Cape Town - Day 2

Cape Town... the windy city of South Africa?

Apparently so, judging by today. After some quite unexpectedly tasty yogurt topped with muesli, fresh fruit, and goji berries for breakfast, we hopped on the city bus towards the base of Table Mountain. Hoping for an unforgettable view of the Cape of Good Hope, we planned to take the historic cable cars to the top of the mountain... unfortunately, when we got off the bus, we found out that the cable cars had been closed for the day because of the wind coming off the mountain. Funny because it was not at all windy where we were!



Hoping to still see what the mountain had to offer we ended up hiking up the bottom half. The climb
was sort of like a never-ending StairMaster complicated by a lack of water (i.e. poor planning for the scenario that the cable cars wouldn't be working) and 98 degree heat! Nevertheless, the views were rewarding and my odd obsession with succulents was fed by the abundance of hens and chicks growing naturally between rocks in the side of the mountain.

Exhausted and realizing now how ill-adapted our white skin is to the African sun, we were excited to head to an open food market downtown. Everything from paella to asian dumplings, tuna biltong (tuna jerkey), fresh lemonade, greek delicacies, to some AMAZING peanut butter ice cream... I was basically in food heaven.


Later on we went back down to the waterfront where the big ships dock. There was, of course, more shopping down there (I think Chris is getting sick of me wanting to look at everything I walk by), and food.

Another great day in Cape Town!

Cape Town - Day 1

WE MADE IT!

Being so excited to see a new part of the world when we arrived last night, I did not realize how tired the 25 hour journey of airplane rides and airports had made me. (I do not sleep well on planes, despite the exciting plethora of free South African wine we were served on-board) We took a minibus from the airport to the hostel we are staying at, Bantry Bay Guesthouse, and barely had a chance to look around before we crashed.

This morning, we woke to a gorgeous little bungalow with brick walls and stone floors only a few blocks from the water front. After hearing a few tips from the property keeper about how to navigate the city, we ventured out of the hostel. First up... breakfast! We chose a place called "Knead", probably because its the first thing that looked like food that we passed by...
 Freshly-made wheat bread topped with eggs, roasted tomatoes, smoked salmon, and basil was on the menu. So fresh and delicious :-).
 
Apparently in Africa, "WTF" does not mean what it means in the United States. The shopkeeper outside this yogurt store asked why we were laughing at the sign and we told him it meant to us. He thought it was the best joke ever.

Out by the waterfront.

OOOOOOoooOOO!!!! Presents for EVERYONE!
...Chris found it amusing that I was going to "search" for shells when piles like this apparently exist.

 That is some sort of seaweed creature... sucking the life out of an oyster.

 I spy with my little eye........ something very bare and white. :-D

 Looking back on Table Mountain.

 Later, we took the bus to Green Market Square, where locals can sell their goods. I picked up a few paintings and a unique iron giraffe, of course.

Dinner was at the Africa Cafe, were we embarked on a journey across the country in the form of food! To start the dinner, the waitress brought out a giant bowl and pot of water for us to wash our hands in, since it is traditional to eat with your hands rather than with flatware here. The food was served communal-style, so we got to try around 12-15 different dishes! Probably my favorite was the African Cafassava, which was baked tapioca with cheese flat bread. It was topped with a spiced lentil dip. Other dishes included Egyptian Koshery, Malawi Mbatata and Cheese Sim Sim balls (sweet potato and cheese balls rolled in sesame seeds), Congolese spinach, and Cape Malay Dhal Curry Roti (lentil curry served in a spelt flour roti. My partner in crime, Chris, chose a fantastic bottle of wine to top off our dinner!


I'd say the first day was a huge success! Off to bed!

Off to the airport!

Belly full....

...And all packed and ready to go!

     Chris is here with me and we are about to depart to Washington DC so we can catch our connection to Dakar, Senegal... Then to Johannesburg then Cape Town! We should arrive there tomorrow afternoon CST. He will tour Cape Town with me until we go our own ways (he goes to Tanzania, I go to Durban) next weekend.

     I am unbelievably excited for this opportunity to see a part of the world so far away from home. It has been a long time dream of mine to visit Africa and I hope this is only the beginning of a tradition to visit developing countries to help provide medical care. 

Wish me luck!