't quite capture how awkwardly/hilariously he was doing it, though.

It was great to all be seated at a huge table and enjoy each others' company after being separated all week.  The waitress was also awesome and taught us how to pronounce many of the dishes (which we promptly forgot) and gave her personal recommendations for the entrees.  She assigned each of us an order number, and I got #8 by chance, which is one of my favorite numbers! (August is the 8th month in the year... go figure.)

As a parting gift, Moakley decided to make Anne Marie feel real awkward in front of the camera.  I cannot get these kids to take a normal picture.  "Cheese" apparently means make the photographer as uncomfortable as possible.

On Saturday, Eboni, Alexis, Kaitlin and I climbed Lion's Head.  It was the first time for the former two and the second time for the latter two.  If you recall, the first time I climbed it was a glorious day that ended up depositing two huge clouds right on top as I reached the summit.  It was upsetting.  Saturday, however, was VERY clear and I thought it would provide way better photos.  Get ready to be stunned by the blue of the sky.

Here is a photo of Eboni and Kaitlin having a staring contest towards the beginning of the hike.  Already you could see the beach below and the mountains.  They are the big sisters of the house and I absolutely adore them.  If the world had a Ebokaitli hybrid she would be elected President of the United States, have a global fan base, and be on the cover of Parisian Vogue at the same time.  On the bright side though, there are two of them so we get to share their collective greatness.

When it came to the part of the hike where you have to decide whether to take the chains or the "recommended route" (psht), we opted for the chains, of course!  Eboni hated Kaitlin and I for a few minutes, but hopefully by now she has forgiven and forgotten.  I think I saw the glint of a tear in her eye from fear of the height.  We were so proud that she was able to keep calm and successfully get up the rock face.  (Not gonna lie --- I was sweating half from the heat and half from worry, too.)

Now that I was at the top and could actually see for more than a few meters around the mountain, I decided to go to the ledge which the first group found and take a jumping photo, of course!  Below you can see Table Bay (I believe).  The water was unreal.  If I had wings I would have leapt off Lion's Head straight into the Atlantic Ocean.

The table cloth was threatening to come closer, but it stayed on and around Table Mountain.  It made for a really cool video of the "cloth" slowly creeping over the edge and covering part of the mountain.  The southeaster (a strong wind) was raging that day, so I was nearly blown off on the way down.  It is usually responsible for sweeping away the smog of the City Bowl.  Days of a strong southeaster are incroyable.

When we finally caught up to Alexis (who powered her way to the top... she is beyond human!), we rehydrated and scarfed down the snacks we had packed.  Here is Eboni looking normal and Kaitlin... not so much.  Same old, same old.

K decided to do some yogic stretching at the top, which culminated in a lion-like pawing.  She was really taken by being at the top of Lion's Head.

Obviously, I had to continue taking jumping pictures once my energy levels were back up.  You may remember me taking pictures from here the first time I climbed, which ended up completely opaque with mist and cloud.  These are much better!

We were deeply concerned this puny chihuahua would end up flying off the mountain since the southeaster was so relentless.  I think it was just taking a moment to gaze at our manor in Tamboerskloof.

OF COURSE I had to get some shots of Eboni jumping, too!

Again, the water below looked irresistible.  I think even Eboni, who refuses to go into the freezing Atlantic (it's winter/spring after all), was tempted.  Just look at the turquoise band!  It's beauuuutiful.

The requisite handstand picture had to be taken, of course.  I never seem to snap it right when her legs are completely vertical, but surely I'll have plenty of chances to get it right another time.

This gross curious-looking beetle was twitching below us, so Kaitlin made a little grave for it near a flower on a bed of grass.  She is so kind to the insect life.  Eboni and I can't say the same.

This time I got some really dramatic photos of the descent... I promise it's gradual, though.

You can get a good idea of how steep the steps are and exactly how far up you come.

The path over the roots of this tree is really slippery from wear, so you have to be extra cautious.  Hiking in converse doesn't help, either.

Eboni and I decided we would take the "recommended route" back down, since I thought the chains were too hard last time, but we ended up right back at them!  It was frustrating, but we went for it anyway.

Cool bird's-eye-view of the ladder.  Eboni first started to go down facing away from it, but we coached her through going down backwards.  I doubt it would have been catastrophic, but it would have involved some ridiculous maneuvering for sure.

That night, feeling exhausted refreshed from the hike, we went to see Mother to Mother at the Baxter Theatre with Eboni's coworkers.  They were really nice, as were the facilities.  The play was a one-woman show, which is my favorite casting style, and was based on the life of the mother of one of the people who killed Amy Biehl.  It was a very powerful performance.

Yesterday we came home from our first day of work (Mondays... oh joy) and saw a rainbow right outside our house!  You can see it going over the apartment building opposite, with a close-up below:

Soon I will post news of the Inter-House Athletic competition at CHSA and reports on how the casting for Annie is going (which is at a stand-still as of now).  I feel as though I am really getting acclimated to South African life, finding that I have favorite places to go eat and hang out, and aspects of the city which I will really miss when I leave.  I have come to love hearing Xhosa in the background of the staff room, the smell of rooibos tea with milk in the mornings (and a few more times during the course of the day thereafter), the sight of the mountains hugging the city all around, and all the other quirks of South African life.

