Monday, April 28, 2014
No more mosquitoes
Thanks goodness we are past the malaria possible parts of the trip. We took Malarone in Vietnam, South Africa, and Ghana. And then we continued for another week after Ghana. It gives you bad dreams that wake you up. There was a worse malaria medicine that could even make you psychotic, but apparently they do not use it any longer. It was great to get a better night's sleep last night without the meds!
Africa for beginners
That is what "Lonely Planet" says about Ghana. The ship arranged a bus to take us an hour and 15 minutes from the port in Tema to the "center" of Accra. Some life-long learners got off the bus, wandered around a few minutes, and got back on the bus. It was too different. Perhaps they went further on another day....
The thing that was particularly amazing at first was seeing all the people balancing loads on their heads. This was mostly women, but men too. The heaviest loads were large basins of water. The most interesting loads were probably live chickens. Most loads were piled into large metal or plastic basins. We saw a middle-sized child in a village taking a bath in the doorway of his home in the same metal basin. There were also men with large stacks of fabric on their heads -- all I could think of was "Caps for sale, 50 cents a cap".
Things went fairly smoothly for the Semester at Sea folks, but one RA was injured on the dance floor when he (against advise) tried to grab his phone back from the person who grabbed it from him. Others had phones stolen and minor assaults. Many people were annoyed at being grabbed by merchants. On the scale of things, people did OK.
Will and I did not carry bags -- we just had our things zipped into pockets and in our money belt. Will looked around when I got money out of the ATM. I think we got better treatment for being old. This is just a speculation.
The thing that was particularly amazing at first was seeing all the people balancing loads on their heads. This was mostly women, but men too. The heaviest loads were large basins of water. The most interesting loads were probably live chickens. Most loads were piled into large metal or plastic basins. We saw a middle-sized child in a village taking a bath in the doorway of his home in the same metal basin. There were also men with large stacks of fabric on their heads -- all I could think of was "Caps for sale, 50 cents a cap".
Things went fairly smoothly for the Semester at Sea folks, but one RA was injured on the dance floor when he (against advise) tried to grab his phone back from the person who grabbed it from him. Others had phones stolen and minor assaults. Many people were annoyed at being grabbed by merchants. On the scale of things, people did OK.
Will and I did not carry bags -- we just had our things zipped into pockets and in our money belt. Will looked around when I got money out of the ATM. I think we got better treatment for being old. This is just a speculation.
Deforestation and bush meat
We were on our way from place to place on Friday and Saturday in Ghana. All the time we saw people carrying bundles of wood on their heads. It appeared to be dead wood, but I have no idea how it got to be dead, whose wood it was, and how deep into the forest they went to get it. Apparently 75% of the forest is gone in Ghana. Even in the National Park, there was not much virgin forest.
They looked a little more brown than rats, and perhaps a bit larger, and maybe with a bit thicker tail. But they were definitely a pair of rodent-like creatures being held by their tails along the roadside. Also along the roadside, we saw small containers with very large snails. In a student paper for my class, they were described as being the size of hamburgers, Maybe they were not the size of 5-Guy burgers, but certainly small McDonald's burgers. these also are collected from the forest. Apparently there is some movement to farm some of the bush animals....
They looked a little more brown than rats, and perhaps a bit larger, and maybe with a bit thicker tail. But they were definitely a pair of rodent-like creatures being held by their tails along the roadside. Also along the roadside, we saw small containers with very large snails. In a student paper for my class, they were described as being the size of hamburgers, Maybe they were not the size of 5-Guy burgers, but certainly small McDonald's burgers. these also are collected from the forest. Apparently there is some movement to farm some of the bush animals....
Doing business as......
These are ALL shop names in Ghana; this includes a mix of city and village shops. Take that term "shop" very loosely; some were just a stand.
God's Way Poultry Feed
Mama Pee's Eating Place
No Size Special Food
For Christ Jesus Fast Food
Great Provider Cement House
Purposeful Eagle Ventures
Shalom Fast Food
Complete Woman Cold Store
Lord Winners Microfinance
Only God Aluminum Ent.
Supernatural Glory Preparatory and Junior High School
Show Your Love Ent.
