A Fellow Traveler : South Africa: Cape Town, Part I - Muppet Reunion & Madiba Farewells

01.12.2013

flight attendant who was arriving home for the first time in a year
arrived at airport without itinerary for leaving the country - was given an ultimatum: buy a plane ticket back to Dubai or the United States or do not get admitted to South Africa - escorted to SA Airlines ticket office by a lovely woman from Zimbabwe - bought a $4000 ticket home (refundable) then back to Immigration to get a stamp
Talked to a Dutch-South African couple who were planning a trip to Nepal for later in the month
Waited for Kevin at domestic arrivals gate - plane slightly delayed - met volunteer and intern for organization where I got Kevin his holiday present
KEVIN! Long hugs - little sniffley - so long to wait for love - worth it
Found bus into town and then bus to our Air B&B home - traffic in downtown for Festival of Lights which got our bus route screwed up and frustrated our driver
Arrived at 66 Chester Street, the White House - met Faisal who told us about the gardens and showed us to our place, a lovely one bedroom apartment behind the main home in the shadow of table mountain - so lovely - fresh fruit and bread and preserves and eggs and juice - so comfortable - relaxing and cuddling for a while before needing to satisfy our tummies which has been long without real food
Quick walk into downtown - past the Good Hope Castle and onto the Grand Parade, a large public square used for events and the place where Nelson Mandela gave his inaugural address - concert going tonight for the Festival of Lights which is when the mayor switches on the holiday lights strung across _____ street in downtown
Made our way to _____, a Kurdish restaurant for some kebabs and meze - Kevin very tired after not sleeping on either of his flights - feeling through the strangeness of seeing him in South Africa - so out of context that it feels like a dream I cannot trust yet
Walk home through the music and back to our cozy new home to rest and get some early sleep

02.12.2013

Morning to sleep in - made Kevin breakfast and we got ourselves situated - he has made us a wonderful itinerary that blends fun and beauty with social awareness and relaxation
Finally out of the house we make our first stop to the District 6 Museum - history of Apartheid and removal of 'coloured' people from their homes when they made the neighborhood a 'whites only' area - issues of displacement - focus also on the resiliency of people, the vibrant lives of people and communities struggling through oppression, the work of resistance, the healing and reconcilliation that has taken place since the first free elections in 1994 - bought a companion book to the museum in the bookstore where we met Noor, a man who grew up in District 6 and wrote a book about his life and experience which we purchased and he signed for us both - had a small snack in their cafe and watched a video featuring a former resident who guided the viewer through the land of the former neighborhood giving political history and personal stories - amazing museum with art installations and a wealth of broad social and anecdotal histories
walked to _____ park - such a contrast to see colonial buildings and statues which honour the Dutch history after visiting a museum dedicated to the harsh impacts of a colonization and legislated racism - still a beautiful park with squirles that will eat out of your hands, a variety of interesting looking birds, and a number of museum spaces depicting a range of historical and contemporary prespectives on life and culture in South Africa - we processed about the museum experience and tried not to attack each other with kisses in our unfamiliar surroundings, reminding me of the privilege that people in heterosexual relationships have in many places to show affection without fear of being assaulted
Walk up to Long Street where we found _____ for lunch - salads and edamame - talked about all the things we haven't caught up on since I was mostly out of touch in Nepal - talked about Kevin's new job - talked a bit about the big question marks in my life and what I might do when this trip is over - talked about our shared life plans and ways that we might negotiate some of the big question marks that lie ahead in both our lives - starting to feel more connected again as we explore the substantive aspects of our relationship that are hard to really process with so much distance between us
The Crypt and Desmond Tutu's cathedral - museum dedicated to the march
Walk up to Bo-Kaap - history of area - brightly coloured houses - gentrification
Walk down to de Waterkamp, a trendy neighborhood with coffee shops and restaurants and gourmet grocery stores and expensive furniture shops and a hip gay bar and lots of white folk - a city where you can quickly being to notice where people of colour and white folks are in varied levels of concentration - stopped for lemongrass rooibos tea and an amareto cookie before heading onward
confrontation with two men begging for money on our walk down to the waterfront - waterfront modeled after San Francisco and feels very much like home - walked out to Green Point Park, a mixed use park around the _____ stadium which came along with the World Cup games in 2010 - park closed and went out to lighthouse to watch the sunset - so romantic - walked back along the sea wall and checked out restaurants, finally stopping at Neptune's, a cafe and deli on the coast - dark and intimate with good music and good food - bought a loaf of their 100% rye bread! Caught a bus home - such an easy bus system which we later found out is only 3-4 months old
Tired back at the house so we crash pretty quickly after making plans for tomorrow over tea and Ella Fitzgerald serenades - first day in Cape Town was filled with a lot of walking, learning, new sensory intake, great conversation, and sweet moments with my favourite boy