Robben Island Tour

Sunday we went to Robben Island (FINALLY, after it was postponed during Orientation Week back in early September).  We got on the ferry and had to wait about 10 minutes for three women who were late, even though it's usually a zero-tolerance policy where tardiness is concerned.  Shame!  Anyway, the ferry was called Sikhululekile, which is Xhosa for (insert deep meaning here... I forgot/can't find it online like I planned on doing... Sorry!).  It was a really nice boat, could hold 300 passengers, did not make me seasick (weird), and had a snazzy DVD playing the whole voyage to island.  It did, however, make me forget my PB & J sandwich on board in all its glory.  Darn!  No worries, because it was found later.  It shows that people are good at heart and won't steal your delicious snack.

After we did a bus tour of the island with a guide who was wicked funny/charming (memorable quotes include: "I know I am ugly, but I know a lot" and "the sun reflecting off the lime in the quarry can be quite strong - that is how I got this tan*"), we went to F block (I believe) to tour the old prison.  Our guide there, who is a former inmate, led us into what would have been sleeping quarters for the prisoners who were not in isolation.  He showed us a mat (pictured above) which would have constituted a bed pre-1980s.  I remember reading about them in Long Walk to Freedom and shuddering at the thought.  Both guides' knowledge was really impressive.  It's amazing how much anyone can commit to memory sometimes.
* He is African.

He also showed us a blown-up photo of a prison identity card.  In this photo, he is pointing to the rank (A, B, C, etc.).  You can also see his ID number, which is 69/64, meaning he was prisoner #69 in the year 1964.  Mandela's number was 466/64.  They sell metal bracelets with his ID imprinted in the gift shop.  It's curious.

 We left that area of the prison and made our way for the block where Madiba was imprisoned.  We looked through a peephole in a door and saw a rabbit.  Josiah took picture of it.  Josiah takes pictures of everything.  Thomas is only slightly amused.

In the courtyard of B block, the guide showed us some photos (which can also be found in the book) and gave us a history of the struggle on the island.

The courtyard, with Mandela's window (2nd or 3rd down from left).  It was a small area of land to spend 18 years on.

Above we see Mollie's lovely locks and Mandela's prison cell.  Photos honestly do not capture how small it is.  Think walk-in closet in an average home.  We doubted whether Thomas, at 6'5", could even lie down to sleep on the floor (maybe diagonally, we decided).

Josiah, causing a ruckus by pushing buttons.  Such a trouble-maker.

There were a few guns on the island supplied by Britain.  They are not currently used... I think...

After the 3-hour tour, we returned to the ferry for the return voyage.  The water was fairly calm and the sun had started to creep out a bit.  It made for a sleepy journey back to Cape Town (of which we got a gorgeous view). 

Back on land, Sarah and I got way too ecstatic about some SEA LIONS (!!) just chillin' near the docks at the Waterfront.  It was an awesome end to an eventful weekend, mostly when they started barking as we came up.  I wonder how they got there and if they cared or not.  I've decided this is their Sunday siesta place.  Very nice.

Contact with 3rd Ocean - Done!

Our week off started at the Waterfront.  GO BOSTON!  We had to take this of Anne Marie and her beloved Bean Town.

They had this really embarrassing mug in the mall that I swear said "Te Quiero Mucho" forever.  I immediately thought of Anna and our TKM obsession.

The "kids" decided to get ice cream.  And by ice cream I mean frozen yogurt in the style of YoPo back in the Hill.  Good times.

This band started playing really funny music.  We felt like we were in a silent farce film.

Miami!  Just kidding, it's CAPE TOWN.

The next day, we took a 10 hour bus ride to PARADISE.  Here is our room in the Tube n Axe hostel.  I highly recommend it.

It had a really cute dining room/kitchen next to the rooms that was very open.  The mural pictured here was hilarious, and included a cartoon of pretty much every touristy thing you can do at Storms River.

The chairs by the fireplace were way too comfy.  And Ralph, our adopted kitty, frequented them, so it was even better.  It was the perfect place to relax and enjoy a place less dense than Cape Town.

The view from our bedroom (which had double doors leading outside).  I promise I didn't pay much to stay here, but it's ok if you don't believe me.  I don't think I would believe me either.

 

On Wednesday we went to Tsitsikamma National Park, which has a very long suspension bridge over the place where Storms River and the Indian Ocean meet.  We saw a seal near the shore and much of the park.

 

View  from the end of the bridge.  The waves to our right were gigantic - definitely the biggest I've ever seen.  The springtime winds have really picked up on the Cape.

 

After going across the bridge and deciding we wanted to do some hiking, we saw a sign that said "To Lookout Point."  It was further than we expected and involved some brutal steps which brought horrible visions of the Table Mountain hike to mind, but was well worth it.  Here is the view from the top of the mountain (opposite of where we had started).  What I love most about living here is the beach-side mountains.  It's the best of both worlds.  Walking around feels like being in a movie or a postcard.

The water was frigid, but we still dipped our legs in.  Doesn't this look like a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean or some other film set in paradise?  The deserted look also helps --- living here when the area was untouched centuries ago must have been unbelievable.  Hopefully I'll be able to come back in summertime!