Cape Town: The Mother City

This past weekend, Jorge and I traveled to Cape Town, the Mother City.  There were public holidays here this past Monday and Tuesday, so we had a long weekend to see the greatest town in South Africa.  We left on Friday morning around 9 am, and it was raining very hard.  We had a six hour drive ahead of us, so we just took our time.  We eventually drove out of the rain, and we were able so see some of the best scenes of the Garden Route.  Jorge had arranged a meeting on Friday with an engineer that he has been working with in Stellenbosch, so we decided we would stay there Friday night.  Stellenbosch is situation in the Winelands of Cape Town.  It is a beautiful town and hosts Stellenbosch University.  Stellenbosch University is very small, but the atmosphere there is great.  After Jorge’s meeting, we walked around the town and explored the university.  We stumbled across a bunch of students waiting to go into the auditorium.  It turns out that night was an acapella contest showcasing the housing dorms of the university.  We bought tickets and went to see the show.  It was a lot of fun, and after the show we went to a couple of the bars located around the university.  We spent most of the time at a place called Bohemia.  It was a pretty cool place.  We stayed at a place called the Stumble Inn Backpackers.  We went back there after Bohemia, and meet a lot of the people staying there.  It was a lot of fun.  The next day, we traveled to Franchoek; another town in the Winelands.  We spent part of the day driving around and exploring the town.  Next, we traveled to Paarl.  We visited the Afrikaans Language Monument.  I guess it was interesting; it didn’t mean a lot to me.  We decided that we would each lunch in Paarl, so we went to Main Street.  We parked the car and walked up and down the street looking for something to eat.  We came across a fish place that was covered with people.  We figured it had to be good, so we went in.  Jorge and I were the only white people in the whole place.  Turns out the place was known for its fish and chips.  Supposedly it was the best in and around Cape Town.  It was very good, and you get a lot of food for your money.  Once we were done we traveled into Cape Town. 

In Cape Town, we were staying at the house of friend we met in Knysna.  We spent some time driving around exploring, and then we went to the house.  We hung out for a while, and met some cool people.  Saturday night, we went to a bar called the Tin Roof.  It was a cool place.  It was a younger crowd, and I know I am only 22, but everyone in there probably had fake IDs.  Most of the people were probably under 18.  On Sunday morning, Jorge and I got up and went to Table Mountain.  Table Mountain is approximately 1000 meters above sea level.  It was amazing how the mountain just rose up out of the ocean.  It is roughly 530 million years old, and for those of you who know about geography and history, that dates before the supercontinent, Pangaea.  The top of the mountain was flat, almost like a prairie.  We rode the cable car to the top and spent most of the morning there. After exploring the mountain, we decided to head to the Cape of Good Hope.  We started driving from Table Mountain and drove along the coast and across the Cape Peninsula.  That drive was amazing.  We passed through Fish Hoek, and we eventually stopped in Simons Town.  Here we went to Boulders Beach and were able to see a colony of African penguins.  They were very small, and it was strange seeing penguins in a warm climate.  The penguins were originally called the Jackass penguins because of the braying noise it makes, but I guess someone thought that was inappropriate.  We continued our drive and made it to the Cape of Good Hope National Park.  We were able to see both Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope.  At the Cape of Good Hope, you are supposedly at the most southwest point in Africa.  So, now I can say I’ve been there.  It was getting dark, so we called it a day and headed home.  We did not do much that night because we were too tired. 

Monday morning we got up and went to Robben Island.  Robben Island is where all the political prisoners were kept during the South African Apartheid.  This was where Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison for conspiring to overthrow the discriminating government.  It was a very interesting place to visit, but most South Africans have not even visited the island.  We finished our Robben Island tour around three in the afternoon, and we spent the rest of the day exploring downtown Cape Town.  We went to Green Point Stadium which was built for the 2010 World Cup.  I also found a street that was named after me close to the stadium.  Actually, the street was called Stephan Way, but close enough, right?  You can see the street sign and the stadium in my pictures.  We spent some of the afternoon on Long Street which is a touristy area that hosts many bars and restaurants. 

On Tuesday, Jorge and I had to head back to Kynsna.  We left Cape Town and decided to take the scenic route home.  This took us all along the coast through Somerset West, Hermanus, and some other towns.  We made a stop at Agulhas, which is where the most southern point in Africa is located.  So, now I can say I’ve been there too.  We left Cape Town around 11 am, and we arrived in Knysna around 8 pm.  As you can tell, our route was very scenic.  We managed to turn a five hour drive into a nine hour drive.  It was well worth it, and Cape Town is an amazing city. 

This was just a brief recount of our travels in Cape Town.  Maybe I can elaborate at a later time.  Jorge and I both came back from Cape Town with a cold or something, so now we are both fighting illness.  We decided that 4 days is not enough to experience all of Cape Town.  We are back at work now, trying to tie up all the loose ends before we leave.  We only have 11 days left in South Africa.  As far as pictures, I did not take the time to post them here, as I took around 250, but the following two links will take you to where you can see them. 

