3 wheel fun

Today we ventured down to the Cape of Good Hope in style.

After having rented a side-car for a day in Hazyview with Anice during our xmas holidays, we decided to do it again.

This time we got a 1930 Chinese sidecar, leather jacket and matching helmet to boot!

My grandfather (Dad's dad) was in the Hong Kong Police Force and also rode a Chinese side-car while on duty. My father says he remembers climbing on the bike as a kid and going for a ride.

Again, I was nominated to play Support Vehicle Driver with my beloved Peugeot, while Mom, Dad and Fiona took turns in the side car and on the bike.

See pic of my sexy car model.

They absolutely loved the ride, especially going down Chapman's Peak Drive and along the coastal road.

As we arrived to Cape Point, we found the tram was closed, so up we climbed to the lighthouse to be rewarded with a stunning view of the oustretched ocean.

We returned via Simon's Town to see the penguins.

While Matt went to drop off the side-car, the others went up Table Mountain to see the sunset.

See some of their stunning snapshots.

After a quick dinner of take-out pizza, we prepared ourselves for an early start tomorrow.

We will be spending the next 5 days on the Garden Route. Tomorrow we will drive to George along the Indian Ocean, a 6 hour drive.

So to help us keep going, Dad kept his promise by making a piping hot loaf of egg-enriched bread for the ride.

See pic of him carefully measuring out the flour into the bread machine. Ooh, his mother would be proud ;)

this side of reality

Today was a wet and drizzly day, quite fitting for our Imizamo Yethu (aka: IY) township tour.

IY, or sometimes known as Mandela Park is one of the many township settlements in Cape Town; this one is situated in Hout Bay, and was created by the Apartheid government who forcibly removed residents to this area in order to create a greater ANC presence.

As soon as apartheid rule was abolished, there was an influx of people swarming into IY in search of a better life. Unfortunately, this has only resulted in more cramped living conditions.

Promises of better housing, of decent services and of jobs have come and gone long ago. Unemployment stands at more than 50%.

Most of the men work in construction or as gardeners, or not at all, in which case they spend their days in shebeens (unlicensed bars). The majority of the women, those who are lucky enough to be employed, are domestic workers.

For me, this township tour provided an inside view into the life of the majority of my students in the Hout Bay Music Project Trust.

Many of them live in these types of shelter, where privacy is a luxury. It is another world in itself, but it is a mere 3 minute drive from our house.

What does it do to a child who grows up in such conditions? What does it teach a young mind about the state of our society, of our values? Do they think about these things while we teach them how to play a difficult passage in Pachelbel's Canon in D major?

Afrika Moni, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable and a true entrepreneur with a very concerned outlook for South Africa.

Now that his tour business has grown (he employs 4 other tour guides), he is expected to care for extended family and friends who are unable to find employment or who are plagued with sickness. It is a burden and one I cannot imagine bearing.

He took us to see a local shebeen, a nursery school, a Chinese-run shop which sells everything from sandals to kettles to water hoses.

Inside were two young (and bored)-looking Chinese men from southern China. It was interesting to hear their stories and how they ended up in a township settlement in South Africa!

Matt did a lot of the translating for us, which totally shocked Afrika Moni.

Here we were, 4 Chinese- looking tourists and one blond, blue-eyed guy, and it's the Blondie who was speaking in Mandarin to the shopkeeper!

We tried to explain to him that Mandarin and Cantonese are two different types of Chinese, but he still couldn't believe it. We all had a good chuckle about it.

We ended our tour with a traditional lunch, prepared by Sherley, a Basotho lady who moved to Cape Town in her youth.

She is a very kind-hearted woman who has done well for herself. Her grownup children have left home and she runs a B&B in IY now, as well as catering for large tour groups for lunch or dinner.

She served up a scrumptious meal of roasted chicken, creamy spinach and pap. For desert we had homemade melk tart, a South African favourite for many. Enjoyed with a cup of rooibos tea, it is divine.

doing the tourist thing

Last night we picked up Fiona (my cousin) at the airport.

Her first time in Africa, it was great to have someone else from home here and to show around.

On Monday, we planned to go up Table Mountain but the "tablecloth" (clouds) was too thick and there would have been 0 visibility at the top.

See pic of Fiona (and Dad's arms) with a covered Table Mountain in the background.

Instead we went to Signal Hill and walked around Bo-Kapp district, the Muslim quarters of Cape Town with their colourful houses.

After a scrumptious fish 'n chips lunch at Hangberg Harbour in Hout Bay, they took a catamaran to Seal Island.

Thousands of seals congregate on this island year-round, leaving no square inch unoccupied.

See pic of unrealistic reinactment of the Titanic and fishermen throwing their snoek onto the pier from another day's catch.

That night we went to Moyo at Spier's, a stunning display of South African culture, entertainment and cuisine.

A bit on the touristy side, but it is very well organized and impresses every time.

We take all our guests here and the reviews are always the same: nothing less than excellence.

This time we booked a table in one of their treehouses which overlooks the entire area.