God's Way Guest House
Anointed Terrazzo Enterprises
Good Hope Sound Systems
Little by Little Spot
Innocent Blood Cold Store
Social Welfare Beauty Salon
God Never Fails Chop Bar
God First Spraying Shop
Divine Favor Cosmetics
Hail Mary Rental
Obey God's Word and Live Ventures
God's Way Poultry Feed
Mama Pee's Eating Place
No Size Special Food
For Christ Jesus Fast Food
Great Provider Cement House
Purposeful Eagle Ventures
Shalom Fast Food
Complete Woman Cold Store
Lord Winners Microfinance
Only God Aluminum Ent.
Supernatural Glory Preparatory and Junior High School
Show Your Love Ent.
God's Way Guest House
Anointed Terrazzo Enterprises
Good Hope Sound Systems
Little by Little Spot
Innocent Blood Cold Store
Social Welfare Beauty Salon
God Never Fails Chop Bar
God First Spraying Shop
Divine Favor Cosmetics
Hail Mary Rental
Obey God's Word and Live Ventures
"We are not young and stupid."
This was said by a young couple from France who joined us for a quiet nature walk in the rain forest national park. They were reflecting on the opportunity to get into the forest and away from fellow tourists. Before the nature walk, we joined young people from the ship and others on a canopy walk on walkways 30 meters up in the air. The walkways were suspended from the tallest trees, and we were looking straight down on an assortment of trees and a few butterflies. Not much was visible in the way of animals or birds, partly because the rest of the platform visitors were quite loud -- calling to their friends as they walked on the 7 suspended bridges that linked the tall trees.
In contrast, there were only 5 of us, plus the guide, on the nature walk. As is done elsewhere in Africa, those who used to live in the forests and use its plants and animals have now been hired as nature guides. So we had an introduction to probably 20 different plants and their uses. We also were taken to the largest tree in the park -- rivaled the redwoods in diameter.
The couple from France had come to Ghana for 3 weeks as volunteers. At home they are engineers -- but as volunteers, he was teaching rugby, and she was teaching English. They had a home stay, and were also using this as an opportunity to improve their English. Rugby lessons were reported to be a bit frustrating because the young men were not that good at English, but they had a good time with their first week. The other person on the nature walk was a young American woman who was finishing traveling by herself on a 6 week bike trip through Ghana.
In contrast, there were only 5 of us, plus the guide, on the nature walk. As is done elsewhere in Africa, those who used to live in the forests and use its plants and animals have now been hired as nature guides. So we had an introduction to probably 20 different plants and their uses. We also were taken to the largest tree in the park -- rivaled the redwoods in diameter.
The couple from France had come to Ghana for 3 weeks as volunteers. At home they are engineers -- but as volunteers, he was teaching rugby, and she was teaching English. They had a home stay, and were also using this as an opportunity to improve their English. Rugby lessons were reported to be a bit frustrating because the young men were not that good at English, but they had a good time with their first week. The other person on the nature walk was a young American woman who was finishing traveling by herself on a 6 week bike trip through Ghana.
The best single food item I ever ate!
In a small village outside Kumasi in Ghana, we had a tour of a small cocoa plot. Very interesting. The blossoms, and subsequently the cocoa pods grow directly on the trunk. The ripe pod is a bit larger than a mango, and when split open is is creamy white with many seeds, each a bit larger than a lima bean. Just sucking on those pods is delicious -- slightly sweet and tangy.
To process the cocoa, the seeds are wrapped in banana leaves and left to ferment for a week. Then the white fibrous wrapping on each seed can be removed and the cocoa pods are spread on a screen mesh (mounted up on sawhorses) to dry. I tasted the sun warmed cocoa bean that had been curing for 7 days. The guide said it would be too bitter -- better made into a candy bar with milk. But, the inside of that one sun warmed cocoa bean was awesome!
To process the cocoa, the seeds are wrapped in banana leaves and left to ferment for a week. Then the white fibrous wrapping on each seed can be removed and the cocoa pods are spread on a screen mesh (mounted up on sawhorses) to dry. I tasted the sun warmed cocoa bean that had been curing for 7 days. The guide said it would be too bitter -- better made into a candy bar with milk. But, the inside of that one sun warmed cocoa bean was awesome!
Kente cloth
At the cultural center on the outskirts of Kumasi, there were 3 fellows weaving kente cloth on basic handmade looms. You have probably seen the cloth -- strips about 10 to 15 cm wide are woven in patterns that include a lot of red and yellow. For a formal garment, many strips are sewed together to create a large rectangle that is worn. The men who were doing the weaving were thrilled to get the postcards from the US that we have been passing out. And we bought a couple of strips before moving on.
