Last week Ernst, my botanist friend from Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens invited me to join him and 4 others on a day long field trip south east of Cape Town. Ernst is currently working on 3 books, one of which is about the aloes of South Africa and Namibia. Just in case you were wondering, there have been 26 newly named aloes since the last book which was written about 40 years ago. Today’s expedition was to get cuttings of one of those recently identified aloes and to document a few others in the field for the book. I confess, I’ve been an aloe groupie since the 80’s and I was thrilled to tag along!
Our first destination was a private fynbos nature reserve simply named Farm 215. This property of about 2000 acres was purchased 10 years ago by a passionate conservationist who is working hard to eliminate the invasive “alien” plants from the farming days of long ago while encouraging the native fynbos to reclaim the area. It’s a slow process, but he is making progress, and amidst the transition, he’s finding some real jewels. Ernst has recently confirmed that one of these finds on Farm 215 is indeed a “new” aloe species. Ernst has named it Aloe juddii after a well known botanical illustrator from South Africa. As we climbed up a rocky hillside, we were all a little giddy to find this inconspicuous plant thriving in its small but protected habitat. And as if on cue, we began photographing the newest star on the block! The plant paparazzis had arrived!
Only a few days prior to our little excursion, a freak spring storm had ravaged this area of the Western Cape, flooding towns and thousands of acres of farm land. The damage has been estimated to be nearly 10 billion dollars! As we drove through the countryside, we saw firsthand the devastation. No sooner had we realized the severity of the flooding, we were literally stopped in our tracks by submerged roads. At each flooded point, and there must have been about six on our route, we would stop the van, try to get a sense of how much water was covering the section of road, we’d all take a deep breath, and then Ernst would put the car in first gear and off we’d drive… into the water!
During this day of driving through rivers and photographing aloes in the wild, we took a little side trip and headed to Cape Agulhas, the true southernmost tip in Africa! It’s also the official point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans “meet”. Aside from an impressive 160 year old light house and a few worn interpretive signs, there’s nothing much to distract your thoughts as you look out to sea from the edge of this great continent. The rocky shores are treacherous, the rogue waves can reach 90 feet, the wind blows with a mighty force, and if you look hard enough, you might just see Vasco De Gama out there in the distant!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
The Alarm
Like many homes in South Africa, we have an alarm. We set the alarm when we leave the house and every night before we go to bed (as instructed by landlord and friends). The night time setting allows us to move freely in the bedroom and kitchen areas.
The multi-step setting of the alarm is nearly second nature by now. There is a control panel by the back door as well as in the master bedroom. I often wake in the middle of the night, reassured by the panel’s red lights across the room. I used to have nightmares about the alarm going off while we were home, but I don’t anymore. Maybe I’m somehow adjusting to this part of life here or maybe I’ve shoved it so far back in my consciousness that it barely registers anymore.
In any case, as the test of time would have it, the alarm went off the other morning at 4:45!
When I realized what was happening, I shook Seth. He jumped out of bed and scrambled for his glasses. I grabbed mine and we ran to the panel and stood there trying to focus on what zones that had been breached. After what seemed like too long, Seth turned off the alarm.
In the broken silence of the early morning, we looked at each other. What the hell do we do next?? We knew the alarm company would be calling any minute to see if everything was o.k. We had to answer the phone, but the phone was down the hall, in the kitchen. sh**! We turned on lights and no sooner had we entered the kitchen, the phone rang. We gave the alarm company our secret password and then they asked us if everything was alright.
”We’re not sure!”
Did we want the guard to come and check things out?
I hesitated for a mere second, “Yes! Please!” trying not to sound too desperate.
While we waited for the guard, we poked around the house…cautiously checking doors and windows. No unusual signs. The guard arrived; he walked the perimeter with a flashlight and calmly reported back that the coast was clear. False alarm.
“Guess so” we agreed.
He drove away. We walked back inside the house, not sure of what to think or feel. We checked on the girls – they were still sleeping - quite peacefully. It was 5:30 – only half an hour until we had to get up and start the day. Without discussion, we walked back into the bedroom, reset the alarm and crawled back in bed for another 30 minutes of sleep! The journey continues…
The multi-step setting of the alarm is nearly second nature by now. There is a control panel by the back door as well as in the master bedroom. I often wake in the middle of the night, reassured by the panel’s red lights across the room. I used to have nightmares about the alarm going off while we were home, but I don’t anymore. Maybe I’m somehow adjusting to this part of life here or maybe I’ve shoved it so far back in my consciousness that it barely registers anymore.
In any case, as the test of time would have it, the alarm went off the other morning at 4:45!
When I realized what was happening, I shook Seth. He jumped out of bed and scrambled for his glasses. I grabbed mine and we ran to the panel and stood there trying to focus on what zones that had been breached. After what seemed like too long, Seth turned off the alarm.
In the broken silence of the early morning, we looked at each other. What the hell do we do next?? We knew the alarm company would be calling any minute to see if everything was o.k. We had to answer the phone, but the phone was down the hall, in the kitchen. sh**! We turned on lights and no sooner had we entered the kitchen, the phone rang. We gave the alarm company our secret password and then they asked us if everything was alright.
”We’re not sure!”
Did we want the guard to come and check things out?
I hesitated for a mere second, “Yes! Please!” trying not to sound too desperate.
