City Sightseeing Bus

Wednesday dawned a gorgeous day. Perfect for our trip on the City Bus Tour also known as "Hop on Hop off" tour. We rode past places we had visited previously - Castle of Good Hope and lower cable car to Table Mountain and then out to Camp's Bay. We rode on the upper deck and had a great perspective for taking pictures. At Camp's Bay we got off to eat lunch at Nando's. I didn't read the menu properly, so ordered "mild" chicken. It was actually mild peri-peri sauce on the chicken, which is anything but mild. It was delicious though. We took several pictures of the Bay, pretty white beach, etc and then boarded the next bus that came by. The buses run every 20 minutes, so it's never a very long wait. We traveled past Sea Point, the Waterfront, St. George's Cathedral, the Company Gardens (where we had taken pictures on Tues.) and then got off close to Cat & Moose. My legs were very happy with me.

The weather has been in the high 70's with very little rain. It gets quite windy sometimes, but it's very much like Florida weather without the humidity. As their seasons are opposite ours, it is just now starting into autumn. It's hard for me to think of Christmas in summer and Easter in the fall.

They drive on the left hand side of the road and I had to be careful to look both ways several times to make sure I was crossing the street at the right time. To quote the "Best of Capetown Central City" - "The driving is notoriously appalling. Changing lanes without indicating, unexpectedly veering across lanes upon missing turnoffs..that sort of thing." Just because the indicator light said it was safe to cross did not mean it was so. And they love their horns. For the least reason (or none at all), they give a loud toot or continuous blast. One has to develop nerves of steel.

Thursday was our wind down, do laundry, go to internet cafe, pack it up day. Gene packed & repacked several times. We weren't sure if the new suitcase would fit into the overhead when full, so wanted to make sure we had essentials with us if we had to check it instead of carry on.

I'll end here. Next segment will be our trip home - quite eventful.

God's blessings to all.

More Adventures from South Africa

We took a trip by train (Metro Rail) from Capetown to Fish Hoek on False Bay. The water was beautiful shades of blue and aqua. We saw a small fishing boat come into shore dragging the net and then closing it up into a circle. Several people on the beach, including small children, helped drag the main line into shore. We ate delicious calamari, hake and chips (french fries) there. The calamari is deep fat fried and very tender, unlike the calamari I've tried here.

We then boarded a City to City bus which took us to Simons Town and a taxi took us the rest of the way to Boulders Beach. We saw African penguins in their natural habitat. They are evidently used to people being around them as they didn't run away.

We returned to Fish Hoek, took the train to the next stop, Kalk Bay, where Gene wanted me to try some of the delicious ice cream sold across the street from the station. He was right - it was delicious. We met a lady who was visiting her son in Muizenberg and we chatted while waiting for the next train. She is originally from Boston and now lives in Wisconsin.

Our next "small world encounter" came as we neared our destination of Capetown. Gene took a picture of Table Mountain and I was telling the gentleman sitting across from me that we don't have mountains in Florida. A young student asked where we were from and to our reply of "Ocala", he said "No way - I'm from Melrose." (This is near Gainesville) He and 3 other students are studying at the university in Capetown for a year.

The next day (Tuesday) we walked down to the Castle of Good Hope and took the tour. It was built by the Dutch from 1666 - 1679. The British took it over, then the Dutch again, then the British again until it became the possession of South Africa in 1928.

Gene started the "practice pack" on Tuesday evening. We bought another small carry on suitcase to hold all our treasures we've bought. Gene has an amazing talent for packing twice as much into a space as I can. I gladly leave that task to him.

That's all for now. Will be back later.

God's blessings to all.

Staying in a Hostel

Staying at Long Street Backpackers and then Cat & Moose Backpackers Lodge was a new experience for me. Both of these hostels had dorm rooms and private rooms. At Cat & Moose our room was on ground level and we walked upstairs to the shared kitchen and dining area. The actual building was built in 1791. The owners names are Leo = Lion - hence "Cat" and the other fellow, very large, "Moose". This information was provided by John, one of the young men who manned the receptionist desk. In our room, some of the plaster had been cut away to show the original brick of the building. The floors were large tiles. There were no windows in our room, but with it facing the courtyard, it had an airy, spacious feeling.

