Jon Carlson: I'm calling you out.
I got a very angry - and, I might add, poorly worded - message on facebook this afternoon from one Jonathan Carlson - who himself does not have a blog, or a life of enough interest to warrant one - calling on me to post more about the interesting things that I do.
Now, I think it's pretty clear that I do interesting things from time to time, and I write about them. This week, however, as I may have already mentioned, I get to spend a lot of time exploring the Oppenheimer Library at UCT, researching subjects like The Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela - though that has essentially become Christine and I trying desperately to stave off boredom, Migrant Labour on Natal and Louisiana sugar plantations, and Urban Inequality in Johannesburg and other global cities.
As you can imagine, my ability to conquer the hun or leap tall buildings in a single bound is severely curtailed by my need to do research. So Jon, if you wanted me to write about my wonderfully boring life at the behest of acedemia, there it is. I hope you're happy with that, but I still do not agree with that in the workplace.
Ok, now that I'm done broadcasting inside jokes to the outside world, I'm gonna get back to my papers now.
Cheers.
30 August 2006
26 August 2006
"Winter"
I really don't have a post to write here. It's 80 degrees Fahrenheit here today, so I've spent the whole day bronzing under the hot African sun in the front yard of the Compound. Basically, my brain is completely disengaged. Really a fantastic day all around. Might go to a bar on the beach later, it's that nice.
In a side note, I see on Weather.com that it's 70 degrees with a chance of rain this weekend in Boston. So either way, we're both having nice spring days.
Here's the problem with that. It's late summer in Boston, generally some of the hottest days, getting those last few trips to the beach in before going back to school. Of course, here in Cape Town, it's winter. Yup, spring doesn't even start for a few weeks yet.
But seriously, enjoy late summer in Boston. Might want to take a sweater along for later. Brrr!
Cheers.
In a side note, I see on Weather.com that it's 70 degrees with a chance of rain this weekend in Boston. So either way, we're both having nice spring days.
Here's the problem with that. It's late summer in Boston, generally some of the hottest days, getting those last few trips to the beach in before going back to school. Of course, here in Cape Town, it's winter. Yup, spring doesn't even start for a few weeks yet.
But seriously, enjoy late summer in Boston. Might want to take a sweater along for later. Brrr!
Cheers.
25 August 2006
Ahem...VOTE!
Just got my absentee ballot in the mail. There's something special about being a "Democrat Abroad" and keeping tabs on home in this way. Anywhere we go in the world, we are still Americans - somedays, for better or worse - but in this case, I can sit down in front of Table Mountain on a beautiful spring day here in Rosebank and express my democratic rights to choose my leaders. A right which so many people, black and white have fought and died for over centuries, both at home in America and right here in South Africa.
All that said, I do have a political statement to make here. I want you all to know that I am supporting Deval Patrick for Governor and Worcester Mayor Tim Murray for Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth in the upcoming election and I encourage you to do the same if you are voting in Massachusetts. Ours is a state that has been bereft of leadership over the last 16 years with the GOP in the Corner Office, and it is time we had an executive who had the wherewithal to manage the Commonwealth's enormous potential. Deval Patrick and Tim Murray have those capabilities. They will bring new ideas and new directions to an office which has been used simply to stonewall the progressive measures which the Legislature has tried to pass over the last two decades. With a Democratic Governor and a Democratic Legislature, we can finally achieve the promise of the Massachusetts Miracle and once again assert our rightful place as the leading state in the Union. So I encourage you to support Deval and Tim in the Democratic Primary on 19 September and then it's on to victory in November!
All that said, I do have a political statement to make here. I want you all to know that I am supporting Deval Patrick for Governor and Worcester Mayor Tim Murray for Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth in the upcoming election and I encourage you to do the same if you are voting in Massachusetts. Ours is a state that has been bereft of leadership over the last 16 years with the GOP in the Corner Office, and it is time we had an executive who had the wherewithal to manage the Commonwealth's enormous potential. Deval Patrick and Tim Murray have those capabilities. They will bring new ideas and new directions to an office which has been used simply to stonewall the progressive measures which the Legislature has tried to pass over the last two decades. With a Democratic Governor and a Democratic Legislature, we can finally achieve the promise of the Massachusetts Miracle and once again assert our rightful place as the leading state in the Union. So I encourage you to support Deval and Tim in the Democratic Primary on 19 September and then it's on to victory in November!
24 August 2006
Keepin' It Light, Keepin' it Fresh (Back In Action Edition!)
A few quick notes on an overcast Thursday morning here in Rosebank:
- Had my first bout with sickness in Africa yesterday. Despite my parents' claims that I was suffering from amoebic dysentery, or the plague, or possibly "African Death Sickness," it turned out, as I had surmised, to be the 24-hour flu. You know, the same one we get at home. Probably turned out to be a good thing in the end, I got to spend the whole day in bed, even got a little work done, but more importantly was able to watch Anchorman, Bourne Supremacy, Holy Grail (with the Eric Idle, Michael Palin and John Cleese commentary - which is hysterical by the way), and all of Series 2 of the Office all in one day. The chills, fever and body aches were but a small price to pay for entertainment like that. Alright, so it was a pretty big price to pay, but still...
