And now for the recounting of our fabulous vacation. Mom and Dad flew with us to Cape Town and we settled into our rented flat in Fish Hoek, a small beach town south of Cape Town on the Cape Peninsula. Our apartment was spacious with a beautiful view of the Indian Ocean out the picture windows. Right across the road was the path to the beach and we could see the brightly colored huts that are used as changing rooms. The landlord had white nectarines and grapes waiting for us, along with bread and milk and a few other supplies. There was a washer and dryer (heaven!), a dishwasher that was so quiet you didn’t know it was running, pots and pans that didn’t have the Teflon peeling off it, no bugs, and a real spring mattress instead of the compressed foam we sleep on in Kitwe. Right behind our flat was a Pik’n’Pay supermarket where we could buy cheap cantaloupe (we ate at least one or two a day) and other products that are hard to find in Kitwe.
I would have been content to relax in this luxury but there was so much to see and do and experience. Having settled in and our bellies full of exquisite fish and chips from a Portuguese takeaway (rated the best in the Cape Town area), we piled in our rental car and headed for the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. The lovely purple agapanthus flowers reminded me of Pasadena. It was so lush and green, nestled on the back side of Table Mountain. We came especially to participate in the “Kirstenbosch Carols by Candlelight.” The lawns rising from the outdoor amphitheater were already crowded when we arrived but the family next to us scooched over and made room for us. They were obviously seasoned veterans of the event and they showed us how to use the paper bag supplied to hold the candle.
As the sun set, we began singing the British version of many carols, aided by a men’s choir to keep us going. I loved all the traditional carols but I thoroughly enjoyed the “Calypso Carol” and a new one to me, “Mary’s Boy Child.” We could see the outline of Devil’s Peak by the moonlight and it was all so very lovely.
On the next day, Sunday, we met up with old college friends who are living and ministering in Cape Town, Arthur and Melissa Stewart. We met at the planetarium for a kids show, during which three out of four Dueck/Smith adults napped. The recliners were so comfy and it was nice and dark so it was little wonder a bit of shuteye happened. We toured the Natural History museum for a bit afterwards, giving the three Stewart kids a chance to ease into friendship with our boys. We returned to Arthur and Melissa’s home for a tasty braai and yummy salads. It was good to reconnect with them after so many years and to hear more about their ministry in South Africa for the last decade or so.
We had been told that the weather on top of Table Mountain is unpredictable so the first beautiful day there was, we should try to go to the top. Monday happened to be beautiful so we took advantage of the calm winds and blue sky to take the gondola to the top of this famous landmark.
There were several different trail options on the top and I confess that I got a bit confused on the distances and estimated times of the various hikes. We ended up going all the way to MacLear’s Beacon, 3 km across the top of the mountain, so that we were above Kirstenbosch Gardens where we were the night before. Some of the trail was near the edge of the cliff and that freaked the boys out. They didn’t use to be fearful but having watched many episodes of Bear Grylls in Man vs. Wild, they now know more things to be scared of in the wild. We ended up hiking for three hours instead of one but the views were tremendous. We paid for it though with sunburns showing up in the places we missed when sunscreening, stiff joints, and a bit of heat exhaustion. My parents aren’t spring chickens, and actually neither are Peter and I, so we were pretty tired by the time we came down the gondola.
Tuesday found us at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, catching the ferry to Robben Island. Again, the reading that the boys had done on Nelson Mandela came in handy. We drove by the limestone quarry where Mandela had worked, and the cave in the quarry where the prisoners would escape from the blinding sun.
They called the cave their “university” because it was there that they taught each other in many subjects, preparing for when they would be released. We saw Mandela’s cell and I had to chuckle when Jason wanted to know from the guide where Walter Sisulu’s cell was as well. Turns out it was six cells down from Mandela’s but I reckon there aren’t many seven year old muzungus inquiring after Walter Sisulu.
While Mom and I embarked on a short shopping excursion, Peter and Dad took the boys for a tour of the Green Point Stadium. For those of you who weren’t glued to the TV set in June/July 2010, this is the Cape Town football stadium, site of many World Cup football matches. The boys got to sit in the VIP seats, visited the locker rooms, walked through the tunnel where the players waited to enter the field, and even touched the grass! This was a highlight for the boys (as well as the McDonalds they got to eat prior to the tour), and they couldn’t figure out why Mom and I would choose shopping over that!
Wednesday morning we found the highly acclaimed Olympia Bakery in Kalk Bay. We loaded up with the most sumptuous fresh bread and many different kinds of pastries. Feeling exhausted from the activities of the past few days, we decided that a quiet day around home in Fish Hoek would benefit us all. My dad bought cheap boogie boards for the boys because we couldn’t rent them anywhere, and so the boys spent the afternoon in the waves. Peter stood guard, watching for sharks (not a real threat given how close the boys were to the shore but they were warned nonetheless). They returned shivering but elated. The water in False Bay is supposedly warmer than the Atlantic waters on the other side of the peninsula, but it was still cold nonetheless.
