Photo Slideshow & Traditional Music

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To follow our journey chronologically (recommended), click on 'Day 1 - Sep 07' at the bottom of this post... then click on 'Newer Posts' at the bottom of each post to go to the next day.

Our African Photo Safari set to a traditional African beat of drums and the Mbira. Turn on your speakers and sit back and enjoy...



Speaking of African Music, from Wikipedia...

In African music, the mbira (also known as Likembe, Mbila, Thumb piano, Mbira Huru, Mbira Njari, Mbira Nyunga Nyunga, Karimbao or Kalimba) is a musical instrument that consists of a wooden board to which staggered metal keys have been attached. It is often fitted into a resonator. In Eastern and Southern Africa there are many kinds of mbira, usually accompanied by the hosho. Among the Shona people there are three that are very popular (see Shona music). The Mbira is usually classified as part of the lamellaphone family. It is also part of the idiophones family of musical instruments. In some places it is also known as a sanza or sansa.

A Mbira...



Our Shona guide, Arthur, playing the Mbira...




Choose another day below --- or click 'Newer Posts' at bottom for next day - or click 'Older Posts' at bottom for previous day.

To view blog from beginning to end, click 'Day 01 - Sep 07' - Then you can click 'Newer Posts' at the bottom of each successive post to go to the next day. Or you can choose a day from the list below.

Day 01 - Sep 07 Day 02 - Sep 08 Day 03 - Sep 09 Day 04 - Sep 10 Day 05 - Sep 11 Day 06 - Sep 12 Day 07 - Sep 13 Day 08 - Sep 14

Day 09 - Sep 15 Day 10 - Sep 16 Day 11 - Sep 17 Day 12 - Sep 18 Day 13 - Sep 19 Day 14 - Sep 20 Day 15 - Sep 21 Day 16 - Sep 22

Day 17 - Sep 23 Day 18 - Sep 24 Day 19 - Sep 25 Day 20 - Sep 26 Day 21 - Sep 27 Day 22 - Sep 28 Day 26 - Oct 02 Day 30 - Oct 06 Of cabbages and kings...

Home Again

At the end of the day... a favorite refrain of folks here in southern Africa.

We drove back to Cape Town from Knysna through fertile fields and ostrich farms, at times right along the water. Our lodging in Cape Town for the last two nights was in Sea Point, on a steep hill reminiscent of San Francisco, overlooking the water a couple of blocks away. We took it easy the one full day we had there, getting rested up for the long journey back home. Breakfast both mornings was served at a large table with all of the other guests and we enjoyed chatting with people from several different countries around the globe. Our B&B even had a hot tub; hot springing is a favorite pastime for Jan and I so we partook of of the tub even though neither the water nor the pizza we ate while soaking was hot enough.

One of the units at our lodging in Sea Point in Cape Town...



We had a late flight, so we took our time checking out and getting to the airport. We stopped for yet another cappuccino at Camps Bay, one of the more beautiful beaches you'll ever see...



These kids set up shop in front of our car and regaled us and the other tourists at the many outdoor cafe's along this beautiful waterfront...



Our tired but happy feet up one more time with Lion's Head peak in the background...



Our guide Arthur with his warthog tat at the Boma dinner...



Arthur would talk about the cycles of life, one critter being the prey of another, and so on through the food chain. It seemed a thoughtful attempt to cushion us from the harsh reality of the struggle to survive. He would say, 'End of part one!' when an animal succumbed. Or when warning us to be careful out in the bush, he would say, 'Or else end of part one!' Have a good long part, Arthur, and thanks for sharing your world with us!

Arthur playing the Mbiri...




The End









Leavin' on a jet plane... sigh...



Parting is such sweet sorrow, but it's time to start thinking about our next adventure...



Choose another day below --- or click 'Newer Posts' at bottom for next day - or click 'Older Posts' at bottom for previous day.

To view blog from beginning to end, click 'Day 01 - Sep 07' - Then you can click 'Newer Posts' at the bottom of each successive post to go to the next day. Or you can choose a day from the list below.

Day 01 - Sep 07 Day 02 - Sep 08 Day 03 - Sep 09 Day 04 - Sep 10 Day 05 - Sep 11 Day 06 - Sep 12 Day 07 - Sep 13 Day 08 - Sep 14

Day 09 - Sep 15 Day 10 - Sep 16 Day 11 - Sep 17 Day 12 - Sep 18 Day 13 - Sep 19 Day 14 - Sep 20 Day 15 - Sep 21 Day 16 - Sep 22

Day 17 - Sep 23 Day 18 - Sep 24 Day 19 - Sep 25 Day 20 - Sep 26 Day 21 - Sep 27 Day 22 - Sep 28 Day 26 - Oct 02 Day 30 - Oct 06 Of cabbages and kings...

Four Days In Knysna South Africa

We spent the last 4 nights in a lovely B&B on an island in the Knysna lagoon, with a view of the Knysna Heads and the Indian Ocean beyond...







We stopped in Hermanus on the way to Knysna for a cup of cappuccino...



With some Hell's Angels...



And watched whales right from the beach and rocky cliffs...





And a Rock Rabbit...



