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.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
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.
Treadmill B
Treadmill B is the only treadmill for the 700 or 800 of us living on the ship. Today "B" also stands for bobbing -- the ship is bobbing like a cork in the Indian Ocean as we approach the Cape of Good Hope and the Atlantic. There are waves, swells, and winds; the sky and sea are dark, with rains coming. Every once in a while the ship lurches -- as some say, it seems like we hit a whale.
So, I am particularly proud to have had a successful 30 min. run this morning (30 is the full allocation). If I look down at the letter B on the frame of the treadmill, and keep it lined up with the center of the rails, and keep concentrating, it is possible to run (not too fast) under these circumstances.
As for stretches on the aft deck, the Ship's movement does a good job of turning a a static stretch into a dynamic stretch. Sitting and lying on the mat is a little like trying to make your bed while you're in it -- the wind keeps trying to wrap the mat around you.
No matter what, I do not intend to take another Meclizine -- it totally put me to sleep a couple of days ago. Some say 1/4 is enough to fight the sea sickness. I have been eating ginger from the Japanese temple. Actually the worst of the bobbing will probably be in the night, and unfortunately, it may be dark as we round the Cape of Good Hope.
So, I am particularly proud to have had a successful 30 min. run this morning (30 is the full allocation). If I look down at the letter B on the frame of the treadmill, and keep it lined up with the center of the rails, and keep concentrating, it is possible to run (not too fast) under these circumstances.
As for stretches on the aft deck, the Ship's movement does a good job of turning a a static stretch into a dynamic stretch. Sitting and lying on the mat is a little like trying to make your bed while you're in it -- the wind keeps trying to wrap the mat around you.
No matter what, I do not intend to take another Meclizine -- it totally put me to sleep a couple of days ago. Some say 1/4 is enough to fight the sea sickness. I have been eating ginger from the Japanese temple. Actually the worst of the bobbing will probably be in the night, and unfortunately, it may be dark as we round the Cape of Good Hope.
What time is it? Where are we?
Who knows? Every once in a while they say "you get an extra hour of sleep tonight". India and Burma were "half off" like Newfoundland. In other words, we adjusted our clocks by a half hour for those countries; then, of course, we had to adjust 1/2 hour back. Two nights ago AND tonight we are getting an extra hour of sleep to get lined up for South Africa.
And, speaking of South Africa, we have tucked in close to land even though we have 2 days before arrival. There are large swells in the sea, and apparently there would be even larger ones if we were further out. What this means is that we have been traveling all day in sight of land -- seeing some cliffs, plateaus, and small settlements. At noon we were 729 miles from Capetown and traveling at a little faster than usual speed.
And, speaking of South Africa, we have tucked in close to land even though we have 2 days before arrival. There are large swells in the sea, and apparently there would be even larger ones if we were further out. What this means is that we have been traveling all day in sight of land -- seeing some cliffs, plateaus, and small settlements. At noon we were 729 miles from Capetown and traveling at a little faster than usual speed.
Who knew haiku was a team sport?
But my team came in second on the ship! "Study day" had a few distractions with the Semester at Sea Olympics. the opening ceremony featured team banners and cheers. Will's kickball team lost to students in an early round, but he put in a strong showing in the backward spelling bee! The faculty, staff, and life long learners were together as a team, and the students were organized in their residence units. In addition, the kids (17 and under dependents) fielded a team -- the Loch Ness Monsters.
Events included the frozen t-shirt contest, musical chairs, SAS trivia, rock/paper/scissors (done as ship/captain/wave), and tug of war. Imagine synchronized swimming in our pool, only slightly larger than a hot-tub. Teams of 4 danced, splashed, jumped and rode on shoulders. Our team, the Golden Odysseys, had two people who really knew how to do synchronized swimming, and they recruited two others to stand nearby and wave their arms to the music.
Overall winners will be announced tonight at the closing ceremony.
Haiku had a Semester at Sea theme and could be composed ahead of time. I wrote many, and had teammates vote on their favorites at lunch to narrow it to six. After the contest, those who wanted had a chance to read a few more. The first was my team entry; some others might not make sense if you were not here.
Events included the frozen t-shirt contest, musical chairs, SAS trivia, rock/paper/scissors (done as ship/captain/wave), and tug of war. Imagine synchronized swimming in our pool, only slightly larger than a hot-tub. Teams of 4 danced, splashed, jumped and rode on shoulders. Our team, the Golden Odysseys, had two people who really knew how to do synchronized swimming, and they recruited two others to stand nearby and wave their arms to the music.
Overall winners will be announced tonight at the closing ceremony.
Haiku had a Semester at Sea theme and could be composed ahead of time. I wrote many, and had teammates vote on their favorites at lunch to narrow it to six. After the contest, those who wanted had a chance to read a few more. The first was my team entry; some others might not make sense if you were not here.
Vanishing pole star,
Gibbous moon over aft deck --
Now the southern cross
Aft deck sunset,
Layers of clouds, golden light --
Students at the rail
Tropical island
Rainy sugarcane vistas --
Fermented to rum
Imaginary
Line across the night sea --
Must placate Neptune
Anointed with goo,
Dripping, now kissing the fish
And Neptune’s diamond
First, Aloha shirts,
Kimono, longhi, sari --
Now elephant pants
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