WEEK TWO

 Four weekends ago, I did a little exploring on my own and took in some nearby sights and attractions.  I walked down to the V&A (Victoria and Alfred) Waterfront and checked out the shops and restaurants.  I happened to arrive just in time for a catamaran tour that was on the verge of departing.  It was a windy day (although, almost every day is a windy day), so there were only about 10 of us on the boat since it gets pretty chilly out on the water.  The cruise was about 2 hours long, and it was a lovely way to spend the afternoon.  I enjoyed a glass of sparkling wine and light conversation with a group of locals who insisted I come out to their place for a braai (barbecue).  I politely declined, though I was tempted to go on the adventure ... too soon.

The next day, I took a hop-on, hop-off double-decker bus tour around the city center with Damiana (the production coordinator).  It was a great way to begin to get my bearings.  Among the highlights were:  1)  District 6 – a part of downtown Cape Town that was torn down during Apartheid because it was very integrated community.  It’s still mostly grass and weeds and has yet to be redeveloped.  2)  Table Mountain – we rode up to the cable car departure point and saw breathtaking views of the city below and learned about the pine trees that grow on the mountainside --  the trunks are bare and the branches and needles fan out at the tops of the trunks. 3)  The western face of Table Mountain and the beaches in that area—from afar, the oceans look inviting and very Caribbean;  however, I’ve been told that the water is very, very cold.     I’m a little embarrassed to admit that on more than one occasion I’ve opted for the rooftop pool in lieu of the Camps Bay beaches (which are just 10 minutes away) because of the threat of the ocean’s chill.  In my defense, I feel it’s important to point out that the roof deck has a bartender and double-bed-sized, terrycloth-covered lawn furniture for comfortable lounging (one of my favorite pastimes while I’m working).    Anyway, during our tour, we hopped off downtown at a sidewalk café that offered an extensive selection of game.  After much deliberation, I opted for the kudu filet.  It seemed the mildest of the bunch in a menu that boasted zebra among its selections.  Kudu, in case you are interested, tastes  very much like beef filet mignon.  It is a curly-horned antelope.  I tried to imagine that my kudu steak came from a majestic beast that was hunted down in the bush.  I suspect, however, that my tender kudu – along with ostriches, zebra, and springbok (gazelle) and warthog that are common at most steak restaurants here – are raised on farms and are probably not as athletic as their cousins who live in the wild.

This weekend, Adam (my boss) invited me and Damiana to a play called The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists.  It was amazing.   The performance troupe is trained in classical opera, and they executed the most moving, electric performance that was filled with African dance and beautiful singing in English, Afrikaans and Xhosa (The “x” is pronounced kind of like a “k”, but you have to simultaneously make  a clicking sound when you say it, as you are pronouncing the vowel.   There are, fyi, 3 types of clicks.  The “x” click is a bit like the sound you make when you are riding a horse and want to get it to move.)   The play told the story of a group of construction painters who lived in a township during the early 20th century who were preparing for the annual workers’ performance for the owner of the company they worked for.  It was an exploration of the relationships and the dynamic among the workers, how they related to their black foremen, who in turn worked for black supervisors who answered to the white owners of the company.  Without going into great detail, I’ll just say that it was one of those exquisitely crafted pieces that left you laughing, crying and thinking.  It didn’t matter that I only understood the English portions – the play transcended language; although, I’m sure I would have laughed a great deal more if I’d been more familiar with Xhosa.

Here’s a link to a video that explains how to pronounce the different clicking sounds that are part of Xhosa:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31zzMb3U0iY

I expect to hear that you have all mastered your clicks by the next time I check in.  Stay tuned for my adventures as a driving citizen in Cape Town.  I was issued my rental car this weekend.