Capetown was great fun, and extraordinary to look at with Table Mountain looming over everything. Our ship docked at a wharf teeming with tourists and locals enjoying all the waterfront restaurants, shops and taverns. It felt just like a coastal city in the U.S. except for all the shops selling African souvenirs. We had a lovely Italian dinner there, and a fantastic Greek lunch. It doesn’t get any better than that. We started hiking up Table Mountain, but the wind was fierce and we stopped after 30 minutes. That was enough to get some exercise and good pictures. Our friends Warner and Nancy made it to the top, determined souls!
I worked on a Habitat for Humanity house one day with a group from the ship. The children playing all around were so sweet, to each other and us, very cute. They had made a go cart out of wheels from a baby stroller, a piece of re-bar (with a sharp point sticking out) scraps of wood and a plastic milk crate. They put various toddlers in the milk crate, then 2 more kids climbed on and several others pushed them down the road. It was priceless. The neighborhood had a lot of tin shacks, with outdoor toilets, but they were very proud of the Habitat homes. One family invited us in: the sofa took up the whole living room, there were no closets, but a roof to keep out rain, and real walls to keep out the cold and they were thrilled. It was an honor to get to work on the house, we helped get the whole roof on in one day. Many hands…
We had learned about the Truth and Reconciliation Committee so instrumental in resolving racial conflict after Apartheid. It was an extraordinary endeavor, and things would have been much worse without it. Nevertheless, friction remains. There is a huge new stadium for the World Cup in Soccer next month. The CEO of Oracle bought a yacht and docked it near where we were docked, so that he would have a place to stay when he came to watch soccer. (see pictures) Next day: Safari!
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