Postings from Pretoria #39

31 August 2010

Hello there... Rodger French here.

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“ZA Flora 2”

Since we’re outta here in two days, I daresay it’s appropriate to comment on some things I will miss about South Africa and some things I will not. No deep contemplation and/or meaningful sociological revelations here; just a few quotidian items for your consideration.

YES – Pretoria Weather

Pretty perfect all year round, seldom too hot, cold, or humid. Just lovely. And the thunderstorms are wicked awesome.

NO – Home Security

Six keys to get in the front entrance, four to get in the back (not counting the garage door), and don’t even get me started on the psychotic electronic alarm system. Plus, ten additional interior locks, multiple panic buttons, and a safe haven. Enough already!

YES – Lynnwood Housewives Market

A ten minute walk up the road, this is a classic green grocer chock full of fresh produce, fruits, and other goodies. And it’s adjacent to the Groenkloof Slaghuis (butcher shop), the source of a perfect Saturday morning breakfast: A large boerwors (spiced beef sausage) cooked on the braai (BBQ) and served on a soft roll with grilled onions, mustard, and chilli sauce. Pure culinary ecstasy for R16.

NO – Minibus Taxis

Whenever I drive, I automatically assume that any taxi I see is going to pull some crazy shit, like, stopping for no apparent reason, hanging a U-turn at a busy intersection, or passing on the sidewalk. Taxis are also regularly involved in horrendous accidents resulting in multiple fatalities. Taxi driving is a tough gig; I respect that, but WTF. And it doesn’t help their reputation when some drivers in Joburg take potshots at the new Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicles, which they view as unfair competition.

YES – Locally Employed Staff (LES)

As a member of the Embassy Temp Pool, I spent a month filling in as Mailroom Supervisor and developed a very friendly relationship with the South Africans employed there. We made a good team and I will miss working with them. This applies to other LES as well; having worked six different Embassy jobs, I can testify that they keep the place going.

NO – Julius Malema

President of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL): A corrupt, thuggish, adolescent (at 29 years of age) Robert Mugabe wannabe. Sometimes called the “Sarah Palin of South Africa,” he too has vociferous, often vitriolic, followers, makes demagogic pronouncements, and is catnip to the media. Unlike Palin, however, this bozo could conceivably become president of his country.

YES – Madam & Eve (www.madamandeve.co.za)

A syndicated comic strip about a white madam and her black maid, “Madam & Eve” is topical, goodhearted, and very funny. I have gleaned quite a bit about life and race relations in South Africa from it and now rank it among my favourite strips along with “Bloom County,” “The Boondocks,” “Calvin and Hobbes,” “Dilbert,” “Doonesbury,” and “The K Chronicles.”

NO – Strikes

I am all in favor of unions and have no doubt that most South African workers should be getting a better deal. In addition, worker actions had a decisive role in the dismantling of apartheid and are rightly considered an honoured part of South African history.

That said, the number of strikes we’ve witnessed since arriving in September 2008 is simply amazing. They include: Public service workers (shutting down schools and hospitals), transport workers (affecting all rail and port operations), trade union workers (ditto, World Cup construction projects), municipal workers (including rubbish collectors - who also ripped off our rubbish bin), bus drivers, taxi drivers, auto workers, communications workers, metalworkers, mineworkers, doctors, police, and even soldiers.

YES – The Southern Cross

As seen from Cape Town… and Montusi, and Oudtshoorn, and Namib-Naukluft… and our front yard. We’re a long way from where we started.

Anne and I have had a memorable tour in South Africa and are keen to return someday. For now, thank you for your kind attention and stay tuned for “Dispatches from DC,” coming sooner or later. Be well.

Onward.

Rodger

Postings from Pretoria #38

13 August 2010

Hello there... Rodger French here. Still.

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“Cape Town/Table Mountain” “Garden Route” “Garden Route 2” “Klein Karoo”

Longish Posting Alert: Our excellent Western Cape adventure continues.

Day 5 – About that fog… geographically, the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma mountains separate the verdant Garden Route from the arid semi-desert Klein (“Little”) Karoo. So, depending on temperature and prevailing winds… Voila! Le fog. But we persevered and so made our way to Mossel Bay, which was first “discovered” by Bartolomeu Dias, a Portuguese explorer, in 1488. A museum dedicated to this momentous event includes an actual full-size and seaworthy replica of the caravel Dias arrived in. (It’s amazing how small those vessels actually were.)

Making our way through a twilight zone of fog and roadwork, we arrived at Wilderness, where Anne had booked yet another fabu beachfront accommodation. A walk on the beach, some Italian food, and surf sounds for sleeping. Nice.

