This weekend has been a whirlwind wrapped in a sensory delights wrapped in unforgettable memories!
We start our tale on Friday. I joined Mel (whose flat I am staying at) in attending Golda’s farewell at a club/bar/restaurant called Asoka. I had met Golda last summer and remembered her as one of those vibrant people I would love to have the opportunity to discover more about…coincidentally, the farewell was due to the fact that Golda is leaving to study opera at Julliard for two years, so I guess my wish for physical proximity has been granted! In any case, the atmosphere at this establishment was a tad “stuck-up Capetonian,” but the food constituted one of the best meals I have had in months and the cocktail both Mel and I drank was without a doubt, hands down, THE single most delicious alcoholic beverage either of us had ever consumed. So much so, in fact, that both of us became anti-social and could only talk to each other and, more importantly, about how incredible the drink was. The name is somewhat inappropriate so I will spare you that particular detail, but let me prick your senses with other details: the cocktail was frothy, pink, with Vanilla Vodka, some pomegranate infusion, and a mixture of other secret ingredients…on top floated half a fruit (somewhat like a pomegranate, but South African)…it came accompanied by a shot-glass of champagne. I am still reeling from this experience and plan to return before my stay here is over.
We move on to Saturday: Jenny, AJ, and I hiked up Table Mountain. Jenny is a bit of an intense hiker so in the end the trip was slightly more than I had bargained for, but every minute of pain and soreness was worth it for the views! We climbed up one side of the mountain, then into the valleys at the top, making a pretty big loop around the water reservoir in its middle, only to come back to the side where we started from and take the cable car down. In total, this entailed about five straight hours of constant walking, often climbing uphill on cliff faces and steep gorges. I have never hiked anything like this in my life and now, I must admit, I am somewhat hooked! After we descended, having spent an incredible morning overlooking the city, we drove to Camps Bay to have a late lunch sitting on the beach. Absolutely idyllic. And all of this on Mandela’s birthday! (Happy Birthday Madiba!!)
Sunday was a seeming contradiction in and of itself. We woke up early to go to a Chamber Music and Breakfast concert series at the famous Kristenbosch Botanical Gardens. The breakfast spread alone was impressive, and the music (piano + vocals) was nice…but participating in both these activities against the backdrop of the botanical gardens and the mountains was beyond description! Not to mention the fact that we were lucky and the day was warm and sunny! In the afternoon, we attended a TAC (Treatment Action Campaign) march demanding that the NSP targets regarding HIV and TB treatment and prevention be met. Several thousand people had been bussed in from the townships to participate in the march and the atmosphere was generally a very positive one, with plenty of singing and dancing going on even as we walked. TAC is one of the few truly grassroots organizations in probably the world – it is run and organized entirely at interconnected local and regional levels – and it has been incredibly effective in (a) creating a sense of personal and community responsibility for AIDS treatment and prevention, and (b) forcing the government to change some of its policies. The organization is relatively young (founded in 1998 I believe), but, for example, several years ago it sued the government because it was refusing to provide ART treatment to mothers in order to stop the (devastating and growing) problem of mother-to-infant transmission. They took on the AIDS-denialist government and won: the courts compelled the government to roll out a treatment plan to HIV-positive mothers. In-cre-di-ble. Of course they are criticized for some actions as an organization, but in general, it was an interesting experience to be a part of. I am going to try to do some fundraising for them (or at least their cause) when I return to the US.
In any case, after the march we went back to Jenny’s house to cook up a huge dish of pasta a la’arrabiatta, salad, and crepes for dessert! We sat on her stoop and ate whole looking at the night skyline of Cape Town!
All in all, what an amazing weekend! Once again, it made me feel like IF only the salaries here were better (and the exchange rate allowed me to pay my school loans in less than 50 years), I would move to this city with very little hesitation!
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