More than just a big rock outlining the town...

Anyone who ever visits Cape Town must get out of town. Not that Cape Town needs be escaped from, but there is some of the most amazing country side and vineyards in the surrounding areas. During my recent visit I rented a car and toured some of the more interesting ones that I had read about and friends had recommended. More than just the wine is worth the visit, the scenery, people (animals too), remoteness and connectedness with the land are so enjoyable. This is Kloovenburg, which is getting better known for the olives it grows and spices than the wine it produces. While there I had some time to visit with the vineyard's old golden lab, Chardonnay, the vintner and the owner. All charming, welcoming and obviously in love with their trade, proud of their products and respectful of the land that allows them to make some of the most delicious and enjoyable consumables.

Sure there are the same large producers that make the vineyard experience more like going to Wal-Mart than a family business; they are to be avoided. One that is exactly the opposite is Boekenhoutskloof. I went to this vineyard to visit one of the most relaxed and beautiful in Franschoek, and I was not disappointed. Even though it was closed and had shipped out all it's wine (so the tasting room was closed too) I met the daughters of the owner, their dogs (who took a while to get used to me strolling around) and a couple of the hands, who were busy tending to the vines and gardens as brushfires were threatening the area. Still they welcomed me to their vineyard and allowed me to take my time as I walked around, snooped into the barns, lazed about in the yards and simply enjoyed being amongst all their gorgeous property. I may have been swayed by the beauty of their land, but I must admit to better enjoying one of their wines, The Chocolate Block, after not initially being thrilled by it.

Cape Tonians, not normal people

Cape Town doesn't like rushing into the New Year. While the rest of South Africa and the world is busy starting the next year, Cape Town takes an extra day off, January 2nd, to enjoy themselves a little more. They do this with the Minstrel's Parade. For decades groups of musicians, dancers, flag twirlers and just folks with whistles form a parade in Cape Town on January 2nd. It's all judged and some say has become annoyingly repetitive, but it's also the folks there just having fun.
Cape Town is also a jazz haven. The Festival they host brings together to greatest African jazz artists who express their vision of music without a care towards 'the industry.' Street performers tend to also be well known and very talented local artists. Sadly, I didn't persuade Benguela (a modern jazz quartet I've followed for the last eight years) to get together for a New Years Eve gig. So, I saw in 2006 with some friends (old and new) bounding from bar to bar. Sadly, no one remembered to bring a camera, so there is no record of the silliness we managed to get into.

But I did have a camera with me to take a picture of the Ostrich Man, who will soon be a neighbourhood fixture for me. Here he is 'performing his art' of just being himself, right outside my new condo on St. George's Street, the promenade that runs down the center of Cape Town.

My one bad moment in Cape Town happened when my rental car had its rear window smashed and the radio stolen. Being near the confluence of the Indian and Atlantic oceans Cape Town can be a VERY windy place. When the winds howl, the petty criminals take advantage of the masking noise to practice their trade and they did so on my little blue VW. So, I went down to the police station, where I hadn't seen one so subdued since rural Georgia. The constable was most relaxed, jovial and forthcoming, not even pretending to be able to solve the crime. While I was there, two more people came in to report similar crimes in the same neighbourhood. Low and behold while giving my statement, someone was apprehended while attempting to break into another car. Justice prevails.

On to Table Mountain...

All the times I have been to Cape Town I have never been on Table Mountain at night... I was thinking of being up there for the New Year, but after missing the 1999-2000 celebration up there, I figured I just stay closer to sea level and have fun in the city. But I did go on the Mountain with friends on New Years Day (with a bottle of champagne) and I we went up at dusk and watched night come onto Cape Town from there. That time of day/night is unlike anything else. At this time of day the Dassies, chubby, brown rodents spread out on the rocks, getting the last of the day's warmth, seemingly unaware of the tourists and the tremendous heights. The colours as the sun sets into the ocean and the moon rises to take its place are amazing. Once the sun slips into the waters the stars suddenly pop into the sky in surprising numbers. Then you see the city lights illuminate the ground below, everything is clear, cool and quiet.
Astriding Table Mountain are Devils Peak and Lion's Head. To stretch my legs and get some sun on New Years Eve day I hiked up Lion's Head. It's a good hour long climb that requires steady footing and some energy. Paragliders use Lion's Head as a taking-off point to glide over Sea Point and onto the beaches below. If you have to go swimming this is not the beach for you. While it is beautiful even at the warmest days (temps close to 90 degrees in the summer) the water is always cold, but there are a lot of good cafes and restaurants at the beach front. I spent a lot of my time in Cape Town watching the skies, selecting stars. This one was always first out in the evening, skimming the edge of Lion's Head, kept catching my attention. Even though it's not really a star (I think it's Venus) I assigned it to someone special.

Market House condo!

Market House: This is the exterior of the building where I am buying a condo... yep, I am going to be a property owner. While I am not going to live there, at least no time soon, I am going to rent it out for a few years and then use it as a holiday residence... maybe a retirement spot in about 40 years. I am still researching the history behind the place, it is one of a few Art-Deco buildings in Cape Town.
The inside is no where as lovely as the exterior, as you can see.
It's still a construction site: that's me in the living room and that's the pile of bricks that was once the wall between the two rooms. I am going back and forth with the architects over the smaller aspects of the design, where to put the washer/drier, moving the front door a few feet and all that fun stuff. but as soon as it's done I am sure to have a grand house warming - so pack your bags and plan to come to Cape Town! The place is right in the middle of town, at Green Market Square, so it's easy to find and has a view of Devils Peak and all I have to do is convince Standard & Chartered Bank to raze their building and I'll have a table Mountain View... so next, onto Table Mountain!

Back in Malawi

This is a little tributary off lake Malawi, with a typical fishing boat, a dug-out canoe. Right now the rains have come and so far they are good. This is excellent news for Malawi as last year's rains were awful and the last few months have seen food shoratges and tremendous starvation around this empoverished country. Of course with the rains come flies and mosquitoes. I have encountered several cases of malaria on this trip - don't worry Mom, I am being safe. The country is lush and green right now - the rains make everyone much more relaxed and happy, it's almost as if the farmers can take a little break from tilling their lands while Mother Nature takes over for a little while.

Lilongwe has always been a sleepy, little African capital city, but on this trip I seem to notice it even more. Maybe because I spend more time in bustling Nairobi, but wow is this place quiet. At 9:00 PM I can drive (yep, I am driving around here and it's fun to be behnd the wheel again) from down-town (as it is) to the neighbourhood where I am staying with friends and only see five other cars on the road. It's a good, relaxed quiet, with a lot of friendly people. The work here is good and with some more effort and luck I should be starting a program here - for someone else to run. They get to live in The Warm Heart of Africa, while I get to come visit from time to time.

I did get to Dedza, which is a little village an hour outside of Lilongwe, where there's a fabulous cafe and pottery factory. Pictures from there to come soon.

This is all for now, watch this space for updates soon!