Day 6 – Since we were staying two nights in Wilderness, we had a day to tool around, starting with a drive to Plettenberg Bay, an upscale vacation/retirement haven for people with boatloads of loot. Then we went to Knysna (“nize-nah”), a former timber port and shipbuilding center. To enter the harbour, one must navigate a narrow passage at “The Heads,” an extremely dangerous proposition for any sizable vessel. The views, however, are splendid. After lunch (including some of the famous and very tasty Knysna oysters), we hung around the waterfront until it was time to head into the woods.

The Wilderness National Park is not far, and we had our choice of easy or ridiculous hikes into an old growth forest. It being late in the day, easy seemed appropriate. The highlight of our stroll was “The Big Tree,” a majestic yellowwood estimated to be 800-900 years old. We paid our respects and made our way back to the beach in time for sunset.

Day 7 – Up, breakfast, and off to the Klein Karoo, with a brief stop to visit the Outeniqua Transport/Railway Museum in the town of George. (I love these places.) Then it was off to Oudtshoorn (roughly, “oot-shoorn) – “The Ostrich Capital of the World.” But first… a brief side trip to Cango Caves, some 30km up the road, where we had a choice of the “standard tour” (one hour, user friendly) or the “adventure tour” (three hours, lots of crawling and clambering about). One hour later, we emerged.

[Sidebar – For thirty years, concerts were held regularly in the large chamber, but had to be discontinued due to audience members vandalizing the caves in search of souvenirs. That’s just sad.]

Back in Oudtshoorn, we sought out Lugro Ostrich, a specialty leather shoppe, where we expressed curiosity as to why ostrich leather goods are so damned expensive. Our answer came in the form of a factory tour led by the proprietor, who offered technical explanations concerning the breeding, harvesting, and processing of these odd creatures and their hides. Our query satisfactorily answered, A.J. and I, not wanting to appear rude, purchased a couple of modest items.

Continuing the theme, we spent the evening at De Denne Guesthouse, located on a working ostrich farm owned by Louise and Johan Keller, a 4^th generation ostrich rancher. Our dinner featured ostrich steaks grilled on the braai accompanied by a zillion stars and the calls of male ostriches making romantic overtures; a sound very much like a roaring lion. What a great night.

Day 8 – We awoke to a clear, cold, and perfect dawn. After a short walk around the ranch, accompanied by Bruno the dog, we had breakfast and set off west on Route 62 Scenic Highway through the heart of the Klein Karoo and molto spettacolare scenario. At Montagu, a pleasant village on the edge of the Karoo, we happened upon a weekly community sale at the local church, where I encountered possibly the best sandwich ever: Grilled lamb, crusty bread, and spicy sauce, all homemade.

We continued on to the Jan Harmsgat Guesthouse, a 1723 vintage spread ensconced in the foothills of the mighty Langeberg mountains, where we were treated to a “sundowner” drive and tour of the new plantings (including 32,000 pomegranate trees) followed by a 5-course “slow food” banquet that lasted three and a half hours. Great food, great conversation, molto Italiana.

Day Last – The drive back to Cape Town started off quietly enough, but the unpredictable Cape weather soon engulfed us in showers and often torrential rain. We took heart, however, in seeing four complete rainbows along the way… or maybe it was the same rainbow encouraging us on… yeah, let’s go with that. Obviously, we made it back OK, returning to Pretoria to continue preparations for our move Stateside in September.

Anne and I have been most fortunate to be able to take advantage of this and the other touristic opportunities afforded us over the past two years. (We have already started compiling our “when we return to southern Africa” list.) But, well intentioned though these Postings are, they can offer but a superficial overview of these amazing journeys. A tasting, if you will.

When we meet again, I’ll tell you more, perhaps over a bottle of South African wine.

Onward.

Rodger

Postings from Pretoria #37

10 August 2010

Hello there... Rodger French here.

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“Cape Town/Table Mountain” “Garden Route” “Garden Route 2” “Klein Karoo”

Regular readers of these postings are doubtless aware that Anne and I will be leaving South Africa on 02 September to serve the next two years in the greater Washington, DC environs. I am shocked (and stunned) to realize that our two years in ZA have passed so quickly and that there are so many places we wanted to see but could not schedule time for.

Fortunately, A.J. was on the case, and organized (with a fair degree of assistance from moi) a final, stupendous, and awesomely grand 8-day tour of Cape Town, the Garden Route, and the Klein Karoo. Photoz are available, natch.