While we waited for the guard, we poked around the house…cautiously checking doors and windows. No unusual signs. The guard arrived; he walked the perimeter with a flashlight and calmly reported back that the coast was clear. False alarm.
“Guess so” we agreed.
He drove away. We walked back inside the house, not sure of what to think or feel. We checked on the girls – they were still sleeping - quite peacefully. It was 5:30 – only half an hour until we had to get up and start the day. Without discussion, we walked back into the bedroom, reset the alarm and crawled back in bed for another 30 minutes of sleep! The journey continues…
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Monkey Gland Sauce
The girls had a break from school last week. Since mid-August, Seth and I had been planning for this chance to see more of the country. We spent many nights looking at maps and combing through our guide books, and ultimately, threw a little caution to the wind. We were off in search of elephants in the Eastern Cape!
I won't write a full recap of our week's adventures as Seth has done a great job describing the highlights of our trip and posting pictures on his blog site. Needless to say, we did find the African elephants and they quickly managed to make their way in to our hearts. Watching them move freely and peacefully in the park was absolutely awesome! Sharing Rosh Hashonah with them was a special blessing that we will carry with us for a long time to come.
During one of our elephant park days, in between our morning and sundowner game drives, we drove to another section of The Greater Addo Elephant National Park. Our little "safari" putt-putt took to the gravel roads like any wanna-be Land Rover (!) and UP we went... winding our way in the Suurberg Mountains. When we got to the summit, we saw blackened, scorched ridges that were burned from a lightening fire back in August. Seth and Alex took a horse back ride along the charred trails. Although the area is just beginning to sprout some green, they did see a herd of red hardabeasts. And on a walk in the area, a Cape cobra crossed Seth's path! The first Pollack snake sighting in South Africa!
The last leg of the trip took us from the very scenic "Garden Route" coastal region back towards the Western Cape. We turned off the national highway near Swellendam and drove north west through the Breede River Valley and its stunning winelands and orchards. We decided to make a few quick stops at a couple of wine farms before they all closed at 5pm. At the second stop, the hostess asked us where we were headed. "Worcester", we replied. She let out a quiet chuckle and said "I've never heard of anyone saying they were spending the night in Worcester!" We smiled (awkwardly) and off we went to find Worcester.
We arrived in Worcester an hour later. Not much to say about this small farming town that was settled in the early 1800's. It's quite pleasant, just not a popular tourist stop. The owner of the lodge suggested he make us dinner reservations at a nearby restaurant. We walked there at 7 pm to find just a few tables taken. Twenty minutes later, the restaurant was packed with mostly local Afrikaner families. It was a bustling Friday night. American country music was playing and the smoking section at the front of the restaurant was going strong. As we looked at the traditional Afrikaner mostly-meat menu, we noticed monkey gland sauce on the list of side sauces. Although we had seen monkey gland sauce many times on restaurant menus, we had never had the courage to order it. Maybe it was the lively spirit of the night that inspired us to inquire. "Is it really made from monkey glands?" we gently asked the waitress, trying not to sound too foreign and freaked out! She nodded her head and smiled, and returned with a sample which Seth and I bravely tasted. The girls would have nothing to do with it! The sauce tasted surprisingly benign, like A-1 steak sauce. We stopped at the sample.
The very next day, while sitting with our South African friends, we learned the true origin of monkey gland sauce. In fact, no monkeys are harmed to make the sauce. There's no trace of any one's glands. One rumor has it that back in the 50's, some visiting French chefs in Johannesburg created this concoction for their Afrikaner guests to use on their steaks. The name stuck and since then, there have been numerous variations on the popular theme. The basic ingredients include: fruit chutney, red wine, port, ketchup, curry powder, Tabasco, Worcester sauce, pepper, mustard powder, garlic, onion, chilies, brown sugar and vinegar.
Two points for the waitress in Worcester!
I won't write a full recap of our week's adventures as Seth has done a great job describing the highlights of our trip and posting pictures on his blog site. Needless to say, we did find the African elephants and they quickly managed to make their way in to our hearts. Watching them move freely and peacefully in the park was absolutely awesome! Sharing Rosh Hashonah with them was a special blessing that we will carry with us for a long time to come.
During one of our elephant park days, in between our morning and sundowner game drives, we drove to another section of The Greater Addo Elephant National Park. Our little "safari" putt-putt took to the gravel roads like any wanna-be Land Rover (!) and UP we went... winding our way in the Suurberg Mountains. When we got to the summit, we saw blackened, scorched ridges that were burned from a lightening fire back in August. Seth and Alex took a horse back ride along the charred trails. Although the area is just beginning to sprout some green, they did see a herd of red hardabeasts. And on a walk in the area, a Cape cobra crossed Seth's path! The first Pollack snake sighting in South Africa!
The last leg of the trip took us from the very scenic "Garden Route" coastal region back towards the Western Cape. We turned off the national highway near Swellendam and drove north west through the Breede River Valley and its stunning winelands and orchards. We decided to make a few quick stops at a couple of wine farms before they all closed at 5pm. At the second stop, the hostess asked us where we were headed. "Worcester", we replied. She let out a quiet chuckle and said "I've never heard of anyone saying they were spending the night in Worcester!" We smiled (awkwardly) and off we went to find Worcester.
