06/11/2013

Muizenberg - Cape Town

We arrive at Michael’s place in Muizenberg and even before we put down our luggage Elodie screams out: my camera! We must have forgotten it in one of the shuttles. Trying not to panic we call everyone to locate the camera. It is in the last shuttle. We can come pick it up says the driver, he lives on the other side of town, in a dodgy neighborhood… Let’s go says Michael, our host and savior. This is what a positive attitude does: we have a great ride through all Cape Town, while Michael explains about historical events, cultural phenomenons, and ideology. The camera finds its owner and we drive home in high spirits. No way does he want a compensation. The only promise we have to make is that we will do the same thing to someone else one day. The next day we go all three to the Cape: Cape of Good Hope, or Cape of Storms as it was called before, due to the numerous storms in this area, close to the meeting point between the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. The name Cape of Good Hope was given because of the great optimism engendered by the opening of a sea route to India and the East. After a delicious Tibetan lunch we visit the Jackass Penguins at Boulders, a whole colony of these small South African penguins live there. Three young ones try to conquer the ocean and make me laugh a lot as they stumble under a wave.

On the way back, Michael shows us a statue of the Great Dane “Just Nuisance”, the only dog ever to be officially enlisted in the Royal Navy and buried with full military honor. Another great day.

The beach at Muizenberg is nice, I particularly enjoy watching the Seagulls dig for shells that they drop from a great height down on the beach to break them open. Elodie picks some shells – “I want to cook them” she says, and I can only believe her when she says they are good. To part from our host, and also to escape from the rain, Michael takes us to do some winetasting at Groot Constantia. Elodie knows a great deal about wine and we share some delicious moments, tasting and laughing.

Saths is our next host. He lives in a beautiful house just under Table Mountain which we never see because of the clouds. He shows us all his favorite places to have a coffee in Cape Town, great! He is good company and introduces us to his ten year old son with whom we spend some time and play Jenga while Saths is at work. In two days we leave South Africa and I finish my trip. It feels weird and good at the same time…

The sea is angry and we cannot visit Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela was kept for 18 years. I will have to come back one day. Instead we go for a walk in town, and meet for lunch with Mary I met in Bolivia. We finish the day in the South African Art Museum where we have the chance to be invited to a private vernissage. A perfect end to the trip, tomorrow we go home…

photos Cape Town