- Got my first African haircut the other day. Now, those who know me now that I am VERY particular about my hair. Also, I rarely, if ever, trust me my hair to a non-Italian. Nevertheless, I set out Tuesday, got in a minibus and made the short trip to Riverside Mall in Rondebosch for the Step Ahead Salon. I was a bit less apprehensive than I might normally have been as Kevin had already gotten a decent haircut there, still, not being in Franco's trusted hands gave me pause. Luckily, a very nice woman named Beverly took good care of me and I got a very good haircut. Thus, I can continue to be my incredibly sexy self for another 4-6 weeks.
- Contemplating going to Namibia for Spring Break. Anybody with any thoughts on the matter, drop them in a comment. A bunch of us are thinking of flying to Windhoek, driving through Etosha National Park for 3-4 days, seeing lions, tigers and...well, rhinos, I guess, before heading to the coast at Swakopmund and Walvis Bay for a day or two of sandboarding, etc. before returning to Windhoek and flying home.
- Finally, blogging might become a bit more infrequent over the next week or two. I have all three of my midterm papers due in fairly short order. So, if you don't hear from me for a while, rest assured, I have not succumbed to "African Death Sickness" I'm just in term paper hell.
Cheers.
- Had my first bout with sickness in Africa yesterday. Despite my parents' claims that I was suffering from amoebic dysentery, or the plague, or possibly "African Death Sickness," it turned out, as I had surmised, to be the 24-hour flu. You know, the same one we get at home. Probably turned out to be a good thing in the end, I got to spend the whole day in bed, even got a little work done, but more importantly was able to watch Anchorman, Bourne Supremacy, Holy Grail (with the Eric Idle, Michael Palin and John Cleese commentary - which is hysterical by the way), and all of Series 2 of the Office all in one day. The chills, fever and body aches were but a small price to pay for entertainment like that. Alright, so it was a pretty big price to pay, but still...
- Got my first African haircut the other day. Now, those who know me now that I am VERY particular about my hair. Also, I rarely, if ever, trust me my hair to a non-Italian. Nevertheless, I set out Tuesday, got in a minibus and made the short trip to Riverside Mall in Rondebosch for the Step Ahead Salon. I was a bit less apprehensive than I might normally have been as Kevin had already gotten a decent haircut there, still, not being in Franco's trusted hands gave me pause. Luckily, a very nice woman named Beverly took good care of me and I got a very good haircut. Thus, I can continue to be my incredibly sexy self for another 4-6 weeks.
- Contemplating going to Namibia for Spring Break. Anybody with any thoughts on the matter, drop them in a comment. A bunch of us are thinking of flying to Windhoek, driving through Etosha National Park for 3-4 days, seeing lions, tigers and...well, rhinos, I guess, before heading to the coast at Swakopmund and Walvis Bay for a day or two of sandboarding, etc. before returning to Windhoek and flying home.
- Finally, blogging might become a bit more infrequent over the next week or two. I have all three of my midterm papers due in fairly short order. So, if you don't hear from me for a while, rest assured, I have not succumbed to "African Death Sickness" I'm just in term paper hell.
Cheers.
22 August 2006
Ba-Rock Star!
Barack Obama came to Cape Town last night. Seriously, how clutch is that?
A few of us set out to Queen Victoria Street to see the junior Senator from Illinois as he continues along his 15-nation trip through Africa. His speech was fairly standard, hit all the high notes. I especially liked his use of FDR's Four Freedoms to talk about hope and fear in the new post-9/11 world. The best part of the evening by far, however, was the question and answer period. Obama showed himself, once again, to be very adept at interacting with a crowd, taking a wide range of questions from both Africans and Americans, including one, wearing a pink polo shirt sitting in the third row, who asked the following:
"Senator, I want to ask you a question about similarities and differences. Forty years ago, a man who served in the very same august body in which you now sit, Robert Kennedy, came here to Cape Town, stood in the student union building at UCT said “I come here tonight to speak about a country, settled by the Dutch, fueled by agriculture, which has rebelled against its colonial masters, and today fights many racial battles. I speak of course of the United States of America.” We have similarities. Likewise, in my own experiences here in South Africa, I have talked to so many people from whom I have derived a sense of hope, for the future, for the promises of 1994. The country which I left about a month ago – your country, our country – is today gripped by a palpable sense of fear in our communities. We have differences. Senator, my question is this: in your short time here in South Africa, what similarities and differences do you see between these two nations, and also, what one lesson will you take back, in your position of great power, from South Africa to the U.S.?"
Yup, I had my moment. It was lovely. The Senator gave a good answer to the question, again talking about hope and fear and promises made as opposed to promises kept.
Gotta say, it was a magical moment.
A few of us set out to Queen Victoria Street to see the junior Senator from Illinois as he continues along his 15-nation trip through Africa. His speech was fairly standard, hit all the high notes. I especially liked his use of FDR's Four Freedoms to talk about hope and fear in the new post-9/11 world. The best part of the evening by far, however, was the question and answer period. Obama showed himself, once again, to be very adept at interacting with a crowd, taking a wide range of questions from both Africans and Americans, including one, wearing a pink polo shirt sitting in the third row, who asked the following:
"Senator, I want to ask you a question about similarities and differences. Forty years ago, a man who served in the very same august body in which you now sit, Robert Kennedy, came here to Cape Town, stood in the student union building at UCT said “I come here tonight to speak about a country, settled by the Dutch, fueled by agriculture, which has rebelled against its colonial masters, and today fights many racial battles. I speak of course of the United States of America.” We have similarities. Likewise, in my own experiences here in South Africa, I have talked to so many people from whom I have derived a sense of hope, for the future, for the promises of 1994. The country which I left about a month ago – your country, our country – is today gripped by a palpable sense of fear in our communities. We have differences. Senator, my question is this: in your short time here in South Africa, what similarities and differences do you see between these two nations, and also, what one lesson will you take back, in your position of great power, from South Africa to the U.S.?"
