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.