03.12.2013

Today we are up early to get out the door to make it back down to the waterfront - caught a bus and made our way through Victoria Harbour shopping center and along the piers to the Nelson Mandela Gateway where we purchased our tickets to Robben Island, the prison complex where political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela, were detained under horrendous conditions from the 1960's through the early 1990's - our tour would leave at 2pm so we began with a tour of the museum in the ferry terminal which included an exhibit about the anti-apartheid solidarity movement in Ireland and another exhibit on the history of social activism through the medium of public posters - the latter was quite moving: discussion of the power of imagery, the subversive tactics of postering, the risk that printers and distributors took in spreading their messages, and the content of the displays which advocated for workers rights, called for the release of political prisoners, and the mourning of those lost in the struggle for freedom from oppression
Walked around the waterfront looking at shops - met a woman from California working in a boutique who gave us some tips on things to see - watched the weather change - stopped at a restaurant called Moyo which serves a variety of modern preparations of African dishes - had ______ (_________) and ___________ (___________) and we shared a small plate of samosas
Back to catch our ferry - ride out was not too chilly but quite foggy with limited views back to the shoreline - tankers and sea birds
Arrived at the island and we were shuffled onto buses for the first part of our tour - island was first a Dutch outpost, then a British military prison, then a leper colongy infirmary and asylum, before housing political prisoners during the height of apartheid - community of volunteers and curators now living on the island which has been designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site - residents include former prisoners (who also work as tour guides) and former guards who have made peace with one another and serve the mission of educating the pubic... - tour of the old buildings, burial site for a Muslim leader, rock quarry with the pile of stones started by Nelson Mandela on a return visit of former prisoners in 1995
Arrive at main prison gates and met our guide, Ntode, a former prisoner - saw jail cells - learned about treatment of prisoners (no beds, no visits, no talking), secret forms of communication and education, prisoner identification, laws and the resistance movement - saw the cell of former prisoners and Nelson Mandela - ended with his personal story
Back to boats - playing with children next to us on the ride back, Kevin showing them hand puppets - talked with parents: dad is an engineering researcher and mom an occupational nurse interested in natural medicine and public health - he is applying for a Fulbright to study and work in the US in 2015 - partnership MOU with Hunter College in DC
Kevin and I bused back to Civic Center - walked up to stall market above parking and bus station downtown - got a terrible haircut from a guy from Burundi while listening to SA pop/RB music
Community Chest Twilight Run/Walk downtown with crazy costumes - grocery stores closed so went to Eastern Food Bazaar for Indian food - walk home up the hill to our home past another concert in the Grand Parade -
Greeted by Angela and Faisal at the house - talked with them for a good half hour - she is an MD teaching palliative care in a local med school - home to unwind

04.12.2013

Walk downtown to get rental car - three cars before we got out of there - first time driving a car on the left side of the road (have done motorbikes before)
Stopped at a grocery store on the way out of town to get snacks - Do you have hummus? Are you Jewish?
Drive down the cape past the 12 apostles to Hout Bay - World of Birds, sanctuary and rehabilitation center - monkey encounter
Drive over to Sandy Bay Beach - walk down sand dunes - nude beach - quiet on a weekday - cuddled and sunned and had a picnic until it got too cold and windy and we were getting sand blasted
Drive home to rest and clean up - friend Sam from Cape Town now living in Seattle - her sister, Kirsten, still lives here with her daughter - Kirsten picked us up with her friend, Garth, and whisked us away to the de Waterkamp neighborhood for Beluga, a swanky Japanese restaurant - crazy meal of duck liver creme brule with an apple compote, ostrich and roasted carrot stew, and steamed buns filled with honey duck and ginger mince - tequila shooters with orange and brown sugar
Up to The Piano Bar, a new restaurant bar in the neighborhood with live music every night in a dark, chic space - basil and clover martini with a side of duck fat chips (french fries cooked in duck fat) - great evening with new friends - talked about politics of South Africa, wealth disparities and tax rates, government corruption, a new report that the protector is going to release - family life, tips on places to visit, culture and crime
Drive home and sleep - most alcohol I have had in a long time and surprised how easy I took it :)