I met a couple from the U.K. who had just come from Tanzania. He had worked in the library and she taught Journalism to the students there. Natalie and Leslie, from Belgium, had been volunteering in a day care center in Port Elizabeth and were now on "holiday". Jumpei & Momoe, a young couple from Japan, have been traveling throughout several continents since 2007, including Australia, North & South America. I watched in fascination as another young man from Japan showed them how to make "dumplings". It was a 2 1/2 hour process from cutting up cabbage, spring onions & garlic & mixing with ground beef, making the dough, rolling into small, flat circles, then filling with the mixture and pinching closed and cooking/steaming them. It was certainly a labor intensive project. Gene asked if this was a long time family recipie. No, he saw it on a cooking channel. Cooking is his hobby. We all got a good laugh on that. Momoe later wrote in Gene's journal that she enjoyed having me watch the proceedings "like a Mom".

We met Christian from Germany, John from U.K. and Eric from Colorado & Egypt. His uncle actually lives here in Ocala. Yes, it's a small world.

I only cooked a couple meals in the kitchen as eating out was fairly inexpensive. Besides, I was on "holiday." I'm so used to having my own pots & pans both at home & in the RV, that it stretched me a bit to figure out what I should use for what. I succeeded in serving up a meal of spaghetti (sauce from a jar) and salad. Gene seemed quite happy with it.

The main entrance and doors to many of the rooms had iron gates. One had to punch in a code at the main gate to gain entrance. This is to keep the street beggers, of which there are many, from coming in. There are signs posted not to give the street beggers money. Shelters and food are provided for them (much like the Salvation Army) if they choose, but tourists are approached on a regular & persistant basis asking for food or money. This was the only depressing part of the trip.

In Capetown, one hears Afrikaan and English spoken in a variety of accents. By the time I left, I could understand most of the English spoken to me, but still had to ask things to be repeated. I had to chuckle when the greeter at church said, "I love your accent." Gee, I thought I was talking normal and she had the accent.

All in all, I enjoyed my stay at the hostels, meeting people from around the world, hearing the various languages & dialects. I moved out of my "comfort zone", my perspective has been altered - and that's a good thing.

Until tomorrow - God's blessings to all.

Picture Time

On Table Mtn looking towards ocean & Devil's Peak.

A very persistant flower growing from crevice in the rock.

"Dassie" rock badger

African Penguins

Mural on wall at laundramat.

Table Mtn with "tablecloth" partly covering it.

Group of young people staying at Long Street Backpackers. They had just come from volunteering at a nearby orphanage. We watched the "carnival" (parade) together from balcony.



St. George's Cathedral

I saw several women carrying their toddlers in this shawl arrangement tied around them. The Mom has free hands and the child is safe.

South Africa Part 2

I guess I had better clear up the dates. I actually arrived in Capetown on March 18 and Gene & I will fly out from Capetown tomorrow (Apr 2) and should be back in Ocala on Sat. Apr. 3.

Usually I post my blog on our laptop when we're traveling, but I'm posting from an internet cafe - R5 for an hour - which is very reasonable.
It does put a time restriction on me, thus the hasty departure on last blog.

To pick up where I left off---Last Wed. after we left the internet cafe, we went to Mariam's cafe at Holiday Inn Express for another taste treat (for me). It was Chips Gatsby. French fries and ketchup are put inside the sandwich bun with lettuce, tomato and cucumber. It was delicious. We walked through Trafalgar Street where the flower vendors have the most amazing display of flowers for sale. Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me. It was sensory overload with colors and fragrances of roses, beautiful lilies and many flowers I did not recognize.

We walked over to visit Evelyn at her booth, and she asked me to pick out something I liked. I found two candleholders with intricately carved elephants. I asked her how much and she said she was giving them to me.
What a blessing!

