One of the pictures I wish I'd had but the visual was so common I forgot to take it: the "Don't Feed the Baboons" street signs. This troop was hanging out near the toll gate on the Western Cape. It was cool to see them, especially when they yawn and you get to see those huge canines. But their big red butts are really gross! Apparently, some people regard them as racoon-like pests, though they are more dangerous (duh). Not only can they mess up your garbage but they will kill cats and dogs who are in the way. I'd get all excited about seeing them, and everyone would look at me in much the same way we would look at someone in New York who was excited about seeing a squirrel. "Yeah, okay." Baboon-- squirrel? Still blows my mind.
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Friday, August 19, 2005
"Informal Settlement"
A nice word for shantytown. The postcard says that these have "sprung up around South African cities since the ending of apartheid." These don't look much different than a lot of the townships or "locations" that we drove by that are outside of every single town and city that predate the ending of apartheid.
According to people we spoke with, the populations of the townships, both black and colored, around Cape Town far outnumber the non-township population. And there is no knowing how many people really live in the locations, especially since the ending of apartheid there are many immigrants from other parts of Africa, such as the war torn Congo areas and Nigeria who have come to South Africa looking for work.
According to people we spoke with, the populations of the townships, both black and colored, around Cape Town far outnumber the non-township population. And there is no knowing how many people really live in the locations, especially since the ending of apartheid there are many immigrants from other parts of Africa, such as the war torn Congo areas and Nigeria who have come to South Africa looking for work.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Is it?
That's South African English for, "Oh really?" Whenever I heard people say that, I got very distracted. I don't know why. Try this little dialogue on for size. Practice out loud with a friend and see how it feels.
You: Here is the first installment of the pictures.
Friend: Is it?
You: YEAH, but I am going to breathe and stop now.
Friend: Is it?
You: Yeah, but I'll be back. I'm looking forward to your comments.
Friend: Is it?
You: Here is the first installment of the pictures.
Friend: Is it?
You: YEAH, but I am going to breathe and stop now.
Friend: Is it?
You: Yeah, but I'll be back. I'm looking forward to your comments.
Friend: Is it?
Flight of the Ibis
Everywhere -- and I mean everywhere, are these huge, shimmering ibis. They stick their beaks in the ground and vibrate them to simulate the falling of rain; when the worms come up out of the ground, which I guess is something worms all over the world do when it rains, they eat them, yum. They also make a terrible cawing sound and everyone I met complained about their ugly squawking. They obviously did not share the Egyptian-like reverence for the bird that Trinis have. Ours is scarlet and much smaller, and I have never heard them make a sound, but I was insulted. That's the big sister of my national bird, dude. IBIS ROCK!
Hiking in Robberg Marine Reserve
We really did up Plet. After our trek to see the animals, we decided to take a hike. We went to the Robberg Marine Reserve and walke along cliffs and deserted beaches and peeked into caves. It was so stunningly beautiful, it just about erased the bad taste of BAD RACIAL INCIDENT NUMBER 1. More on that later, I am just trying to get the pictures up!
A MEERKAT!
I don't know about you, but I think these animals are really cool. I was really psyched to see one!
Holding hands with olifants at the sanctuary
Then we went to the Elephant Sanctuary and got up close and personal withe the young elephants, who were waiting to be sent to a nature reserve. They had big beautiful eyes and were really dusty. When we walked out, I walked with the elephant. She scoopped my hand in her trunk, just like she would hold the tail of an elephant who was in front of her.
Tamarind Monkeys
These guys were in cages because if they weren't, the other monkeys would eat them. Who knew? All the monkeys in Monkeyland were rescues from people who had kept them as pets.
The guide said they weren't gay
While in Plet, we went to Monkeyland, a very fun place. Our Congolese guide took us through the forest pointing out monkeys, including these two males who proceeded to get busy. But, said the guide, they weren't gay. We walked away and found lots of other monkeys involved in non sexual activities, but these guys were my favorites.
Cape Vineyards
We started our road trip post- Table Mountain, destination Durban. We drove up the eastern coast and stayed in Plettenberg Bay, Addo, and Hole in the Wall before we got to Durban.
On the way out of Cape Town we passed the famous/infamous internationally renowned vineyards. In SA, there's a whole lot of drinking going on -- and not just wine. There is also this "beer" that is gray and really strong, that some vineyards use to pay their employees instead of cash.
On the way out of Cape Town we passed the famous/infamous internationally renowned vineyards. In SA, there's a whole lot of drinking going on -- and not just wine. There is also this "beer" that is gray and really strong, that some vineyards use to pay their employees instead of cash.
View of the Cape Peninsula from Table Mountain
The gorgeous sweep of the cape. At the end of my trip, we ended up driving around to the east and coming back up this western side. That part of the Cannes of Cape Town, apparently all these US stars vacation in these way out enormous sea front condos. The condos are up in the hills and along the cliffs overlooking the sea. Between the promontories, under the trees, are the tiny shanties of the people who work for the people in the hugantic condos, who have no electricity or running water. At twilight the kids were gathered in a field playing soccer between the drainage ditches.
Oh to live on/Table Mountain
Several ear popping hair pin turns later, we were on top of the world, above the clouds. Some hike it, but we took the very smooth running cable car up up up. It had a rotating floor and we were well-accompanied by lots of folks who were, like us, going up to see the sun set. Then we took a walk in the clouds. It was pretty cold, like late fall.
You Can't Get Lost in Cape Town
Mostly because there is this huge mountain which you can see from just about everywhere.
I took a red eye from JFK to Heathrow, spent a quiet Sunday in London enjoying the Queen's parks. I sat for a while in some striped green and white lawn chairs -- how civilized, I thought, to have lawn chairs in a public park. Except a man came by trying to make me pay for the seat. I got up.
That night I took another red eye to Cape Town and was greeted at the airport by Naomi and our car rental guy. Except I had somehow forgotten my drivers license in New York! I got my aunt to fax a copy of it, Shane told us not to get in any accidents, and we drove home. I slept.
When I woke up, I was driving up to Table Mountain.
I took a red eye from JFK to Heathrow, spent a quiet Sunday in London enjoying the Queen's parks. I sat for a while in some striped green and white lawn chairs -- how civilized, I thought, to have lawn chairs in a public park. Except a man came by trying to make me pay for the seat. I got up.
That night I took another red eye to Cape Town and was greeted at the airport by Naomi and our car rental guy. Except I had somehow forgotten my drivers license in New York! I got my aunt to fax a copy of it, Shane told us not to get in any accidents, and we drove home. I slept.
When I woke up, I was driving up to Table Mountain.
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