It has been over 2 weeks since we left Cape Town and yet South Africa never leaves my mind. The seven days we spent there were absolutely wonderful, and the memories made there are ones I will always treasure. The highlights of the trip, if I am able to upload all of them to this blog will be shown in picture form in the blog. The day we visited the townships was an eye opening experience, and the children we met did not let their spirits dampen with the poverty we saw around them. They were all smiles and loved getting the chance to dance around with us as we meandered through their neighborhood. Many things are being done to alleviate some of the dangerous issues that arise with township living, such as fires because of shared electricity. But it was definitely a growing experience, and one that I'm glad I decided to do apart from Semester at Sea, our tour group was only 5 people. Sadly I don't have any pictures of that day because I didn't bring my camera but we were on the tour with a lovely German women who promised to send us the pictures she took within the next few months.
The day I will never forget was Sunday, the day that Lindsay and I spent in the company of the Margs and Pete Linley and their four sons: Oliver, Max, Joe, and Will. A day in the life both Lindsay and I hope we can someday live. The day began with an early visit to their church, a member of the Vineyard Churches which Margs said originated in California. It was a wonderful quaint church, held in a school which reminded me of our days in Clear River. The people were so kind and welcoming, and it functioned as a great start to our day. We then went back to the Linleys home which was spectacular to say the least. The interior decorator, or Margs herself, should be praised. We had a delicious lunch, one that Lindsay and I still recount today. Roasted Chicken, potatoes, fresh salad (which we are not used to on the ship), squash and great wine. Still thinking of it today makes me miss them, not just the meal but the kind hospitality that was extended towards us. The boys were so polite, so intelligent, and yearning to play tag. So we went outside to take part in different relay races with them, after which Will (the youngest) was ready to continue for the rest of the afternoon, but we felt like that was the biggest workout we had gotten in a long time. In the afternoon, we took a walk into the Cecilia Forest, on the back of Table Mountain with their three German Shepards. After a relaxing walk, and a detailed play by play account of cricket by Joe, very little of which I understood though still enjoyed his attempt, we were dropped off at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens to take in the Sunday Afternoon Summer Concert. Margs had packed a wonderful picnic, and Lindsay and I snacked away during the concert. We had also bought a small bottle of sparkling wine from the Gerneral store at Kirstenbosch, and sipped on that. I dont think my words and descriptions can do this day justice! I truly had a wonderful time, and it wouldn't have been possible without the gernerosity and kindness of the Linleys. I only hope that some day I can return to Cape Town and spend more time with them. Gin, if you are reading this, thank you for making the connection, I couldn't have imagined my Cape Town visit without them.
On Monday Lindsay and I decided to go to Groot Constantia, a small vineyard in the Constantia region of Cape Town. We had wanted to go to Table Mountain, but a thick tablecloth covered the mountain all of Monday. OUr taxi driver, Allen who were lucky enough to make a connection with in the subsequent days in Cape Town suggested Groot Constantia as a great place to take a relaxing walk up the mountain and then have a simple lunch. We loved it. Walking up through the Vineyards reminded me of my time in Tuscany, though I have to say, South Africa's Winelands were very comparable to Tuscany. The views at the top of the mountain, the meal we enjoyed at the little Bistro, amazing. We still talk about the salad, as you can see we loved having salad, and the wine. The day fit all of our criteria, good food, great sights, and physical activity! It was only made better by Margs picking us up, and we got the chance to race again with Joe and Will, loving every minute of it. And being a little more prepared since we were wearing tennis shoes this time from our walk. Though when Oliver decided to join the race we were all left in the dust. Overall, the two best days!
1 comment:
Good post.
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