South Africa .... just thoughts

I have recently returned from South Africa ... i spent 3 weeks there. It has been long with many exciting things to do and see, but i have richly enjoyed it. When you say

South Africa, you immediately think of the continent and expect it to be a shady country with not much to offer (I do have to say that a lot of people do not know it is actually a country and not an area of the continent. There are still people who say: "ohh, South of Africa... where exactly in the South of Africa?"). As soon as I said South Africa to a friend, she said: Charlize Theron! That is good to know, isnt it? Anyway ... back to my trip.... I traveled Ethiopian Airlines .. not bad, not bad at all!! We first stopped in Khartoum (Sudan) to get more people, and then took off again to land in Addis Ababa where i changed planes. Another 8 hrs of flying from Addis to Johannesburg.

There is so much to say ... i do not even know where to start. As soon as you land, you think you're in Europe. At least, that was my first impression. The country itself is very developed with very good infrastructure and then ..... the scenery is breathtaking!! No wonder Lonely Planet has declared Cape Town the most wonderful city in the world! Coming from Egypt, where green is not a colour that you see very often (unless you live in Maadi, like me!) i was delighted to see the fresh green everywhere.

From getting locked in the bathroom somewhere near George to trying snails, it has been quite an exciting adventure!

I was able to experience a couple of days in a safari, chasing after leopards, looking for the elephants, seeing the rhinos, zebras, looking for the lions in the middle of the night ... being waken up in the morning by the sound of hippos bathing in the river...

I was quite blessed to get a diverse experience of what South Africa is: not just wild life and safaris, but city life in Johannesburg and Cape Town; going to see "Cats", the musical in Cape Town and watching "Cinderela on Ice" in Johanneburg.

Stopping at Plattenburg for a breath taking view was unforgettable ... Just as we were driving from George on N1 (or 2?) towards Cape Town on the Garden Route, you see the townships (places where the non-whites used to live during the apartheid (and some of them still live there)... it is such a contrast!! Some of them have their huts on a hill where you can get a gorgeous view of the ocean, but i am sure they do not appreciate that, and there is nothing wrong with it! While Westerners go for the view, some people are just happy to have a place to lay their heads at night.

Meeting old friends from Cairo in Bloemfontein has been wonderful!! You kind of get the feeling that you finally know someone or a place ... and it brings a sense of comfort in a way. You get to meet new people as well and with it come all the facebook friend request (lol).

I spent 5 days in Cape Town ... the weather was terrible during the whole time .... Table

Mountain was constantly covered with a cloud and i thought i will not be able to go up there and view the whole city. I had already bought a ticket for the cable car, so i had no choice but to go. Anyway, i took the hop on-hop off bus and that too me all over the city; one of the stops was the cable car to the mountain. Guess what? That day, the cloud was gone and i was able to get a very good view of the city and take some cool shots!!!

Food... well, when it comes to food ... i've tried some South African stuff (billtong and a poikje -

still not sure of that spelling), but i got to hate sushi and fish even more than i did already! lol. I still like my mum's fish best, though (it is the only fish that i would eat now!). Litchis were my favourite!!!!!!!!!!!!! I recall i had them once before, but they were canned... now i got to taste the real thing!! I wish i had a tree at my house! :)

Spending Christmas by the Indian Ocean, in a cottage by Riet River has definitely calmed my troubled spirit ... walking on the beach has never been more peaceful than then!

One of my favourite things was seeing the Kappse Klopse - it is a traditional festival of the coloured population, to celebrate the New Year, on January 2nd.

People in bright coloured costumes, with their faces painted, holding umbrellas and playing different instruments take over the streets of Cape Town. They are organised in troupes, each of them representing something (a minority, as far as i understood).

Now there is a whole dynamic of the white and non-white population ... i will not got into that, for political reasons ... i do have my opinion, but i guess it is better to keep it to myself.

I got to meet Keisha, Harry and Sally, 3 elephants that conquered my heart (plus a few more others) - i got to touch them and talk to them! Holding a lion cub's paw has been another amazing thing!!!

These things and the feelings that come with them, cannot be put into words nor shared, so i was content to just absorb everything and hold it inside, hoping that it will stay there forever! These are things one should experience, not just read about. As we were driving i was just content to look around, take everything in, like a deep breath and keep it in ... maybe until next time, because there will be a next time for sure!

PS: I am starting to hate blogspot as it messes a lot with the post and pictures!