Yup, I had my moment. It was lovely. The Senator gave a good answer to the question, again talking about hope and fear and promises made as opposed to promises kept.
Gotta say, it was a magical moment.
21 August 2006
Into the Abyss
Mark, Sara, Kevin and I made the 6-hour journey this past weekend to Knysna (NIES-nuh) up the Garden Route at the edge of the Western Cape. It was a beautiful little town, despite the winter weather and it being the off-season. It actually really reminded me of home a bit, a quiet little seaside town with a few local shops, decent restaurants and a scenic waterfront. Except that Gloucester is not on a lagoon guarded by two giant rock outcroppings called, simply, "The Heads." The excitement of the weekend truly came when Kevin, Mark and Sara decided to make the journey to Bloukrans Bridge on Saturday to make the world's highest bungy jump. As you probably already guessed, I decided to watch them make the world's highest bungy jump, rather than participating. Kevin was even a little squeamish about jumping 216 metres - that's 702 feet to you and me - tied only to an admittedly large piece of elastic. However, he quickly decided to do it upon arrival, not least because he was talked into it by Lindsay Clubine, who we met at the jump site.
Who is Lindsay Clubine you ask? (Remember, I am not making any of this up, and there were witnesses.) Lindsay is better known as Model #26 from the hit American game show, "Deal or No Deal." She also does work for HDNet, going adventure travelling across the globe and filming it for a programme called "Get Out!" Oh right, and she was recently named one of People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People in the world.
I repeat, I am making none of this up. You can check IMDB.
So needless to say, after some gentle urging, squeamish Kevin turned into manly Kevin and decided to essentially jump out of a 70-story building towards a river below.
It was definitely fun to watch these idiots cheat death though. They were in freefall for 8 seconds. (I may have to have a guest blog from one of them to tell you exactly what it feels like.) Yeah, 8 seconds. That's before the cord catches you. Essentially, it's about as close as you can get to sky diving without jumping out of a plane. I took some fun pictures, I'll post them on
facebook when I get the chance. You won't believe how far 216 metres really is.
Like I said, I'm glad I watched.
Cheers.
P.S. I'm going to go see Barack Obama (!) speak here in Cape Town in about an hour. I'm pretty sure I'll have a report on that later.
P.P.S. Somebody watch the next installment of "Deal or No Deal" for me and let me know if #26 is as amazingly hot on television as she is in real life.
Who is Lindsay Clubine you ask? (Remember, I am not making any of this up, and there were witnesses.) Lindsay is better known as Model #26 from the hit American game show, "Deal or No Deal." She also does work for HDNet, going adventure travelling across the globe and filming it for a programme called "Get Out!" Oh right, and she was recently named one of People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People in the world.
I repeat, I am making none of this up. You can check IMDB.
So needless to say, after some gentle urging, squeamish Kevin turned into manly Kevin and decided to essentially jump out of a 70-story building towards a river below.
It was definitely fun to watch these idiots cheat death though. They were in freefall for 8 seconds. (I may have to have a guest blog from one of them to tell you exactly what it feels like.) Yeah, 8 seconds. That's before the cord catches you. Essentially, it's about as close as you can get to sky diving without jumping out of a plane. I took some fun pictures, I'll post them on
facebook when I get the chance. You won't believe how far 216 metres really is.
Like I said, I'm glad I watched.
Cheers.
P.S. I'm going to go see Barack Obama (!) speak here in Cape Town in about an hour. I'm pretty sure I'll have a report on that later.
P.P.S. Somebody watch the next installment of "Deal or No Deal" for me and let me know if #26 is as amazingly hot on television as she is in real life.
15 August 2006
Embargoes are Stupid
As we went out last night to celebrate my housemate Sara's 20th birthday and had dinner at Five Flies in Cape Town, the time eventually came for dessert. In lieu of any of the tasty items on the dessert menu (the chocolate fondant sounded sublime), I decided to enjoy a glass of Jameson on the rocks, and a Cuban cigar. And not just any cigar mind you, oh no, I smoked an H. Upmann, just like President Kennedy.
For thsoe who don't know the story, one night the President called Pierre Salinger into the Oval Office and asked a favor of his loyal press secretary. His task for the evening was to go out into Washington and buy 1000 Petite Upmanns. Salinger returned in the morning after an all-night search with 1200. When he told the President of his finding, Kennedy reached into his desk and pulled out one sheet of paper and signed it. With that stroke of the pen, and for every day since, Americans have been forbidden from purchasing anything manufactured on the island nation, including their heavenly hand-rolled cigars.
While that embargo lasts to this day, in South Africa, no such restrictions exist. And thus, I walked to the bar yesterday evening, struck a match, and lit an Upmann, just as President Kennedy had done many times in the past and sat with Jason and Matt as we discussed cigars, Cuba, and life in general.
Best 110 rands I ever spent.