On our way back to our room, we stopped at Mr. Pickwick's for a milkshake. Gene had said they were delicious, but he understated it. It was almost a pint of ice cream in a little liquid. We shared it as neither one would have been able to master it on our own. That was our supper!

We met the girls in the room next to ours. One girl is in the Peace Corp here and her sister had come to visit from Atlanta, GA. She had been on the same flight on the 17th/18th as we were. It was a little strange hearing an American accent after the variety of accents we've been enjoying such as German, Scandanavian, Asian and a wide variety of English.

Thursday we did laundry R10 for the washer & R10 for the dryer. Afterwards we walked down to Green Market Square to give pictures to Evelyn, Sean, Phineas & Gerald. They really enjoy receiving the pictures. I guess not many tourists bring pictures back to them.

We took a minivan taxi ie suicide taxi down to Victoria & Albert Waterfront and took pictures of the harbor, Table Mountain, South Africa fur seals again and then went through the Aquarium. We watched the 2:00 feeding of the African penguins, then feeding of the predator fish. A mama stingray had given birth to 6 "pups" the night before and we were able to see them in a special tank. There were so many species of acquatic life that I had never seen before. I was enthralled with the box jellyfish. They are tiny, translucent creatures that seem too fragile to survive - until you consider the 4 long, trailing tentacles. My other favorite was the seahorses with their little fins propelling them around.
Gene's favorite was the ragged tooth shark (not man eating). We finally dragged ourselves away and walked back to our room. A longer walk than I had anticipated - about an hour, but on top of the walking I had already done, I felt like my little legs were nubs. I slept really well that night.

Friday was another exciting day. We took a taxi to lower cable car and rode it up to the top of Table Mountain. Gene had hiked part of it previously. I knew better than to even attempt it. As our car went up, the cloud cover came down. When the cloud covers the mountain, they say "the tablecloth is on the mountain". Very appropriate because you cannot see a thing. We knew this was my only chance to see the city, harbor, bays, etc below, so we stayed and prayed it would lift. We purchased a heavy scarf for me and cap for Gene in the gift shop. It was breezy, damp and cool. We spent our time walking the paths. I took some interesting pictures of rock formations in the mists, little flowers growing out of rock crevices and "dassies" - a rock badger. We had hot chocolate & oatmeal cookies, (met a delightful young couple from Switzerland who had been to Florida) then pizza later. After 3 1/2 hours of patient waiting, the cloud lifted and we were rewarded with the dazzling sight of the ocean on one side and the city below on the other. We took pictures as fast as our little fingers could press the buttons. Forty minutes later, the mist came rolling in again. We took the cable car down and I set my camera on "movie". The floor of the cable car revolves, so I was able to get a wonderful panorama coming down the mountain. We took a taxi back to our room and since I still had some life in me, we walked to Caramello's for supper. I had Fillet Medalilons (beef) in red wine & mushroom sauce with potato wedges and salad. Gene had Chicken al Furno also with potato wedges and salad. For those of you who know I was restricting my carb intake to shed a few pounds, I'm eating all the carbs I can get to keep my strength up! My dessert was a chocolate eclair - oh was it ever good!

I will bring this segment to a close while I have time to sign off properly.
The remainder of our adventures will be posted from home.

God's blessings to all.

Greetings from South Africa

Hello to all

I'm having a wonderful time seeing the sights and meeting new friends. Penny, Emma and I left Atlanta on May 17th, 7:00pm and arrived in Johannesburg May 18th at 10:00am origin time and 4:00pm Jo'burg time. The flight was smooth, so much in fact, that I felt like I was sitting in my chair at home watching the movie (The Man From Snowy River). I had a good nights sleep and excellent meals. When we landed, Penny stayed with me to the last security before I went to waiting area for Kulula flight. She would have gone further if she could, but as she did not have a boarding pass, they would not let her through. She & Emma were being picked up by TMI staff and going back to their base for the week to do sewing and teach puppet ministry. I am so thankful for her guidance and companionship for the whole way from Orlando to Jo'burg.

