First slide show, 1/12-1/19, 2008

1/12-1/19, 2008
Here is the slideshow for the first portion of my trip! Scroll down so you can see the captions, and enjoy. Or you can link to the photos directly: Part One: Paris thru Cape Town

January 2008 Travels

January 2008 included some amazing experiences in foreign cities. With over 1400 pictures and having limited access to the internet throughout the travels, I'll be transferring my journal to a blog slowly. I hope you enjoy!

Special Day, January 17, 2008

Thursday, January 17, 2008

There was a knock on our bedroom door at 8:30 am, and I stirred but ignored it. After a few more moments and knocks, the door opened a crack and Terrence announced that breakfast was ready. Stefaie's bed was nearer the door, and she extended her hand to shoo him, mumbling, "Yah, yah.." She continued sleeping. I started laughing at the familiarity of her 'Yah, yah" wave. It reminded me of the days when Julia and I would return from a night on the town having both forgotten a key and having neglected to return the spare to its hiding spot. We'd knock on Stefanie's window to have her open the door, but usually got exactly the same shooing wave and "Yah, yah" mumble. We'd then have to go around to wake Guenther and Gertrud to get into the house. At four am, they generally were not pleased to be disturbed, making us beg and giving us an earful. Somehow every time our danced-out feet sounded like lead weights on the floor, pounding and echoing up the open wood beam stairs to wood floors in bedrooms just above hers. That would wake Stefanie, who would walk out and complain about the hours we kept. To the family we'd woken, we'd say, "Yah, yah," and pass out for a couple hours of precious sleep before school. It was not a rare occasion. So after a few minutes of savoring the idea of more sleep, I left Stefanie in her Yah, yah slumber and headed very quietly upstairs to breakfast. She did not wake up, and I joined Guenther and Gertrud for breakfast. We set aside a plate for Stefanie to enjoy at her leisure. It was very special to share that morning with just Guenther and Gertrud. They were very happy to see how much I'd changed my ways but remained the same person, and I was very happy to see them achieve the goals they've had for so long and remain so happy and strong as a couple. When I lived with them, we couldn't have had more opposite views on so many things, but it seems we'd grown to understand and appreciate one another and those different points of view much more in the 12+ years since my departure. We talked, laughed, and shared stories for almost two hours before moving on with our days. The Former women were off to pick flowers for the wedding arrangements. Peter, Louise, and Guenther were off to explore Cape Point, and I was off down the hill to the internet cafe in Simon's Town (power outage delayed my mission). I was supposed to be ready at Corner House at 4 to be picked up by Peter, but was surprised when he arrived at the internet cafe at half past three. He was under pressure from Julia to get more errands run for her, so off we went to the mall, where he handed us the keys and ran ahead on his mission. Louise and I left Guenther on a bench to buy lingerie for Julia (he didn't need to go for that!) and groceries for the bachelorette picnic. Then it was off to Julia's to put the boys in one car and girls in the other for our respective destinations. The men were going to Stuart's, and the ladies were headed to the beach. We drove through the most posh area yet on the way to the beach, and in the middle Julia commanded us to lock our doors as we headed briefly through an informal settlement. The contrast was just unbelievable, and then we were back in posh territory. At the beach we were greeted by sunshine and a strong wind, so we found a grassy nook to avoid too much sand blowing in our food and faces. The softest, gentlest golden retriever made its way over to us and would not leave. It wanted food and attention, and got both. As a pit bull or any other dog walked past on the beach below, the soft golden would charge toward it barking, intent on protecting us and its claim on our food. Our picnic was a nice mix of Julia's friends and family with nice food and gifts that focused on bed, bath, and kitchen. After Julia opened the lingerie I gave her, she reached in the bag again, which confused me. She pulled out a plastic spoon, which confused her. "Which room is this for?" she asked. Everyone was laughing. I said, "Oh, that was supposed to go in the grocery bag!" and everyone laughed harder at the random consequence of shopping for lingerie and groceries at the same mall in a rush. After sunset we headed back to Julia's to get Guenther and go back to Corner House, telling stories and laughing the whole way. The men, however, decided to go to a strip club, so we had a while to wait at Julia's. Gertrud and I sat and talked for a while, and then Julia and Stefanie came into the living room. As Stefanie was unpacking one of the beach bags, Julia and I shared a glance and started laughing uncontrollably at the situation that reminded us of days past. Stefanie asked us what was so funny, but we couldn't stop laughing. She asked Gertrud what was so funny, and Gertrud shook her head and said, "Oh, who knows! It's just a Heidi and Julia thing!" which made us laugh harder at that which cannot be explained in words. We finally got control of ourselves as Louise served herbal tea. The schnapps came out before the men returned, and then Peter drove us back here to sleep. It is remarkably special to be like a family with my German family. Neither time nor distance has separated our relationships.

