I've wanted to kitesurf for years now - ever since I watched a show highlighting some of the tricks that can be done, namely jumping off the top of a wave, catching big air then landing and continuing on. When I was in Cape Town last winter (seasons are opposite so it was summer in Colorado) I tried to sign up for lessons but the weather didn't cooperate. I called as soon as I got back over a week ago and today was my lucky day. Julia and Pedro were my instructors and I had 6 hours for the first lesson.
I learned how to control a kite with a small trainer kite about 1.8 sq meters and then moved onto the inflatable trainer, which is 2.8 meters (something like that) and hooked into my harness. Like any cool sport, there is a lot of gear involved. Damn gear - I love it but why does it cost so much? Wetsuit, harness, sail, board, on and on.
I progressed rapidly through the kite drills and after lunch it was time to get into the water for the body drag drill. Basically I had to get the kite airborne then get into the water and let the kite pull me while performing figure 8's with the kite. It would have been a hell of a lot easier without the 3 meter waves crashing down on me. I tried and tried and tried...and tried. One of the owners came up and gave me some tips. I tried again. And again. I FINALLY managed to have the kite drag me about 50 meters. It was one of the most challenging things I've tried. My instructor Pedro kept telling me it wasn't my fault but the surf was too high. 4:00 finally came and we packed up and headed back to the shop across the street for the debrief.
All in all a great day. I am tired and sore and ready to go back tomorrow! Wish me luck....
Monday, November 18, 2013
Rocky Horror Show at The Fugard
Met Tariq and Iris for brunch then decided to head to the Table Mountain tram for a quick ride up as the table cloth phenomenon was in full force. Basically that means a cloud is blowing over the mountain and it appears as though there is a table cloth on the top. In this case the cloud blows over and form a cloud fall which dissipates quickly. It's a fantastic effect and we wanted to see what it was like on top. Ambereen had purchased a season pass last winter and forgot her pass while I didn't have my passport number so I was unable to purchase said pass. She negotiated a ticket for the trip after a 15 minute wait and I just bought a ticket as I could save the receipt and go back later in the week to buy the season pass as well. We got right on the tram and it was packed. What is it with these asian tourists who have their camera / phone / ipad up and taking pictures THE ENTIRE TIME? I mean, put the damn thing down and actually enjoy a few minutes of the experience for crying out loud...
Anyway, the cloud cover up top was intense - like a very thick fog - and it was blowing hard. It was also a lot cooler as we were suddenly 1800 meters above sea level. We didn't stay long as we scored cheap tickets to the Rocky Horror Show at The Fugard Theater thanks to Iris. It's an intimate theater and we had good seats. There was a great crown and although we got there a mere 15 minutes before curtain call we made it. The show was fabulous - much better than I had expected. Phenomenal cast, great costumes and the house band was tight. Frankenfurter was a riot. What a treat. The audience got into the show as much as they could but there are so many catch phrases, etc. that you have to be a student to catch them all.
Got home early to get some shut eye as I had a kitesurfing lesson scheduled in the am and I wanted to be sharp so goodnight.
Anyway, the cloud cover up top was intense - like a very thick fog - and it was blowing hard. It was also a lot cooler as we were suddenly 1800 meters above sea level. We didn't stay long as we scored cheap tickets to the Rocky Horror Show at The Fugard Theater thanks to Iris. It's an intimate theater and we had good seats. There was a great crown and although we got there a mere 15 minutes before curtain call we made it. The show was fabulous - much better than I had expected. Phenomenal cast, great costumes and the house band was tight. Frankenfurter was a riot. What a treat. The audience got into the show as much as they could but there are so many catch phrases, etc. that you have to be a student to catch them all.
Got home early to get some shut eye as I had a kitesurfing lesson scheduled in the am and I wanted to be sharp so goodnight.