We arrived in Worcester an hour later. Not much to say about this small farming town that was settled in the early 1800's. It's quite pleasant, just not a popular tourist stop. The owner of the lodge suggested he make us dinner reservations at a nearby restaurant. We walked there at 7 pm to find just a few tables taken. Twenty minutes later, the restaurant was packed with mostly local Afrikaner families. It was a bustling Friday night. American country music was playing and the smoking section at the front of the restaurant was going strong. As we looked at the traditional Afrikaner mostly-meat menu, we noticed monkey gland sauce on the list of side sauces. Although we had seen monkey gland sauce many times on restaurant menus, we had never had the courage to order it. Maybe it was the lively spirit of the night that inspired us to inquire. "Is it really made from monkey glands?" we gently asked the waitress, trying not to sound too foreign and freaked out! She nodded her head and smiled, and returned with a sample which Seth and I bravely tasted. The girls would have nothing to do with it! The sauce tasted surprisingly benign, like A-1 steak sauce. We stopped at the sample.
The very next day, while sitting with our South African friends, we learned the true origin of monkey gland sauce. In fact, no monkeys are harmed to make the sauce. There's no trace of any one's glands. One rumor has it that back in the 50's, some visiting French chefs in Johannesburg created this concoction for their Afrikaner guests to use on their steaks. The name stuck and since then, there have been numerous variations on the popular theme. The basic ingredients include: fruit chutney, red wine, port, ketchup, curry powder, Tabasco, Worcester sauce, pepper, mustard powder, garlic, onion, chilies, brown sugar and vinegar.
Two points for the waitress in Worcester!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Southern rights and fynbos
From about July to November, the endangered southern right whales migrate north from Antartica to the warmer waters of South Africa. So, we packed the overnight bags into the trusty little auto and took off on Saturday morning for a 2 hour drive east towards the "whale coast".
Fortunately, we were having a break in the rain and hail and winds, and we were thrilled to see blue skies! The scenery along this stretch of coast reminded us all of our beloved Big Sur - the mountains crashing into the bays, steep cliffs on both sides of the road - along with hundreds of shipwrecks in the rocky waters below. However, these 400 million old sandstone mountains are quite different from the Ventana Wilderness. From our car view, we classified the vegetation as "naked Big Sur", but the locals refer to this distinctive Cape flora as "fynbos" (pronounced fane-bos), a Dutch term meaning "fine bush". For my plant enthusiast friends, these fynbos plants make up about 4/5 of the Cape Floral plant kingdom - the smallest and richest of the 6 floral kingdoms of the world. And of the 7,700 plant species in the Cape flora kingdom, about 5,000 are endemic to the Western Cape. Needless to say, this coastline is hardly naked! .
Our day's destination was the small town of Hermanus in Walker Bay. This fishing village grows to a popular tourist destination during these whale migration months. The cool thing about this whale watching location is that the whales come so close to shore (sandy bottoms and deep waters) that you don't need to go out in a boat to see them.
We arrived in Hermanus to find locals and visitors strolling along the coast road, on foot or in their cars... hundreds of people out and about - all there to watch the whales. We must have seen about 20 southern right whales that day. They seemed so relaxed hanging out in the bay, by the shore - rolling over, standing on their heads with their flukes in the air (sailing) or coming up to the surface, nose first (spyhopping). Every now and then they'd let out a big, long grunt! We had lunch with the whales that afternoon, and breakfast the next day with 2 whales right from our b&b porch. I asked the proprietor if she ever got tired of looking at them. "Oh no," she exclaimed, "They're different every day!".
The next morning we left the whales and went on a hike at the Fernkloof Nature Reserve right outside Hermanus. About 1600 species of fynbos plants make up the reserve. Some of the flowers in the reserve were on show in a small visitors hut at the base of the trails. On the door, the sign read "Please shut the door to keep the baboons out"! We didn't see any baboons on the trails, (or snakes, for that matter - Maya and I were happy about that!) - but we did see some beautiful flowering fynbos plants (proteas, ericas, leucodendrons, leucospermums, gladiolus), heard wonderful bird songs and took in some great views of the coastline, and oh... not to forget a few more whales from afar!
We took the inland route back home - through a quiet agricultural area with sheep farms and smaller wineries (which we discovered were all closed on Sundays). There were some snow-covered mountains In the distance. As we got closer to Cape Town, the wind started to howl and the skies darkened... another storm was brewing!
Fortunately, we were having a break in the rain and hail and winds, and we were thrilled to see blue skies! The scenery along this stretch of coast reminded us all of our beloved Big Sur - the mountains crashing into the bays, steep cliffs on both sides of the road - along with hundreds of shipwrecks in the rocky waters below. However, these 400 million old sandstone mountains are quite different from the Ventana Wilderness. From our car view, we classified the vegetation as "naked Big Sur", but the locals refer to this distinctive Cape flora as "fynbos" (pronounced fane-bos), a Dutch term meaning "fine bush". For my plant enthusiast friends, these fynbos plants make up about 4/5 of the Cape Floral plant kingdom - the smallest and richest of the 6 floral kingdoms of the world. And of the 7,700 plant species in the Cape flora kingdom, about 5,000 are endemic to the Western Cape. Needless to say, this coastline is hardly naked! .
