Well, all but 2 of us.
Location:Amsterdam
Monday, August 1, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Last full day in South Africa
30 July
Blog done for now. We had fun. We're almost packed and on our way home tomorrow. Ask us in person. Love to all.
Blog done for now. We had fun. We're almost packed and on our way home tomorrow. Ask us in person. Love to all.
Location:Vesperdene Rd,Cape Town,South Africa
Friday, July 29, 2011
Long, wonderful day.
29 July
When you look online at Capetown, you see a list of 6 things to do. 1.Robben Island, done. 2.V and A Waterfront, done. 3.Kirstenbosch, too large to do in too short a time, but we have been seeing much of what is available at the gardens in our touring. 4.Table Mountain cableway, sadly closed for maintenance, but we went up to a vantage point almost as lovely. 5.Constantia Vineyards, drove through today, done. AND we'll be vine yarding all day Sunday as well. And 6.Cape Point, the target for today.
Not bad for 3 days in a city.
We started out early today for our driving tour all the way down to the Cape of Good Hope, the most SouthWestern point of Africa. A lovely drive the whole way, along the western coast of Cape Point and Table Mountain National Park. Stopping at a small fishing village for bathrooms (oops, I mean toilets) and souvenirs. The Cape of Good Hope was rocky and windy and wonderful. We climbed or funiculared up to the top, the lighthouse, and watched a whale for a while. As we left, an ostrich entertained us by crossing the road.... We are easily amused.
The next stop, on the way back up the Eastern coast of the point was Boulder Rock, where the African Penguins hang out. We had some fun watching the penguins, And then passed baboons on the way back to Cape Town proper. A stop by District 6, up to the back side of Lion's Head Mountain (where the helmeted guinea fowl roam) and through the brightly painted houses of the Muslim area before driving back to the hotel for a brief rest before heading back out for dinner. Photos will have to wait as my iPad will have none of it - I have loaded too many pictures already. But, those photos will be good!
When you look online at Capetown, you see a list of 6 things to do. 1.Robben Island, done. 2.V and A Waterfront, done. 3.Kirstenbosch, too large to do in too short a time, but we have been seeing much of what is available at the gardens in our touring. 4.Table Mountain cableway, sadly closed for maintenance, but we went up to a vantage point almost as lovely. 5.Constantia Vineyards, drove through today, done. AND we'll be vine yarding all day Sunday as well. And 6.Cape Point, the target for today.
Not bad for 3 days in a city.
We started out early today for our driving tour all the way down to the Cape of Good Hope, the most SouthWestern point of Africa. A lovely drive the whole way, along the western coast of Cape Point and Table Mountain National Park. Stopping at a small fishing village for bathrooms (oops, I mean toilets) and souvenirs. The Cape of Good Hope was rocky and windy and wonderful. We climbed or funiculared up to the top, the lighthouse, and watched a whale for a while. As we left, an ostrich entertained us by crossing the road.... We are easily amused.
The next stop, on the way back up the Eastern coast of the point was Boulder Rock, where the African Penguins hang out. We had some fun watching the penguins, And then passed baboons on the way back to Cape Town proper. A stop by District 6, up to the back side of Lion's Head Mountain (where the helmeted guinea fowl roam) and through the brightly painted houses of the Muslim area before driving back to the hotel for a brief rest before heading back out for dinner. Photos will have to wait as my iPad will have none of it - I have loaded too many pictures already. But, those photos will be good!
Location:Cape Of Good Hope and Cape Point
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Robben Island
28 July
A later morning today, a few of us walked down to the "boulangerie" I spotted yesterday on my way back from the supermarket. YUMMY. After a lovely breakfast, we sped down to the waterfront to meet the group at the ferry to Robben Island
We were on the 11:00 ferry and there was some concern that it might not run because the weather was foreboding and the water choppy.
But it ran and we were on it!
It was a challenging boat ride for all of us.
However, we arrived in 14 pieces and got on our bus for the tour of the island.
Photos of the tour are here. Click on this text or the photo.
And then, on the way home....
