When we got to Cape Town, we didn't go out the first night, but bought two bottles of wine for three dollars each from the grociery store along with a few other necessary things. It was decent wine too, we drank it while waching Resident Evil which was terrible. The next day (Saturday) we went grociery shopping after a meeting with our advisors and formed a group grociery system. The food is all different though, and because the sugar used is unrefined, everything tastes different, the candy and soda are a lot sweeter, so I can barely drink/eat them.
That night, we went out to dinner at the Africa Cafe, which serves traditional African food, tapas style. We ordered fruity alchoholic drinks and had lots of interesting food. Rice with berries, chicken in sauce, tapioca yoghert bread and other such foods. Most of them were really good, especially the desserts. Which, are obviously my favorite anyway. There were really sweet decorations in the restaurant too; the chandeliers made out of recycled things and the wall mural made out of can tops was cool too. There is a lot of recycled things here made into other things, which is a great theme, and ends up with cool decorations.
After dinner, we went home to St. John's and then out to Long Street, which getting there was a project in it self. First we went to the Buena Vista Social Cafe, but then left because it was too small and/or sketchy/smoky, and called several cabs. We tried a few different clubs, but mostly stayed at the Dubliner, because it was classy on top, a piano bar and outside balcony with reasonably priced drinks (~20 rand). And downstairs, you could dance, and it was only slightly sketchy. We stayed out until about one or so, and took a cab home (which costs about 3 american dollars, ridiculously cheap for a 15 min cab ride).
The next morning, we went to the district Six museum, which commemorates a district in Cape Town that was demolished during the Apartheid because it allowed different races to live there in harmony and was a bad example. The man giving us a tour of the museum lived there during that time and told us the story and showed pictures of when the house his family had had for four generations was bulldozed. And now, they are giving the land back to the owners, but much of it was used for a university, and the rest is lying unused and a mess.
We napped, and then took a drive around Cape Point with Debra's aunt and cousin, up signal hill and around to the different beaches. We saw the Indian Ocean, which is supposed to be warmer, and the surfing beach, and breifly drove through a vinyard. The views are amazing. We also saw whales while driving along the edge of the mountains.
Today was our first day working in the settlements. We met the deputy mayor of Cape Town at a reception and then traveled to Monwabisi Park. We toured the Indlovu Center, the Creche (daycare) and other places. It was really inspiring to see the sense of community there and the redevelopment ideas coming from within the community. THings like the fact that if you steal things or cause crime in the community, the street committee will demolish your shack are interesting. But I think that our project will be effective, and we are meeting the co researchers tomorrow. I learned the African handshake as well, which is slightly different from a regular one, and we are setting up Xhosa lessons for the coming weeks so we can communicate more effectively in the settlements. Overall, I'm excited, but exhausted. I really hope that our project can make a real difference though.
That night, we went out to dinner at the Africa Cafe, which serves traditional African food, tapas style. We ordered fruity alchoholic drinks and had lots of interesting food. Rice with berries, chicken in sauce, tapioca yoghert bread and other such foods. Most of them were really good, especially the desserts. Which, are obviously my favorite anyway. There were really sweet decorations in the restaurant too; the chandeliers made out of recycled things and the wall mural made out of can tops was cool too. There is a lot of recycled things here made into other things, which is a great theme, and ends up with cool decorations.
After dinner, we went home to St. John's and then out to Long Street, which getting there was a project in it self. First we went to the Buena Vista Social Cafe, but then left because it was too small and/or sketchy/smoky, and called several cabs. We tried a few different clubs, but mostly stayed at the Dubliner, because it was classy on top, a piano bar and outside balcony with reasonably priced drinks (~20 rand). And downstairs, you could dance, and it was only slightly sketchy. We stayed out until about one or so, and took a cab home (which costs about 3 american dollars, ridiculously cheap for a 15 min cab ride).
The next morning, we went to the district Six museum, which commemorates a district in Cape Town that was demolished during the Apartheid because it allowed different races to live there in harmony and was a bad example. The man giving us a tour of the museum lived there during that time and told us the story and showed pictures of when the house his family had had for four generations was bulldozed. And now, they are giving the land back to the owners, but much of it was used for a university, and the rest is lying unused and a mess.
We napped, and then took a drive around Cape Point with Debra's aunt and cousin, up signal hill and around to the different beaches. We saw the Indian Ocean, which is supposed to be warmer, and the surfing beach, and breifly drove through a vinyard. The views are amazing. We also saw whales while driving along the edge of the mountains.
Today was our first day working in the settlements. We met the deputy mayor of Cape Town at a reception and then traveled to Monwabisi Park. We toured the Indlovu Center, the Creche (daycare) and other places. It was really inspiring to see the sense of community there and the redevelopment ideas coming from within the community. THings like the fact that if you steal things or cause crime in the community, the street committee will demolish your shack are interesting. But I think that our project will be effective, and we are meeting the co researchers tomorrow. I learned the African handshake as well, which is slightly different from a regular one, and we are setting up Xhosa lessons for the coming weeks so we can communicate more effectively in the settlements. Overall, I'm excited, but exhausted. I really hope that our project can make a real difference though.
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