Later when we were driving in the countryside (following some suggestions from Lonely Planet), we came across a worn sign for a kente cloth demonstrations a few kilometers away. Down a rutted road, and after a couple of small villages, we found another sign and turned in. We were offered a tour of a cocoa tree grove (more later) and the kente cloth weaving facilities.
Altogether there were about 30 men weaving in 3 sections -- each subsequent section requiring additional skill. In the first section the weave pattern was basic for a while, then a flat board was inserted beyond the headels to open a specific shed for a pattern. In the second, threads were hand placed, and in the third, threads were hand placed and locked around one another. (This is better seen than described.) We were told that women could not weave because they would have trouble with childbirth.
The patterns were excellent, and we bought a couple more pieces, each 2 meters long. Will gave them a donation, and they gave him a framed piece of kente cloth as an acknowledgment. For future reference, they arrange home stays, village tours, and longer visits....
Later when we were driving in the countryside (following some suggestions from Lonely Planet), we came across a worn sign for a kente cloth demonstrations a few kilometers away. Down a rutted road, and after a couple of small villages, we found another sign and turned in. We were offered a tour of a cocoa tree grove (more later) and the kente cloth weaving facilities.
Altogether there were about 30 men weaving in 3 sections -- each subsequent section requiring additional skill. In the first section the weave pattern was basic for a while, then a flat board was inserted beyond the headels to open a specific shed for a pattern. In the second, threads were hand placed, and in the third, threads were hand placed and locked around one another. (This is better seen than described.) We were told that women could not weave because they would have trouble with childbirth.
The patterns were excellent, and we bought a couple more pieces, each 2 meters long. Will gave them a donation, and they gave him a framed piece of kente cloth as an acknowledgment. For future reference, they arrange home stays, village tours, and longer visits....
Worth the trip around the world!
Ghana -- casting brass! I have read about the process, but we saw the whole thing! At the edge of Kumasi, the Ashanti capital, there was a cultural museum with demonstrations of lots of crafts. At first we saw them making wax shapes for the lost wax process. Next to them were the clay balls that were enclosing the small wax figures. Then they took us out back for the rest of the process. One fire was contained by 1 meter high walls on 3 sides, and the clay vessels were being fired in there.
We were not sure if the wax was being absorbed into the clay or running out. But, as it should, it disappeared. Then there was a second smaller fire that contained the crucible for melting the brass. A small fan salvaged out of something or other, and hitched up to a battery, was bring up the temperature of the the charcoal fire. The cruicible was salvaged from a refridgerator, and the ladle seems to have been handmade from a small can and a handle.
With tongs handmade by a blacksmith somewhere, each clay mold was brought out of the big fire and propped up so that the brass could be poured in. Later they were broken open to reveal the brass figure. Back in front of the building, an electric-run wire wheel was being used for some minimal smoothing.
It was amazing to see the whole process. We bought a small figure of a man and wife sitting at a table eating fufu. And we bought a creche of African-style figures.
We were not sure if the wax was being absorbed into the clay or running out. But, as it should, it disappeared. Then there was a second smaller fire that contained the crucible for melting the brass. A small fan salvaged out of something or other, and hitched up to a battery, was bring up the temperature of the the charcoal fire. The cruicible was salvaged from a refridgerator, and the ladle seems to have been handmade from a small can and a handle.
With tongs handmade by a blacksmith somewhere, each clay mold was brought out of the big fire and propped up so that the brass could be poured in. Later they were broken open to reveal the brass figure. Back in front of the building, an electric-run wire wheel was being used for some minimal smoothing.
It was amazing to see the whole process. We bought a small figure of a man and wife sitting at a table eating fufu. And we bought a creche of African-style figures.
Which side of the road do they drive on in Ghana?
It depends. On the open paved section between towns, they drive on the right, just like the US. But after a while, those smooth sections give way to roads with huge potholes – at that point they need to drive wherever there is a pot-hole free pathway – right , left, and center. And after a while, the pavement gives out altogether – on the rutted and choppy dirt section, it may be necessary to drive considerable distance on the left side of the road.
On the crowded streets in town, we found our car in the middle, with cars coming towards us on the left and right! Actually, we were not driving ourselves, but hired a car and driver for the full 5 days in Ghana.
I really wanted to go inland to Kumasi, the Ashanti capital, so I booked a nice hotel and paid in advance. That committed us to doing everything possible to figure out how to get there. The trip was supposed to be about 4 or 5 hours. Semester at Sea works with a tour company in each country to arrange the group tours – guides, buses, and itineraries are worked out months in advance. They also put a travel advisor on the ship while we are in port.