Wednesday in the Wine Country with the Formers, January 16, 2008

January 16, 2008

I did not sleep well. I woke up at 2 and couldn't get my thoughts to quiet down enough to sleep. The time spent with Julia brought me back to memories of very wild times in Europe and Los Angeles, and being in Cape Town the day before left me invigorated. Plus I was looking forward to seeing the Formers like a kid the night before Christmas. I had set my alarm for 6:30 so I could get ready and get out of the room I would share with Stefanie by the time the Formers arrived. It turns out I finally was dozing off as the alarm sounded. I showered and they were there when I emerged. It was so surreal to see them. They all looked great. Gertrud let her hair grow. Guenther looked the same and was toting a book on leadership that accessorized perfectly his constant exceedingly positive and optimistic demeanor. Stefanie was no longer a kid.

I let them get settled and had my breakfast. The egg today did not sit well. I couldn't get over the gross factor. So it was muesli. I then set off on foot to the internet cafe to get some work done, with instructions to return to the guest house by 11 for pickup by Julia. The plans for the day included a drive out to the wine country and the rehearsal dinner. I wanted to skip the wine country and get some work done, but Julia said I MUST go because I could not miss dinner. Me, Stefanie, and Louise rode with Peter's father Harold to the wine country. This was the first time I drove past one of the worst townships (or informal developments) in Cape Town area. Millions of people live in these little 9x15 shacks that are held together by sticks and string or held up by the neighboring shack or another stick. It looked like the wind would blow it over. The street was abound with prostitutes that could have been 12 or younger. A 13 year old mother gets enough money from the state to support a herself, baby, and her own parents. At the outskirts you can see scattered port-a-potties set up and the stench is overwhelming for a mile after you pass it. Right across the street from these developments is the beautiful blue ocean with continually rolling waves.

We made a pit stop at shopping center, and then headed to an exclusive wine estate for salad as a light lunch. Then off to two more wine estates. Julia then decided she wanted some exercise, so we went to another place where she could take a jog in the hot hot heat as the rest of us sweated walking through the gardens. We then headed to the wine estate where dinner would take place, which is a little bit like the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu. Still early, we checked out the contemporary art installation with the theme of cruelty and corporal punishment. I can imagine many would drink a lot of wine after seeing that installation, but otherwise am not sure about the taste that put it there. When asked to vote for our favorite piece, we said we didn't care for it and headed off to dinner. Guenther and I were paying more attention to our conversation than surroundings and needed help finding the restaurant and our table, which turned out to be in a tree, so we didn't feel so silly being lost. Julia had reserved the table months in advance to get the highest private treehouse. The chairs each had a blanket since it would, amazingly, get cold in the evening wind. The staff was dressed in tribal outfits and came up to wash our hands and paint our faces. We were then directed through a string of little 'villages' to a tent that had a stage for an African music and dance show, plus some tables for guests and a buffet that contained over 30 different styles of African cuisine set up at various 'made-to-order' stations, and a 30 foot dessert bar. It was unreal. The grilled skewer of butterfish was out of this world. The pumpkin, cabbage, and cooked greens were amazing. Seriously, I didn't know it was possible for cooked cabbage to taste that good. The more typical dishes included ostrich, ox, and other game stews. We had to pace ourselves. The servers at the various stations were so friendly, and several of them were dancing and singing to the music with pleasure as they cooked and served. A couple little groups came to our treehouse to play traditional music and sing. It was a very special and intimate rehearsal dinner. Julia told us she'd chosen the location two years ago when there with a group from her previous job at a modeling agency. It was cute to watch Peter's expression as she said this as he was a little startled that she'd known for so long. It was a lovely evening, and we were diverted through a gift shop on the way out. We all arrived here completely beat after a long hot day and with full stomachs. I understand Julia's insistence on joining them for the day in the wine country. The dinner was too special to miss.