Who knew a vuvuzela was not just for blowing at a soccer game...



I'm not one to rave about food, but we had dinner at a place called The Tides in Knysna that was outrageous. We both though it was the best meal we'd ever had. It's a small, hole-in-the-wall place with an eccentric chef named Michael who waits on you himself and orchestrates the preparation and serving of the meal. The man is an artist! We both had prawns with lemon butter. For about US$15...



We ate there again two nights later.

We went on the John Benn ferry on a sunset cruise across the lagoon, to the heads and back, one evening... and enjoyed another meal of prawns on the ferry...



Just try to get that song, 'Down on the sloop John B,' out of your head!

Call for the captain ashore, I (never) wanna go home... tra la la...



During low tide, you could walk across the lagoon out in front of our B&B, which of course Jan did a couple of times...



The B&B from out in the lagoon...



Alas, all too soon, we had to make our way back home...





Choose another day below --- or click 'Newer Posts' at bottom for next day - or click 'Older Posts' at bottom for previous day.

To view blog from beginning to end, click 'Day 01 - Sep 07' - Then you can click 'Newer Posts' at the bottom of each successive post to go to the next day. Or you can choose a day from the list below.

Day 01 - Sep 07 Day 02 - Sep 08 Day 03 - Sep 09 Day 04 - Sep 10 Day 05 - Sep 11 Day 06 - Sep 12 Day 07 - Sep 13 Day 08 - Sep 14

Day 09 - Sep 15 Day 10 - Sep 16 Day 11 - Sep 17 Day 12 - Sep 18 Day 13 - Sep 19 Day 14 - Sep 20 Day 15 - Sep 21 Day 16 - Sep 22

Day 17 - Sep 23 Day 18 - Sep 24 Day 19 - Sep 25 Day 20 - Sep 26 Day 21 - Sep 27 Day 22 - Sep 28 Day 26 - Oct 02 Day 30 - Oct 06 Of cabbages and kings...

Out Again Upon The Unplum'd Salt Estranging Sea

We said goodbye to the members of our tour group, most of whom were going home today, rented a car, and headed east on the N2, along the Garden Route and through rolling hills, on our way to Knysna... to take a little vacation from vacation! We stayed just east of Cape Town in a lovely B&B, Penny Lane. We were the only guests tonight, so we spent the evening having drinks and conversation with our hosts, Kevin and Diane.





They called this wild critter a dog...



Diane is an accomplished painter...



Choose another day below --- or click 'Newer Posts' at bottom for next day - or click 'Older Posts' at bottom for previous day.

To view blog from beginning to end, click 'Day 01 - Sep 07' - Then you can click 'Newer Posts' at the bottom of each successive post to go to the next day. Or you can choose a day from the list below.

Day 01 - Sep 07 Day 02 - Sep 08 Day 03 - Sep 09 Day 04 - Sep 10 Day 05 - Sep 11 Day 06 - Sep 12 Day 07 - Sep 13 Day 08 - Sep 14

Day 09 - Sep 15 Day 10 - Sep 16 Day 11 - Sep 17 Day 12 - Sep 18 Day 13 - Sep 19 Day 14 - Sep 20 Day 15 - Sep 21 Day 16 - Sep 22

Day 17 - Sep 23 Day 18 - Sep 24 Day 19 - Sep 25 Day 20 - Sep 26 Day 21 - Sep 27 Day 22 - Sep 28 Day 26 - Oct 02 Day 30 - Oct 06 Of cabbages and kings...

Dinner At The Officer's Club

What a treat to meet General Akpufni, as he's known on my chess website, and his family! In addition to Reuben, we met his wife, Ellen, who is pregnant with their first child, a boy due at the end of October who will be named Chase, two of Reuben's sisters, Fatuma and Henne (sp?), and his niece, Jaden. Jaden gets a big grin on her face whenever she looks at the General, much like the grin I get when talking to him on my website. Jaden and I see through that tough-talking General veneer!

We had a delicious dinner at Reuben and Ellen's place and chatted well into the night. Meeting friends like this is always the highlight of any trip for Jan and I.

Thanks for everything Reuben and Ellen!







Choose another day below --- or click 'Newer Posts' at bottom for next day - or click 'Older Posts' at bottom for previous day.

To view blog from beginning to end, click 'Day 01 - Sep 07' - Then you can click 'Newer Posts' at the bottom of each successive post to go to the next day. Or you can choose a day from the list below.

Day 01 - Sep 07 Day 02 - Sep 08 Day 03 - Sep 09 Day 04 - Sep 10 Day 05 - Sep 11 Day 06 - Sep 12 Day 07 - Sep 13 Day 08 - Sep 14

Day 09 - Sep 15 Day 10 - Sep 16 Day 11 - Sep 17 Day 12 - Sep 18 Day 13 - Sep 19 Day 14 - Sep 20 Day 15 - Sep 21 Day 16 - Sep 22

Day 17 - Sep 23 Day 18 - Sep 24 Day 19 - Sep 25 Day 20 - Sep 26 Day 21 - Sep 27 Day 22 - Sep 28 Day 26 - Oct 02 Day 30 - Oct 06 Of cabbages and kings...