Cape Town 1

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.197138537013537.48842.100001521768928&l=8909924654&type=1

Cape Town 2

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.197176790343045.48849.100001521768928&l=9af39332ec&type=1

Rastafarian Festival and Golf

Jorge and I decided to stay in Knysna this past weekend to save money for our upcoming trip to Cape Town.  After work on Friday, I did not do much.  I rode my bike into town and walked around all afternoon.  There are a lot of little shops and roadside stands to stop and visit.  Friday night, Jorge and I went to a new bar opened by one of our friends here on Thesen Island.  The great things about the bar are that it is only 50 yards away from our apartment, and we also have a running tab.  It’s a cool little place that has a great feeling and atmosphere.  I turned in relatively early on Friday around midnight. 

Saturday we did not have many plans.  We jumped on a taxi that took us to the townships around noon.  We were going to visit the Rastafarian Festival.  We were a little early, so we just walked up the streets and visited with the Rastafarians that were hanging out.  It is an interesting religion, but the people are some of the nicest people you’ll meet.  They loved meeting foreigners and getting to know about our culture.  We realized that the festival was not starting till way later in the day, so I left around 5 pm.  Jorge stayed behind, and he found a ride home later that night.  When I decided to leave, I walked around the township looking for a taxi ride back into town.  I received a couple of looks, but none threatening.  I guess I did not blend in with the township people, go figure.  Still, walking around the townships was a very humbling experience, and it really made me reflect on what I have waiting on me in Texas. 

Sunday, I went and played golf with Steff and a couple of his friends.  Steff and I work together, and he is the only guy in the office that plays golf.  We played a course called Simola.  It in nestled in the mountains that surround Knysna.  It is by far the nicest most beautiful golf course I have every played.  It is a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, and it was fairly challenging.  Many of the holes were very long.  Several of the par 3s were over 215 meters.  That is another thing that I have to get use to on the course.  Distances are measured in meters.  So, it did change my club selection several times.  I hit a couple of pars and bogies, but overall I played awful.  Still, I was just happy to be there playing.  It was interesting because there were baboons all over the golf course.  They do not tear up the course, but they will try and steal stuff off your cart. You have to watch them because they can be very aggressive.  Playing golf was a perfect way to spend a Sunday. 

Jorge and I will be leaving on Friday to go to Cape Town.  We do not have many plans for when we get there, so we’ll just play it by ear probably.  We will be coming back to Knysna the 9^th of August.  Once we are back, we will only have thirteen days left here in South Africa.  

Oudtshoorn, Cango Caves, and Mosselbaai

Another week has come and pass, and this past weekend brought a much needed road trip.  On Friday, Werner took us to an Indian restaurant, and then we went to a movie.  We saw a movie called the Roepman (the Callman) which was in Afrikaans with English subtitles.  It was very slow and weird at times, but for some reason I found it enjoyable.  This past weekend Jorge and I went Outshoorn, Cango Caves, and Mosselbaai.  Jorge and I first decided that we would rent a car and drive everywhere we wanted to go.  Later we were discussing our plans to go on our weekend trip, and a guy from work offered to take us.  It was great because it saves us a lot of money, and we only have to split the petrol.  Petrol hear costs roughly $5 per gallon, so I guess I cannot complain when I make it back to the states.  The guy who took us on the trip is named Werner.  He is a great guy, and he loves showing his culture and country to tourist or just anyone.  We left at 7 am Saturday morning to head to Oudtshoorn.  This town is home of the ostrich farms and the Cango Caves.  It was very exciting driving there because this is the first time that I was able to cross the mountains that border the sea here.  Once you cross the mountains, heading north, the landscape is very similar to West and South Texas; its like a mixture of the two.  Crossing the mountains was an amazing site.  The sun was just breaking over the mountain tops, and there was a heavy fog that had settled in the mountain valleys.

Our first stop was the Cango Caves.  I am not sure, but it may be the only known cave system in South Africa.  This was the first time that I have ever be in a cave, and I was amazing.  A lot of the formations dated back a million years ago.  We decided to be extremest that morning, and we took the Adventure tour instead of the Standard tour.  This just meant that we had to do more climbing, crawling, and sliding everywhere.  There were some very tight places, and I though I might get stuck, but I managed to make it through there.  There was one point called the Chimney, where to had a vertical climb in a shaft that was a little bigger round than me.  It was very difficult because there was not much room to move about and used your arms and legs.  The smallest space that I squeezed through was roughly 25 cm.  That's not very wide.  It was at an opening they call the "Postbox."  It looks like a little slot where you drop an envelope.  You have to slide through it on your stomach head first, and that was a lot of fun.  I will be posting a link at the bottom of this post which will take you to all of my pictures.