My flight left Jo'burg at 7:00pm and I arrived at Capetown at 9:00pm. As I entered the terminal and scanned the crowd, I saw the most handsome man in the whole wide world waiting for me. He had been here in SA since Nov. 18th visiting with his son and daughter-in-law, hiking and seeing the sights. It was a joyful reunion. A friend had brought him to the airport and waited with him until I arrived, then took us to the Long Street Backpackers. We had a private room just beyond the dorm room with bathroom next door. There were stairs to various levels, a lovely courtyard, kitchen where you could store & prepare your own food, TV room and balconies on each level facing Long Street. At night, Long Street resembles what I think New Orleans would be like - music coming from many cafes and people walking up and down the sidewalks.

Friday morning we ate breakfast at Mr. Pickwicks Cafe for the Mr. Energy breakfast - 1 egg, toast, bacon, tomatoes, fried potatoes & onions, "sausage" (in reality a hot dog) and a Frappaccino - oh so good! Bottled water is called "still" water here. We ate on the balcony overlooking Long Street. There are murals and paintings on many of the walls. You can see Table Mountain from there - actually you can see it from most anywhere in Capetown. Gene introduced me to the people who work there. They were glad I was finally here & had arrived safely.

We walked down the street to Ice, a clothing store, I browsed but found nothing I wanted to purchase. Next stop was Funkadelik Strawberry. I tried on a couple outfits that looked lovely on the hangers, but weren't styled for my body shape. Gene did find a blouse of muted greens & blues that looked very nice on me, so I purchased it. An American dollar is approximately 7 Rand, so I'm learning how to multiply x 7 real well. The blouse was about $11.00.

Gene took me down to the Penthouse where he first stayed when he came to Capetown and showed me around. Again, wonderful murals, etc. on the walls and doors - very colorful. The hallways and stairways are like a maze. He took me to the top where we had a birds eye view of the surrounding buildings, Table Mountain and Devil's Peak.

Next stop was Music of Africa store. Only the CD cases are displayed - actual CD's are kept safe elsewhere. An interesting concept. From there we walked to Green Market Square where the booths for crafts, souvenirs, etc are set up. By that time I was getting weary, so I didn't browse.
I did meet Evelyn, Susan & Nonzeme who have a booth on the corner. She has a set of chess pieces Gene is interested in.

Although I was still full from breakfast (4 hours previous), we went to Kanai and I had a chicken snack wrap and a fruit smoothie. Again, delicious. A visit to the internet cafe R5 for 1 hour so Gene & I could check emails and let family know I was here safely.

There is a section of the Berlin Wall at St. George Square where Gene took my picture. Across the street is the St. George Cathedral - beautiful architecture! I later took a picture of it.

Back to our room. The windows are open and there are no screens, but I have only seen a couple insects. I took a much needed nap while Gene (Mr. Energy himself) took his SD card to have some prints made to give to people.

Later in the evening, I took a nice hot shower and we went across the street to Mama Africa for dinner. It's a very busy place and reservations are suggested. We had a table next to the window where we could see the hustle and bustle on the sidewalk. Gene ordered Grapetizer and Appletizer for us - a carbonated grape juice and apple juice - a very refreshing drink. If I had known how big the salad was going to be, I would have passed on the entree. The "garden" salad had cherry tomatoes (sliced so they wouldn't go flying when you put your fork into it), squares of cheese, cucumber, corn relish, 3 bean salad and pineapple beautifully arranged on a bed of lettuce served with a variety of breads. Gene ordered the Mama Catch of the Day and I ordered the Karoo Lamb Chops - both served with rice. I made it through 1 1/2 lamb chops (there were 4 on the plate) and a little rice before I hit the full mark. There was a band playing in the next room and we stopped to listen for a little bit, then back to the room.

