Journey Through South Africa

 

April 8, 2014

Are we in Sydney?  or Miami?  or Auckland?  Not saying that the sum of the parts is greater than the whole of these other cities….but, Cape Town seems to have bits of each of these places…depending on which section of the city we’re in.

The setting is pretty spectacular, nestled beneath a mountain range with a wonderful harbor.  Cities located on water always seem to have an edge….something about water that lends an air of romance  and charm.   CapeTown has charm in abundance and the location of our hotel in the V&A waterfront has made our stay even better.

So…what have we done that’s pretty amazing?  

Arrived on the 8th and immediately took a red line hop on/off tour to begin to familiarize ourselves with the city.  Highlight of this tour was the spectacular drive along the coastline revealing sandy beaches and several cute seaside areas…Camps Bay, Houts  Bay to name a couple.  Water speckled with boulders  peeking through the waves, surfers, tanners…sort of reminiscent of the LA Venice Beach area.  Really enjoyed riding by these areas.

9th…took a 2nd day off the hop on/off tour and went to the Kirstennbosch botanical gardens.  With samples of all of SOuth Africa’s indigenous plants, this place was amazing.  Though I literally and figuratively have a “brown thumb, I still enjoyed this place.  It’s a “must see”

Had dinner on the 9th with an old IBM colleague who’s married to a SOuth Affrican and who has lived here for the past 30 years.  It’s always wonderful to have a perspective from a local and the thoughts shared by him and his wife were interesting, to say the least.  WIth them having up close and personal experience with apartheid and its remnants, it was wonderful to have a chance to obtain a local view.

10th…moved into the Cape Grace Hotel..  BTW….we stayed the 8th and 9th with David’s sister’s daughter who works for the US Consulate here in SA.  The area she lives in is just wonderful.   What a great location she has here in CapeTown.  After having had assignments in Cameroon, Haiti and Morocco, she’s really enjoying the calm of SA….CapeTown in particular vs Johannesburg which is reputed to be much more dangerous.

SO…back to the 10th…  Hired a driver who took 6 of us out to the winelands… STellenbosch and Franshoek…two key towns in the wine region.  So…once again, shades of something familiar.  Bits of the Napa/Sonoma valleys …well-developed roads and a number of large wine estates.  Tastings Anyone?  For sure, we stopped in several places and a good time was had by all.   South Africa is known for its wine and after the tastings, we all agreed that any positive reviews were well-deserved.

Ok…so I am totally falling asleep now…will finish this note later,

J

South Africa 2014
April 16, 2014

Black AND White Rhinos! Hippos! Giraffes! Baboons! Leopards! Elephants! All of these and more have been encountered on safari.  We have sooooooo many pictures that it’s hard to imagine just how we’ll sort through the lot.  (Fortunately David is really good at this cause I would otherwise be dumbfounded on how to determine which pictures should make the cut).

So…we’ve just spent the last two nights at Lion Sands and have moved, today, over to Sabi Sabi…another private game reserve also located in Krueger National Park.  There are so many different lodging options here….not that they are visible to each other but, for sure, a lot of places exist…from both the low to high ends.  For sure, Lion Sands and Sabi Sabi are at the upper end of the spectrum…both spectacular and both really different from each other.

At Lion Sands, we had a reserve which seems like it was dropped in the forest.  Dense foliage existed with each of the rooms totally separated from the others.  (Not possible to see the other cottages from ours).  Each room was magnificent with its own plunge pool and massive porch/balcony overlooking the forrest and a river running in the “pretty close” distance.  Not possible to venture down to the river as it had rhinos, crocodiles…and periodic elephants visiting during our stay.  No idea of what snakes lurked in the bushes….wasn’t willing to explore off the raised path (very high raised path).  Were told of a leopard which is often seen roaming in the forest under the path…wasn’t anxious to encounter it but, for sure, I listened to their advice about not venturing outside our cottage after daylight.

The schedule has been pretty tight with game drives in the morning and afternoon (about 3 hours for each drive).  I must admit that I have not made all of them.  With having been on safari in Kenya years ago, I have not felt as compelled to have to go out each time.  Had a great massage yesterday afternoon instead and was so very happy at having had a relaxing break.

Last night, we had one of the most amazing things I’ve experienced…i.e. a “bush dinner”.  The Lions Sands staff set up our dinner out in the wild…roaring fires all around the camp with fire lanterns set up to provide a path…to the toilets and for light around the circle.  Tables with tablecloths were set for 8 and the food was set up as a magnificent buffet with a great grilling station in the center.  Grilled chicken, lamb, beef, antelope and oxtail stew were set up on the grill and we had a feast under the stars….until the clouds rolled in and  raindrops fell….just as we finished dessert.  Talk about timing!  Just a fantastic evening….a great surprise and, in Tauck’s usual style, a treat which was delivered 1st class.

Today we traveled through the bush….reminded me of “over the river and thru the woods”…for real.  Lots of back roads…like the roads we’ve encountered  while on safari…distance of only about 9 miles but it took about an hour to traverse…..in a multi-level game vehicle….sort of like still being on safari looking for animals!