There is free wine-tasting, you get your face painted, you are treated to live dancing and singing, and the spread of food and drink is unbelievable!

cruisin' in style

On Saturday, we woke up to a perfect day, weather wise, for some Harley cruising.

We arrived just before opening hours and found this sign on the door of the Harley Davidson office (see pic).

Minutes later, the owner arrived, in a Harley of course. He confirmed any and all stereotypes of Harley riders: unshaven, wild hair, wearing leather and big clunky cowboy boots.

Actually we could hear him coming from blocks away, that low grunt/gurgle which so many Harley enthusiasts find so addictive.

We knew we were in for a fun day! So as soon as the papers were all filled out, off we went, towards the winelands of Cape Town: Stellenbosch, Franschoek and Bainskloof Pass.

While I puttered along in my little green Peugeot, acting as the support vehicle with all the food and drink and gear, Mom and Dad took turns riding with Matt.

I had a short go on it after our traditional Cape Malay lunch in Franschoek, although I must admit I almost fell asleep while on the back! I blame it on the huge babotie and wildebeest lunch.

full moon day

Today ABC FOR LIFE held a healing/ drumming workshop for our students at Sentinel Intermediate School.

Lead by Marita, an active community member who is involved in a lot of alternative healing methods, she was joined by Patrick, an African drummer enthusiast who runs workshops for companies and groups around town.

I brought Matt and my parents along and we all joined in, drumming, stretching and breathing.

The kids loved it - especially the drumming - and it proved quite successful for those who come from a rather difficult background and have no other outlet to release their frustrations.

In the afternoon, we drove the 3 hour distance to Cape Agulhas, the most southernly point in Africa.

Mom and Dad, who were, just a month ago, at the most southernly point in the Americas (Cape Horn) on their South American cruise, desperately wanted to set foot here as well.

It was a warm and foggy day, but as usual, the sea was rough and unforgiving.

See pic of Dad peering into the distance while Mom rummages around for the perfect stone to add to her collection of rocks around the world.

Later that night, after a braai at home, we attended a Full Moon Drumming Circle, also hosted by Marita and Patrick.

See pic of Matt and Dad wearing their Ghanaian shirts, both xmas presents from Anice.

Seated around a big bonfire, we thumped and pounded our djembes with some very talented visiting musicians from Mali.

This time I remembered to take off my ring, unwilling to bear the thought of what might happen if i were to bend it like last time!

as beautiful as in the pictures

Waking up to a beautiful day, Mom and I went for a stroll on the beach.

Swarming with at least 50 dogs - and their owners - we dodged flying balls, sticks and frisbees while we ran in and out of the frigid Atlantic ocean.

See pic of Mom on beach and us making a shadow-pose.

Later that day, we went to Signal Hill to admire the sights of Cape Town, heard the Noon Day gun go off, drove down to Muizenberg and around to Kalk Bay where we had lunch on a restaurant that was literally built in the water on stilts. It was fantastic, feeling the spray of the waves while we chomped on fresh fish 'n chips.

And while I went to attend to my piano students, they meandered around Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden.

They were rather surprised at just how beautiful Cape Town was, and how "modern" the buildings and infrastructure was.

Of course, coming from minus 35 degrees Celcius when they left Canada to PLUS 35 degrees may play a wee part in their perception of just how gorgeous it is here.

knitted with love

We picked Mom and Dad up at the airport at 11pm, zipped home, had a late-night meal and helped them unpack our presents.

Our favourite: matching hand-knitted (very) yellow vests from Grandma Ma - and a scarf for me!

She seemed to have remember Matt a bit smaller than he really is. Well, they will certainly come in very handy during hardy Canadian winters!

check! and check!

On Saturday, we checked two more things off our "Things to Do Before Leaving SA" list: propelling ourselves down a metal 1.25 km half-pipe track on a bob-sled on wheels at Cool Runnings. It's quite fun and exhilerating, a great rush. See friends Paul and his nephew as they zoom down the track.

We followed that up with a rugby game at Newlands Stadium. It was the first match in Cape Town for the Super 14 Rugby, and the Bulls and Stormers put on a good show.

It was crazy hot and all i can really remember at this point is that there were crowds of people screaming and shouting, creating more unnecessary hot air.

love is in the air this week!

February 12th marked the 3rd anniversary of our engagement.

Seeing as Matt popped "the big question" while we were holidaying in Thailand, we thought it appropriate to go to Kitima, a local Thai/Asian restaurant.

Not only did we dine on delicious duck, tofu, seafood and jasmine rice, we had a smooth bottle of South African Chardonnay to wash it down - that was definitely not something we had in Thailand 3 years ago!

On Valentine's Day, we went to hear Bin Huang play with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra at City Hall. It is a beautiful hall with a gigantic organ in the back and intricate carvings on the ceiling and box seats.

Bin Huang played Sibelius' Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op.47 "like she was on fire", with a lot of passion and flair.

Although, is it just me, or are female musicians just unable to produce the big OOMPH that their male counterparts can achieve when performing solo with an orchestra? Even though her playing was technically magnificent and her interpretation of the piece was extremely expressive, I just found she was drowned out by the orchestra on multiple occasions. Still, she deserved the standing ovation we all gave.