Sat. morning Gene was up bright & early and went to the kitchen to eat his cereal. I, not quite so energetic, slept in until 9:30. He said I still looked pretty wiped out when he came back to the room. I went to the kitchen for breakfast, then back to my room to wait for Gene and finish waking up (no coffee to help). When he came back he surprised me with a close haircut. He hadn't had one since he arrived in Nov, so was looking pretty bushy.

We took off for City Centre to meet a vendor friend of his meeting "Eggman" on the way. He has a collection of items (including eggshells) put together that he balances on his head and walks around. When I get home and download my pictures to my computer, I'll be able to show you as truly a picture is worth a thousand words. I purchased a giraffe pair and then we went to McDonald's at Golden Acre (a mall) for lunch. I decided another day was needed to explore the mall.

Back to our room and I rested a bit, then we walked back down to Green Market Square to see the concert. We decided it was a good time to grab a bite while everyone was at the concert, so went back to Long Street Cafe for pizza. The crust is extremely thin - much thinner than US - and very tasty.

That night was Carnival and I had a prime seat on the balcony. Gene went down to the street to stand by the lights where he could get good pictures. It's the first parade I have been able to see without someone tall stepping in front of me. It was the best parade I have ever seen - lots of music, groups in costumes/traditional clothing and high energy dancing. Then, to my delight, the parade turned around and came back by. I took movies so I could catch all the music and dancing. There was a group of young people on the balcony with me who had been doing volunteer work in an orphanage nearby. They were from England and one girl from Sweden. They were a delightful group and I enjoyed spending the evening with them.

Sunday was a busy day (like the others weren't?). Gene & I packed our belongings and moved them down to Cat & Moose (yes, moose) Backpackers Lodge for the remainder of our stay here.
After breakfast, we took a taxi to the Metro Rail terminal, Gene purchased our tickets and I was introduced to yet another new experience. Gene chose seats where I could see Table Mountain the whole way (except where buildings blocked it) and I was able to see different trees, plants and flowers. On Sundays they have "train preachers" who ride the car and preach the gospel to those on board. On the way to Plumsted, the preacher spoke English and used much Scripture to present our need for Jesus as our Savior. He was very good. We arrived at the Plumsted terminal and walked a short distance to Plumsted Baptist Church for the service at 10:30. Gene introduced me to many wonderful people and I felt right at home. Pastor Jason brought an excellant message from James 4th chapter.

After service, we took the Metro to Retreat. Another new experience of riding in a "suicide" taxi. It's actually a van that only charges R5 to take you to your destination rather than a metered taxi that charges by distance or time. They have capacity for 12 - 14 people and sometimes put more in - hence the term "suicide". Our driver was a very responsible driver and went out of his way to take us to our destination. We had intended on visiting a friend in Zeekoevlei, but she wasn't home. The driver waited for us and when we determined she wasn't there, he took us back to the Metro Rail terminal. Gene paid him more than he asked because of his helpfulness. Scripture tells us "a workman is worthy of his hire" and he certainly was. We waited for the train to take us back to Capetown. Gene bought a Coke and candy bar for me - I needed some caffeine & sugar at that point - and boarded the train for the trip "home".

It has been a delight to see the variety of clothing of different cultures here. It's called "little Europe" because of the diversity of cultures. I have seen women carrying small children on their back in a shawl carrier, women balancing loads on their heads, men & women in Indian and Muslim dress. At the Lodge we have met young people from Germany, England, Italy and many parts of Africa.

Back at Capetown, we walked back to the Lodge through Company's Gardens - a cool and peaceful walk. We have seen camera crews filming in various places. We think these are advertisements for upcoming World Cup to begin in June. We heard part of a speech as we walked through the Gardens - Monday the 22nd is Human Rights Day.

I was delighted with the room at Cat & Moose. It is right off the courtyard and you can hear the water running into the pool throughout the day. The kitchen is upstairs with TV room and balcony. Some young people are on holiday, while others stay here in a dorm room rather than rent a flat. Gene took a walk to the store for supper while I rested. He brought back a delicious salad for both of us and we enjoyed it in our room.