For thsoe who don't know the story, one night the President called Pierre Salinger into the Oval Office and asked a favor of his loyal press secretary. His task for the evening was to go out into Washington and buy 1000 Petite Upmanns. Salinger returned in the morning after an all-night search with 1200. When he told the President of his finding, Kennedy reached into his desk and pulled out one sheet of paper and signed it. With that stroke of the pen, and for every day since, Americans have been forbidden from purchasing anything manufactured on the island nation, including their heavenly hand-rolled cigars.
While that embargo lasts to this day, in South Africa, no such restrictions exist. And thus, I walked to the bar yesterday evening, struck a match, and lit an Upmann, just as President Kennedy had done many times in the past and sat with Jason and Matt as we discussed cigars, Cuba, and life in general.
Best 110 rands I ever spent.
14 August 2006
I'm Abseiling! I AM ABSEILING!!!
(A little "What About Bob?" reference to start off a rainy Monday always helps.)
So yes, I did it, I abseiled in Africa. I walked to the side of a cliff (Ok, it was a 12 metre cliff, but still, a cliff) and proceeded to walk - and jump, just a little - down the side of a sheer rock face. The fact that the process of getting over the rock face took about 5 minutes while the entire time I was about one slip away from vomiting is completely inconsequential. I walked backwards down a cliff and you didn't. So there.
The abseiling, however, was merely a capstone to a wonderfully relaxing weekend away with my interstudy pals in the Breede River Valley. Well, once the rain and wind stopped it was relaxing anyway. Upon our arrival Friday night, we were greeted with exceptionally cold temperatures (between 5-10 degrees celsius), gale force winds and driving rain. Just the kind of weather I like when staying in an tin roof A-Frame "chalet" with a canvas "door." Needless to say, despite the heavy intake of Windhoek Lager from the bar, I didn't sleep very well Friday night.
Saturday, however, was quite the turnabout. As the sun rose over the Breede River below, I could see for miles down the river to the right from Tent #6, where Matt and I were lodged for the weekend's festivities. The "Up the Creek" camp where we were staying was beautifully positioned for such days as Saturday, when the sun illuminated the valley, as the river flowed beneath us and the gentle breezes wafted through the farmers' fields all around.
We then set off for our rafting adventure by getting loaded in the back of a large pickup truck and being driven about 7km or so back up the river to our sister camp "Round the Bend." From there, in our inflatable river rafting boats, my crewmate Jason and I set out for a leisurely afternoon's float back down the Breede, with an occasional Class 1 "rapid" along the way. We tried our best to keep people on their toes by approaching our friends at ramming speed, and entertained by singing some old favorites (Jason's selections were mostly from Bob Marley, though I chose the more sedate, dulcet tones of Otis Redding's "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" as my river song) as we made our way back to the campsite.
We burned the midnight oil on Saturday night as, fresh our rafting adventure, we all needed some time to relax and chat and have a good time together. Plus, just about every muscle in my body hurt from rowing 7km, so it was nice to just sit by the fire and enjoy the brilliant night sky. At one point, Sue, our tour guide, had the Up the Creek folks turn all the lights off so we could see the Southern stars before the moon rose. With my father as an amateur astronomer, I spent a lot of time gazing towards the heavens in my youth, but I have to tell you, I never saw anything quite like the valley sky on Saturday. The Southern Cross looked like celestial lightbulbs, obscured only sightly by the sight of the Milky Way Galaxy which stretched as thin, wispy vapour from horizon to horizon and shone brilliantly against the thousands of other visible stars in the heavens. Of course, as we all stood aghast, marvelling at the natural wonders above us, Sue says "Eh, this is nothing, you should go to Toktokkie in Namibia! They have sure do have some stars there." Guess I'll have to do that, for comparative purposes.
Then, before we left Sunday afternoon, I walked over the side of a cliff. You know, pretty normal stuff for me.
Cheers.
So yes, I did it, I abseiled in Africa. I walked to the side of a cliff (Ok, it was a 12 metre cliff, but still, a cliff) and proceeded to walk - and jump, just a little - down the side of a sheer rock face. The fact that the process of getting over the rock face took about 5 minutes while the entire time I was about one slip away from vomiting is completely inconsequential. I walked backwards down a cliff and you didn't. So there.
The abseiling, however, was merely a capstone to a wonderfully relaxing weekend away with my interstudy pals in the Breede River Valley. Well, once the rain and wind stopped it was relaxing anyway. Upon our arrival Friday night, we were greeted with exceptionally cold temperatures (between 5-10 degrees celsius), gale force winds and driving rain. Just the kind of weather I like when staying in an tin roof A-Frame "chalet" with a canvas "door." Needless to say, despite the heavy intake of Windhoek Lager from the bar, I didn't sleep very well Friday night.
Saturday, however, was quite the turnabout. As the sun rose over the Breede River below, I could see for miles down the river to the right from Tent #6, where Matt and I were lodged for the weekend's festivities. The "Up the Creek" camp where we were staying was beautifully positioned for such days as Saturday, when the sun illuminated the valley, as the river flowed beneath us and the gentle breezes wafted through the farmers' fields all around.
