It’s fantastic being back in Cape Town! A location that completely stole my heart during the very first visit in 1987. The beautiful coastal city is surrounded by incomparable Table Mountain.
I arrived on May 2nd after a series of flights beginning in Catania Sicily and passing through Rome and Addis Ababa Ethiopia – including two plane and terminal changes more tiring than the thirteen-hour flight.
During the flight from Addis Ababa to Cape Town naughty Indian children commandeered the aircraft and ran wild through the aisles disrupting all. A passenger complained in a loud way and the children were forced to sit down and behave themselves. Upon arrival in Cape Town, they continued wreaking havoc in the immigration hall, running races through cordoned off lines, clearly undaunted by their reprimand on the airplane. Their parents seemed amused.
After Berlin, Dubrovnik, Kotor Montenegro, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Sicily, and Malta, the passengers on Ethiopian Airlines were more diverse than any of the places visited, except maybe Berlin. I’m still processing the exciting time spent in Europe and the Balkans – a valuable learning experience, priceless memories!
When returning to Cape Town I always notice changes – some subtle, others not. I’ll be here through mid-June and then on to Hermanus, Onrus Beach, and Walker Bay.
My apartment in Gardens neighborhood is in a high-rise building with retail and parking garages on the lower levels and residential above. I’m on the 17th floor and look out at Table Mountain. It’s thrilling to watch the mountain constantly changing depending on weather, wind, and sky. It seems close enough to touch!
The building is secure and comfortable. Everything is within walking distance including a great choice of restaurants.
I have a rental car for day trips and places further away. After seven months without driving, it’s nice to be mobile again – even though South Africans are reckless drivers and drive on the wrong side of the road :)…
Today the wind is howling – yesterday it was calm. Earlier the Table Mountain Table Cloth was visible as fog gently spewed over the flat-topped mountain. It’s mesmerizing watching sunrises and sunsets and spectacular scenery changes from foggy to clear and back again. Hiking on the mountain is on my agenda.
The drought is over, but water and energy conservation are everyday concerns in Cape Town. Hopefully, winter will bring significant rainfall. May temperatures are mild in the 60s and 70s but forecast to reach the 80s next week.
South Africa’s General Election is May 8 with another ANC (African National Congress) victory predicted. Elections are always exciting. South Africa’s economy and social inequalities create an emotional, volatile atmosphere enhanced by protests for change.
There’s considerable voter apathy in South Africa, especially among young voters. The ANC disappointed and is under pressure to improve the failing economy, address unemployment, provide better services (especially power), improve infrastructure, and curb crime, violence, and government corruption. All are complicated issues with unemployment, the economy, and a looming energy crisis heading the growing list.
One thing I’d forgotten about (almost) is the Hadeda Ibis – known as the “loudest bird in Africa“. With Hadedas nearby, you don’t need an alarm clock!
More later…
You must feel as if you have come to a familiar home, where you can spread out and relax :-)
Exactly – feeling content and happy! The Mountain is magic :)