By Thursday, we ready to venture out once more. This time we drove south, to Cape Point on the end of the peninsula. Two capes jut out into the waters here, the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. It was around these points that Vasco de Gama sailed around a long time ago, in search of a trading route to the East. The cliffs and rocks, sandy coves, and turquoise water were all spectacular.
Cape of Good Hope
We all climbed up to the old lighthouse on the top of Cape Point. Then Peter and I hiked out to the farthest point on the Cape which was thrilling.
It isn’t the season for whales, usually they are in these waters between September and November, but I kept hoping that we would find a whale who had lost his way. And sure enough, we did get to spot a whale off the Cape, which was very exciting for all of us. We stopped by the canteen on the way to the car, hoping to find ice cream, something that was becoming a daily treat. But instead we found the best tortilla chips ever! I was in ecstasy the entire trip back to Fish Hoek as I devoured the tiny bag of chips. That is another item that is not available in Zambia, a real shame.
We stopped at Scratch Patch on the way home. This is a place where you can look through thousands of polished rocks, choosing the ones you like best. You pay by the bagful so we all had a wonderful time searching through the stones for the ones that caught our eye. It added a bit of weight to our luggage but the boys were thrilled. Dad bought a poster that helped them to identify the kinds of stones they had chosen: agates of different colors, Dalmatian stone, and Gold Tiger’s Eye, to name a few.
Peter and I decided to generously allow Mom and Dad more quality time with their grandkids, so we went on a date, leaving them to spoil the kids rotten. Peter and I walked down Jaeger’s Walk, a nice pathway along the cove near the tidepools. The first two options we tried for dinner were either closed or too busy. So we continued down the main street in Kalk Bay and happened on a joint called Tribeca Bakery. Apparently Tribeca is an area in New York City, so we ended up with the most scrumptious American meal. We ordered a Beef Burger with pesto and mozzarella, and a Chicken Burger with bacon, avocado and bleu cheese sauce, and then shared them both. It was served with crisp French fries, the way I like them, instead of the soggy, oily fries we usually find in Zambia. I’ll admit I am a French fries snob. But these ones passed the test with flying colors. It was all so delectable and Peter and I just stared at each other in amazement. Our monthly dates in Kitwe usually entails spicy Indian food, which I have grown to appreciate, but this was a welcome change.
We were back at Olympia bakery Friday morning, stocking up on bread and buns for the holidays when stores will be closed. They had the most delicious rye bread that reminded me of the “duona” we always ate in Lithuania.
Then we headed up the other side of the Cape Peninsula, enjoying the stunning views of the Atlantic on the Chapman’s Peak Drive. We ended up at the Two Ocean’s Aquarium, in time for the feeding of the African Penguins. The feeding of the manta rays and the giant turtle was next, but we didn’t get to see the shark feed since that only happens once a week on Sundays. It had been a long time since we had meandered through an aquarium, maybe the first time that Jason can remember, and we enjoyed learning about the creatures of the seas.
Amazingly enough, we were able to enjoy a splendid Christmas without one bit of tinsel or any other holiday decorations. I had brought the boys’ stockings along from home and had filled them with little goodies. Jason had been given strict instructions that he had to wait until 6 a.m. before digging into it. He was counting down the minutes, having gotten up even earlier than that. We enjoyed a special breakfast with real bacon, eggs, pastries from the bakery and cantaloupe. Our vacation in Cape Town was our big Christmas gift, but there were a few others that fit into our suitcases, from family members who had sent them along with Mom and Dad. That didn’t take too long so we revived an old Dueck family tradition and spent some time giving each other “verbal gifts” or affirmations. When we were growing up, our Christmas pictures were always filled with one or more of us crying, with tissues in our hands, touched by the kind words of other family members. This year was no different and a few more tears were shed.
I had the brilliant idea of a Christmas Picnic with Penguins that was better in theory than reality. Our MCC colleagues, the Moellers, were also vacationing in Cape Town then, so we arranged to meet at Boulders Beach, where a colony of African penguins live and breed. The penguins were adorable but we were a bit disappointed that we had to remain up on a wooden walkway separated from the birds. We had enjoyed a break from the Southeaster, a strong wind also known as the Cape Doctor, but it was back in full force. We crawled over big boulders (hence the name) to get away from all the other people in the small cove nearest the parking lot, trying to find a secluded spot to picnic. We managed to get away from most of the people, even with a bit of shade, but there was no getting away from the wind. Our sandwiches were quite gritty from all the sand blowing over our picnic but a little dirt can’t hurt, right? A few penguins meandered by us, doing the cute little hop that I find so endearing. So we got close to a few after all.