Monday dawned a beautiful day. We ate our breakfast of cereal & fruit upstairs in the kitchen, then walked down to the City Centre where we caught a taxi/van and went to the Victoria & Albert Waterfront. There is a large mall there, restaurants and working marina. We took pictures of boats, Table Mountain, Lion's Head, entertainers (including a Native American!) walked over to the Aquarium, which was closed because of the holiday, and saw a seal who obligingly flopped up onto the dock so we could take pictures. In the mall, I stopped at Crabtree & Evelyn's and the salesperson showed me "fragrance layering" with Rose cream & a spritz of Eau de Toillette. I left truly "smelling like a rose" - a lovely moment.

We took a taxi back to the Lodge, Gene went again to the store for supper, I ate & went to bed early. My little legs were protesting at the walking I had done .

Yesterday, Tuesday was rest day for me. We walked to the store & purchased items for supper, then Gene rubbed linament on my legs and I slept/rested the rest of the day. He ran errands, etc. I fixed spaghetti & salad for supper. I, who have such a set routine at home, have become quite flexible.. My time is up. Goodbye for now.

Final Chapter for this trip

You didn't think you'd ever know the end of the story? Here it is finally.

We stayed two nights at Wilmington and left early (7:30!) to drive to Waverly, OH to go to church with our friends Paul and Barb. It's always a blessing to spend time with them. Barb fixed a delicious meal for us and we enjoyed both the food and the fellowship.

We left about 2:00 towards Mike and Diane's (son-in-law & daughter) in Mt. Zion, WV. The GPS said we'd arrive about 5:00. Someone has got to reprogram it for hills and curves! We arrived at 6:15 very thankful it was still daylight. They have a lovely home in a "holler" with a creek running through their property. Deer come into the back yard to eat and this year came close enough to munch on Diane's roses. Mike always says we can stay longer, but we don't want to wear out our welcome. We left Wed. morning and drove to their deli (Church Street Deli) in Spencer. They fixed us a wonderful lunch to go (complete with brownies) and we said our goodbyes before the lunch crowd descended.

I took my turn driving south of Charleston on I-77 for an hour. I negotiated the hills and curves including a 5% downhill grade using the downshifting that Gene has taught me. I was more than willing to turn the wheel back over to Gene at the next rest area. I prefer to learn in small increments as opposed to a long haul.

When we entered Virginia, the terrain changed to rolling hills with cattle and farmland. There was some fall color, but the prettiest was in WV. We continued through Virginia and into N. Carolina arriving at the Forest Lakes Thousand Trails. We had been there last year for one night and I was glad we could spend a little longer this time. The day after our arrival, Gene moved the rig to a site close to the water. He knows I love to sit & relax by water.

I had a wonderful surprise - Sharleen came walking over to the rig. I was so glad to see her as I hadn't had a chance to say goodbye at the rally. We sat and talked for awhile about our families and classes at the rally.

That evening we learned how to play Pegs & Jokers with Linda & Ray. I now have rules for several new games in my head. I'm sure I'll need a refresher course on all of them when I get to play them again.

Friday evening Sharleen, Gene & I met at the Lodge to listen to Mike Thomas play the guitar, keyboard and sing. He plays a wide variety of songs and we enjoyed him immensely.

Saturday we pulled out and started our homeward trek. We went over to Lexington, NC, the barbeque capital, ate barbeque, then took pictures of the pig statues that are all around town.

We continued south, spending the night in S. Carolina, close to Augusta, GA. Sunday morning we were up early and in the "go" mode. We stopped in Lyons, Ohoopee and Kingsland to visit with some of Gene's family and then into FL, arriving home about 9:30 pm.

It's always good to be home again and back in my comfy bed, but I would have liked to stay on the road a bit longer this time. There's always next year and we're already making plans to go the Gypsy Rally in Elkhart, IN.

As we are approaching the holiday season, I pray God's blessings for all of you and your families.

Happy Thanksgiving Merry Christmas Happy New Year