Wednesday, August 28, 2013

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

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

August 26, Cape Point and The Cape of Good Hope

While walking through the mall at the waterfront after dinner Sunday night it was drawn to these designs. I will quilt them some day.


After breakfast Monday we went to the Kirstenbosch Gardens. Oh my gosh are they beautiful. This was the view as we started walking one if the paths


The silver tree is found only here


The protea are just starting to bloom. It is very early spring





Still on the walking path


The fruits on the gardenia tree are the size of golf balls and are quite hard.


Gardenia fruit


I loved the sidewalk in the garden. These are rocks embedded in something.


This palm has the longest leaf of any plant anywhere


The big guy likes the garden to


On the drive out to cape point we stopped to visit the penguins at Simons Town. They are quite small, but so cute


This starling was guarding the restaurant as we ate lunch at Cape Point


This is it, The Cape of Good Hope. The terrain was beautiful, dramatic and quite rugged


Closer up





This is Cape Point, actually more beautiful than Good Hope


Robbin Island from the road. This is where the prison is that held Neksin Mandela. Sherri and I are going there Wednesday morning


This is the Malay part of Cape Town. Tuesday we will be visiting crafters there and having lunch.


Today started out beautiful, but by the time we returned it was quite cold and windy. Tomorrow will be inside activities and the weather is probably going to be the worst day if the trip. Our days have been remarkably free if bad weather. To date we have had one day if drizzle.

Location:Cape Town, SA

Sunday, August 25, traveling to Cape Town, wine and shopping

We landed in Cape Town about 10:30, met our new driver Fareed, and headed north from the airport to this winery for a tasting. It was quite a swishy place. It was warm enough to sit outside, enjoy the view and enjoy the wine. Wine in South Africa is good and amazingly inexpensive. At dinner a glass if wine is 250 ml and will cost about $3.






This is a real flower, a protea, in an arrangement on the reception desk at the winery. It is at least 7 inches across


As we left the winery, several if us walked part way down the drive to enjoy the flora. This is a bird of paradise


One if the vineyards


The floor in the winery was made of peach pits embedded in a resin. It was quite beautiful and a bit bumpy


Each type of vineyard was labeled





That evening we we on our own for dinner so Margaret and I took the hotel shuttle to the waterfront and enjoyed a light supper, more wine, and a beautiful view


The view from our table


We returned via the shuttle to get rested up for the surprises on Monday

Location:Cape Town, SA