A Song For You

A song for You

“If I have a song of Africa, does Africa have a song of me?” And so begins Out Of Africa, the movie adaptation of Karen Blixens time in Kenya.  Movies and books have always had an impression on me especially those from another time and place. I want to experience the things the characters do. While living on a Kenyan coffee plantation may not be reasonable an African Safari was a definite bucket list item.

 The logistics of getting to Kenya had us spending more time in airports than in the bush so we opted to do our safari in South Africa. After evaluating our options we selected Pilanesberg National Park for our animal encounter.

 Brilliant choice! The Ivory Tree Game Lodge https://ivorytreegamelodge.info/ looked exactly how it should; carved wood, thatch roofs doors that slide open so wide it was as if the walls ceased to exist. Each bungalow had its own patio and outdoor shower with meals in a communal dining room.  Anything was possible if it was within the staffs power to grant.

  Since we were staying for a full week we were upgraded from a one room bungalow to a full suite with a large living area and a huge patio including a plunge pool. From our backyard a wire fence separated us from the wildlife; one morning we saw Kudu grazing on our hill just beyond the fence.

  Each day was the same yet different: 5 am wake up call, meet for coffee at 5:30 then in the jeep and on the road by 6. We had the same guide the entire time. Jumari was amazing. She could drive, avoid potholes, monitor the radio for animal  sightings, talk and joke with us, provide extensive information about flora and fauna and spot animals in grass taller that she was. Around 9 we returned for breakfast at the lodge. In the afternoon we repeated the cycle starting with afternoon tea at 4 out to the bush by 4:30 or 5 and back for dinner around 7:30 or 8.

 While the routine remained the same each drive was different. We may have had a schedule but the animals did not. We quickly learned that Jumari was fearless and determined to give us the best experience possible. Her willingness to take the road less travelled provided us with up close sightings of lions in the road three time- once they even indulged us by roaring. We had an almost too close encounter with the second biggest elephant in the park (even Jumari to knew throw it into reverse when she came across the biggest). We watched the grace of giraffes and the zaniness of zebras rolling in the dirt while impala and wildebeest grazed virtually everywhere.  We saw white rhinos up close and a black rhino from a distance. We managed to find a herd of Cape Buffalo at the base of the hills and catch a glimpse of a leopard in a tree, completing the quest for the big 5 officially if not thoroughly. Out of 7 days we only missed 2 drives, one was rained out and the other we chose to sleep in.

  Even on the drives where we did not see many animals (oh it's just another impala), the beauty of the park was almost beyond description. Flowers, trees and grasslands changed as the light of

sunrise and sunset illuminated or disguised them. The sounds of birds, frogs and insects filled the air as the creatures awoke or settled in for the night. Sometimes we would stop just to take in the sound of the music they made.

 We have had many extraordinary experiences in the last few years but this one …….there are hardly the right words to express the feeling.

I have a song of Africa. And Africa has a song for you.

Let Me Entertain You

   In addition to the variety of daytime activities, Cape Town has a very active nightlife. From our location we were within walking distance of a number of clubs and dinner shows. Although we only took advantage of three of them each showed a different face of the city and country.

  Our first evening excursion was a dinner show was down the street  at a restaurant called Gold. It is a fixed price, fixed menu dinner show celebrating the food and music of all of Africa. Dancers, drummers and delicious food were in abundance (coconut butternut squash!) I even had my face painted in traditional motifs, although which tradition I am not sure of. It was a joyful celebration of culture ending with us dancing with the wait staff. http://goldrestaurant.co.za/

  Kaapse Stories https://www.rockwellhotel.co.za/dinner-theatre/

was even closer to us as it was performed in our apartment building. This time the food and music were that of Cape Town, focusing on the diversity of the people who had lived in the city during the mid 20th century. Folk, jazz and even opera music were performed along with comedic storytelling. it was a fascinating look into the lives of one family and their interactions within the community.

  Our last night in the city found us about two blocks away at a restaurant/club called the Piano Bar. We were able to get a table near the stage for a Nina Stamper, a jazz/pop singer accompanied by bass and lead guitar. She sang for about three hours with only a few breaks.  We had eaten at another restaurant so we had to pay a small cover charge for a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

 Like so many places we have visited our time in Cape Town was too short, even though we were here a month. Both day and night, there is always something going on. It is easy to understand why it has been called the Jewel of South Africa. We can't wait to return.

Beach Baby

 I think I was about 12 years old when I became aware of a place called South Africa. The geography of the African continent is not usually taught to elementary aged children in America. And it is certainly not a place most people thought of the the 1960’s and 70’s when planning a vacation overseas. I remember being at a Jr. High overnight trip with our church. The youth group went to Mission Viejo, California near the beach; about an hour away  from very inland Pomona. Although the interaction and activities with the host youth group were completely forgettable (I don't make friends easily) there was one thing we did that made a huge impression. As we spread out our sleeping bags on the gym floor for the night the lights dimmed and a movie began. It was the docudrama Endless Summer.

 You can't grow up in Southern California without knowing about surfing. We are the home of the Beach Boys after all. On the occasions when my family did go to the beach it was almost always to Huntington, the self-proclaimed Surf City.   But for some reason, I had never considered that people had beaches in places other than California and Hawaii.

So there I was alone in the dark, surrounded by people I did not know, finding out about beautiful beaches around the world. Beaches in exotic sounding places like Polynesia, Australia and Africa. I was intrigued and curious about those places that literally were a world away.

  Fast forward 47 years. Here we are in South Africa with beaches not only on the Atlantic Ocean but also on the Indian Ocean. It was time for a beach day.

  Although we were too far away from Endless Summers St Francis and Jeffreys Bays  we did try to spend a few days at the beach while we had our rental car .For three days we put on our bathing suits and drove around the Cape but it was not to be.  Windy conditions made sitting in the sand or going in the water an impossibility.

   Finally we awoke one morning to warm calm weather and declared it Beach Day.  In Cape Town all of the beaches are public and free although access can be blocked in places by private residences and hotels. Our Uber driver to us to a trailhead and we hiked down the paved walkway to the Clifton Beaches. Clifton #1-4 flow together, it is impossible for a visitor to tell one from another unless you see the signs. We walked the sugar soft sand to #4 where chairs and an umbrella could be rented.

John had hoped to be able to get a board  but rentals were not available at Clifton. In any case the waves were not very good which did not stop some locals or perhaps visitors with surfboards from trying.

  Although vendors walk the area selling water, soda and ice cream, no real food is available for purchase. so we went back up to the road for lunch at the Cottage, a restaurant on a cliff belonging to the local yacht club. We returned to our chairs and stayed until the sun was beginning to set into the water.

Since radios  or speakers are not allowed on the beach it was quite and peaceful; only the sounds of people enjoying their day and the calming crash of the waves on the shore.

Like the guys in Endless Summer,  it was a perfect beach day.