So a lovely week all around. We even managed to fit in a romantic dental checkup.

Never plan too far ahead cuz the weather will catch ya out

After our camping trip with friends was cancelled on Friday (due to the forecasted weather), we decided to do a few more things around town for the weekend before our imminent departure in April.

Saturday morning we met up with friends for breakfast at the Neighbourgoods Market at the old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock, an outdoor market selling fresh organic produce, organic coffees & tea, organic baked goods, specialty olives, hand-made farm cheeses, ethically caught fish and organic meats, fresh herbs, flowers and plants, freshly shucked oysters, hand-made chocolates, sweets and cakes, cured hams, wood-fired breads, fresh juices, gourmet sandwiches, wine farms, cordials, honey on tap, savoury bakes, malay foods, and more!

In the afternoon we endured a hot, windless afternoon by swinging a few buckets of golf balls at the Riverside golf range.

That night we had some friends over for a braai.

However this time, there was not one South African amongst us, and Matt had the luxury of braai-ing without any well-meaning SA men lurking around the braai giving scores of advice on how to create the perfect flames, when to turn the meat, how to check if it's done...

Saying that, we all got so caught up in conversation, our lamb kebabs ended up a bit charred around the edges.

We ended the day by watching Cry Freedom, an epic film about Steve Biko and his struggles for justice during South Africa's apartheid era. Highly recommended.

Like the weatherman predicted, it was a drizzly and dreary Sunday morning, but we managed to drag ourselves up to do some sea-kayaking in Simon's Town, where we paddled out towards the penguin colony and back.

Once we were on the water, it was exhilerating and actually the cool sea breeze was a welcome change from the past scorching weeks.

Simon's Town is SA's principal navy base, and it's not uncommon to see navy ships docked at the harbour and marines strolling around town, looking very smart in their uniform.

Back home for the rest of the day, with our feet up and doing what should normally be done on a typical rainy Sunday: nothing.

Ismael Lo

Tonight, Matt and I, along with some other friends, attended the Ismael Lo concert at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

They host weekly outdoor concerts every Sunday, where people can come with their packed picnics and bottles of wine, sit down on the grass and enjoy the live entertainment.

We live about 10 minutes drive away, and it's a perfect way to spend a lazy Sunday evening, watching the sun set behind the mountain.

We've been several times already, but tonight was special. Along with 6000 other concert-goers (a completely sold out show), we were treated to an awesome performance by Senegalese musician, Ismael Lo. Listen to one of his famous works, Jammu Africa and you will be hooked the moment you hear his voice.

A voice that is smooth and hypnotic, he sings about the African continent and her troubles and delights, all with such passion and brilliance.

Stumbling upon a great musician is like discovering a new obsession, where you just want to hear and absorb it all, again and again and again.

in the zone

Today, Matt and I finally had a chance to test out our mountain bikes since arriving in South Africa.

With friends Karen and Andrea (see pic), we headed out to Jonkershoek Nature Reserve near Stellenbosch in the late afternoon, the perfect time of day for those of us who can't be bothered to do the 3 hour trail before 9am when the day already starts to heat up.

After a grueling uphill climb for the first half, we paused at the top of the mountain to admire the stunning views below - and eat our oatmeal raisin choc chip muffins.

The rest was all downhill through the forests.

The adrenalin racing through me was incredible, my hands, feet, shoulders, brain all intensely flexed.

For me, being pretty much a novice at mountain biking, I loved the excitement of not knowing what was around the bend, of seeing the changing scenery, all incredibly beautiful, and of being so focused on the trail for fear of falling off, that i had no room in my mind to think of anything else.

Another super day in the great outdoors.

anticipation

In 17 days, my parents will be touching down in Cape Town for a 3 week visit! It's been over a year since we last saw them (in Canada), so it's all very exciting.

My cousin, Fiona, will be joining us a week later for 2 weeks. Fantastic! I love having guests here to show around; it gives me a chance to re-see the city/country through new eyes, and it's always nice to have family experience a little bit of the life where you are.

Besides the Cape Town attractions, we plan to go on the Garden Route and from there, they will head up to Kruger National Park for a few days before returning to Cape Town again.

Already, my grandmothers have told Matt and I over the phone they will be giving my parents packets and packets of red lai-see to deliver to us, for all the special occasions we've missed in 2007: Chinese New Year, Xmas, Mid-Autumn Festival, our birthdays, and their birthdays (if someone is older than you, he/she is expected to dish out lai-see to all his/her younger (grand)children).

It's funny, no matter how old we get, we will always be "the young ones" and although I am genuinely touched at their generosity in honouring this tradition, especially with a lot of their grandchildren marrying and having children of their own now, I feel a twinge of sadness of being unable to thank them in person.

With both of their hearing going rapidly downhill (and their stubbornness at not wanting to wear a hearing aid!), I have to resort to yelling into the speaker phone when we speak and I just hope they can hear our sincere thanks at the other end and not some random muffled sounds. Aii-ya!