Our day's destination was the small town of Hermanus in Walker Bay. This fishing village grows to a popular tourist destination during these whale migration months. The cool thing about this whale watching location is that the whales come so close to shore (sandy bottoms and deep waters) that you don't need to go out in a boat to see them.
We arrived in Hermanus to find locals and visitors strolling along the coast road, on foot or in their cars... hundreds of people out and about - all there to watch the whales. We must have seen about 20 southern right whales that day. They seemed so relaxed hanging out in the bay, by the shore - rolling over, standing on their heads with their flukes in the air (sailing) or coming up to the surface, nose first (spyhopping). Every now and then they'd let out a big, long grunt! We had lunch with the whales that afternoon, and breakfast the next day with 2 whales right from our b&b porch. I asked the proprietor if she ever got tired of looking at them. "Oh no," she exclaimed, "They're different every day!".
The next morning we left the whales and went on a hike at the Fernkloof Nature Reserve right outside Hermanus. About 1600 species of fynbos plants make up the reserve. Some of the flowers in the reserve were on show in a small visitors hut at the base of the trails. On the door, the sign read "Please shut the door to keep the baboons out"! We didn't see any baboons on the trails, (or snakes, for that matter - Maya and I were happy about that!) - but we did see some beautiful flowering fynbos plants (proteas, ericas, leucodendrons, leucospermums, gladiolus), heard wonderful bird songs and took in some great views of the coastline, and oh... not to forget a few more whales from afar!
We took the inland route back home - through a quiet agricultural area with sheep farms and smaller wineries (which we discovered were all closed on Sundays). There were some snow-covered mountains In the distance. As we got closer to Cape Town, the wind started to howl and the skies darkened... another storm was brewing!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Morning walks with Maya
We’ve moved this week to another house, a little further south from the girls’ schools and Seth’s work. Although the new place is a more comfortable space, and a little less expensive, I’ve grown to like our first neighborhood – so centrally located to “main street” which I always seem to enjoy, no matter where we are in the world. During the weekday mornings, Seth and Alex would leave first, by car. Maya's school was only a 7 minute walk from home. After Seth and Alex left, Maya and I would walk out the door, arm in arm, down the block, around the corner and up the street to Grove Primary. It’s different than our 7 minute drive to school back in Monterey. On our stroll, we’re sensing the morning together. We have time to notice the early light on Devil’s peak, time to say hello to the guards at the corner, and time to be silly as we cross the street. I'll miss these morning walks, and the best thing is, Maya will too!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
AH!
We just returned from our family's first overnight away from Cape Town - about 2 hours north, up the west coast. We planned the little get away around an article that a friend of Seth's mom sent us back in March from The New York Times Travel Magazine. It highlighted a small b&b called Ah!, located in Potanaster, one of the traditional fishing villages on the less touristy west coast. (Its name means "Our Father" in Afrikaans - words believed spoken by Vasco De Gama and his sailors as they touched down on their first stretch of African coast.) Although we couldn't get a room reservation (they only have 3 rooms and they don't take kids under 12), they invited us to join the other guests for dinner on Saturday night. And so the weekend plans took form...
We left on Saturday morning - headed out of town on the coast road - in the rain. First stop, The West Coast National Park on Langebaan Lagoon. The park, home to one of the world's most important wetland areas, hosts thousands of bird species and is a hot spot during the wild flower season - which runs fro
m August - Sept. After an hour's drive through the park, all we spotted were a few flowering ice plants (which Alex immediately wanted to stop the car so she could pull them out– a habit gained from working with Return of the Natives back home:), a couple of stunning herons and their nests, and some very tall, long-necked wild ostriches (which quickly distracted our wild flower search). Seems like the wildflower season is starting late this year - but there's always next
weekend.
As we continued our drive north, Maya was struck how the landscape began to look like what she imagined Ireland to be – green, low rocky hills with patchworks of cultivated fields and grazing sheep! We finally arrived at the Potanaster Hotel in the late afternoon. When we went to check in, we found that seemed like the whole town inside a smoke-filled room, with beer mugs in hand, watching the big rugby match against Australia! Needless to say, Seth wanted to hang around and catch the rugby buzz, but the rest of the family wasn't convinced...
A cloudy afternoon on Potanaster beach
We called to touch base with Ah!, and Arnold,the co-owner/chef told us to come for dinner at 7:30pm. When we asked if we could come a little earlier (South Africans eat a later dinner than the Pollacks), he explained that all the guests eat together at the same time. Well, at the end of the road, on a quiet beach, we found Ah!. We walked into a small, thatch-roofed building where in front of a large roaring fireplace was a long, wooden table, with lit candles down the center, places set for 14 guests. At the other end of the warm, cozy room was a simple kitchen - open to the dining area. To shorten the story of a 3 hour, 3-course dinner, we had a wonderfully delicious dining experience! Arnold prepared each course with such thoughtfulness and taste. He welcomed the girls to the table, and they held their own so gracefully in the company of adults. The food, the wine, the conversations, the music - it was all stunningly perfect. We'll remember that evening for a long time to come!
The skies were a little clearer on Sunday morning. While we ate our white toast and cold cereal in the hotel dining room, listening to Afrikaans folk music, we couldn't help but think of the guests at Ah! We packed up, and headed south back to Cape Town.