The travel advisor booked us a car and driver, and said they would meet the ship’s shuttle into Accra. We grabbed our backpacks, got on the shuttle, and took the hour and 15 minute trip from the dock in Tema into Accra. No one was waiting. And no one came after that. We talked to the shuttle driver, they talked to the travel advisor (after a few tries), and when he took the bus back to the ship, he left someone to wait with us.
It all worked out! We were in Kumasi by the end of the day and had a great buffet dinner, including Ghanaian dishes. More later. On the way back to the coast, we were on a 30 or 40 km stretch of road in excellent condition – “Gift from the people of Japan”!
Waking up at dawn in rural Ghana
Oh my gosh! Noises from drums, birds, roosters crowing, hens clucking, men washing a car, and chanting sounds building.
As the drums and chanting get louder, I moved towards the road to see about 30 people informally dressed -- jogging and chanting as they follow a few people who have drums and a cowbell. On the opposite side of the road, a dozen sheep are lined up watching.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
0 degrees/0 degrees
Find me on the map -- here we are at 0 degrees longitude and 0 degrees latitude! We will be arriving in Ghana (near Accra) tomorrowmorning. I know it is an imaginary and arbitrary point-- or at least the longitudes are.
Who knew there was a buoy to mark the spot? How can that be -- the sea is very deep here? The buoy is motarized -- and communicates with the sattelites to stay in the right spot. Our ship blew the whistle and changed course a bit to get closer so we could all see.
Who knew there was a buoy to mark the spot? How can that be -- the sea is very deep here? The buoy is motarized -- and communicates with the sattelites to stay in the right spot. Our ship blew the whistle and changed course a bit to get closer so we could all see.
What languages do they speak in South Africa?
There are 11 official languages! English is common, as is Afrikaans. Afrikaans was a creole mixture for communication among the various language groups -- but it has quite a bit of Dutch in it.
The various regions/states were established with boundaries more or less matching the language boundaries. Xhosa is common in the the Capetown area, and it is a click language. It was very impressive to hear small kids speaking with the clicks!
If you know Xhosa, there are 3 related languages that will not be too hard to learn. Then there is a language group with 3 more fairly similar languages. So, our guide for the Township spoke 9 languages! Amazing.
The various regions/states were established with boundaries more or less matching the language boundaries. Xhosa is common in the the Capetown area, and it is a click language. It was very impressive to hear small kids speaking with the clicks!
If you know Xhosa, there are 3 related languages that will not be too hard to learn. Then there is a language group with 3 more fairly similar languages. So, our guide for the Township spoke 9 languages! Amazing.
Shacks and Dormitories
On the visit to Larga Township, we walked from the community center along streets with small bodega-type shops -- some in shacks, some in shipping containers. There were paved streets with an occasional car. We saw a mixture of three story buildings and one story buildings.
We came to a three story building with a huge amount of laundry hanging in front of it -- suggesting to me that there were a lot of people living there. In fact, it was a dormitory. Or, rather, it was built as a dormitory for men when the township was first established. Men came from the villages to work in Capetown and its surrounding areas. On a section of one floor, there were 4 rooms to the right of a common room with a couple of tables, and 4 rooms to the left. There was one bathroom.
When originally built, this section held 16 men. But now each room houses a family -- the rooms have three beds with storage over each one, and a small shelf for a hot plate. At night, older boys may sleep on the floor by the tables when there is not enough room in the family room. Our guide indicated that each unit agreed on the time that the door would be locked in the evening. If you came home after that, you would find somewhere else to sleep. Because people need to get up in the morning for work and school, it would not do to have people waking them up when coming in late.
Because of the high level of crowding, and the low level of privacy, people living in the dormitories wanted to move out to shacks. We had the chance to go into a shack. Usually they are built by the owners, with help from neighbors. Materials include corrugated metal siding, boards, cardbord, tarps, etc. The shack had two rooms -- a front room with a single bed and a very small kitchen section with room for a two burner stove and a rice cooker, and back room. In fine weather, it was cozy and functional, but in wet and cold weather, the shacks were likely to be pretty miserable. There were water taps scattered throughout the shack area, and a row of port-a-potties along the edge of the cluster.