Once we were done with the caves, we went to an ostrich farm.  Here they tell you everything there is to know about ostriches.  It was interesting and some people even rode the birds.  I would have rode one, but the weight limit was 75 kg, so that was out of the question.  They allowed you to pet the birds, and you could even stand on their eggs.  I guess I now know more about ostriches than I every planned on knowing.

After that, we all drove to Mosselbaai.  We went to a maritime museum and were able to see a life size replica of the ship believed to be the first Portuguese ship to land in South Africa, but do not quote me on that.  It was nice having Werner with us because he grew up in Mosselbaai, and he took us to some of hte local spots.  One of the most fun parts of the trip was staying in Mosselbaai.  Werner's family lives in Mosselbaai, so we stayed with them.  It was really a great experience to get to interact with an Afrikaans house.  I ate some  authentic South African food called pudu pop.  I am not sure of the spelling but that is what it sounded like.  It was very similar to grits, and it was very good.  I learned some new Afrikaans words, but yet again I do not know how to spell any of them.  I also drank moonshine with Verner's dad.  It was made out of grapes, and I would say it was the smoothest brandy that I have every drank.  Sunday did not bring much because it started raining Saturday night.  It rained all day Sunday, so we just came back to Knysna.  I hate to say this, but it is still raining here.  That makes two straight days of rain.  Sorry Texas, but I am trying to send some your way.  Anyways, it was a great weekend.  We will probably stay in town this weekend to save money, and we are going to Cape Town in two weekends.  I am really excited.  It is hard to believe that I only have four weeks left.

Here is the link to my pictures.


http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.189523451108379.47394.100001521768928&l=e2cf545144&type=1

Billabong Pro Surf Competition

I can't believe how fast the weeks are flying by.  I only have another month before I come back to the States, and I feel that there is a lot more to do.  This past week at work was good.  I was very productive, and I had a meeting with the directors to discuss my work.  I have finally found my niche in the company as a environmental engineer/landscape architect.  I have been working in the landscaping area mainly because they are very short-handed in that department right now.  I am very excited about the progress I have made and about the feedback I received at the meeting.  This weekend was very fun and tiring.  Friday, Jorge and I went to dinner at a local place called Quay 4.  We had seafood and listened to a little bit of live music.  We then moved to a bar that one of our friends here on the island has opened.  Its a cool little hangout, and we had a fun night.  The next day I was able to sleep in thankfully.  On Saturday, I went to a braii/birthday party with one of my co-workers and his family.  I met a lot of fun people, and I got to eat a lot of great food.  I was definitely a wild night.  Sunday morning I did not have the luxury of sleeping late.  I was on the road at 6 am with Jorge and Werner heading to  Jeffery's Bay to watch the Billabong Pro Surf Championship.  I figured it would be one of the only times I was able to see a pro competition.  We made it back from J-Bay around 7 tonight, and I regret to say that I still have not seen a pro surf competition.  There were no waves today, so they called a lay day today.  We still got to see Jeffery's Bay, and then we went to Cape Francis and St. Francis Bay.  There are amazing beaching here.  I was a long day, and now I just want to relax.  They are not going to show the women's world cup here, so I do not get to watch us tonight.  It was another great weekend here in ZA.

Addo National Park and Face Adrenaline

This weekend was fast and furious to say the least.  On Friday, Jorge and I set out heading to Addo Park.  We left Knysna at three in the afternoon, driving a rental car on the "wrong" side of the road.  That made things interesting right from the get go.  We booked reservations at a place called the Orange Elephant.  It is a backpackers that is located near the park.  It has a little pub also, so we were able to meet a few interesting people.  We got up early on Saturday morning, and we went to Addo.  We got into the park around 8:30 am, and there was a lot of fog; real handy when  looking for wildlife.  We did stumble across a big male elephant that was real close to the road.  We just sat and stared at each other for a while, and then we drove on.  It was real fun driving a rental car in the park.  We really did not care how rough we were on it.  We saw zebras, kudu, ostrich, elephants, etc.  It was not a good trip in the fact that we went 1 for 5 in the Big Five.  We did not see a rhino, leopard, lion, or water buffalo.  It was still a lot of fun though. 

Later that afternoon, I got the great idea that I would go on the three hour, experienced rider, horse ride.  We would ride through a remote section of the park looking for all types of game.  When I arrived at the stables, I was the only one that would be riding.  My guides name I can not say nor pronounce, so I was allowed to call him X.  He inquired as to my experience, and we decided that I was experienced enough to hang on and run away from a charging elephant or rhino.  The good thing about me being the only one was that we could go at whatever pace I could handle.  At the stables, X gave me a horse named Gaily. 