We stopped at a smaller nature reserve in hopes of getting a peek of some of the season's flowering bulbs, b
ut still no luck. Definitely have to have another look in a few more weeks.
where are those wildflowers??
Continued south and made a lunch stop at another small village named Darling. Although we quickly agreed that the town was aptly named, we later learned that the town was named after Mr. Darling, a Canadian who was a lieutenant governor of the Cape in the early 1800's. The real beginnings of the town dated back even earlier - to the late 1600's - followed by the successful Afrikaan dairy farmers, the Swedish butter makers, and the Lithuanian Jewish merchants. During our tour in the Darling Museum, we also discovered that the Duckitt family, originally from England, settled in Darling in the 1800's and still have descendants living there today. You see, we're moving next week to a house on Duckitt Ave and in case you might be wondering “who was Duckitt?”, well now we know! The street today was part of William Duckitt’s farm. He was an inventor of new and improved farming equipment and the first Duckitt in South Africa!
As we drove into Cape Town, we were welcomed by the view of Table Mountain. We all took note of its striking beauty in the afternoon light. It was good to be back home in its shadow.
We left on Saturday morning - headed out of town on the coast road - in the rain. First stop, The West Coast National Park on Langebaan Lagoon. The park, home to one of the world's most important wetland areas, hosts thousands of bird species and is a hot spot during the wild flower season - which runs fro
m August - Sept. After an hour's drive through the park, all we spotted were a few flowering ice plants (which Alex immediately wanted to stop the car so she could pull them out– a habit gained from working with Return of the Natives back home:), a couple of stunning herons and their nests, and some very tall, long-necked wild ostriches (which quickly distracted our wild flower search). Seems like the wildflower season is starting late this year - but there's always next weekend.
As we continued our drive north, Maya was struck how the landscape began to look like what she imagined Ireland to be – green, low rocky hills with patchworks of cultivated fields and grazing sheep! We finally arrived at the Potanaster Hotel in the late afternoon. When we went to check in, we found that seemed like the whole town inside a smoke-filled room, with beer mugs in hand, watching the big rugby match against Australia! Needless to say, Seth wanted to hang around and catch the rugby buzz, but the rest of the family wasn't convinced...
A cloudy afternoon on Potanaster beach
We called to touch base with Ah!, and Arnold,the co-owner/chef told us to come for dinner at 7:30pm. When we asked if we could come a little earlier (South Africans eat a later dinner than the Pollacks), he explained that all the guests eat together at the same time. Well, at the end of the road, on a quiet beach, we found Ah!. We walked into a small, thatch-roofed building where in front of a large roaring fireplace was a long, wooden table, with lit candles down the center, places set for 14 guests. At the other end of the warm, cozy room was a simple kitchen - open to the dining area. To shorten the story of a 3 hour, 3-course dinner, we had a wonderfully delicious dining experience! Arnold prepared each course with such thoughtfulness and taste. He welcomed the girls to the table, and they held their own so gracefully in the company of adults. The food, the wine, the conversations, the music - it was all stunningly perfect. We'll remember that evening for a long time to come!
The skies were a little clearer on Sunday morning. While we ate our white toast and cold cereal in the hotel dining room, listening to Afrikaans folk music, we couldn't help but think of the guests at Ah! We packed up, and headed south back to Cape Town.
We stopped at a smaller nature reserve in hopes of getting a peek of some of the season's flowering bulbs, b
ut still no luck. Definitely have to have another look in a few more weeks. where are those wildflowers??
Continued south and made a lunch stop at another small village named Darling. Although we quickly agreed that the town was aptly named, we later learned that the town was named after Mr. Darling, a Canadian who was a lieutenant governor of the Cape in the early 1800's. The real beginnings of the town dated back even earlier - to the late 1600's - followed by the successful Afrikaan dairy farmers, the Swedish butter makers, and the Lithuanian Jewish merchants. During our tour in the Darling Museum, we also discovered that the Duckitt family, originally from England, settled in Darling in the 1800's and still have descendants living there today. You see, we're moving next week to a house on Duckitt Ave and in case you might be wondering “who was Duckitt?”, well now we know! The street today was part of William Duckitt’s farm. He was an inventor of new and improved farming equipment and the first Duckitt in South Africa!
As we drove into Cape Town, we were welcomed by the view of Table Mountain. We all took note of its striking beauty in the afternoon light. It was good to be back home in its shadow.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Reconnections! August 11, 2008
Our internet access has been down for the past 6 days! We’re up and running again. Nothing like renewed appreciation for what we often take for granted!! Anyhow, here are some updates…
Still settling in…
(Last week) I’ve been running around town the past few days, with and without Seth, taking care of banking and car stuff, and general house errands. One successful accomplishment this week was the registration of our car – a big deal after nearly 2 weeks of all sorts of complications and communications and back and forth visits to the government automobile office. And on this final morning, after more lines and forms, we received our papers! Whoo hoo! The car is officially official!