We then set off for our rafting adventure by getting loaded in the back of a large pickup truck and being driven about 7km or so back up the river to our sister camp "Round the Bend." From there, in our inflatable river rafting boats, my crewmate Jason and I set out for a leisurely afternoon's float back down the Breede, with an occasional Class 1 "rapid" along the way. We tried our best to keep people on their toes by approaching our friends at ramming speed, and entertained by singing some old favorites (Jason's selections were mostly from Bob Marley, though I chose the more sedate, dulcet tones of Otis Redding's "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" as my river song) as we made our way back to the campsite.
We burned the midnight oil on Saturday night as, fresh our rafting adventure, we all needed some time to relax and chat and have a good time together. Plus, just about every muscle in my body hurt from rowing 7km, so it was nice to just sit by the fire and enjoy the brilliant night sky. At one point, Sue, our tour guide, had the Up the Creek folks turn all the lights off so we could see the Southern stars before the moon rose. With my father as an amateur astronomer, I spent a lot of time gazing towards the heavens in my youth, but I have to tell you, I never saw anything quite like the valley sky on Saturday. The Southern Cross looked like celestial lightbulbs, obscured only sightly by the sight of the Milky Way Galaxy which stretched as thin, wispy vapour from horizon to horizon and shone brilliantly against the thousands of other visible stars in the heavens. Of course, as we all stood aghast, marvelling at the natural wonders above us, Sue says "Eh, this is nothing, you should go to Toktokkie in Namibia! They have sure do have some stars there." Guess I'll have to do that, for comparative purposes.
Then, before we left Sunday afternoon, I walked over the side of a cliff. You know, pretty normal stuff for me.
Cheers.
10 August 2006
Keepin' It Light, Keepin' It Fresh
So it's Thursday morning, I don't have class until 1pm and I feel like blowing through some internet credits. Here are some thoughts that while interesting and different probably don't merit their own post. It's kind of like a "Friday Boxed Lunch" vibe over at all-the-dirt.blogspot.com. I wonder whatever happened to that guy, he doesn't blog anymore...
- Got up early this morning and went to Cavendish Square over in Claremont, which is the big mall, to go to Cape Union Mart and buy a fleece and jacket for my whitewater rafting trip this weekend. First off, yes, I'm going whitewater rafting this weekend. But you know, I'm pretty outdoorsy, so it should be fun. (Oh wait...not that.) Anyway, so I go and buy a really nice, "Proudly South African" K-Way fleece and slicker. Take it up to the till and the woman behind the desk informs me, "That'll be 1100 bucks." Oh god, what have I done, these jackets must be woven with spun gold or something. Then I remember "bucks" is used interchangably with "rands." Which, I mean, that's still a lot of money, but not enough to buy a used car at least. I'm still getting used to thinking in rands though. I've figured out that when I go to Mr. Noodle for lunch up on campus and get change back from a R20 bill, it's a deal. But if I pay more than R10 for a drink at a bar, I'm getting ripped off. Still, the thought of paying 1100 for anything was still a little, shall we say, off-putting.
- The ride over to the mall was fun too. I took a minibus cab. For the uninitiated, the minibus is truly the white-knuckle, thrill ride of the millenium. The fleet is mostly beaten up late-80s model VW buses retrofitted with literally, as many seats as they can fit inside, a steering wheel (sometimes) and a gear shift. Some models even have doors. Ok, all models have doors, but the driver's assistant, who serves as the conductor on this little journey, collecting money and figuring out the pattern of stops, usually pops the door open as we fly down the Main Road, barking "Cape Town! Cape Town! Cab! Cab!" in an attempt to lure in the next R4 fare. I had a particularly "fun" ride over to the mall this morning because we had a special guest driver: Mario Andretti. At least, he thought he was Mario Andretti, or some terrible NASCAR driver or something. To say this guy was weaving through traffic doesn't do his technique justice. I think at one point he was up on the sidewalk trying to get around a lorry. Needless to say, I, and the other 11 passengers in the half full minibus, were quite pleased when we reached our stop in one piece.
- Ok, new subject. One of the main differences I've found since I've been here is the predominance of prepaid everything. Literally everything. Not just cell phones, I mean we prepay for electricity, and you can buy electric credits at most gas stations. I also prepay for internet, which is why I tend to use it as infrequently as I can. You pay by megabyte downloaded, so if you send me pictures or something, chances are I won't see them until I get back in December - just as an aside. But this kind of prepaid culture is in such contrast to what we're used to in America. I remember the first time I bought something in the Tufts bookstore freshman year and getting no fewer than 15 credit card offers asking me to sign my life away for a low, low introductory interest rate. People wait years - literally, years - to receive any kind of credit card here. Personally, I think they're better off with the prepaid culture than the debt-ridden disaster that is America these days.
- We had a bit of a shindig at the Cecil and Wolmunster Compound on Tuesday night in anticipation of Wednesday's public holiday, National Women's Day. We billed it as a "celebration of women," which, many of you know, I will do at any opportunity. Lots of fun was had by all. Wednesday was a nice day to recover and I read about National Women's Day, which celebrates the march for Women's Rights in Pretoria in 1956 which was a turning point in the struggle for equality in this country. The BBC had pictures with leaders like Winnie Mandela and Graca Machel (Nelson Mandela's former and current wives) in attendance of the ceremony. Holidays like yesterday serve as a reminder of just how far South Africa has come in a very short time, but the ceremony yesterday, which in particular highlighted South Africa's abnormally high rate of domestic violence, also show that women and other oppressed groups under the Apartheid regime still have a lot of work to do in the new South Africa.