A later morning today, a few of us walked down to the "boulangerie" I spotted yesterday on my way back from the supermarket. YUMMY. After a lovely breakfast, we sped down to the waterfront to meet the group at the ferry to Robben Island
We were on the 11:00 ferry and there was some concern that it might not run because the weather was foreboding and the water choppy.
But it ran and we were on it!
It was a challenging boat ride for all of us.
However, we arrived in 14 pieces and got on our bus for the tour of the island.
Photos of the tour are here. Click on this text or the photo.
And then, on the way home....
Location:Cape Town,South Africa
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Travel day. All day.
27 July.
4:00 am. Driving, driving, driving, driving....
6:34. Stop, off bus, back on bus, driving, driving, driving....
8:38. Stop, wait for one lane of traffic to let us pass. Coconut biscuits, driving, driving, driving....
9:52 Stop. Hamburgers for breakfast? Anything goes on a road trip....
Driving, driving, driving....
12:37 Stop. Off bus, back on bus. Driving, driving, driving....
2:10 Stop. Off bus, back on bus. Driving, driving, driving....
We are actually making very good time!
3:28 "Table Mountain ahead". Driving, driving, driving....
Pull in to the Capetown Protea Cape Castle Hotel, our last "home away from home" before 4:00!
And we are here!! The view from our balcony. Can you see the water??
4:00 am. Driving, driving, driving, driving....
6:34. Stop, off bus, back on bus, driving, driving, driving....
8:38. Stop, wait for one lane of traffic to let us pass. Coconut biscuits, driving, driving, driving....
9:52 Stop. Hamburgers for breakfast? Anything goes on a road trip....
Driving, driving, driving....
12:37 Stop. Off bus, back on bus. Driving, driving, driving....
2:10 Stop. Off bus, back on bus. Driving, driving, driving....
We are actually making very good time!
3:28 "Table Mountain ahead". Driving, driving, driving....
Pull in to the Capetown Protea Cape Castle Hotel, our last "home away from home" before 4:00!
And we are here!! The view from our balcony. Can you see the water??
Location:On the road to Capetown.
Museum, galleries, Arts Center in Thaba Nchu and UFS lectures
25 and 26 July
We started at the National Museum, basically a Natural History Museum, with a tour of the entire space and then a lecture on the Oral History Project that is in year 5 of 10 documenting the stories of the Batho township outside of Bloemfontein.
UFS = University of the Free State, just FYI.
"SAS Titanic -What went wrong?" with Professor Hussein Solomon, Dept of Political Science. He had very strong opinion about the ANC now and then and shared his views eloquently with us. "When I was about 9, I asked my father what the difference between an optimist and a pessimist was. He answered, 'pessimists have more reliable statistics.'"
"Resistance art or cultural translation" with Prof. Suzanne Human, Dept of History of Art. Shared her views about the idea of "resistance art."
26 July
Sitting back at Mugg and Bean at Mimosa Mall....
This morning we left early for the drive almost back to the Lesotho border to visit the Mmabana Cultural Center. A huge, beautiful complex where local kids can come and work in the arts. Also karate and sports. They often win international competitions. There were 2 beautiful dance studios and what looked like a strong staff of dedicated teaching artists. The kids are able to come to the center whether they can pay or not (monthly fee of R50, approx $7) so long as they come and continue coming consistently.
A very few photos of the museum, gallery and arts center.
And then an afternoon of lectures:
"Lesotho-Free State relations during the liberation struggle: an ANC exile perspective" with Mr. Leon Sidyiyo, Head of Crime Intelligence, South African Police Services. He was involved in an uprising in solidarity with Soweto (at his school 3 days after) in 1976. A first hand account of what it was like to flee to Lesotho in 1977 as a student, to join the opposition forces as a refugee. After 2 years, he went to Nigeria, for University (studying International Relations) and came back to South Africa in September, 1994.