A Tuesday in Cape Town, January 15, 2008

January 15, 2008

Today was very special. I awoke to the magnificent ocean view. It was a little overcast, but that was nice for the contrast of scenery and seeing all the features out of the surrounding mountains. Plus it meant it wouldn't be as hot as yesterday! I went upstairs to breakfast, which was served by Terrence, one of the owners. There was a little table set up for me at the window of their living room closest to the water. There was a service tray beside the table that had muesli, milk, and yogurt. He served me a beautiful plate of fruit including mango, lychee, banana slices, grapes, and berries. Fresh toast and a croissant arrived, so I could sample some of the jams and honey that was set on the table. I guessed the night before that there would be some new and strange egg dish served, and I knew that I was obliged to eat it. After 12+ hours of mental preparation, I was presented with a porcelain 'urn' with a silver twist cap and a little side of salt. It was a very cute little salt shaker like you'd see in a dollhouse, and a very nice touch. Terrence explained this coddled egg was an English specialty, and there was cream, butter, and cheese with the cracked egg. The 'urn' is sealed and boiled in water for about ten minutes. Though scared (terrified) I proceeded to consume it, and it actually wasn't bad. The elaborate portion of salt helped it go down nicely.Terrence and I chatted as I ate, and I felt like royalty. This is a great place to stay!!!

I then putzed around for a while waiting for Julia and Louise. We headed out to the city center of Cape Town, and I was taken by the beauty and multiple dynamics of the place on the way there. Very wealthy areas, very poor areas. It truly seems to be multiple universes taking up the same physical space. Then shopping along Long Street was nice. Several stores require you to ring the bell for the gate to be unlocked. Others have loud music like a club. Music was abound and contributed to a very comfortable atmosphere. There were so many people of so many backgrounds walking all over. Quite remarkable. We eventually went over toward Green Market square, taking a detour from Long Street to run a parallel path. We took a quick break to drink water about a block after we turned to the parallel path. As we started walking again we heard a tremendous disturbance behind us. We turned back to see what the excitement was, and the entire main road was full of marching, shouting, black protesters heading toward city hall. Julia said that happens every day, numb to it after working downtown for four years. We proceeded to the market and bartered for several items. I immediately bought a blue necklace with a glass inlay that looks like a crashing wave. It was a successful excursion and quite refreshing to have the driving force to buy or not buy be the ability to transport the item rather than the ability to pay cash for the item. Walking through the rows of kiosks, I witnessed public child abuse as one vendor gave her toddler repeated lashings as it wailed and screamed, “No! Stop! Owie! Mommy, no!” It felt like I was the only person aware of it yet it was so public and vivid. I kept walking.

We went to an internet cafe, which was slow and rather strict. We could barely log into our email before Julia showed up with the car. Then off to a gorgeous dinner with Louise as Julia and Peter enjoyed their last date before marriage. Louise and I had a blast at a beautiful waterfront restaurant, Harbour House, discovering how much we have in common and how much we love to travel and experience cultures and things. It was great fun. The restaurant was remarkably perfect. We had to wait in the bar for a table with a view to open up. The alternative was staring at the parking lot as rain poured down (no, thanks. I can do that at home.) In the bar there were soft dark brown leather sofas, glass tables, sculptures, and a very attentive staff. When someone would get up, the staff would immediately smooth the cushions and match up the corners of the white cotton blankets that were set on them. We were seated at a second row table, where we saw seals splashing in the water and watched the sun set. I had a calamari appetizer followed by fresh swordfish, vegetables, and a hint of a potato side. The presentation and preparation were impeccable. Julia and Peter joined us near the end of our meal and had some wine before bringing me back here to the guest house. At the end of this first day, I am seduced. This place is so intriguing and beautiful it would take years to fully absorb even a portion of its dynamics and realities. Since it is so dynamic, that portion would never be dreadfully large. Much more to learn. Tomorrow morning I will be awoken by the Former family upon their arrival from Germany at 6 am or so. Very early, so I'm off to sleep.