05.12.2013

Kevin not feeling well this morning - has a bit of a cold - still rallying for our big day today
Starts with a drive down the cape - got turned around a couple of times where Google maps was insufficient to find the back roads - eventually found our way up the hill along the scenic highways out to Simon's Town and then down to Cape Point Park - lovely drive out along the hills flanked by deep blue waters being churned and tumbled toward the cliffs by driving winds
Arrived at the lighthouse - hiked to top - hike down to vista point for the modern lighthouse which guides ships around the Cape Point - warning signs for baboons though no sightings - very strong wind
Drive to the Cape of Good Hope - ostriches on the road - hike up to the top - capobera on the path making little capoberas - great view back to lighthouse - hike back down
Drive back to Simons Town to Tibetan Teahouse and SOPHEA Gallery - terrific restaurant with vegan menu - Kevin had a casserole with black beans, sweet potato, and bananas accompanied by a rooibos tea - I had a fantastic salad with sweet potato and beets and a side of soy milk chai tea to wash it down - of course, I got the wheat-free, vegan cupcake too - browsed the store and found many familiar objects and art from my recent journeys - mother with three boys who were playful and inquisitive - shop owner gave them a tour of the gallery with explanation about Buddhism and some of its larger concepts
Head down to Boulder Beach and the penguin viewing area - penguins along the path - shelters buried along the path - down to beach where they were gathered on the sand and rocks - so close!
Back in the car for a drive along False Bay - sand dunes and a view across the water to grand mountains on the distant shore which plunged into the sea - beautifully lit by the sun as it sank into the sea - drive up through Stellenboch, the epicenter of Western Cape wine country - kept driving into the quaint town of Franschhoek which was recommended by our friends Kirstie and Garth - we reached the small downtown as the sun disappeared behind the mountains and a pink and purple sky - new stories about literacy rates and stanardized test pass rates in SA
had tried to visit La Motte winery and restaurant but decided instead to look around in the village - ended up at _____ - Kevin had a seafood pasta dish while I had another salad with tons of cilantro and Parmesan cheese, olive oil roasted artichokes, and truffled mushrooms - bottle of Bellingham pinotage! Thought I was getting a glass for R$140 (USD$14.00) but was surprised to find out that was the bottle price - got another one to go for dinner with our Air B&B hosts on Saturday and took our barely sipped on bottle to-go.
Quick drive home on the highway listening to classical and opera music with a sliver of a moon hanging low on the horizon over the approaching city of Cape Town before we lost it behind the hills - home and quickly to bed to cuddle after a very long but beautiful day - Kevin still under the weather but hoping to get some good rest and always delightful company regardless

06.12.2013

So, poor Kevin still not feeling great. Sad face. I spent the morning getting myself situated for life after his departure during which I am expecting a period of post-Kevin depression. In searching for activities to commemorate Day of Reconciliation on December 16th, I discovered the news of Nelson Mandela's death - Kevin and I read articles about him online over breakfast and began to feel the air of mourning spread across the city. In the car we would listen to the Premier of the Western Cape give a public address... Memorial tonight at the Grand Parade with free bus service before and after - international accounts of Mandela's life and work and personal stories of his impact
Our drive took us to SANCCOP - penguin and sea bird rescue center - tour with _____ - saw the Christmas chicks - cleaning stations - ICU - feeding time - Rocky the Rock Penguin that was discovered here, probably contraband from a ship passing through the islands off the South American continent - petting penguin and watching her roam around the building - told Kevin about his holiday present, Muppet the baby penguin which I adopted for him
Drive home with a stop at the grocery store where we got items for dinner and a newspaper to take back to our friend Sam, the South African living in Seattle. Drive up our street near the grand parade was a veritable parking lot, literally - cars had taken over all sides of the road three rows thick and were blocking whole blocks near our home. We will be walking to the memorial later - Kevin rested and I prepared lunch and got started on prep work for dinner - we looked at a photo series of Mandela's life and read opinion pieces about the state of the country, the economy, and speculation of social disorder after his death (which is considered unlikely).
Walk down to the Grand Parade - group singing and dancing in celebration - found a place near the barrier facing the ______ where the main ceremony would be held - place for people to write their reflections and sentiments - flags everywhere - opened by ______, ______ - mayor spoke - this was the site where he first addressed the nation after his release from prison in 1991 - interfaith service with leaders from the Muslim, Jewish, Bahai, Christian, Hindu, ____, and Buddhist faiths addressing the crowd and giving praise and prayer for the 'Father of South Africa' - singing from the Opera Choir and the Cape Voices and more traditional South African music - chanting from another group continued in the background with some palpable tension between the two groups mourning in the same space - ANC group continued to sing and celebrate after
walk home in the wind - dinner talking about the experience and the auspicious times we arrived for