The other big news of the week... we opened a South African savings bank account. Soon after we arrived in CT, it quickly became clear to us that we needed to have access to our money from our U.S. bank while we are living in SA. An obvious detail at this point, but it never registered on the radar before we left! Sure, we have our ATM cards (which work at most ATM machines) and our credit cards, but those extra charges add up over time, AND they aren’t really effective in paying certain bills while we’re in country – like car insurance and school fees, etc. However, it's not so easy for non-residents to open up accounts. We talked to all of the 4 banks in SA, and kept hitting some major road blocks that required more documents and procedures than we could handle. (I kept thinking about when I took our Norwegian renters to Wells Fargo when they arrived in July, and within 1 hour they each had opened up both a checking and savings account!) However, with LOTS of patience and a bit of luck, we found a way in! And we’re now on the way to paying some bills! We still have one more piece of the puzzle to put into place, but the light is looking brighter! I actually made our first official deposit today of R100 – about 15 U.S. dollars. About five minutes after I left the bank, Seth received a text message on his cell letting him know that there was a deposit into our account! Quite efficient heh?– But, there’s always the flip side – you see, South African banks charge for EVERY SINGLE transaction, including DEPOSITS, and thus Seth’s text message included the actual deposit of R98.50! How’s that’s for a banking business!
Before we left for SA, Fulbright allowed Seth to include 3 boxes of books in their regular mail “pouch” to South Africa. He filled up the boxes (each weighed just under the allotted 50 pounds), shipped them to the Washington D.C. office and Fulbright took care of the overseas leg. We had no idea how long they would take to arrive, and I’m pleased to report that 2 of the 3 boxes arrived at the local U.S. Consulate. (They’re still looking for the 3rd one!)
Seth and I drove out to the Consulate to pick up the boxes. I think most African countries except for South Africa have only one U.S. Embassy in country. Just learned that South Africa is the only African country to have a U.S. Embassy AND 3 consulates, one of them being in Cape Town. It’s located in the Southern Suburbs, about 20 minutes outside the city. We drove past the 300 year old vineyards, past the prison, past the golf course, to the HUGE cement fortress of a Consulate. After we were searched (our car as well), we were asked to leave our passports and our bags with the guards. We were then escorted into the main part of the ENORMOUSLY secured building and met with our contacts, the Director of Cultural Affairs and his assistant. We chatted about Seth’s work, our year, their time in SA and then we had the compulsory “security briefing”. (I was glad that the girls weren’t with us for that.) They brought up our boxes, and we left through the thickest metal doors I’ve ever pushed. We retrieved our passports and bags, and off we drove, back to settling in…
Wednesday, August 6th
Great news… There’s a Xhosa class being offered at the Univ. of Cape Town to staff and faculty, and they have agreed to let both Seth and I participate! It’s on Wednesdays for one hour. We had our first class today. I was nervous and excited and all of those feelings when you enter a language class on day #1. There are about 20 people in the class. The teacher, a sweet Xhosa woman, is determined to make the learning fun with “lots of laughing at each other”!
Xhosa is the second largest ethnic group and the second most spoken language (after Zulu) in South Africa. It’s one of the 11 official languages in South Africa. Xhosa is a tonal language with 3 main clicking sounds (each made in different parts of your mouth). The language is strongly rooted in the Xhosa culture and traditions which needless to say, adds another rich layer of learning.
Before we started class, I thought to myself, “Too bad we don’t have the class more than once a week.” Well, I had an immediate change of heart after the first class. I think once a week will be just fine! The hour flew by, my head hurt and my tongue was all tied up!
"Molweni" - hello. (Haven’t learned good-bye yet!))
Thursday, August 7th
Last June, when Seth decided to apply for the Fulbright in South Africa, we were both excited about the possibility of living there for a year. Although Seth had never been to the southern part of the continent, the idea of being in Africa again was a blissful thought! I had my own reasons for wanting to go… Twenty-two years ago (oh my!), I was Curator of the Desert Plant Collection at The New York Botanical Garden. About half of the collection was from southern Africa. For nearly 6 years, I grew some of the most beautiful and bizarre plants I’d ever seen. I loved the idea of going to SA and seeing some old friends on their native soil !
Well, about 18 years after I left the NYBG, and nearly 3 weeks after we arrived in Cape Town, I had an hour before I was to pick up Maya from school. I decided to check out the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden (it’s about 10 minutes from our home here!), one of the most respected botanical gardens in the world. And there I was, travelling back in time as I strolled through the planted beds of the Kirstenbosch Conservatory, seeing all these plants that were a big part of my life another lifetime ago! Just as I was ready to leave, I asked a guard if there was a botanist named Ernst Van Jaarsveld at Kirstenbosch. Ernst had worked at Kirstenbosch when I was at the NY Botanical Garden. We had communicated often about plants and I remember him being a wise and kind person. Sure enough, they directed me to his office and well, there he was! Fortunately, he quickly remembered who I was (I had a moment of panic right after I asked the guard), and we were both delighted to see one another after all these years.
Ernst has been at Kirstenbosch for 30 years! He’s become a world renowned specialist of succulent plants. After I briefly explained why I was in Cape Town, he walked me back up to the conservatory and as if no time had passed, we were talking plants and collections and greenhouses. I learned that 12 years ago, Ernst was the lead creator in the planning and planting of the conservatory! He was showing off the thousands of plants like a parent introduces their children – with pride and love. It was great to reconnect, but I had to interrupt the tour to get Maya. However, no worries… I’m in the neighborhood! He’s invited me and Seth and the girls to meet his family and have a fish braii!
Well, that's the nutshell for now!