Friday, November 8, 2013
London
Once again I had a smooth trip to Cape Town with a 15 hour layover in London. I arrived in London around 6 am and since my bags were checked through to Cape Town I bought a round trip ticket on the express train to Paddington. The train only took 15 minutes and was very comfortable. Once at Paddington I bought an all day ticket for the Tube. I made my way to the Tower of London and Tower Bridge but I got there too early, before the Tower of London opened, so I walked along The Queen's Walk to see some sights. It was an overcast day which quickly changed to rain. I am so happy that I brought my rain jacket and my backpack had a waterproof cover. My shoe selection sucked though. For some reason I thought that my Columbia water shoes were a great choice for flying but neglected to factor in walking for miles in London. My dogs were barking pretty quickly. I made it back to the Tower and had the place to myself for nearly an hour so I checked out the Crown Jewels with nobody else in the room. I also took a picture on the courtyard where Anne Boleyn was beheaded - Ambereen and I had watched The Tudors a year or so ago - and it was cool to see where so much history happened.
I continued on the Tube towards Westminster Hall & Big Ben. There sure were a lot of tourists taking pictures ;)
According to the map I was close to Buckingham Palace so I decided to walk instead of Tube it. I got a little lost as my map was not detailed enough but I was able to find someone to point me in the right direction. There are some great neighborhoods in that area. By the time I made it to Buckingham Palace it was getting late so I took a few pics and wandered over to the Hard Rock. I was going to buy a T shirt and a pint but they didn't have any bar stools at the bar and I was tired of standing so I left to head back to the airport. I didn't even scratch the surface of London but got a feel for the city and would love to go back some day and spend a week or two.
My flight to Cape Town was fine and I got in around 11:30 am. Ambereen picked me up and we went to her place where she dropped my off to go back to work. I started to unpack but had the urge to lie down for a few minutes. I got up at 5:40 pm! Where am I? What time is it?
Friday is a day to chill out. I'll take MyCiTi to the store and pick up a few things.
Saturday morning we'll hit the old Biscuit Mill for breakfast and some shopping - they have the best produce, honey, food, etc. Then we'll go to Kirstenbosch Gardens on Sunday.
I continued on the Tube towards Westminster Hall & Big Ben. There sure were a lot of tourists taking pictures ;)
According to the map I was close to Buckingham Palace so I decided to walk instead of Tube it. I got a little lost as my map was not detailed enough but I was able to find someone to point me in the right direction. There are some great neighborhoods in that area. By the time I made it to Buckingham Palace it was getting late so I took a few pics and wandered over to the Hard Rock. I was going to buy a T shirt and a pint but they didn't have any bar stools at the bar and I was tired of standing so I left to head back to the airport. I didn't even scratch the surface of London but got a feel for the city and would love to go back some day and spend a week or two.
My flight to Cape Town was fine and I got in around 11:30 am. Ambereen picked me up and we went to her place where she dropped my off to go back to work. I started to unpack but had the urge to lie down for a few minutes. I got up at 5:40 pm! Where am I? What time is it?
Friday is a day to chill out. I'll take MyCiTi to the store and pick up a few things.
Saturday morning we'll hit the old Biscuit Mill for breakfast and some shopping - they have the best produce, honey, food, etc. Then we'll go to Kirstenbosch Gardens on Sunday.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Whale watching in Hermanus
On our last day in Hermanus we decided to go on a whale watching tour. The boat was much larger and more comfortable than the shark diving boat. It didn't take long to see whales either. One was smacking his tail on the water for over 5 minutes, apparently in an attempt to attract a friend, who appeared in short order. It was an amazing couple of hours.
Shark diving in Gansbai, South Africa
Our friend Iris hooked us up with Shark Lady in Gansbai, which is about 50 kilometers outside of Hermanus. This was our second attempt at great white shark diving as the first trip was cancelled due to bad weather. We got up early and arrived at the office early in the morning for breakfast and a quick orientation. I wasn't sure what to expect as I've heard nothing is guaranteed.
We headed out to sea and made it to Dyer Island in about 15 minutes. Dyer Island is home to 50,000+ cape seals, which happens to be the preferred treat for the great white sharks. We dropped anchor and saw a shark immediately, although it took about 20 minutes for them to come up to the cage. Once they did, look out! Talk about up close and personal. They came to within a foot of my face at one point! One of the most terrifying and exciting moments ever. These are pics that we took along with some that the Resident Biologist took:
These were the sharks who visited us. On my last dive the shark with the locator on the dorsal fin actually nailed the tuna head and was inches away from my face with a mouthful of tune head. He swiped his tail against the cage and the entire structure shook. I had to look down to make sure my hands and feet were inside!