As Fish Hoek is quite close to Boulders Beach, we all came back to our place and while Dad and the women took a break from being windblown, Peter and Jonathan took the kids to the beach. They spent some time boogie boarding but mostly worked together on a sandcastle. Jonathan came back with his hair standing up like a troll doll, which I found rather amusing. After showers that left the bottom of it with more sand than was on the beach, the Moellers left and we enjoyed an evening of games, like a dice game called Zilch that Mom and Dad taught the boys and which we can all enjoy together.
Just before bed, we were able to Skype with my brother and his family in Fresno, another thing we haven’t managed to do in Zambia due to the pathetic internet connection we have at MEF. We were even able to use the video and see all the cousins. It was so good to catch up with all of them and to laugh a lot. Kevin and Rhonda are both very funny, and that isn’t just because we are suckers and will laugh at anything after experiencing little laughter in Kitwe (which is true), but they really are humorous people.
Sunday was our last day in Cape Town and already the night before I had started to feel depressed. I remember seeing a client many years ago who told me she was feeling depressed after returning from a fabulous vacation in Europe. At the time, I was several months pregnant with our first baby, Nathaniel, who we had been told would probably die. She took one look at my swollen belly and decided that depression over a finished vacation seemed insignificant in the face of my loss. Now I could place myself in her shoes and I could relate to feeling depressed that a great vacation was coming to an end. We took a last walk on the beach, the boys got their last backrubs from Grandma while I read a few more chapters of our family book. Mom was disappointed that she won’t hear the end of the book with us so I took her aside and gave her the lowdown. I was worried the suspense might kill her. She says she will still check out the book from the library when she returns and finish it on her own. One last game of Zilch and UNO and then it was time for Peter to take Mom and Dad to the airport. We were flying out early the next morning, back to Zambia, but Mom and Dad were catching a night flight to China, where they will spend the next few weeks yet before going home. Our goodbyes were not tearful though, knowing we will see each other again in only six months time. While the boys watched DSTV for three hours (yes, I am a negligent parent), I took advantage of the high speed internet to upload a few photos for this blog. Then I made one last trek to the grocery store to stock up on pretzels and tortilla chips to take back with us in our carry-on luggage.
So now we are back in Kitwe and fighting hard to keep a positive attitude, but it isn’t easy. It took two or three times as long to let the Zambians and permit holders through customs at the airport than all the foreigners. The potholes have gotten worse in the rainy season, making driving a bit hard on the car. We arrived home to find a gang of kids on our porch, which could be construed as a welcome party but Peter and I didn’t experience it that way. Shopping at the market was muddy and smelly and Shoprite didn’t have many of the things on my list. These weren’t exotic items but basics like butter, carrots and buns. MEF is having water issues which means we have water issues. Peggy missed a week of work while we were away due to malaria and a funeral. You may remember that her sister’s boy died of a snake bite earlier this year. Now that same sister had a baby who died of pneumonia. She has only one child left. Heartbreaking.
But if I focus on the positive, which is very arduous work right now, there are a few things I am excited about. While in Lusaka, we met with our friend Issa who has been laying the groundwork for Peter and I to conduct Peace workshops at Meheba Refugee Camp. Peter will teach a one week course on Conflict Transformation and then I will do a week of Trauma Awareness and Counseling. This is something that Issa and I have dreamed of doing for several years now but funding was always an issue. But MCC has provided us with a grant to carry out this peacebuilding effort and we are very thankful. While in Lusaka we had to take our documents to the Ministry of Home Affairs in order to get special permission to enter the camp. Foreigners are not readily admitted, which Issa says the authorities fear human rights violations may be reported. But our meeting took all of ten minutes and it looks like it will all work out. This is due to Issa’s hard work ahead of time, meeting with government officials in the camp and with UNHCR and the lady who is second in command at the Ministry office. When we thanked Issa for all the preparatory work he did, he replied, “Noah began building the ark long before it started to rain. That is one thing I have learned from Westerners.” Unusual but nice. Peter leaves for his workshop in a week and I will go on January 17, the week after him.
We are also anticipating a trip back to South Africa in February. We have been invited to work with MCC Swalesa (Swaziland, Lesotho, and South Africa) in the area of peacebuilding. Peter will be leading a workshop with community leaders on peacebuilding and non-violence in Pietermaritzburg. Elections are coming up later this year and there is some worry that they will not remain peaceful. So Pastor Jabulani (who came to API last year) is eager to begin educating in the area of peace prior to these elections. I will be working with a school to get Peace Clubs launched and then we will travel up to Swaziland where I will conduct a training on Trauma Awareness and Counseling with HIV caregivers. So these are exciting things to look forward to and when I focus on these opportunities, I start feeling better!
1 comment:
What a great vacation! Thanks for describing it so well.
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