Yesterday, Jay K. and I climbed Table Mountain. The three hour trek included a hike through Skeleton Gorge, one of the more challenging paths to the top.
In a few hours, we're going to fly to Qatar and then to France.
Showing posts with label South Africa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South Africa. Show all posts
Monday, July 20, 2009
Table Mountain in Cape Town
Yesterday, Jay K. and I climbed Table Mountain. The three hour trek included a hike through Skeleton Gorge, one of the more challenging paths to the top.
In a few hours, we're going to fly to Qatar and then to France.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Cape Town, South Africa
Friday, July 17th
Two of our cars got lost on the way to a concert at a township outside of Cape Town. The seven Whiffs who made it decided to perform on our own. We sang with several other choirs from Africa and the United States, including the Morgan State University choir.
Morgan State simply blew us away. Their gorgeous, soulful and powerful sound rocked the house. They were simply flawless: their soloists were incredible and all the members sang with absolute conviction. I just enjoyed being in the audience.
Saturday, July 18th
Yesterday, on Nelson Mandela's 91st birthday, Brian E., Andrew and I visited Robbins Island, home to the prison that held Mandela for nearly three decades. It was especially poignant seeing his prison cell and the limestone caves where he did his hard labor.
In the evening, we sang at a local university with the Morgan State choir and several other groups.
Sunday, July 19th
Today, Jay K. and I will head to the top of Table Mountain.
Tomorrow, the Whiffs will fly to France.
Two of our cars got lost on the way to a concert at a township outside of Cape Town. The seven Whiffs who made it decided to perform on our own. We sang with several other choirs from Africa and the United States, including the Morgan State University choir.
Morgan State simply blew us away. Their gorgeous, soulful and powerful sound rocked the house. They were simply flawless: their soloists were incredible and all the members sang with absolute conviction. I just enjoyed being in the audience.
Saturday, July 18th
Yesterday, on Nelson Mandela's 91st birthday, Brian E., Andrew and I visited Robbins Island, home to the prison that held Mandela for nearly three decades. It was especially poignant seeing his prison cell and the limestone caves where he did his hard labor.
In the evening, we sang at a local university with the Morgan State choir and several other groups.
Sunday, July 19th
Today, Jay K. and I will head to the top of Table Mountain.
Tomorrow, the Whiffs will fly to France.
Friday, July 17, 2009
An inauspicious start to our stay in South Africa
Mumsie got mugged
When we arrived at the Johannesburg airport and passed through security, the officer there told me that when I get to Cape Town, I should avoid Long Street. No further explanation. Just avoid Long Street.
When we got to our boarding house that night, a group of Whiffs wanted to go to Mama Africa, a restaurant/performance club on, where else, Long Street. I told the folks who wanted to go that the security guard without any provocation told me to avoid that strip. I more or less got blown off and told that I was being overly cautious. Rather than calling a cab, we walked the four blocks.
Right when we set foot on Long Street, two African teenagers quickly approached us and asked for money. Casey, Jesse, Julian and I put our hands in our pockets and promptly walked away. Brian a.k.a. Mumsie, on the other hand, must have frozen up and shown fear, because they went to him and picked his pocket at knife point.
No one was hurt, but we were all shook up by the experience.
I've got an ice box where my room's 'sposed to be
During this year, we've stayed at some of the finest hotels in the world: the Ritz-Carlton in Santiago, Chile; the St. Regis in Shanghai, China; the Siam City Hotel in Bangkok. Here in Cape Town, however, we're staying at a boarding house that has no heating, broken windows in rooms, creaky floors, and questionable public showers.
Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope
Despite our struggles on this leg of the tour, we did make it out to the Cape of Good Hope yesterday. I'll post pictures soon.
Comments? Or just want to say hi? Email me at elliotjwatts(at)gmail.com
When we arrived at the Johannesburg airport and passed through security, the officer there told me that when I get to Cape Town, I should avoid Long Street. No further explanation. Just avoid Long Street.
When we got to our boarding house that night, a group of Whiffs wanted to go to Mama Africa, a restaurant/performance club on, where else, Long Street. I told the folks who wanted to go that the security guard without any provocation told me to avoid that strip. I more or less got blown off and told that I was being overly cautious. Rather than calling a cab, we walked the four blocks.
Right when we set foot on Long Street, two African teenagers quickly approached us and asked for money. Casey, Jesse, Julian and I put our hands in our pockets and promptly walked away. Brian a.k.a. Mumsie, on the other hand, must have frozen up and shown fear, because they went to him and picked his pocket at knife point.
No one was hurt, but we were all shook up by the experience.
I've got an ice box where my room's 'sposed to be
During this year, we've stayed at some of the finest hotels in the world: the Ritz-Carlton in Santiago, Chile; the St. Regis in Shanghai, China; the Siam City Hotel in Bangkok. Here in Cape Town, however, we're staying at a boarding house that has no heating, broken windows in rooms, creaky floors, and questionable public showers.
Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope
Despite our struggles on this leg of the tour, we did make it out to the Cape of Good Hope yesterday. I'll post pictures soon.
Comments? Or just want to say hi? Email me at elliotjwatts(at)gmail.com
Monday, July 13, 2009
Last day in Asia
Monday, July 13
We flew from New Delhi to Bombay/Mumbai during the afternoon. At night, we were treated to a delicious Indian meal by none other than Dionysios Bouzos. Frank Newman '08+1 and his cousin, who is doing AIDS research here, joined us.
Tuesday, July 14
Today, we say farewell to Asia. While traversing the continent, we visited Japan, China, Thailand, Nepal and India. Late tonight, we will fly to our one stop in Africa: South Africa.
We flew from New Delhi to Bombay/Mumbai during the afternoon. At night, we were treated to a delicious Indian meal by none other than Dionysios Bouzos. Frank Newman '08+1 and his cousin, who is doing AIDS research here, joined us.
Tuesday, July 14
Today, we say farewell to Asia. While traversing the continent, we visited Japan, China, Thailand, Nepal and India. Late tonight, we will fly to our one stop in Africa: South Africa.
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