"The African National Congress (ANC) and political mobilization in the Free State, 1990 - 1994" with Dr. Chitja Twala, Dept of History "Only when the people are united, can they do harm to the Apartheid government...." People in the individual cells did not know who all the other members were so they could not be tortured and forced into giving them away. "If the ANC was unbanned on Feb 2, we thought that by Feb 3 we'd have a black president. We thought that if Mandela was released on Feb 11, then the next day he'd be president." In fact, as we know, it took time for negotiations, it took time for compromises, it took time for elections. They may not have been adequately prepared to manage all of this. Pre 1990, people were screened before they could join the ANC to make sure they were not informants. Post unbanning, anybody can join the ANC, even if they don't understand the past and the history of the organization. The youth leaders of the ANC today were not even born in 1990!
Simplified and paraphrased....
We are actually very interested, even though it may not appear so with our body language.
We started at the National Museum, basically a Natural History Museum, with a tour of the entire space and then a lecture on the Oral History Project that is in year 5 of 10 documenting the stories of the Batho township outside of Bloemfontein.
UFS = University of the Free State, just FYI.
"SAS Titanic -What went wrong?" with Professor Hussein Solomon, Dept of Political Science. He had very strong opinion about the ANC now and then and shared his views eloquently with us. "When I was about 9, I asked my father what the difference between an optimist and a pessimist was. He answered, 'pessimists have more reliable statistics.'"
"Resistance art or cultural translation" with Prof. Suzanne Human, Dept of History of Art. Shared her views about the idea of "resistance art."
26 July
Sitting back at Mugg and Bean at Mimosa Mall....
This morning we left early for the drive almost back to the Lesotho border to visit the Mmabana Cultural Center. A huge, beautiful complex where local kids can come and work in the arts. Also karate and sports. They often win international competitions. There were 2 beautiful dance studios and what looked like a strong staff of dedicated teaching artists. The kids are able to come to the center whether they can pay or not (monthly fee of R50, approx $7) so long as they come and continue coming consistently.
A very few photos of the museum, gallery and arts center.
And then an afternoon of lectures:
"Lesotho-Free State relations during the liberation struggle: an ANC exile perspective" with Mr. Leon Sidyiyo, Head of Crime Intelligence, South African Police Services. He was involved in an uprising in solidarity with Soweto (at his school 3 days after) in 1976. A first hand account of what it was like to flee to Lesotho in 1977 as a student, to join the opposition forces as a refugee. After 2 years, he went to Nigeria, for University (studying International Relations) and came back to South Africa in September, 1994.
"The African National Congress (ANC) and political mobilization in the Free State, 1990 - 1994" with Dr. Chitja Twala, Dept of History "Only when the people are united, can they do harm to the Apartheid government...." People in the individual cells did not know who all the other members were so they could not be tortured and forced into giving them away. "If the ANC was unbanned on Feb 2, we thought that by Feb 3 we'd have a black president. We thought that if Mandela was released on Feb 11, then the next day he'd be president." In fact, as we know, it took time for negotiations, it took time for compromises, it took time for elections. They may not have been adequately prepared to manage all of this. Pre 1990, people were screened before they could join the ANC to make sure they were not informants. Post unbanning, anybody can join the ANC, even if they don't understand the past and the history of the organization. The youth leaders of the ANC today were not even born in 1990!
Simplified and paraphrased....
We are actually very interested, even though it may not appear so with our body language.
Location:Bloemfontein, Thaba Nchu
Cats. Big and little.
24 July
Caracals and cheetah and lions oh my. Lots of cats, big and small, friendly and not so friendly. The caracal was playful and the panther was asleep in the sun. Those of us who wanted got to pet the lion cubs and the caracals. The cheetah wanted nothing to do with us.
See for yourself:
Oooh. And movie night. For those if us who wanted... Either Harry Potter or Bang Bang Club. All who attended had a great time!
Caracals and cheetah and lions oh my. Lots of cats, big and small, friendly and not so friendly. The caracal was playful and the panther was asleep in the sun. Those of us who wanted got to pet the lion cubs and the caracals. The cheetah wanted nothing to do with us.
See for yourself:
Oooh. And movie night. For those if us who wanted... Either Harry Potter or Bang Bang Club. All who attended had a great time!
Location:Bloemfontein
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