My Favorite Things

Afternoon tea in the office

My favorite part of the day at the Pink House is the afternoon.  The soup kitchen has finished serving the clients, the workshops and other activities are over and it’s quiet inside the building.  In my office, the breeze blows through the barred windows and flutters the thin discolored curtains. One block away, children begin to wander out of the Ukanyo primary school and their voices carry their Xhosa language and laughter through the streets.

 

Nosi, Derek and Lifa

I enjoy conversations with Derek, the dedicated caretaker; Lifa, the Zimbabwean refugee; Nosibobalo, (“Nah-see”) my “adopted” Xhosa daughter; and the many other interesting and diverse people that cross my path on a weekly basis. In November, I met an 8-year old girl named Lisa.  She wandered into my office one afternoon and we become fast friends.  She is a delight – we laugh and share activities together, including our recent visit to the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, along with Nosi and her daughter,  Siema.

Parking lot attendants – friendly and helpful.

I like the guys from Masiphumelele that have created jobs by organizing themselves into parking attendants covering every area possible.  Wearing yellow vests, they indicate where parking is available, help you with your shopping cart, load your car, and provide guidance as you back out of your space.  First and foremost, they prevent theft and in return for their services, each driver gives them 5 rand — equivalent to about 60 cents.

Similarly, when you go the gas station, you get full service – just like the old days in the U.S.  The attendants pump your gas, clean your windshield, and check the water, oil and tires.  I feel quite spoiled – for this service, I give them 10 or 20 rand.

Full service means FULL service…

My doctor’s office is in his home.  When I go to him for an appointment, there is no wait time.  You are called at the exact time of your appointment on the dot.  The only staff is the receptionist and paperwork is minimal.  The doctor is thorough, kind and knowledgeable.  The cost for a visit is about $25.00.

Due to the minimal existence of major industrial sites, the air in southern Africa is always clean and fresh.  Gentle to strong winds blow over the cape peninsula keeping the humidity low most of the time.

I love the way the mountains sweep down to

Kommetjie Lighthouse, Atlantic Ocean

the small towns – Noordhoek, Kommetjie, and Scarborough on the west coast, and Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek, and Simon’s Town on the east coast, along the curve of False Bay.  I love the extraordinary beauty of Cape Point with its lush vegetation, especially the proteas and fynbos that grace the landscape.  The walk on Longbeach or on the Kom down to the Kommetjie lighthouse is always inspiring.

The overwhelming number of sunny days brings all the colors of the landscape, houses, and shops into sharp focus against the dark shade of the trees.  The sky is a startling cerulean blue and perfect foil to the bright blooms that grow along high fences and walls. The sky is crystal clear on most nights and without the interference of ambient light, the stars are brilliant, twinkling like tiny diamonds against midnight blue.   At every phase, the glowing moon is sharply outlined above the sea and as it moves across the sky to hover over the mountains.

Dogs running through the surf with their owners, the guinea fowl pecking away under a tree, the occasional baboons wandering along Kommetjie Road, and the flamingos wading in the Kom…the sound of ocean waves, orange glow of sunsets, the mist rolling down the mountains and settling in smokey wisps throughout the valley, and the hint of wood smoke in the evening air…these are a few of my favorite things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has been several months since I’ve posted from South Africa…thank you for continuing to follow me – despite my procrastinating ways.