07.12.2013

Biscuit Mill - Ma Mere macaroons - ate my first one: vanilla with black pepper - deli - art - dandelion and burdock soda and more bread - Neighborhood Goods Market - taste of Taiwan - amazing Chinese food -
Drive out to Kirstenbosch Gardens - walk around - useful plants - endangered plants - rooibos tea
Down to Clifton beaches - beach #3 is more of a gay beach - wore my swimsuit that I bought in Costa Rica - stayed until it rained
home to clean up and rest before dinner with our hosts, Angela and Faizel - they had the whole family over - a brother-in-law who won a gold medal in the 1989 New York Marathon - son was the grill master - talked about Mandela's life and their personal history of apartheid - lived in District 6 and were evicted and moved to current neighborhood - great grandfather was a white man from the United States and some relatives were rather fair skinned and "passed" as white and dissociated from "coloured" family members - Indian background meant they were classified as "coloured" - family road trips where they had to sleep in their cars - stores they were not allowed to go in - work to attain education because they cannot take away what you keep in your mind - talk about tensions between the ANC party which Nelson Mandela led in his presidential victory in 1994 and the ____ Democratic party which claims Mandela
Home late after a bit of wine, sparkling wine, and whiskey

08.12.2013

Last full day with Kevin - both of us woke up tired and a bit grumpy - had breakfast and took a ride up to Lion's Head - paragliders - walk around the hill - returned rental car
Searched for a bus and got up to the entrance to Table Mountain - walk up to the cable car - ride to the top in rotating funicular - lunch at the top in the shade - a very warm day but no wind - good cause the sign said they would blow a horn and shut down the funicular if the wind picked up
walked around the top of the mountain - decided to walk out to ______ Beacon, the highest point on the mountain - 3 hours in the sun and we both got a bit too warm and even more tired - made it back to the start and had some cold beverages to relax before catching a ride down
decided to take a cab into town and stop at the grocery store - tried 3 stores and all closed - 4pm on a Sunday and nowhere to get groceries downtown - ug - bus ride home deciding to just eat leftovers - picked up a tomato and avocado from a corner store where we met _____ who gave us a very warm welcome to the neighborhood
home and nap time - neither of us slept but we both got some rest - made a simple dinner (brie) - actually nice not to cook anything - listened to music and cuddled on the couch - it was all I has been wanting to do all day - I ate more macaroons (Christmas spice and beet root with chocolate) and we talked about what life would be like when I finally came home - go to sleep holding my man for the last night for a while

09.12.2013

wake up - both more rested - both a bit sad - had breakfast - finished packing - cleaned the house up a bit - cuddled on the couch - said goodbye to our hosts - ate my pistachio macaroon
started the journey to the airport - Kevin checked in and I returned my other plane ticket - sat at a cafe and chatted for a while longer before he finally had to go through security - another long hug goodbye and he disappeared to his gate - I love you, Kevin
I lingered in the airport for a while and got some food before getting back on the bus - back up to hosts' home to collect my bags and then another series of buses to get to my new hostel, Zebra Crossing in the Garden District - checked in and sat for a while in my room feeling lost and homesick and unmotivated and anxious and annoyed and frustrated and lonely and bored - I filled the space with my last two macaroons: blueberry with anise and red velvet.