He told me that she was very calm, and did not run unless it was necessary.  I got on and rode her around the pen so we could get acquainted.  So here X and I go across the African country side.  We started out just walking.  He then said we can gallop, so Gaily took off.  It did not seem that she did not like to run.  She broke and started crow hoping, but I managed to hang on and regain control.  X finally caught up to me, and he was confused by Gaily's tactics.  We traded horses, and now I was riding Chester.  Chester was a much better horse, but he did not like to follow.  These horses were very trained, and they knew the same routine very well.  The ride was very fast paced.  We galloped and sprinted a lot of the time, so I had to regain my riding abilities very quickly.  We saw all kinds of wildlife.  We rode up on elephants, and that was really cool.  Just something about being in Africa on a horse, in the middle of elephants.  At one point we were chasing monkeys across the pasture full run; it was a lot of fun.  We saw all the same animals as previously mentioned.  On the way back, we came to a wide open pasture, and X said "Lets Go," and we were off.  As I mentioned earlier, Gaily was a follower, not a leader.  She was not to sure about being in front.  At times she would not pay attention to where she was going, and then she would look down and scare herself.  Now, X was a very experience rider, but he made the mistake of being too comfortable.  We are sprinting across this pasture, and Gaily startles herself.  She jumps about ten feet to the right in mid run and sent X flying.  I did not see him land, as he scared Chester.  Chester slammed on the breaks for a split second, so I went flying up on his neck.  He did not miss a beat and kept running as fast as he could.  I was just hanging on to his head and neck for dear life, and I contemplated letting go, because I had lost my stirrups, and I was in a tight spot.  I had no reigns at this point, so rather than falling over the front and then under him, I reached down and grabbed his bit and brought him to a stop.  It was amazing how comfortable he was with me riding on his neck and head.  That had my blood flowing, and I finally got re-saddled.  X came riding up to me and said he gave my ride a ten.  Good thing we were wearing riding helmets, as he had a bit dent in his after his fall.  He claimed he was okay so we continued.  We finally got the horses calm and headed back to the stables.  It was a ton of fun, needless to say, I am very sore today.  I caught back up with Jorge, and we made one last drive through the park.  We stumbled across these two male elephants fighting in the rode.  It was a great adventure. 

This morning I woke up and said "lets jump off something really high today."  So we went to Face Adrenaline on the way back to Knysna.  It is the world highest bungee at 216 meters, and four seconds of pure free fall. 

I do not know how I talked myself into doing it, but it was one of the most fun and intense moments of my life.  I got a dvd of the whole experience and a bunch of pictures.  My form was not great when I jumped, and I think it was because it is not natural to jump off of bridges. 

It was amazing.  I will be posting pictures and maybe a video later.  It was a great weekend in South Africa.

Not Much News

This was another good  week of work.  On Tuesday, I went to the development site to have a meeting with the civil engineers and we discussed the bill of materials for Phase 1.  It was very interesting, and I got to see the business side of this operation.  I rode there with a girl from work named  Kaye.  She is very cool, and she is originally from the U.K.  On the way home, we saw a lynx.  I'm guessing it was a lynx, it had those long pointy ears.  The rest of the week was just work in the office.  We found out on this past Wednesday that we were getting kicked out of the room we have been staying.  Apparently the hotel booked it a year ago for the Knysna Oyster Festival.  So we were moved across town to a different hotel.  It is nice also, but we have no kitchen or sitting area.  We will get to go back to our original home on Tuesday the 12.  The Oyster Festival is a huge deal here.  It is a ten day festival, and the population of the town triples at least.  They have bike races, marathons, and all other kind of events.  I figure we will just hang around town and experience the festival this weekend.  On Monday, I am running in a relay race.  It will not be too bad; I only have to run 1 km.  Well, that's the only news that I have for now.

Mexican Dinner Party

On Saturday, I went to a dinner party with my boss and his wife.  At first I was thinking it would be a formal affair, but I came to find out that the theme was Mexican.  We arrived, and a few people had on ponchos and painted on mustaches.  There was tequila, corona, margaritas, tacos, chicken fajitas, guacamole, etc.  Pretty much everything you needed to have a good time.  After dinner, people brought out their instruments, and we had a sing-a-long.  It was a really interesting night; a lot of fun.  This is a picture of my boss at the party.  Let me just say, he knows how to work hard, but he knows how to party harder!

Sunday was pretty slow.  It rained, and it was cold.  Today at work I worked on drawing some files in AutoCAD.  Its not very fun, but at least I have something to do to pass time.  Tomorrow, I am going to the job site to listen to a meeting about the bill of materials.  Should be interesting, and I don't have to be in the office tomorrow.  Tonight, Jorge and I rode our bikes into town.  We went to a place called the Waterfront.  It was like an outdoor mall area.  We walked around and then tried some pizza at a place called Mario's.  People at work told us how good it was, and they were right. Very lekker!