Penguins, Good Hope, & Good Friends

Jan went on the bus with the rest of the group for a drive to the Cape of Good Hope, the Penguins at Boulder's Beach, the Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens, and a drive along the beautiful Garden Route. I opted to stay at the hotel and take it easy, and watch the bustle at Greenmarket Square from our third floor hotel room vantage overlooking the market.

The Cape of Good Hope is thought of as the point along the southern coast of South Africa, just east of Cape Town, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. The actual spot, depending on how you determine the imaginary line, is closer to Cape Aguulhas, some 200 kilometers east of Good Hope.



A boardwalk along Boulder's Beach affords excellent views of the tiny penguins that nest there. These are similar to the little penguins we saw in New Zealand, no more than a foot or ten inches in height. They go out to sea each day to eat and return to their burrows in the evening, but they were hanging out all day on land now as this is their molting season when they don't eat or go out to sea.









Baboons are a hoot! These baboons were playing on a car on the group's drive along the Garden Route. A younger one was playing with the antenna when it became apparent that he was up to mischief... sure enough, he pulled back the antenna and let it go so that it zinged the older baboon sitting on top of the car... then the young one hightailed it while the older one was clearly miffed.





The guide then told them about a friend who has a weekend get-away cabin where he has to park his car and make his way down to the cabin. But the baboons were always messing with his car. So, knowing that baboons are afraid of snakes, the guy thought he would outwit the baboons and put a rubber snake on the dash of the car when he was there once, and another on the panel under the rear window. A friend came to visit him later on the weekend and explained that there was a problem with his car. Seems the baboons were up on a cliff above the car throwing rocks down at the snakes!

The Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens are a sight to behold, housing countless varieties of plants, flowers, and trees. Nelson Mandela planted a pepper-bark plant there... the pepper-bark plant has medicinal value and is considered to be a tree of healing...



This species of the Bird of Paradise was developed here over the course of 20 years and was named in honor of Mandela...





Reuben, General Akpufni, and his wife, Ellen, came to our hotel for a late tea and our first meeting...



Choose another day below --- or click 'Newer Posts' at bottom for next day - or click 'Older Posts' at bottom for previous day.

To view blog from beginning to end, click 'Day 01 - Sep 07' - Then you can click 'Newer Posts' at the bottom of each successive post to go to the next day. Or you can choose a day from the list below.

Day 01 - Sep 07 Day 02 - Sep 08 Day 03 - Sep 09 Day 04 - Sep 10 Day 05 - Sep 11 Day 06 - Sep 12 Day 07 - Sep 13 Day 08 - Sep 14

Day 09 - Sep 15 Day 10 - Sep 16 Day 11 - Sep 17 Day 12 - Sep 18 Day 13 - Sep 19 Day 14 - Sep 20 Day 15 - Sep 21 Day 16 - Sep 22

Day 17 - Sep 23 Day 18 - Sep 24 Day 19 - Sep 25 Day 20 - Sep 26 Day 21 - Sep 27 Day 22 - Sep 28 Day 26 - Oct 02 Day 30 - Oct 06 Of cabbages and kings...

Table Mountain & Home Hosted Dinner

We rode the gondola to the top of Table Mountain this morning. Table Mountain dominates the Cape Town skyline, and is flanked by Lion's Head and Devil's Peak. The view is incredible as you would expect. We walked around for a while then came back down and rode around the city listening to our guide pointing out places and events of interest.

Jan attended the home hosted dinner at the home of some Malaysian folks. Here, 40% of the people are white, 45% black, and 15% are collectively called 'colored' and are of various descent.

I'll have her write her recount of the experience when we get home.

From the gondola...



On top of the world...





A photo of Jan taking one of her 2000 photos... that's the infamous Robyn Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years over her right shoulder, a flat, nondescript island off the coast of Cape Town with an ignominious history that had previously been a leper colony...



As we do everywhere we travel, we took time out for numerous cappuccino's while we absorbed the local ambiance... the server at this sidewalk cafe on Greenmarket Square called me 'young man' and Jan, beautiful... how could we resist...









Choose another day below --- or click 'Newer Posts' at bottom for next day - or click 'Older Posts' at bottom for previous day.

To view blog from beginning to end, click 'Day 01 - Sep 07' - Then you can click 'Newer Posts' at the bottom of each successive post to go to the next day. Or you can choose a day from the list below.

Day 01 - Sep 07 Day 02 - Sep 08 Day 03 - Sep 09 Day 04 - Sep 10 Day 05 - Sep 11 Day 06 - Sep 12 Day 07 - Sep 13 Day 08 - Sep 14

Day 09 - Sep 15 Day 10 - Sep 16 Day 11 - Sep 17 Day 12 - Sep 18 Day 13 - Sep 19 Day 14 - Sep 20 Day 15 - Sep 21 Day 16 - Sep 22

Day 17 - Sep 23 Day 18 - Sep 24 Day 19 - Sep 25 Day 20 - Sep 26 Day 21 - Sep 27 Day 22 - Sep 28 Day 26 - Oct 02 Day 30 - Oct 06 Of cabbages and kings...