Tuesday, August 27, Cape Town Malay area

I had a bit of an adventure at breakfast today. At the buffet I put together a bowl of pesto, cheese and tomato and handed it to the omelet lady. I then started two pieces if beautiful bread through the toaster conveyer. It came out barely toasted, so I sent it through again. I could see the fire start and when my toast came out the bottom it was still on fire. I was very graciously given more bread. The second time was much better.

We got into Farieds van about 9 and drove around Cape Town downtown. This fort was built by the Dutch to protect the town from the British.




This is the city hall in downtown Cape Town. The balcony in the center is where Nelson Mandela stood to give his first speech since being released from prison in 1990


Our first crafting stop was at Monkeybiz which is an aids project. Workers are taught to make beaded animals and other items which are sold throughout the world.


Monkeybiz has a cool car


Their mission


Some of the beaded animals available for adoption. I bought an elephant which I bonded with right away.


This is a pile if beaded mats they made. Just beads and thread


Upstairs from Monkeybiz is carrol Boyes studio. She is an artist who casts primarily human firms into household objects. This bowl, fork and knife are cast in stainless steel. When they cast in stainless, the mold breaks every time so each piece required a new form. Way out of my price range!


It doesn't show up too clearly, but the handles are human forms


Around the corner we found Streetwires, another project to help unemployed to work.


They were working on a large order for these beaded baskets


This lion is totally beaded






We had lunch in the Malay area of Cape Town. Residents here like color! I loved the mix if color.


One more stop before lunch. This is another project which is run by a woman we had met in a town 1200 miles from here. She must happened to be in and showed us around three floors of art work. Below is one piece of a project she is doing. Each woman in the project was asked to embroider a self portrait. They were then interviewed. She is creating an archive.


The above woman's story


Lunch was in a Malay restaurant. Our waitress helped us chose which dishes to have for lunch. We ordered quite a variety. I liked it all


The menu





After lunch we went to the studio of a graphic artist who creates patterns with African motifs which and screened by hand and sold on the home dec market. Business called Fabricnation.


This is one if her designs. I bought a panel which has some beautiful animal images


Next visit to different project. Crochet circles make into scarfs. Didn't buy one. Maybe I will try to make one


Next to that is a clay studio which makes very thin ceramic items. Their work feels good when you pick it up. I think it must be pretty fragile


Cant believe i didnt take any pictures of the project which made teddy bears. i bought one which is totally embroidered. For dinner Kym, Margaret and I went it the waterfront and had a lovely seafood dinner with a bottle of rosé. It was sad to realize that this was our last evening, but I look forward to getting home.his name is Outie. He got his name when I was talking to a couple employees in the hotel. One if them called my bear a dude. I asked how to say that in African (not sure which language). Outie was the answer.

Location:Cape Town, SA