“Nothing is black or white.” – Nelson Mandela

September 1-9, 2023

I realized I’ve never shared why I write this blog. The main reason is to integrate what I’ve seen, heard and thought in each place I visit. I write it the day after I leave a country, sometimes too quick to be well edited-my apologies, so that I can enter the new state or kingdom with an open heart and mind. I want each place to have my full attention. I also do it so my friends, family and the strangers I meet along the way can share my travels. I helps me feel that they are with me wherever I go. I do miss all of you. Sharing with them brings me joy and I hope some entertainment for those who read it. Maybe I’ll even inspire some of you to travel to places you hadn’t considered. I have already aroused several people to do further research on countries and ideas- thanks to those who have shared that with me. I do like to write as well, so it is an enjoyable activity – quietly contemplating my experiences. And of course I plan to win a big book deal and retire in comfort and luxury – if only.

My stay in South Africa was limited to Cape Town and surrounding areas, and since the country is twice the size of Texas, I didn’t see much. Generally, my stay was very pleasant. Cape Town is a very modern city with all the amenities you would expect, including well-paved multi-lane highways a far cry from my experiences in Uganda or Madagascar for example. I stayed in a new condo just minutes from the V & A waterfront, a large entertainment district named for Queen Victoria and her son Alfred. I shopped, ate and imbibed in this upscale area on several occasions. And while we’re on the topic of food, my favorite meal and experience was at Gold. The night began with a drum circle – I had my very own drum! It was a very lively and fun experience. I reluctantly relinquished my drum when they started serving the 14 course dinner, inspired by traditional meals across the African continent. So many tasty dishes -Namibian mussel pate, Cape Malay samosas, Malawi sweet potato cakes, Zanzibar fish and prawn coconut curry, Congo winter slaw, Kenyan pilau rice and Moroccan m’hanncha and so much more. Musical entertainment and traditional dances were performed while we ate. I also had my face painted. Face painting indicates status and conveys a strong cultural meaning across African tribes. Three hours later I headed home, a smile still on my face. Seafood is plentiful here as you would expect and I had some of the freshest calamari of my life.

The big five no longer roam the Cape Town area, only a smaller version of the leopard remains. But that does not mean that the area is not filled with wildlife. I was warned about baboons grabbing sandwiches and sodas several times, but they failed to appear while I was around. I saw a colony of African penguins- taking the requisite pictures for my grandson, Arthur. We ran into a couple of ostriches, which still seems odd to me and I saw my first eland -albeit at a distance while they were lying down, but still a glimpse. And whales! I saw lots of whales in Hermanus, first on a boat where we were surrounded by them, and then from my seat at the beach, with a glass of rose in my hand. They hang out there during their six month breeding period. I failed to catch their breaching, lobtailing, skyhopping or other antics on camera but enjoyed watching them in the warm sunshine. And at the waterfront, there is a pier designated for the seals, where you can watch them sleep, scratch their ears, waddle about and growl at each other.

I also visited three wineries, one in Stellenbosch, one in Franschhoek, and one in Paarl. South African is famous for their Chenin Blanc, Pinotage and Shiraz, which I enjoyed along with some sparkling wines, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The region was beautiful, with vines as far as the eye could see and quaint small towns with shops, galleries and restaurants with a similar vibe as the wine country in Napa and Sonoma. And in South African terms just as pricey. I also visited the Cape of Good Hope – the most southwestern tip of the African continent and Cape Point. On my drive there and to Hermanus, I saw lots of beautiful beach towns. Those closest to Cape Town are very popular, a holiday destination for many. And of course I had to go up Table Mountain which towers over the city. The first few days of my visit, it was covered by clouds, but the morning of my tour is was sunny so I was excited to go up and see the views. I considered hiking but there was so many things I wanted to do in Cape Town I didn’t have time, instead taking the cable car up. No sooner had we arrived and our guide finished her short overview, and it started to rain then rapidly turned to sleet. I did a quick round of a few viewing points before heading to the cafe for a mocha to warm up – standing room only as the crowd packed in to stay dry, and wait for our ride back down the mountain.

In contrast to the beautiful beach villages, I also saw miles and miles of shacks- townships they’re called here. And they’ve been there for decades, I think even before apartheid, though apartheid certainly entrenched their existence. I think because Cape Town is such first world city, it was jarring to see them. A clear contrast of the haves and have nots. Public housing has been built and I saw more under construction but it’s not making a dent in what’s needed. There’s also a guy from Ireland that has built thousands of units with volunteers. He was inspired by the warm hospitality he received when he visited a township. And even with all the shacks there are still homeless encampments around the city, two just outside of my building. We’re certainly no stranger to poverty in the US, but I have not seen such large concentrated areas at home as I have in Africa. People are drawn to the city for jobs, which is how the shacks started, not just from South Africa but across the continent. My Uber drivers were from the Congo, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Nigeria and Tanzania.

Before I even arrived in Cape Town, I was warned by my friends from Johannesburg to be careful. That warning was echoed by others I met. One woman, who lived in Cape Town at one point, moved to the UK because she was mugged once too often, on one occasion just outside her home. I was also chatting with an older gentlemen, while enjoying a old fashioned during happy hour at a bar just over a block from my apartment, who suggested I take a taxi home. A taxi to go a block? Then my last night in town, I had a nice dinner at Bouchon Bistro on a little side street in the CBD, and when I stepped outside to wait for my ride, a safety officer walked up and stood with me until my driver pulled up. I saw several such officers nearby. I’ve always wanted to live in a beach town and saw many such opportunities here, but it’s hard to consider Cape Town seriously when its citizens do not feel safe.

Well let’s go back to the beauty of the area, as there is much here. It was interesting to learn that there are 6 floral kingdoms in the world and that the Cape is its own district, the smallest of them all. The US is part of the boreal kingdom. There are 9,000 species of plants in the Cape area, 70% of which grow here and nowhere else. It’s also the oldest floral region as this area wasn’t effected by the glaciers. I enjoyed all the flowering plants on my drives, both planted along the roadside and scattered across the veld. And to top it off I visited the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Now I have been disappointed by botanical gardens on this trip so far, the ones in Bergen and Maputo really just pretty parks, but this one was wonderful. Considered the 7th most beautiful botanical garden in the world, not only is it large and well landscaped, it also contains a large number and variety of plants. And even at the end of winter, so many were blooming. Especially the proteus, an unusual plant that comes in many sizes and colors. The king protea is the national plant of South Africa.

I’m getting used to everyone calling me mama here, I believe it is bestowed with respect. Everyone was warm and kind to me here and I would come back for another visit.

And here’s a super cool picture from my friend Ani taken in Madagascar.

Next up -Oman