Because we are close to elections, government houses are being build -- the basic unit has 25 Sq meters. There are also newer apartment building -- with 1, 2, or 3 bedrooms. People are on long waiting lists for government housing -- and there is some corruption that lets some folks move in front of others on the list. The law forbids removing anyone from where they live without providing replacement housing.
We came to a three story building with a huge amount of laundry hanging in front of it -- suggesting to me that there were a lot of people living there. In fact, it was a dormitory. Or, rather, it was built as a dormitory for men when the township was first established. Men came from the villages to work in Capetown and its surrounding areas. On a section of one floor, there were 4 rooms to the right of a common room with a couple of tables, and 4 rooms to the left. There was one bathroom.
When originally built, this section held 16 men. But now each room houses a family -- the rooms have three beds with storage over each one, and a small shelf for a hot plate. At night, older boys may sleep on the floor by the tables when there is not enough room in the family room. Our guide indicated that each unit agreed on the time that the door would be locked in the evening. If you came home after that, you would find somewhere else to sleep. Because people need to get up in the morning for work and school, it would not do to have people waking them up when coming in late.
Because of the high level of crowding, and the low level of privacy, people living in the dormitories wanted to move out to shacks. We had the chance to go into a shack. Usually they are built by the owners, with help from neighbors. Materials include corrugated metal siding, boards, cardbord, tarps, etc. The shack had two rooms -- a front room with a single bed and a very small kitchen section with room for a two burner stove and a rice cooker, and back room. In fine weather, it was cozy and functional, but in wet and cold weather, the shacks were likely to be pretty miserable. There were water taps scattered throughout the shack area, and a row of port-a-potties along the edge of the cluster.
Because we are close to elections, government houses are being build -- the basic unit has 25 Sq meters. There are also newer apartment building -- with 1, 2, or 3 bedrooms. People are on long waiting lists for government housing -- and there is some corruption that lets some folks move in front of others on the list. The law forbids removing anyone from where they live without providing replacement housing.
Larga Township
The Preport briefings for the members of the shipboard community were very clear that townships were dangerous places -- no one should just wander in. At the same time, I had agreed to be the trip liaison for a visit to Larga township. I volunteered on the basis of Nick and my visit to the township outside of Pretoria that was the location of the Bokomoso Youth Development program. We visited as guests of the program, and had the opportunity to stroll the neighborhood one of the days that we were there.
On the bus, I presented a brief history of the townships. In 1950, apartheid was firmly established with rules forbidding interracial marriage, not allowing blacks in the urban areas without a pass, requiring that young people be educated by members of their racial group, and requiring the racial groups to all live separately. Whites had been evicting blacks for some time before this act was passed, but these efforts were accelerated from 1950 forward.
Larga township began in the 1920's and grew significantly after 1950. It is the township closest to Capetown. After the Sharpsville massacre where many protesters were killed, demonstrations in Larga also drew police attention; a few were killed, and many were injured. Later, people from Larga marched to Capetown in protest.
Our visit was guided by a young man who was a born and bred member of the Larga community. We felt comfortable as visitors with him as our host. First stop was a community center with arts programs and a few things for sale. Our group was about 20, and we stuck together as we walked along the road from there.
It was Saturday, and a few things were being barbecued (braii in Afrikans) along the roadways. Then we came to a woman heating an iron in the fire and blackening the skin of a sheep's head. Apparently this was the middle step between cutting off the wool and boiling for a couple hours. After cooking, the head was split in half and the brains discarded. Why? We were told that sheep were slow creatures, and you would become slow if you ate the brains.
At one stop we asked questions about medical care. There is an expansive system of free clinics in the township, but they run on a first come, first served basis, and you can wait a very long time. Some people will pay for private doctors. Babies are born in hospitals/clinics, and people did look healthy.
At another question stop we asked about schools. There are free public schools in the township, with 50 to 55 students in a class (at all ages). There really has been a lost generation of education, and there are not a lot of well educated teachers even today. Our guide's mother made sure that he went to the best of the public schools, even though this was not the school that his friends were going to. Part of this schools strength was that kids learned good English.
Larga is originally a township of Xhoss-speaking people. Overall, these are the best educated of the African groups -- Mandella and Tutu come from that group. Our guide's first language was Xhosa -- a click language. From there he suggested, it is pretty easy to learn 3 other related African languages, and learning another of the African languages gets you pretty close to the 3 languages in that language group. Then English, and then Afrikaans -- a creole from Dutch. So he more or less speaks 9 languages.
At the township near Pretoria, the leader of the youth program also spoke 9 languages -- his father had told him that knowing one another's languages was going to be very important to keep black from fighting black.