Very exciting.
Very exciting.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Shanty Town
Along the N2 I noticed a shanty town which was enormous. I mean, this went on for miles. I can't imagine how many people live here. At least they are provided with free electricity. So someone told me that Nelson Mandela promised free housing to everyone. Apparently word got out and something like 11 million refugees flocked to South Africa from other countries. The government tried to demolish these shacks and people rebuilt. The government built homes for some, only to find out that the people who were assigned these homes rented them out (or sold them - even though they didn't own them) and moved back to a shack. It's a cycle with no obvious solution. You want to help, but there are literally MILLIONS of people living in poor conditions here. According to Ambereen though, they live better than the poor in India, among other places.
Stellenbosch
Last weekend Ambereen and I drove to Stellenbosch to meet our friends Joe and Shareen for lunch.
The day was clear so we were able to see the sights we missed on our earlier drive to Franschoek. We took the N2 over Sir Lowry's Pass
and had breakfast at a small winery called The Orchard. Once again, we each had a full breakfast with coffee for less than $10 US. Theewaterskloofdam was a beautiful lake on the way over the next pass:
I read about Delaire Graff winery in my guide book and they said it had one of the best views from any vineyard in the country.
I've never been to Napa Valley, but I find it hard to believe that it compares to what I've seen in South Africa. I've been converted!
I read about Delaire Graff winery in my guide book and they said it had one of the best views from any vineyard in the country.
I've never been to Napa Valley, but I find it hard to believe that it compares to what I've seen in South Africa. I've been converted!
Initiates deaths: arrests pending
"From time to time I'll post some interesting / bizarre stories from down here"
June 26 2013 at 12:15pm
By LEBOGANG SEALE
Comment on this story
Independent Newspapers
Limpopo has crafted a bill that will see illegal circumcision school operators face a R20 000 fine or a jail term. File photo: Independent Newspapers
Johannesburg - The alleged culprits responsible for the deaths of 29 initiates in Mpumalanga could finally be arrested soon.
This comes after the provincial Health Department and House of Traditional Leaders resolved to allow the police to press charges against the alleged perpetrators.
The resolution is contained in a report into the deaths of the initiates, which was released on Tuesday.
“The department and the House of Traditional Leaders have agreed to allow the SAPS to execute their functions without any hindrances. This includes investigating and laying appropriate charges on those found to have contravened the law,” reads the report.
The Star reported last month that inexperienced and bogus traditional surgeons were using a single razor blade to circumcise multiple initiates, which exposed them to life-threatening diseases, including HIV/Aids. The paper also reported that there were cases of botched circumcisions and drunk monitors who left initiates unattended.
The deaths occurred in the Nkangala district towns of Siyabuswa, KwaMhlanga, Verena, Kwaggafontein, Middelburg, Bethal and Evander, which fall under King Mabhoko III of the Ndebele people.
At least six more initiates died in Limpopo’s Sekhukhune district, although the amakhosana (junior traditional leaders) there fall under Mabhoko.
The deaths drew nationwide condemnation, including from President Jacob Zuma and civil rights organisations.
The report, which revealed damning evidence of gross irregularities by traditional surgeons, found that some of the amakhosana had forged permits to run illegal schools.
“There were many emerging initiation schools… not sanctioned by the Ingwenyama (King) Mabhoko III. It was discovered that some of the amakhosana duplicated their permits to have other schools that were illegal,” the report reads.
The report found that permit holders used old (expired) ingoma (permits) and that inexperienced traditional surgeons were used.
It also found there was gross negligence by traditional surgeons.
There were also instances of a lack of regular monitoring by the ingoma holders, the use of inexperienced caregivers, and a lack of proper supervision by caregivers.
Mpumalanga police spokesman Captain Leonard Hlathi said dockets had been submitted to the National Prosecuting Authority to decide whether to prosecute.
“We have not yet arrested anybody because our decision will be informed by the NPA,” he said, adding that only 27 of the 29 dockets were murder cases. Two of the dockets are inquest reports as they (dead initiates) had complained of stomach aches (before they died).”
The report also identified the use of drugs by some initiates and those with chronic ailments not taking prescribed medication as among the causes of the deaths.