Well, that's all for me now. It's time for classes. Ok, well, one class and a movie. And the movie is Twilight Los Angeles with Anna Deavere Smith (The West Wing's Nancy McNally), so I'm actually kind of excited.
Cheers.
- Got up early this morning and went to Cavendish Square over in Claremont, which is the big mall, to go to Cape Union Mart and buy a fleece and jacket for my whitewater rafting trip this weekend. First off, yes, I'm going whitewater rafting this weekend. But you know, I'm pretty outdoorsy, so it should be fun. (Oh wait...not that.) Anyway, so I go and buy a really nice, "Proudly South African" K-Way fleece and slicker. Take it up to the till and the woman behind the desk informs me, "That'll be 1100 bucks." Oh god, what have I done, these jackets must be woven with spun gold or something. Then I remember "bucks" is used interchangably with "rands." Which, I mean, that's still a lot of money, but not enough to buy a used car at least. I'm still getting used to thinking in rands though. I've figured out that when I go to Mr. Noodle for lunch up on campus and get change back from a R20 bill, it's a deal. But if I pay more than R10 for a drink at a bar, I'm getting ripped off. Still, the thought of paying 1100 for anything was still a little, shall we say, off-putting.
- The ride over to the mall was fun too. I took a minibus cab. For the uninitiated, the minibus is truly the white-knuckle, thrill ride of the millenium. The fleet is mostly beaten up late-80s model VW buses retrofitted with literally, as many seats as they can fit inside, a steering wheel (sometimes) and a gear shift. Some models even have doors. Ok, all models have doors, but the driver's assistant, who serves as the conductor on this little journey, collecting money and figuring out the pattern of stops, usually pops the door open as we fly down the Main Road, barking "Cape Town! Cape Town! Cab! Cab!" in an attempt to lure in the next R4 fare. I had a particularly "fun" ride over to the mall this morning because we had a special guest driver: Mario Andretti. At least, he thought he was Mario Andretti, or some terrible NASCAR driver or something. To say this guy was weaving through traffic doesn't do his technique justice. I think at one point he was up on the sidewalk trying to get around a lorry. Needless to say, I, and the other 11 passengers in the half full minibus, were quite pleased when we reached our stop in one piece.
- Ok, new subject. One of the main differences I've found since I've been here is the predominance of prepaid everything. Literally everything. Not just cell phones, I mean we prepay for electricity, and you can buy electric credits at most gas stations. I also prepay for internet, which is why I tend to use it as infrequently as I can. You pay by megabyte downloaded, so if you send me pictures or something, chances are I won't see them until I get back in December - just as an aside. But this kind of prepaid culture is in such contrast to what we're used to in America. I remember the first time I bought something in the Tufts bookstore freshman year and getting no fewer than 15 credit card offers asking me to sign my life away for a low, low introductory interest rate. People wait years - literally, years - to receive any kind of credit card here. Personally, I think they're better off with the prepaid culture than the debt-ridden disaster that is America these days.
- We had a bit of a shindig at the Cecil and Wolmunster Compound on Tuesday night in anticipation of Wednesday's public holiday, National Women's Day. We billed it as a "celebration of women," which, many of you know, I will do at any opportunity. Lots of fun was had by all. Wednesday was a nice day to recover and I read about National Women's Day, which celebrates the march for Women's Rights in Pretoria in 1956 which was a turning point in the struggle for equality in this country. The BBC had pictures with leaders like Winnie Mandela and Graca Machel (Nelson Mandela's former and current wives) in attendance of the ceremony. Holidays like yesterday serve as a reminder of just how far South Africa has come in a very short time, but the ceremony yesterday, which in particular highlighted South Africa's abnormally high rate of domestic violence, also show that women and other oppressed groups under the Apartheid regime still have a lot of work to do in the new South Africa.
Well, that's all for me now. It's time for classes. Ok, well, one class and a movie. And the movie is Twilight Los Angeles with Anna Deavere Smith (The West Wing's Nancy McNally), so I'm actually kind of excited.
Cheers.
06 August 2006
Wine, Wine, Everywhere Wine!
I had the privilege to spend yesterday at the Stellenbosch Wine Festival, South Africa's largest regional wine celebration incorporating more than 100 local vineyards with nearly 500 wines available for taste.
I'll repeat that.
500 wines. And I tasted darn near every last one of them. The festival itself was a delightful experience, with not only wines available for tasting, but also samplings from area food merchants and other products and goodies. It was a fantastic laidback atmosphere, very South African in feel, complete with a dance troupe roving through the main festival hall with African drums in tow.
Stellenbosch town does not disappoint either. A small, Afrikaner college town and capital of the South African wine industry, Stellenbosch blends magnificent mountain views and rolling vineyard hills in a very quaint setting, perfect for an oenophile of any rank. It is very reminiscent of some small Sonoma or Napa Valley wine towns, but it still boasts a distinctly African flair which sets Stellenbosch apart from almost anywhere else in the Wine world. If you're ever in the Western Cape, Stellenbosch is certainly worth a side trip. And, I hear there's a hotel there on a vineyard (Spier Wines) where you can not only stay the night in elegance and luxury, roaming through the vast vineyards of one of the region's top winemakers while sampling local cuisine, but where you can also - and I swear to god this is true - roam in a small nature preserve with cheetahs. Al, our driver - who deserves his own post and will get one soon - told us about Spier on the way into town and many of us began making plans just then to return and play with cheetahs.