On the bus, I presented a brief history of the townships. In 1950, apartheid was firmly established with rules forbidding interracial marriage, not allowing blacks in the urban areas without a pass, requiring that young people be educated by members of their racial group, and requiring the racial groups to all live separately. Whites had been evicting blacks for some time before this act was passed, but these efforts were accelerated from 1950 forward.
Larga township began in the 1920's and grew significantly after 1950. It is the township closest to Capetown. After the Sharpsville massacre where many protesters were killed, demonstrations in Larga also drew police attention; a few were killed, and many were injured. Later, people from Larga marched to Capetown in protest.
Our visit was guided by a young man who was a born and bred member of the Larga community. We felt comfortable as visitors with him as our host. First stop was a community center with arts programs and a few things for sale. Our group was about 20, and we stuck together as we walked along the road from there.
It was Saturday, and a few things were being barbecued (braii in Afrikans) along the roadways. Then we came to a woman heating an iron in the fire and blackening the skin of a sheep's head. Apparently this was the middle step between cutting off the wool and boiling for a couple hours. After cooking, the head was split in half and the brains discarded. Why? We were told that sheep were slow creatures, and you would become slow if you ate the brains.
At one stop we asked questions about medical care. There is an expansive system of free clinics in the township, but they run on a first come, first served basis, and you can wait a very long time. Some people will pay for private doctors. Babies are born in hospitals/clinics, and people did look healthy.
At another question stop we asked about schools. There are free public schools in the township, with 50 to 55 students in a class (at all ages). There really has been a lost generation of education, and there are not a lot of well educated teachers even today. Our guide's mother made sure that he went to the best of the public schools, even though this was not the school that his friends were going to. Part of this schools strength was that kids learned good English.
Larga is originally a township of Xhoss-speaking people. Overall, these are the best educated of the African groups -- Mandella and Tutu come from that group. Our guide's first language was Xhosa -- a click language. From there he suggested, it is pretty easy to learn 3 other related African languages, and learning another of the African languages gets you pretty close to the 3 languages in that language group. Then English, and then Afrikaans -- a creole from Dutch. So he more or less speaks 9 languages.
At the township near Pretoria, the leader of the youth program also spoke 9 languages -- his father had told him that knowing one another's languages was going to be very important to keep black from fighting black.
Gold and Diamonds
The first night we went to a world premier play at the Baxter Theater Centre at University of Cape Town. Before the play we heard a speaker talking about higher education in South Africa. There were two white Universities in the Capetown area -- one pro-apartheid, one anti-apartheid. The University of Capetown was the anti-apartheid university, and was the site of considerable demonstrations in the days, with the demonstrations sometimes spilling onto the nearby highway. Before the end of arpatheid, there were some black students studying at UCT under various "special circumstances"
The theater was absolutely world class -- on par with the renovated Arena Stage in DC and the renovated Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Several levels of lobby space, various food and drink options, and it looked like there was more than one theater. We were given tickets that said $25.00 (in rand) on them. This is gold and diamond money from Rhodes.
The play, "Missing...", was written by John Kani who won the 1974/75 Tony Award on Broadway for Best Actor, and several other awards over the last 40 years. He was also the main actor in this depiction of a biracial family living in Stockholm for many years as the main character waited for a call to return to South Africa to be part of the new government. The title was ambiguous -- missing from the reconstruction efforts, missing his country, missing family.... After the play we had the chance to participate in a Q&A with John Kani. This was a great end to an exciting first day in Capetown.
The theater was absolutely world class -- on par with the renovated Arena Stage in DC and the renovated Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Several levels of lobby space, various food and drink options, and it looked like there was more than one theater. We were given tickets that said $25.00 (in rand) on them. This is gold and diamond money from Rhodes.
The play, "Missing...", was written by John Kani who won the 1974/75 Tony Award on Broadway for Best Actor, and several other awards over the last 40 years. He was also the main actor in this depiction of a biracial family living in Stockholm for many years as the main character waited for a call to return to South Africa to be part of the new government. The title was ambiguous -- missing from the reconstruction efforts, missing his country, missing family.... After the play we had the chance to participate in a Q&A with John Kani. This was a great end to an exciting first day in Capetown.