The trip was worth it as we arrived at the Sabi Sabi Lodge and it’s even more magnificent than the last lodge.  Still in the bush, for sure, but with 2 pools and a larger common space.  It’s obviously a larger property….I think they have 27 rooms rather than 18 at the last place.  Seemingly much more staff although it still seems very homey and welcoming.

After a fabulous lunch, we had a lecture on lions and their habits from a tracker who works here.  This guy was fascinating.  He started with telling us a really horrific story about another tracker who was mauled by a lion  (in his dwelling) and how the others who were there managed to kill the lion.  With this as a beginning, he then explained why this was a rarity  … especially since this was a female lion, not a male (which is generally the gender which is so aggressive)!  The story that he wove had us all on the edge of our seats, anxious to hear and learn more.  A great speaker and, in the end, this made everyone anxious to go back out on another game drive to try to spot the elusive lion.

So, a couple of more days on safari and we’re then on our way to Johannesburg.  More later,

Janice

April 17, 2014

Game drives, tons of food, non-stop drinks—-this is the stuff safari lodges are made of!  If you are interested in being one with nature then this is the place for you.  Hard to imagine that one would not enjoy this.

This afternoon, we went on a 3 hour visit to the local village…Huntington. (population 4K)  A bit of info on the locals:

1.  South Africa has 9 tribes and the locals in this area belong to the Shangaann tribe.
(Note that the largest tribe in South Africa is the Zulu tribe which has about 15 million people.   the 2nd largest  is the Xhosa with 7.6 million people ..the tribe that Nelson Mandela belonged to.)

The Shangaan tribe came into being when King Shaka of the Zulu, sent Soshangane (Manukosi) to conquer the Tsonga people in the area of present-day southern Mozambique, during the Mfecane upheaval of the 19th Century. Soshangane found a fertile place inhabited by scattered communities of peace-loving people, and he decided to make it his home rather than return to Shaka.

The Shangaan were a mixture of Nguni (a language group which includes Swazi, Zulu and Xhosa), and Tsonga speakers (Ronga, Ndzawu, Shona, Chopi tribes), which Soshangane conquered and subjugated.  This tribe has about 1.5 million people.



2.  South Africa has 11 different dialects and Shangaan is one of them.  As we have driven around…either on a game drive or like with this town tour, the locals have spoken their dialect between them.  To say that we’ve understood “zero” is an understatement.  I asked for the translation for several phrases but, to be honest, the sounds were so foreign that I quickly forgot what I was told.  My old brain has a hard time grasping things.
So…at the village…dirt roads, many buildings made of locally manufactured cinder block.  Most homes were very simple, not painted and most had cinderblock floors.  Many yards had freshly hanging clothes swaying in the dusty air and a number of houses had satellite dishes.  Fresh Water is now piped in…has been this way for about the last 5 years.
Images…barefoot children happily playing, running around.  Other kids walking down the road dressed in their school uniforms.  (These kids were en route from school which had just let out for the Easter break.  As a result, there were no kids at the primary school which was our 1st stop).
So…inside the school…a teacher took us on a tour and it was really refreshing to see that the classrooms were colorfully painted with the kid’s artwork scattered around on the walls.  In the 3rd grade class, the teachers had posted the birthdays and names/by month on a wall.  In looking at the names, I was surprised to see some of them.  Names such as:  Deserve, Agent, Tollerate, Particle, Embrace, Bleesing, Lust, Junior (there’s always a Jr.), Given, Evidence, Treasure, Appreciate, Priority, Dignity, Request, Truelly.  Other names were Amanda, Renard, Shantel, Ntshuxeko, Nhiamuio, Khensile, Vhiuve, Pearl, Owetha, Lesege, Ntsako.
I honestly did not make up any of this!   BTW, 2 teachers for about 110 kids in the classroom.
The playground was awesome…more colorful and well equipped than many I have seen at home.  The library, too, was impressive.  All in all, it was great to see that the focus seems to be on educating the locals…education is mandatory until age 15 (better than in many countries) and English is taught beginning at age 4.
Next stop…random…the driver pulled over because a group of playful kids were running along-side our van.  They gathered the kids and asked them to sing..,frere jacques followed by “if you are happy and you know it” and 2 other songs with a “high 5” hand slapping among all of us at the end.  Totally joyful and a highlight.  Kids are kids the world over and these kids were no exception.
On to a village healer and a healing ritual.  WHOA!!!!! Different, beyond belief but in the end, she told us that “the bones” bode well for us and that we SHOULD have a safe journey.  Am hoping she knows what she’s talking about!
Last stop…a group of local women, colorfully clad, singing and dancing for our benefit.  After their 1st song, they pulled all of us into a circle and we had a GREAT time singing and dancing with them.  All of this culminated with 3 men singing the South African National Anthem accapella…I had goosebumps..and we were then introduced to the village chief who was born in  the 1920’s, or thereabouts.
All of this was so VERY touching and fun.  For sure, it was an outing well spent and a highlight of my time here.  Seeing the animals has been great but seeing the local life also provided me with a memory I will treasure.  (BTW…about 60 % of the people who work here at Sabi Sabi are from the local village).
Enjoy,
J
April 24, 2014
So I started a note on Johannesburg when we were there and, as I was writing it, I felt that my emotions were too raw.  As a result, I tabled my writing at that point to give myself some time to get away from my feelings at that time.It’s now a number of days later.  We have been to/through Johannesburg and on to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.  1st, Johannesburg.