Arriving in Cape Town, January 14, 2008

January 14, 2008

Finally departed Paris around midnight. Again, had a flight attendant staff that ignored me as an individual, similar to the Australia trip. The South African/British woman beside me thought it was strange, and I said this happens to me on international flights. Ambien is the best thing ever. I slept most of the way to Jo'burg and watched “The Heartbreak Kid” the rest of the time. I got thru fine in Jo'burg customs and got an unneeded porter to help with my bags. I must admit it was a relief to walk the distance from the international to domestic terminal without carrying my bags around or having to push the (free) cart. I was told by Julia in advance to give him no more than 20 Rand. He asked if I had USD. I gave him $3 instead. Then the guy actually asked me for $40 for his tip! Nice try, buddy! But, he also tried to pick up the check-in agent with similar luck. The opportunist left at the security line, I just made it to my kulula flight. It was fine, but they charge for water and anything consumable.

Julia picked me up with Louise, who is quite agreeable, and we headed to her suburban jungle in her little Golf Citi (no a/c in this economy car). We went through a nearby town to get to a dress shop and I was amazed at how fearless the pedestrial/driver relationship is. We were just wizzing by within inches of countless pedestrians. I thought we were closer to getting into accidents than it seems we were since the rules of the road here don't even necessarily include driving on the road. Case in point, there was a bus that ignored a turnabout completely, just driving over the raised circle like it was part of the regular road and continuing straight. Amazingly, I would actually be considered an over-cautious driver in the Cape Town area. Even though it has been eight years since Julia and I saw each other it was like no time had passed, which was very nice. By the time we got to Julia's we were all so sweaty we each had to take a shower and change. We took a nice long walk on the beach and chatted about geography and old acquaintances, hopefully not leaving Louise out too much. It's amazing how things are the same no matter where you go, to some extent. The beach was full of kids, dogs, and families like anywhere else in the world. However it was rather crowded for a Monday at the beach. I walked so the waves would wash over my legs and was surprised how chilly it was. We were on the Indian Ocean side, which generally is warmer, but the water definitely had an Atlantic chill to it. We were then ready to head to my guest house, where I could check in after 6. We brought groceries with us, though neither Louise nor I was convinced we'd want to cook and eat in. Our standards, we thought, were higher than the expected 'self-catering' quarters. We weren't convinced it would be pleasant to cook and dine in some cramped guest house with the owners in the house. However, once we got here we were ready to move in entirely. I very much approve of the accommodations, which are far nicer than the price suggested. The view is spectacular as the house is built into a mountain above the ocean, and there is a gentle cool breeze coming through the living room. The guest house is the walkout basement with separate entry and garage, and the owners live upstairs. It's a similar setup to where I live. From this guesthouse, there are numerous paths leading down to the little downtown of Simon's Town, nestled into the base of the mountain across the street from the water.

Julia and Louise instructed me to relax after 43 hours of travel, and they prepared dinner. Peter came here from work, and the four of us enjoyed a simple meal with a spectacular ocean view and sunset. I definitely approve of Peter. They are very well suited for one another from what I see and truly adore one another for who they are. Somehow, I wasn't really worried about her choice before I met him either.

Now in Simon's Town at this amazing b&b, I feel completely at home. In fact it was nice to walk out Julia, Peter and Louise after dinner, feeling like it is my home. It looks a lot like Honolulu with Diamond Head in the background. Only it's Simon's Town and even more special right now. It's a sleepy town about an hour from the city center. There is a Navy shipyard directly down the bluff from this house, making it more Hawaii-like with a little Pearl Harbor hint, and another example of how some things are still the same wherever you go. However, summertime in Africa is definitely hotter than most other places!!!

Travel begins!!! January 12-13, 2008

January 12-13, 2008

What a day this wasn't! It was really two days in one with intended transit from Portland to Seattle to Paris to Johannesburg... I got a ride to the airport with a new intern I'd only met in passing on Friday. As we were driving down the mountain, he said one reason he was going to Portland is to get his brakes fixed. When he'd hit the brakes the whole car would shudder. I was unsure about this car after less than a mile, but we made it in one piece. More worrying:

I noticed my connecting flight from Seattle was delayed and hour and thought I'd miss the connecting flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. I had to get to the Air France counter in Seattle before it could be resolved. On the quick flight to Seattle, I sat next to the director of the Northwest Habitat Institute. We talked about California, Africa, animals, and drones. In Seattle the delay turned out to be in my favor. Not only did I get to watch the first quarter of the Packers' playoff game, but I would get to spend the entire day in Paris. The flight was great with Ambien. The most memorable part of the flight was the meal. They served a nice assortment of airline gourmet and a Kozy Shack rice pudding that seemed funny. Arriving in Paris, I learned that the Packers had beat the Seahawks to advance to the next round of the playoffs. Very nice. Since my bags were checked through Johannesburg, I was free to explore right away. I went to the information booth to see how to get downtown and the ladies laughed at my Americanism. I asked about a bus or train and they directed me to the AirFrance bus service, which runs every half hour for 14 euro. (Don't do it! You can take the train for much less. It was expensive, but fast and a sure thing.) Getting off the bus just before noon, I hoped to find a church with a late mass, regardless of the fact that I don't speak French. I found a church pretty quickly on foot, and it seemed to be attracting a lot of homeless people. I realized I could almost be mistaken for one with that post-international flight look going on, accentuated by the fact that I was wearing clothes appropriate for camping. My old jeans, blue t-shirt with a big floral print giraffe on it, Miller High Life hooded zip sweatshirt, trail shoes, backpack, and plastic shopping bag left me far less fashionable than all the 5 year olds riding around town on their bikes. But that's a good way not to worry about getting mugged in such an international city when you have no idea where you are going, I guess. Anyway, there was no obvious service, and I thought it said one would begin at 12:30, so off I went to explore. A little later I came to another church, went in to no service, and realized it was the other side of the first church. I sat for a little while and admired the details of the stained glass and the remaining manger scene with all the hand-made Christmas decorations that remained on the altar. Writing off mass since it was after 12:30 with no sign of progress, I caught a bus to Bastille and walked around the market where fish and t-shirts were about the same price. Then I took the subway to the louvre, walked around the mall for a while, checked out a nearby bookstore, got a nice warm crepe, and then got on a bus to the north end of town. I quickly determined that I did not want to be in that Little India area and headed back toward a more authentic French experience. I took the bus again, heading to the west end of town. I walked around a little more, then I took the subway toward the Eifel tower. At the stop, I was really thirsty and went to get a soda in the machine. It ate my coins and I remained thirsty. To the Eifel tower I went. The sign for the line to the elevator said minimum 45 minute wait, so I decided just to take the stairs to the first platform and skip the rest. This line was still about 25 minutes. It was at this point that I really began getting cold. Notice the photos of the people at the louvre. They're all bundled up for a reason: January in Paris is actually cold. The sweatshirt hood went up, which prompted the cashier to charge me the 25 and under rate to climb the stairs! I still had to walk up all 328 steps to the first platform before I could get a drink, but it kept me warm. Up, up, up, up I went, arriving just in time to get a water and catch the sunset. It was truly remarkable. I could see so much of the city from above and it was beautiful. People were jogging with their dogs, or without their dogs, and it was amazing to look out over the city I'd been exploring all day. I noticed all these bins for snowshoes and found it odd. Why would anyone need snowshoes on the Eifel tower? Well, there was an exhibit about global warming going on around this first platform, complete with snow machines (umm, isn't it supposed to be about preserving the environment... a little irony) so I put on snowshoes and walked around in the fake snow, reading about the shrinking polar ice and how this is changing the patterns of all sorts of animals. That was quite nice and totally unexpected. I'll never forget walking around on the Eifel tower observation deck through fake snow in snow shoes. I skipped the part where you could get your photo taken with a fake penguin in a fake snow village, and walked back down the 328 steps to the night streets of Paris. Walking toward the bus I noticed a disturbed man zigging and zagging along, darting through people and laughing. A pair of affluent middle aged women turned around alarmed by the man approaching them, and diverted their paths in apprehension. Oh, now that the sun was down I began to appreciate my perfect outfit more.

Not knowing how long it would take on the train back to the airport, I decided to hop on a bus toward the north station where I'd catch the train. I realized I'd spent the last eight hours in Paris and had only eaten a crepe and croissant, which seems like a grave gastronomic sin in such a city. Back at the airport with just under 2 hours until my flight and attire less important, things turned out in my favor once again when I found a bistro with a nice prix-fixe menu offering. There were a lot of business people and couples, but I was seated in my trail attire. My meal was fabulous: grapefruit with guacamole; salmon with stuffed cucumbers, triple mushroom medley, and vegetables in a nice sauce; and creme brulee for dessert. It was more of a French twist than the true Paris dining experience I'd always hoped for, but still better than skipping a meal in Paris and leaves a reason to go back. And, boy was I tired! I couldn't wait to board the plane. I had just enough time to change my remaining euros to Rand and get to my gate.