5 Star View from the MV Explorer
We are docked at Eastern Mole 2, Duncan Dock, Port of Capetown, not right next to V&A Waterfront development with the other cruise ship. And we have to take a shuttle bus every time we want to go into town. But what a view! From our portside room (which is not the disembarkation side in this port) we can see Table Mountain, Lion's Head, and Signal Hill reflected in a section of bay! I totally understand Monet's obsession with light. Every hour of every day, and sometimes every few minutes, Table Mountain has a different image.
The first morning it was perfectly clear as dawn arrived, and the shadows on the escarpment changed the image every few minutes. The second morning was clear at first, then a layer of clouds came across in the pattern they refer to as a table cloth on Table Mountain. The thin layer of clouds resting on the top soon thickened a bit and began spilling over the edge just like a table cloth. As the clouds spilled down, they dissolved in a wavy pattern. And after 20 minutes or so, all those clouds receded and the mountain top was clear again.
This morning dawn has come with clouds over the city obscuring all but the one edge of Table Mountain. The two peaks to the right, Lion's Head and Signal Hill, a bit lower that the 3000 feet of Table Mountain, are still clearly in view.
And the view from the top down onto the MV Explorer is even more spectacular! We went to the top the first day as part of a city orientation sour from Semester at Sea. Unfortunately, we waited in a long line because it was the first clear day after several days of rain. In addition to the usual influx of tourists, there are many extra people in town because of a jazz festival. But from the top, the view is extraordinary -- looking over the Atlantic and Indian Oceans as well as their intersection at the Cape of Good Hope.
From the top is it possible to see Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for much of his 27 years of imprisonment. It was also possible to see the first fort, the Castle of Good Hope. This land was originally claimed and settled by the Dutch East India Company as a provisioning location. Cattle and sheep were grown, and vegetable were raised to provision passing ships.
As with their other operations, the Dutch East India Company relied on slaves to develop their operations. The farms were small operations with a few slaves each, not the huge plantations seen in other places. The slaves were more largely from East Asia, with a few from other parts of Africa. Afrikaans was the creole language that developed as a common language.
Looking up and the mountain, and looking down on Capetown and its environs was a bit of a Batholomew Cubbins experience. It was also a wonderful reminder of my trip here to Capetown with Nick in 2009. At that point South Africa was desperately getting ready for the World Cup, and everyone was predicting that they would not be ready by 2010. In fact, they were largely ready, and now the landscape has a large stadium that was not part of Nick's and my view from the top of Table Mountain.
The first morning it was perfectly clear as dawn arrived, and the shadows on the escarpment changed the image every few minutes. The second morning was clear at first, then a layer of clouds came across in the pattern they refer to as a table cloth on Table Mountain. The thin layer of clouds resting on the top soon thickened a bit and began spilling over the edge just like a table cloth. As the clouds spilled down, they dissolved in a wavy pattern. And after 20 minutes or so, all those clouds receded and the mountain top was clear again.
This morning dawn has come with clouds over the city obscuring all but the one edge of Table Mountain. The two peaks to the right, Lion's Head and Signal Hill, a bit lower that the 3000 feet of Table Mountain, are still clearly in view.
And the view from the top down onto the MV Explorer is even more spectacular! We went to the top the first day as part of a city orientation sour from Semester at Sea. Unfortunately, we waited in a long line because it was the first clear day after several days of rain. In addition to the usual influx of tourists, there are many extra people in town because of a jazz festival. But from the top, the view is extraordinary -- looking over the Atlantic and Indian Oceans as well as their intersection at the Cape of Good Hope.
From the top is it possible to see Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for much of his 27 years of imprisonment. It was also possible to see the first fort, the Castle of Good Hope. This land was originally claimed and settled by the Dutch East India Company as a provisioning location. Cattle and sheep were grown, and vegetable were raised to provision passing ships.
As with their other operations, the Dutch East India Company relied on slaves to develop their operations. The farms were small operations with a few slaves each, not the huge plantations seen in other places. The slaves were more largely from East Asia, with a few from other parts of Africa. Afrikaans was the creole language that developed as a common language.
Looking up and the mountain, and looking down on Capetown and its environs was a bit of a Batholomew Cubbins experience. It was also a wonderful reminder of my trip here to Capetown with Nick in 2009. At that point South Africa was desperately getting ready for the World Cup, and everyone was predicting that they would not be ready by 2010. In fact, they were largely ready, and now the landscape has a large stadium that was not part of Nick's and my view from the top of Table Mountain.
Sunrise over Table Mountain
I went up on the deck in complete darkness, with a bright Venus directly over the Crescent moon. It was if the planet would fall directly into the cusp. The lights of Cape Town were reflected in the water as we made our final contact with the dock.