Still settling in…
(Last week) I’ve been running around town the past few days, with and without Seth, taking care of banking and car stuff, and general house errands. One successful accomplishment this week was the registration of our car – a big deal after nearly 2 weeks of all sorts of complications and communications and back and forth visits to the government automobile office. And on this final morning, after more lines and forms, we received our papers! Whoo hoo! The car is officially official!
The other big news of the week... we opened a South African savings bank account. Soon after we arrived in CT, it quickly became clear to us that we needed to have access to our money from our U.S. bank while we are living in SA. An obvious detail at this point, but it never registered on the radar before we left! Sure, we have our ATM cards (which work at most ATM machines) and our credit cards, but those extra charges add up over time, AND they aren’t really effective in paying certain bills while we’re in country – like car insurance and school fees, etc. However, it's not so easy for non-residents to open up accounts. We talked to all of the 4 banks in SA, and kept hitting some major road blocks that required more documents and procedures than we could handle. (I kept thinking about when I took our Norwegian renters to Wells Fargo when they arrived in July, and within 1 hour they each had opened up both a checking and savings account!) However, with LOTS of patience and a bit of luck, we found a way in! And we’re now on the way to paying some bills! We still have one more piece of the puzzle to put into place, but the light is looking brighter! I actually made our first official deposit today of R100 – about 15 U.S. dollars. About five minutes after I left the bank, Seth received a text message on his cell letting him know that there was a deposit into our account! Quite efficient heh?– But, there’s always the flip side – you see, South African banks charge for EVERY SINGLE transaction, including DEPOSITS, and thus Seth’s text message included the actual deposit of R98.50! How’s that’s for a banking business!
Before we left for SA, Fulbright allowed Seth to include 3 boxes of books in their regular mail “pouch” to South Africa. He filled up the boxes (each weighed just under the allotted 50 pounds), shipped them to the Washington D.C. office and Fulbright took care of the overseas leg. We had no idea how long they would take to arrive, and I’m pleased to report that 2 of the 3 boxes arrived at the local U.S. Consulate. (They’re still looking for the 3rd one!)
Seth and I drove out to the Consulate to pick up the boxes. I think most African countries except for South Africa have only one U.S. Embassy in country. Just learned that South Africa is the only African country to have a U.S. Embassy AND 3 consulates, one of them being in Cape Town. It’s located in the Southern Suburbs, about 20 minutes outside the city. We drove past the 300 year old vineyards, past the prison, past the golf course, to the HUGE cement fortress of a Consulate. After we were searched (our car as well), we were asked to leave our passports and our bags with the guards. We were then escorted into the main part of the ENORMOUSLY secured building and met with our contacts, the Director of Cultural Affairs and his assistant. We chatted about Seth’s work, our year, their time in SA and then we had the compulsory “security briefing”. (I was glad that the girls weren’t with us for that.) They brought up our boxes, and we left through the thickest metal doors I’ve ever pushed. We retrieved our passports and bags, and off we drove, back to settling in…
Wednesday, August 6th
Great news… There’s a Xhosa class being offered at the Univ. of Cape Town to staff and faculty, and they have agreed to let both Seth and I participate! It’s on Wednesdays for one hour. We had our first class today. I was nervous and excited and all of those feelings when you enter a language class on day #1. There are about 20 people in the class. The teacher, a sweet Xhosa woman, is determined to make the learning fun with “lots of laughing at each other”!
Xhosa is the second largest ethnic group and the second most spoken language (after Zulu) in South Africa. It’s one of the 11 official languages in South Africa. Xhosa is a tonal language with 3 main clicking sounds (each made in different parts of your mouth). The language is strongly rooted in the Xhosa culture and traditions which needless to say, adds another rich layer of learning.
Before we started class, I thought to myself, “Too bad we don’t have the class more than once a week.” Well, I had an immediate change of heart after the first class. I think once a week will be just fine! The hour flew by, my head hurt and my tongue was all tied up!
"Molweni" - hello. (Haven’t learned good-bye yet!))
Thursday, August 7th
Last June, when Seth decided to apply for the Fulbright in South Africa, we were both excited about the possibility of living there for a year. Although Seth had never been to the southern part of the continent, the idea of being in Africa again was a blissful thought! I had my own reasons for wanting to go… Twenty-two years ago (oh my!), I was Curator of the Desert Plant Collection at The New York Botanical Garden. About half of the collection was from southern Africa. For nearly 6 years, I grew some of the most beautiful and bizarre plants I’d ever seen. I loved the idea of going to SA and seeing some old friends on their native soil !
Well, about 18 years after I left the NYBG, and nearly 3 weeks after we arrived in Cape Town, I had an hour before I was to pick up Maya from school. I decided to check out the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden (it’s about 10 minutes from our home here!), one of the most respected botanical gardens in the world. And there I was, travelling back in time as I strolled through the planted beds of the Kirstenbosch Conservatory, seeing all these plants that were a big part of my life another lifetime ago! Just as I was ready to leave, I asked a guard if there was a botanist named Ernst Van Jaarsveld at Kirstenbosch. Ernst had worked at Kirstenbosch when I was at the NY Botanical Garden. We had communicated often about plants and I remember him being a wise and kind person. Sure enough, they directed me to his office and well, there he was! Fortunately, he quickly remembered who I was (I had a moment of panic right after I asked the guard), and we were both delighted to see one another after all these years.