In all, the report found there were 30 000 initiates undergoing the ritual in 134 initiation schools.
To prevent future deaths, the report recommended that all prospective initiates must first undergo medical tests.
Political commentator and gender activist Nomboniso Gasa questioned the commitment of the Mpumalanga government and senior traditional leaders to addressing the problem.
“We have known the problems of illegal schools and unqualified circumcisers for many years. So why has this not been addressed to prevent these and many other deaths?” Gasa said.
lebogang.seale@inl.co.za
June 26 2013 at 12:15pm
By LEBOGANG SEALE
Comment on this story
Independent Newspapers
Limpopo has crafted a bill that will see illegal circumcision school operators face a R20 000 fine or a jail term. File photo: Independent Newspapers
Johannesburg - The alleged culprits responsible for the deaths of 29 initiates in Mpumalanga could finally be arrested soon.
This comes after the provincial Health Department and House of Traditional Leaders resolved to allow the police to press charges against the alleged perpetrators.
The resolution is contained in a report into the deaths of the initiates, which was released on Tuesday.
“The department and the House of Traditional Leaders have agreed to allow the SAPS to execute their functions without any hindrances. This includes investigating and laying appropriate charges on those found to have contravened the law,” reads the report.
The Star reported last month that inexperienced and bogus traditional surgeons were using a single razor blade to circumcise multiple initiates, which exposed them to life-threatening diseases, including HIV/Aids. The paper also reported that there were cases of botched circumcisions and drunk monitors who left initiates unattended.
The deaths occurred in the Nkangala district towns of Siyabuswa, KwaMhlanga, Verena, Kwaggafontein, Middelburg, Bethal and Evander, which fall under King Mabhoko III of the Ndebele people.
At least six more initiates died in Limpopo’s Sekhukhune district, although the amakhosana (junior traditional leaders) there fall under Mabhoko.
The deaths drew nationwide condemnation, including from President Jacob Zuma and civil rights organisations.
The report, which revealed damning evidence of gross irregularities by traditional surgeons, found that some of the amakhosana had forged permits to run illegal schools.
“There were many emerging initiation schools… not sanctioned by the Ingwenyama (King) Mabhoko III. It was discovered that some of the amakhosana duplicated their permits to have other schools that were illegal,” the report reads.
The report found that permit holders used old (expired) ingoma (permits) and that inexperienced traditional surgeons were used.
It also found there was gross negligence by traditional surgeons.
There were also instances of a lack of regular monitoring by the ingoma holders, the use of inexperienced caregivers, and a lack of proper supervision by caregivers.
Mpumalanga police spokesman Captain Leonard Hlathi said dockets had been submitted to the National Prosecuting Authority to decide whether to prosecute.
“We have not yet arrested anybody because our decision will be informed by the NPA,” he said, adding that only 27 of the 29 dockets were murder cases. Two of the dockets are inquest reports as they (dead initiates) had complained of stomach aches (before they died).”
The report also identified the use of drugs by some initiates and those with chronic ailments not taking prescribed medication as among the causes of the deaths.
In all, the report found there were 30 000 initiates undergoing the ritual in 134 initiation schools.
To prevent future deaths, the report recommended that all prospective initiates must first undergo medical tests.
Political commentator and gender activist Nomboniso Gasa questioned the commitment of the Mpumalanga government and senior traditional leaders to addressing the problem.
“We have known the problems of illegal schools and unqualified circumcisers for many years. So why has this not been addressed to prevent these and many other deaths?” Gasa said.
lebogang.seale@inl.co.za
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Chapman's Peak & Llandudno Beach
Monday was a holiday in South Africa so Ambereen had the day off. We decided to head towards Chapman's Peak as it's supposed to be a scenic drive. On the way we stopped to explore Llandudno beach. Some of the most incredible homes are situated on the hillside overlooking a small beach with soft sand and large boulders. Most of the beaches around here are relatively small which makes them seem cozy.
We picked up lunch to go (called take-away here) at a pub at the end of Hout Bay. We both got calamari burgers. Literally a slab of grilled squid on a bun. YUM! Ambereen also picked up a bottle of bubbly. We headed up Chapman's Peak Drive and pulled off at a picnic area with a view of Hout Bay and ate lunch before continuing along the drive.