Then the sky began to brighten slightly, and the silhouette of Table Mountain began to emerge from the blackness. As Nick remembers, Table Mountain is quite high, and with a very distinctive profile. A lower mountain is nearer to the city, then it is connected to a craggy peak, Lion's Head, then Table Mountain towering over the city. We plan to take the cable car up the mountain later today, then see the South African play "Missing" tonight.
As the sky brightened, the detail of the mountain emerged, including the textures of the escarpment. The sun was behind us, and the pink of the sunrise reflected onto the clouds behind the mountain. No picture will capture the layers of the water, reflecting the city lights, the city itself, then the mountains and the pink sky. We have an "Extended Family" of 4 young ladies, and two of them were up on the deck, so we tried a family portrait.
Preparation for the visit to South Africa has been intense. There was a special meeting a couple of days ago for those interested in visiting a township -- many students had been planning to go on their own, etc. A faculty member from South Africa and a our "interport student" from South Africa were strongly advising against going to a township without being part of a reputable tour. Both indicated that, even as South Africans, they would not go into a township without careful guidance. I will be leading a well-guided township trip tomorrow.
The evening before each port we have a mandatory "Preport briefing" that advises about the various hazards of the country, as well as the interesting things to do and eat. For example, for Singapore we were warned against chewing gum and spitting. For Vietnam we were warned against riding motorbikes, and were urged to protect our bags from being snatched by a passing motorbike. For India we were warned about traveling alone and about unscrupulous taxi drivers. We have been told to "back away from the monkey", to use condoms if we intended to exchange bodily fluids, and watch our drinks -- all good advise.
For South Africa, the briefing was well done, but intense. We saw lots of lovely slides of scenery and food, but were told to watch out every minute. Americans are not targeted, but people with money are. Even stopping to read a map could single us out as vulnerable tourists. Baboons can be aggressive, and elephants are not friendly. With the highest HIV rate in the world, and close to the highest murder rate in the world, care and attentiveness is mandatory. Of course we worry about students losing their sense of vigilance with alcohol.
I have great memories of my time here in Cape Town with Nick. We saw whales, penguins, Robbin Island, Table Mountain, the old fort, and pelagic birds.
Then the sky began to brighten slightly, and the silhouette of Table Mountain began to emerge from the blackness. As Nick remembers, Table Mountain is quite high, and with a very distinctive profile. A lower mountain is nearer to the city, then it is connected to a craggy peak, Lion's Head, then Table Mountain towering over the city. We plan to take the cable car up the mountain later today, then see the South African play "Missing" tonight.
As the sky brightened, the detail of the mountain emerged, including the textures of the escarpment. The sun was behind us, and the pink of the sunrise reflected onto the clouds behind the mountain. No picture will capture the layers of the water, reflecting the city lights, the city itself, then the mountains and the pink sky. We have an "Extended Family" of 4 young ladies, and two of them were up on the deck, so we tried a family portrait.
Preparation for the visit to South Africa has been intense. There was a special meeting a couple of days ago for those interested in visiting a township -- many students had been planning to go on their own, etc. A faculty member from South Africa and a our "interport student" from South Africa were strongly advising against going to a township without being part of a reputable tour. Both indicated that, even as South Africans, they would not go into a township without careful guidance. I will be leading a well-guided township trip tomorrow.
The evening before each port we have a mandatory "Preport briefing" that advises about the various hazards of the country, as well as the interesting things to do and eat. For example, for Singapore we were warned against chewing gum and spitting. For Vietnam we were warned against riding motorbikes, and were urged to protect our bags from being snatched by a passing motorbike. For India we were warned about traveling alone and about unscrupulous taxi drivers. We have been told to "back away from the monkey", to use condoms if we intended to exchange bodily fluids, and watch our drinks -- all good advise.
For South Africa, the briefing was well done, but intense. We saw lots of lovely slides of scenery and food, but were told to watch out every minute. Americans are not targeted, but people with money are. Even stopping to read a map could single us out as vulnerable tourists. Baboons can be aggressive, and elephants are not friendly. With the highest HIV rate in the world, and close to the highest murder rate in the world, care and attentiveness is mandatory. Of course we worry about students losing their sense of vigilance with alcohol.
I have great memories of my time here in Cape Town with Nick. We saw whales, penguins, Robbin Island, Table Mountain, the old fort, and pelagic birds.
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