Déjà-vu

Picked a random number of photos to post in no particular order.  Highlights include hiking up the mountain behind our temporary orientation housing at the Rocklands, wandering down to Boulders Beach to walk amongst the penguin and cormorant colonies there, sauntering through Simon’s Town before taking the train to Kalk Bay for fish and chips, and driving to the Cape of Good Hope.

I thought the Californian coast was breathtaking, but I think the Cape Peninsula honestly wipes the floor with the competition.  Here, baboons run across the street with stolen loaves of bread and groom each other on the side of the road.  Ostriches stand against oceanic wallpaper while elands and bontebok graze in herds in the distance.  Life moves on African time, where doing something “just now” can mean anything from “in ten minutes” to “in five hours.”  Schedules are only a recommendation and are far from concrete.  Reliability is only a suggestion.  One neighborhood sports first world luxury while the one next to it can only afford tin shack shanties and outhouses.  The scars of apartheid linger here, etched in the face of every unemployed black man, one of hundreds who stand at busy intersections every morning hoping for temporary work in a garden or on construction for the day.  Crime has doubled in the past year.  Desperate people do desperate things.

On a brighter note, this weekend, a few of us went to an amazing bar/ club/ restaurant called Pilana at Kalk Bay.  One of the walls consisted of sliding glass doors which opened to rocky, tempestuous surf smashing against rocky boulders a mere ten feet away.  Had some pretty amazing mojitos.  Drinks are 15-30 rand, max ($2-$3), so I haven’t had to give up schwasty time, which is a plus.

I’ll try to update more now that I’ve found a wireless cafe.  Transatlantic, transpacific, and transindian love to everyone!