Jo’burg, as called by the locals, is the city which best exemplifies the apartheid movement and its long-lasting effects.  As the largest city in South Africa, it is their economic  capital and it also is the home of the constitutional court (their version of the Supreme Court).  This constitutional court concept is important because this did not exist prior to 1995..i.e. under apartheid, there was no legal way for people of color to have their voice heard.  The establishment of this court, per our guide, has enabled all people…regardless of race…to have a voice.

This court is located in an area called Constitution Hill, built on the grounds of what used to be the Number 4 prison 100-acre complex where the leaders of every major anti-apartheid, South African liberation group – Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi among them – were once detained.

 

 This was a place where people just disappeared …a place where our guide spent 3 years, without representation and without his family (for 18 months) knowing he was there.  His voice cracked as he described the atrocities which took place there…simply because people objected to being stripped of their rights and treated in such an inhumane way.

Lots of symbolism exists in the Courthouse building and its surroundings.  Bricks and stairwells, from the original prison were left in tact.  Multiple statutes and artwork depict atrocities of the past and hope for the future.  As moving as Robben island, this visit brought front and center just how much the apartheid system stripped people of their rights.  Left me with goosebumps in touring this place.

On to the Hector Pieterson museum….located in Soweto.  Hector was a 13 year old boy killed on a day when students protested an apartheid law established to force all Black people to stop speaking in English…to only speak in Afrikans…a language used only in South Africa by the implementers of apartheid.  The student’s peaceful protest was squashed by the police opening fire, killing dozens of them…unarmed kids mowed down by this regime.  A huge picture of Hector’s lifeless body being carried by an unknown man along with his 16 year old sister, Antoinette, running along-side screaming is located at the front of the museum.  As a special feature, Tauck had the sister, Antoinette, who is now in her 60s, to speak with us to describe what led to the protest and the actual day that her brother was murdered.
So now, you can see why I was so upset the day we did this tour.  We left this museum and went further into Soweto…a township, aka sort of slum where people of color live…  Had lunch at a local, in Soweto, restaurant….Joburg’s version of soul food cafe.
By the time I returned to my hotel, located in Sandton, far removed from anything like Soweto…very upscale, totally modern,, huge mall, convention complex located within this totally contained area….  I was mentally and emotionally whipped!  South Africa has come a long way in the 20 years since apartheid ended…but it has a LONG way to go.
Here”s table depicting the racial breakdown within South Africa.  Hard to believe that the very small minority population could have wreaked the havoc that they did when they were and continue to be in such a minority.

Table 6: Mid-year estimates by population group and sex, 2013

Population group

Male

Female

Total

Number

% of male population

Number

% of female population

Number

% of total population

African

20 607 800

79,8

21 676 300

79,8

42 284 100

79,8

Coloured

2 306 800

8,9

2 459 400

9,1

4 766 200

9,0

Indian/Asian

669 200

2,6

660 100

2,4

1 329 300

2,5

White

2 239 500

8,7

2 362 900

8,7

4 602 400

8,7

Total

25 823 300

100,0

27 158 700

100,0

52 982 000

100,0

Ok..enough of Johannesburg.  On to Victoria Falls….located between Zimbabwe and Zambia.  Best views are from Zimbabwe.
Hotel…the Victoria Falls Hotel….a majestic colonial enclave which brought back visions of men playing cricket and ladies wandering around the grounds in their long skirts, hats and parasols.  High tea (of which we partook) was part of the daily ritual and I just loved this place.  The grounds were magnificent and the mist from the falls along with a gorgeous falls overlook were visible from the verandah where tea is served.
The town of Victoria Falls is really, really small with its total existence built on tourism.  In addition to visiting the Falls, there’s a fabulous elephant camp…a place which rescues and rehabilitates elephants.  As squeamish as I am about animals, I can honestly say that I enjoyed the visit to the elephant camp more than our trek to Victoria Falls  (though I did like that too).  I think I was a little disappointed by the falls because even though they’re splendid, they pale in comparison to Iguazzu Falls (located between Argentina and Brazil).  For sure, if I had to recommend an order for visiting different falls, I would say go to Niagara, then Victoria and then Iguazzu.  This would enable a build-up rather than a possible disapointment.
So now, I am sitting in the airport in Paris on my way back to Great Falls.  This has been a wonderful trip….from the winelands and Capetown, to safari-land, to Johannesburg and then Vic Falls…lots of different adventures and extremely different terrain.  I have learned so much more about the history of South Africa and I have seen how people are striving to have a different future.    Wow!  Can’t love all that exists here but I can say that I have seen and experienced resilience and hope among the people I’ve encountered.  On multiple occasions, I’ve heard local people singing their national anthem…with pride and joy.  This is their home and I don’t think I have a right to define their standards or expectations.

I have loved having the opportunity to learn something new and with that, it’s “over and out” for this trip.

J