Ok, now on to the important stuff, because, as I said, El Vino did flow!
Of the many wines I sampled, I was able to come away with a few favorites. I ended up spending only R400 (about $65 U.S.) on a half case of 6 fine wines. I had three vinters in particular which I list among my favorites, both for the quality of wine and the knowledgable wine stewards who guided us through the process of tasting.
First up is Grangehurst, a small, artisan vinter from the slopes of Helderburg Mountain who has their 2000 vertical on taste. I picked up a bottle of their "Nikela" red blend and it was well worth the R110 I spent for it. The blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Pinotage and 11% Merlot was aged in 90% French oak for nearly two years before being bottled. As this wine has had time to age in the bottle, the 2000 vintage has shown a very mellow, smooth character that is both round and well-balanced. The small percentage of Merlot acts as a mediator between the smokier Cabernet and the hearty yet fruity Pinotage. With a dark ruby color, the coffee and chocolate flavors of the Cabernet come together with the earthier tones of the Pinotage. It is a wine that has aged well and lost many of the tannic qualities one would find in a younger vintage making the wine less astringent in the mouth with more taste on the finish.
Next up is Mooiplaas Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2000. Mooiplaas, as my new friend Bobby, a student at the reknowned University of Stellenbosch, told me, means "beautiful farm" in Afrikaans. In fact, most of the Afrikaans or other language names for wineries in South Africa usually translate to some spin on "beautiful farm." Anyway, from the beautiful farm comes a very big wine. The 2000 Cabernet from Mooiplaas has aged very nicely after two years in French oak and a further three years in the bottle and is being released in a big way now. The dark maroon color is met by a very strong, smoky nose and a heavy sensation of cocoa on the palate. The wine finishes very easily and would be a perfect complement to a big family meal.
But the hit of the festival for me was, without a doubt, Stellekaya Vineyards, especially their Cape Cross Blend 2004. Mark from Stellekaya led my fellow Tuftonians Jessie and Sarah and I througha few different blends, daring me to guess the grapes from their newer Hercules blend. (For the record, I picked out Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. I missed the third grape, Sangiovese. But really, who blends Sangiovese in this country? Who, I ask you? Who?! ... Uh, I mean, I'm not bitter...) The Cape Cross Blend was 50% Merlot along with 30% Pinotage and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and the character of the wine truly came across with very fruit-forward, mellow yet exciting flavors coming through from each of the grapes. An extremely drinkable and approachable wine (which, and I forgot to write this down, but I think it was only about R50 a bottle!), the Cape Cross was the wine of the festival for me both for its versatility and affordability as well as its sublime flavors.
As we finished tasting, some of us sat down in the cricket field behind the Paul Roos Centre and watched the sunset across the mountains which guard Stellenbosch while drinking some of the newfound treasures we had unearthed throughout the day. And so brought a close to a warm winter's day in Stellenbosch, when the wine world had come and shown us all a wonderful time.
P.S. Look for each of these wines in your local wine shops, or find them online:
Grangehurst - www.grangehurst.co.za
Mooiplaas - www.mooiplaas.co.za
Stellekaya - www.stellekaya.co.za
Wine Online SA - www.wine.co.za
I'll repeat that.
500 wines. And I tasted darn near every last one of them. The festival itself was a delightful experience, with not only wines available for tasting, but also samplings from area food merchants and other products and goodies. It was a fantastic laidback atmosphere, very South African in feel, complete with a dance troupe roving through the main festival hall with African drums in tow.
Stellenbosch town does not disappoint either. A small, Afrikaner college town and capital of the South African wine industry, Stellenbosch blends magnificent mountain views and rolling vineyard hills in a very quaint setting, perfect for an oenophile of any rank. It is very reminiscent of some small Sonoma or Napa Valley wine towns, but it still boasts a distinctly African flair which sets Stellenbosch apart from almost anywhere else in the Wine world. If you're ever in the Western Cape, Stellenbosch is certainly worth a side trip. And, I hear there's a hotel there on a vineyard (Spier Wines) where you can not only stay the night in elegance and luxury, roaming through the vast vineyards of one of the region's top winemakers while sampling local cuisine, but where you can also - and I swear to god this is true - roam in a small nature preserve with cheetahs. Al, our driver - who deserves his own post and will get one soon - told us about Spier on the way into town and many of us began making plans just then to return and play with cheetahs.
Ok, now on to the important stuff, because, as I said, El Vino did flow!
Of the many wines I sampled, I was able to come away with a few favorites. I ended up spending only R400 (about $65 U.S.) on a half case of 6 fine wines. I had three vinters in particular which I list among my favorites, both for the quality of wine and the knowledgable wine stewards who guided us through the process of tasting.
First up is Grangehurst, a small, artisan vinter from the slopes of Helderburg Mountain who has their 2000 vertical on taste. I picked up a bottle of their "Nikela" red blend and it was well worth the R110 I spent for it. The blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Pinotage and 11% Merlot was aged in 90% French oak for nearly two years before being bottled. As this wine has had time to age in the bottle, the 2000 vintage has shown a very mellow, smooth character that is both round and well-balanced. The small percentage of Merlot acts as a mediator between the smokier Cabernet and the hearty yet fruity Pinotage. With a dark ruby color, the coffee and chocolate flavors of the Cabernet come together with the earthier tones of the Pinotage. It is a wine that has aged well and lost many of the tannic qualities one would find in a younger vintage making the wine less astringent in the mouth with more taste on the finish.
