New photos of lots of stuff!
Trip Start
Mar 02, 2006
1
14
Trip End
Apr 28, 2006
Cape Town, South Africa
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
I have links to three sets of photos, from recent adventures. Enjoy!
1) LION'S HEAD:
First up are photos from a hike I did on Lion's Head, which is right in the city of Cape Town and very close to my flat. The views of the ocean are incredible! It's a tough hike (only about 40 minutes up), that's mostly straight up, using ladders and chains bolted into the rock in a few spots. The views are incredibly worth it. I hope to go up one more time before I go with a picnic. These photos were actually taken by another girl here named Rani because I stupidly forgot my camera!
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AaMmLlu5Zsm_-
2) CAPE POINT and CAPE OF GOOD HOPE:
This is the most southern tip of the Western Cape, and the most south-western tip of the African continent. It's incredibly beautiful, and is about a 1.5-hour drive south from Cape Town. I went this past Saturday with a woman I work with, Meg (she's here from New York), and a random American named Emily I met the night before while out dancing. The baboons were everywhere. And when they tell you they are dangerous, they aren't kidding. We were nearly afraid to walk around! We saw a ranger try to scare one off, but the baboon instead lunged at him and chased after the ranger. Then the baboon proceeded to JUMP INTO a family's car through an open door as they were getting out. It very quickly found bags of chips, took them, defacated in their car, then hopped out with bags of chips in hand and climbed up onto the roof of a mini van where it ate the chips. It was entertaining (only because it didn't happen to us!), but freaky. We drove with our windows up for the rest of our time in the park! The baboon photos you'll see were taken through my car window.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AaMmLlu5ZslEAw
3) NEDERBURG WINE AUCTION:
Sunday was the annual Nederburg Wine Auction, which is a fancy schmancy event in the stunningly beautiful wine region just outside Cape Town. Three charities were beneficiaries of the auction, and the organization I work for was one of them. I went as a "volunteer," but all that consisted of was drinking wine all day and schmoozing with people! It was a fantastic time, though it was another one of those strange days in which you feel how much South Africa is still straddling two worlds. Most of the people there were rich, white Afrikaaners who knew little about the causes they were supporting. (The auction, unfortunately, didn't do much to educate people about the organizations, either.) But then the waiters and service workers were mostly blacks who have to take buses in to the from the townships. I just don't feel like I see the two races interacting all that much and that's bothersome. I think many people want to bridge the gap, but aren't sure how. I suppose in that respect it's not all that different from the states...
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AaMmLlu5ZslEB0
If you want to know more about Nederburg wines-- one of the best wines out here, here's their web site:
http://www.nederburg.co.za/index_f.asp
Biiiig Hugs to you all!
Have a wonderful Easter or Passover, if you celebrate. I'm leaving first thing Thurs. morning for a visit to the red sand dunes in Namibia. I'll be back in the office checking e-mail again in one week-- next Wednesday. This is the camping trip I'm going on:
http://www.chameleonsafaris.com/dunes_deluxe.asp
Pictures and details to come!
Cheers,
Alisa