Ernst has been at Kirstenbosch for 30 years! He’s become a world renowned specialist of succulent plants. After I briefly explained why I was in Cape Town, he walked me back up to the conservatory and as if no time had passed, we were talking plants and collections and greenhouses. I learned that 12 years ago, Ernst was the lead creator in the planning and planting of the conservatory! He was showing off the thousands of plants like a parent introduces their children – with pride and love. It was great to reconnect, but I had to interrupt the tour to get Maya. However, no worries… I’m in the neighborhood! He’s invited me and Seth and the girls to meet his family and have a fish braii!
Well, that's the nutshell for now!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Stormy Wednesday, July 30th
Well, mama Pollack is finally blogging in...sorry for the delay, but the details and distractions of setting up home base have consumed my focus. Figuring out which end is up is no easy task for this gal! Seth has a much better sense of direction and since I've known him, is able to scope out the lay of the land with ease. I'm still geting lost, stumbling along the way. Anyhow, I'm glad to report that we're all making good progress settling into our new lives. New routines are taking form and our bodies are finally adjusting to the new time clock.
The mid-winter weather changes daily. Some days are blue sky and sunny with a delicous light breeze. The back side of Table Mountain and its range are in clear view from our neighborhood - a stunning view. If I squint really hard, the mountain reminds me a little of the Flat Irons in Boulder. History says that Table Mountain started to form about 250 million years ago, making it the oldest of world mountains -older than the Himalayas and the Alps. The weather can change very quickly. The winds pick up and begin to gust with SUPER force. Then the rains fall - in big, torrential buckets. The winds keep howling and I'm glad there aren't any Monterey Pines near by. So far, the air hasn't felt unbearably cold - there's a hint of a warm current blowing by. Mind you, the houses have no central heat, so it's no surprise to find the outside temp warmer than inside! (I'm wearing a wool sweater, a fleece and blanket right now.) Reminds me of my days in Santa Cruz!
The girls are doing great considering they have entered school mid-year. School is giving them some structure which is a good thing right now. After-school activities and sports are really popular, and both girls are figuring out how and in what to get involved. Alex is looking at net ball - an indoor sport that we think is similar to basketball, but we've yet to see it played. Apparently she can play basketball next term. Maya is hoping to join up with soccer and field hockey at her school. Her class is now learning the basics of rugby in their weekly gym class! I've posted a photo of the girls in their new school uniforms. Needless to say, Maya is thrilled with hers (although it changes to a dress in January) while Alex is tolerating her more involved outfit. (She too will wear a "dish rag" in summer!) Every school, both public and private, have their own unique uniforms and they are quite coordinated from head to toe - We can't help but feel like we're at Hogworts!
The largest grocery stores (that we've seen so far) are Woolworths and Pick n' Pay. Woolworths is the bit pricier, a more health conscious chain. For the most part, the general selection is quite similar to ours back home. There aren't as many choices within each department, but the variety is still quite good. There's even some free range chicken and a big kosher meat selection (for the Jews and Muslims). Along with some familiar products, we're tyring lots of new items which is always fun. I'll be curious to see what is available when we leave the big city.
Maya’s school gets out early on Fridays – 1:20 instead of 2:30 pm. (Fewer school hours/week here than home.) Seth and I walked over to pick her up last Friday. We first stopped at the orthodox synagogue right across the street from the school. We had ordered some challah for shabbat (which is baked at the synagogue every Friday). Stepping into the building reminded me of a shuel on the Lower East Side…worn from time, loved by its community and blessed by prayer. The names on the walls were familiar and even the faces in the photographs over the decades were recognizable. Seth hopes to attend a service there soon. The girls and I are holding out for more of a “co-ed” scene!
After we picked up our challah, we strolled over to Grove Primary. In the midst of the crowd of kids waiting for parents, there was Maya, standing with a group of girls from her class. Maya seemed to fit in easily, especially with her new uniform “track suit”. They bid her good-bye in their sweet South African accents, almost in chorus. We walked back to the house, past the kids eating their after-school snacks, past the row of cars in “car line”, past children laughing on the playground...the moment felt wonderfully familiar.
Driving a car in CT is a pretty big change and challenge for me - trying to undo 30+ years of habits and reactions. Although I'm starting to feel more comfortable on the roads, I still have to concentrate quite a bit when behind the wheel. What I do love is our little car. It's perfect on these narrow roads and in the fast moving traffic. It moves easily in and out of the lanes quickly (which we often have to do!), maneuvers so well through the many round-a-bouts, and wiggles into the smallest of parking spaces. At first, the girls were missing the comfort of our van, but it’s quickly becoming quite obvious to them why this little putt-putt is a better fit. It's so great to see their wheels turning (that one's for you, dad!).
My first general impression of the people is their kindess and warmth. Admist a country of much crime and severe poverty, I have found folks to be quite friendly. Everyone from the security guards (and they are everywhere) to the school administrators, has been very sweet and gracious. The other night, we had a visit from Lara, the classroom parent of Maya’s class. She had come to give me the school handbook AND the biggest and most beautiful loaf of wholegrain bread and a bag of homemade “rusks”. The bread is made with organic flour, hand-harvested salt and some special water (that was new to me)!
Well, that's my nutshell for now. I'm going to put on my travel agent's hat now and research some plans for this weekend. We miss you all very, very much!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