Next up is Mooiplaas Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2000. Mooiplaas, as my new friend Bobby, a student at the reknowned University of Stellenbosch, told me, means "beautiful farm" in Afrikaans. In fact, most of the Afrikaans or other language names for wineries in South Africa usually translate to some spin on "beautiful farm." Anyway, from the beautiful farm comes a very big wine. The 2000 Cabernet from Mooiplaas has aged very nicely after two years in French oak and a further three years in the bottle and is being released in a big way now. The dark maroon color is met by a very strong, smoky nose and a heavy sensation of cocoa on the palate. The wine finishes very easily and would be a perfect complement to a big family meal.
But the hit of the festival for me was, without a doubt, Stellekaya Vineyards, especially their Cape Cross Blend 2004. Mark from Stellekaya led my fellow Tuftonians Jessie and Sarah and I througha few different blends, daring me to guess the grapes from their newer Hercules blend. (For the record, I picked out Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. I missed the third grape, Sangiovese. But really, who blends Sangiovese in this country? Who, I ask you? Who?! ... Uh, I mean, I'm not bitter...) The Cape Cross Blend was 50% Merlot along with 30% Pinotage and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and the character of the wine truly came across with very fruit-forward, mellow yet exciting flavors coming through from each of the grapes. An extremely drinkable and approachable wine (which, and I forgot to write this down, but I think it was only about R50 a bottle!), the Cape Cross was the wine of the festival for me both for its versatility and affordability as well as its sublime flavors.
As we finished tasting, some of us sat down in the cricket field behind the Paul Roos Centre and watched the sunset across the mountains which guard Stellenbosch while drinking some of the newfound treasures we had unearthed throughout the day. And so brought a close to a warm winter's day in Stellenbosch, when the wine world had come and shown us all a wonderful time.
P.S. Look for each of these wines in your local wine shops, or find them online:
Grangehurst - www.grangehurst.co.za
Mooiplaas - www.mooiplaas.co.za
Stellekaya - www.stellekaya.co.za
Wine Online SA - www.wine.co.za
02 August 2006
Dr. Guy Willoughby: Cult Legend
My Southern Africa history class was convened this morning by Dr. Guy Willoughby, playwright, historian, raconteur, neckerchief afficionado and all-around swell guy. See, at UCT, every class is team-taught, with different lecturers bringing their own depth of knowledge to a particular subject under the auspices of an entire course. In Southern Africa in the 20th Century, Dr. Guy Willoughby (his name must be spoken in full at all times for reasons which are no doubt obvious) will be our guide through the wiles of cultural and political history throughout this turbulent time for the region. I, personally, could not be more excited. Think about a gay Eric Idle, with a sole patch, thinning but well-groomed hair, very proper British South African accent, and a fancy neckerchief and you, dear reader, will have a picture of Dr. Guy Willoughby at his finest.
To say Dr. Guy Willoughby is a force of nature is an understatement. Even this morning, as students sat sleepily on a cold winter's morning, Dr. Guy Willoughby gave a tour de force performance, leading us through the one of the bloodiest battles in the region's past, the Anglo-Boer War of 1899. His enthusaism shined through as he delivered his lecture with stirring passion and grace. His sublime descriptions of characters from the story, like Cecil John Rhodes, the founder of our fair university and Transvaal President Kruger were more theatrical than academic, which makes sense as Dr. Guy Willoughby is one of South Africa's most acclaimed emerging playwrights and actors, having recently completed a theatrical version of recent South African history. At certain points I wondered aloud to Jessie, my classmate here in Cape Town and fellow Tufts student, whether Dr. Guy Willoughby was dipping into the scripts from his own work, as he strutted about the front of Beattie 114 weaving the tale of intrigue and destruction which gripped the region at the turn of the last century.
As class broke for the morning, Dr. Guy Willoughby, adjusted his festive neckerchief, bowed to us, thanked us for listening as some in the class broke into spontaneous applause. It was the performance of a lifetime.
To say Dr. Guy Willoughby is a force of nature is an understatement. Even this morning, as students sat sleepily on a cold winter's morning, Dr. Guy Willoughby gave a tour de force performance, leading us through the one of the bloodiest battles in the region's past, the Anglo-Boer War of 1899. His enthusaism shined through as he delivered his lecture with stirring passion and grace. His sublime descriptions of characters from the story, like Cecil John Rhodes, the founder of our fair university and Transvaal President Kruger were more theatrical than academic, which makes sense as Dr. Guy Willoughby is one of South Africa's most acclaimed emerging playwrights and actors, having recently completed a theatrical version of recent South African history. At certain points I wondered aloud to Jessie, my classmate here in Cape Town and fellow Tufts student, whether Dr. Guy Willoughby was dipping into the scripts from his own work, as he strutted about the front of Beattie 114 weaving the tale of intrigue and destruction which gripped the region at the turn of the last century.
As class broke for the morning, Dr. Guy Willoughby, adjusted his festive neckerchief, bowed to us, thanked us for listening as some in the class broke into spontaneous applause. It was the performance of a lifetime.
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