The views remind me of PCH in California. Gorgeous!
Be careful when you pull over to look at the views though. There are some sketchy spots where one misstep could be the end of you! Loose gravel leading to a sheer, steep, long trip to the sea below.
Then we pulled off to catch a lovely sunset to finish the day.
We picked up lunch to go (called take-away here) at a pub at the end of Hout Bay. We both got calamari burgers. Literally a slab of grilled squid on a bun. YUM! Ambereen also picked up a bottle of bubbly. We headed up Chapman's Peak Drive and pulled off at a picnic area with a view of Hout Bay and ate lunch before continuing along the drive.
The views remind me of PCH in California. Gorgeous!
Be careful when you pull over to look at the views though. There are some sketchy spots where one misstep could be the end of you! Loose gravel leading to a sheer, steep, long trip to the sea below.
Then we pulled off to catch a lovely sunset to finish the day.
Table Mountain
We've been occupied since Ambereen's parents arrived from Pakistan but we were able to break away for an afternoon to explore Table Mountain. This is not a mountain to take lightly as many people do. It must be the proximity to Cape Town which gives people a false sense of security. Although the mountain is covered in trails, there are only a few which one can take that doesn't require climbing equipment. It is difficult to get trail maps and the books are $30. Not much worthwhile in between. With that said we figured that it made sense to take the tram then explore the trails up top. The tram is R220 round trip and the car rotates 360 degrees as it climbs. It's very steep at the top and you can see people climbing the mountain on the way.
There are many trails up top so we took a route to Maclear's Beacon.
There is a tremendous about of biodiversity at the top including water, moss, toads and feynbos. If it weren't for the views you would never know that you were at the top of a mountain. As is the case in all of the parks, once you get away from the areas that aren't hard to get to the crowds are sparse so it's much more peaceful. All these damn foreigners around!
There are many trails up top so we took a route to Maclear's Beacon.
The highest point on Table Mountain is marked by a large cairn, built by Sir Thomas Maclear in 1865. But the cairn was not built to mark the height of Table Mountain, it was to assist in measuring the curvature of the earth.
There is a tremendous about of biodiversity at the top including water, moss, toads and feynbos. If it weren't for the views you would never know that you were at the top of a mountain. As is the case in all of the parks, once you get away from the areas that aren't hard to get to the crowds are sparse so it's much more peaceful. All these damn foreigners around!
Lion's Head
The weather finally cleared enough to make the hike up Lion's Head worthwhile. It's not a tough hike, it's actually a fairly short hike with just a few tough spots but the views up top are impressive. To give you an idea, here is a pic I took from the boat on the way back from Robben Island:
Devil's Peak is on the left, Table Mountain is the large feature in the middle and Lion's Head is on the right (Signal Hill is directly in front of Lion's Head in this photo).
This photo was taken from Ambereen's apartment:
It's an easy hike until you get near the top and you have a decision to make. Take the easy path on the left or the fun route straight up utilizing fixed holds.
Once you make it to the top you are rewarded with breath-taking views of Cape Town, Camp's Bay, Table Mountain and the sea.
All in all a pretty good day!
Devil's Peak is on the left, Table Mountain is the large feature in the middle and Lion's Head is on the right (Signal Hill is directly in front of Lion's Head in this photo).
This photo was taken from Ambereen's apartment:
It's an easy hike until you get near the top and you have a decision to make. Take the easy path on the left or the fun route straight up utilizing fixed holds.
Once you make it to the top you are rewarded with breath-taking views of Cape Town, Camp's Bay, Table Mountain and the sea.
All in all a pretty good day!
Monday, June 10, 2013
Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope is located right next to Cape Point. There is a really cool beach that you can hike to. In fact, we'll take a picnic there next time. There is a parking lot next to the beach and at the end of the parking lot a sign proclaiming the Cape of Good Hope. Tour buses would stop and people would pour out to have their pictures taken next to the sign then they would take off for the next spot. Most of them never saw the 6 ostriches feeding along the hiking trail less than 100 yards away. Fools. There were many Dassies too. They are like marmots. I nearly stepped on one who was eating lunch and paid absolutely no attention to me. The ostriches ended up near the top of the trail too. They look prehistoric and were really cool to watch.
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