sunday march 20 cape town, sa – 10:00 pm

since the last entry we’ve been on the move, doing, seeing and relaxing. 3/18 started out as a pretty lazy day. the denzel excitement was a lot to take so my brother and i didn’t really get going until noon. we decided lunch at the beach, and a run through the Victoria & Albert Mall on the waterfront would be all we’d get into. we made our way to a beautiful spanish styled restaurant called The Grand on Camps Bay beach, it was perfect. the beach was across the street and we sat at a long communal table on the open patio so we could take in all the sights and sounds. food was good, drinks were great and service was “cosmopolitan” – lol. after lunch we made our way to the beach. finely crushed seashells made a gravely path to the water where the sand turned soft and white like powder. i approached a man as he was about to collect 2 empty beach loungers, and asked him how much they’d be to rent. he looked back at me and immediately said he would give me a good price since there was only an hour of rental time left.  he explained the regular rental price so that I’d understand the price he was offering was a deal. I said it was okay, I wanted to be fair and appreciated the offer for a lower price. I paid 40 rand ($6 usd) for the chairs for the hour and we were good. we set up “camp”, watched kids play in the waves, beach vendors walk up and down selling everything from sand buckets and shovels (in case you forgot yours at hime), sunglasses, ice cream, water, and sodas. if you wanted a beer they’d run and get as many as you liked – for a price. as we sat and watched the sun make its way to the ocean for what appeared to be an upcoming phenomenal sunset the man walked toward us and we thought our time was up. instead, he handed the money back – i was completely confused. we learned that his name was koyaba and that he khoisan, the oldest/original people of south africa. nelson mandela is khoisan and i continue meet people who think they’ve met or seen me before, or who speak to me in kohsi because they believe I am khoisan (who knows…). okay, back to koyaba (got sidetracked), he said that he had made a deal with me that he didn’t feel good about in his heart. that it had been bothering him the whole time we’d been there. because our rental time was so short he felt wrong charging us as all. he said that we were his brother and sister from across the great river (his words exactly), and that his struggle through apartheid gave him an understanding of our struggle in the states. he said south africans were invaded and persecuted in their homeland, much like we (american africans) were sold and taken from our home. he said he loves all of his african brothers and sisters but there was a difference in his mind in being colonized (which was not good), and being stolen from your land or having your land stolen from you while being made to live through what he and his family lived through. he felt that what we as american africans had endured and made it through was even worse so he should do what his heart was telling him and show us love. our time in our motherland should be filled with love. he gave the money back and promised that if we came back to the beach and found him our seats/umbrellas would be no charge for our entire family. the reason this moment will probably be one of the most remembered and deeply felt is that as an african american or american african, there is a sense of not being sure how our brothers and sisters will accept or relate to us coming back – even for a visit. its a conflict i don’t expect many to fully understand but its real. koyaba’s words, his emotion, his sincerity moved me. he embraced us as family, long lost family. 30 minutes later the sun sunk into the ocean, koyaba collected the loungers and we made our way home.

the next morning was the arrival of the kids! I was so excited to see them, to share this with them and to experience the rest of what Africa has to offer. but first there was a stop at ‘neighbour goods market’. a very local market full of fresh food, baked goods, fish, meat and deliciously prepared quiche, sandwiches, paella, juices and wine. the best part for me was ceramics and local clothing designers who were there selling their original designs made from local cotton. yes I indulged, again, and again, and again. on to the airport. kids made it safely, and were so excited to share they’re London experience. very proud of them utilizing their 10 hr layover, learning the tube routes and seeing all the major attractions in the city.
we came back to the house for lunch, a quick dip in the pool and then got ready for the evening. we were invited guests of the mayor to share his box at the capetown street carnival parade. this was the second year of the celebration, over 25k people attended, and it was said to be the closest party thats been thrown since world cup.

sunday was all about the penguins! woke the crew up early and got on the road. we made our way to the cape of good hope, southern most western point of the continent. it was breathtaking! boulder beach was another hour away, and when we arrived the tide was in. the penguins were wild,but un afraid of all the people swimming in the bay with them. they sat on the boulders, groomed each other, swam and splashed in the water, and waddled down the paved park path we used to get to the beach like they had just paid their entry fee as well. it was a long day all in all but so much fun!

monday, it’s all about the game park….