Day 1 – Flew to Cape Town in a fully booked 737 (“Cattle Car of the Sky”) and arrived to cool, foggy, and windy weather, typical for this time of year. We rented a car, checked into a nice apartment in the City Bowl neighborhood and set out on foot for the Natural History Museum, where we took in a fascinating exhibit about South African dinosaurs. Then we went to dinner and discussed plans for what to do in Cape Town in the fog.

Day 2 – Naturally, we awoke to no fog and calm winds. Only one thing to do: Cruise up to Table Mountain for a tram ride to the summit - along with busloads of Chinese monks, Indian families, and other assorted fellow foreigners, including Halle Berry. Really. (She’s very petite and gorgeous in person, by the way.) Anyway, the views from Table Mountain are even more magnificent than Ms. Berry, and Anne and I were thrilled that we finally made it to the top. It would have been a great regret to miss out on that.

Afterwards, we went to the waterfront, had an overpriced, but excellent sushi lunch, and visited the National Sea Rescue Institute shoppe one last time. Then off we went to the South African National Gallery to take in some art. All in all, a very full, very fine last day in Cape Town. And, at the risk of repeating myself: If you ever have a chance to visit Cape Town, GO.

Day 3 – The fog was back as we made our way up the eastern coast to Hermanus, the epicenter for watching migrating Southern Right Whales. A.J. arranged accommodation on the water near the Cliff Walk, which was ideal for whale spotting. It being the off-season, there were far fewer whales (and attendant tourists) about, but we still observed several during our walk into town, including a female and her five day-old calf. Kind of wondrous. That evening we ate supper in and slept to the sounds of the surf.

Day 4 – Up early for breakfast and another cliff walk (and another mother-calf sighting) before heading to Cape Agulhas, “The Southernmost Tip of Africa.” Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope are more spectacular (and almost as far south), but it was very pleasant to spend time in what is still basically an undiscovered place.

[Sidebar - The lighthouse at Cape Agulhas was built in 1848. According to official records, there are 124 shipwrecks within an 80 km radius, dating from 1672-1990.]

Being conscientious tourists, we toured the lighthouse museum, climbed to the top, and ate a fine seafood lunch in the tea room. It was a beautiful day in a beautiful place. But we had to get up the road, so it was onward past yellow fields of canola and several long stoppages for road repair to Swellendam, where we passed an altogether uneventful night in the fog.

More soon.

Rodger

Postings from Pretoria #36

12 July 2010

Hello there... Rodger French here.

World Cup Report #Last

When South Africa was awarded the 2010 World Cup, many observers were skeptical as to whether an African nation was ready to host such a massive undertaking. In addition, more than a few South Africans were asking, with justification, whether hosting a ginormous sporting event was worth the expense and disruption when the country faces so many seemingly intractable problems. One day after conclusion, that remains a very open question.

The fact is, however, that South Africa has pulled it off with great respectability and should be heartily commended. Not that everything went flawlessly. People were displaced by stadia construction. Local businesses and vendors were shut down by closures and FIFA edicts. Major transportation SNAFUs occurred, much to the detriment of many ticket holders. And while there were no reported World Cup-related deaths or serious injuries, the crime situation remained problematic, with many tourists – and more than a few players - falling victim to theft. But overall, it must be said – again – that the 2010 World Cup was a great success. I miss it already.

In particular, the actual futbol matches. I took in at least part of all 64 matches and watched the entirety of a couple dozen; that’s more futbol in one month than I’ve seen or am likely to see… well, ever. I feel I’ve developed an appreciation of the game and the tremendous skill and stamina required to play at such a high level. And I believe the best team won. Spain has a very technical and graceful style and, IMHO, deserves to be champs. (Personally, I think the Spain-Germany semi-final was one of the best sporting matches – of any kind - I’ve ever witnessed.)

[Sidebar - I will never forget the consummate grief I felt when Ghana failed to advance to the semis due an egregious (though allowable) violation by Uruguay and a missed penalty kick. That one I lost sleep over. But the Ghanaians, who were shouldering the futbol hopes of Africa, responded with great grace and credited themselves immensely.]

I will also miss coming into the Embassy in the morning and getting into random conversations about the previous days matches with everyone in sight. It seems a cliché, but individuals (and pretty much the whole nation, I believe) really did find some common ground, however briefly, over a simple game. It is a good feeling to try to hang on to as we suffer through the inevitable period of futbol withdrawal.

[Spurious World Cup Notes – Official Edition]

Official Song – “Waka Waka,” an inoffensive ditty made immeasurably more tolerable when performed onstage by Shakira. But then, everything goes better with Shakira.

Official Dance – The “Diski” dance, which you’ve never heard of because it was (a) devised by professional dancers, (b) consisted of 25 separate moves, and (c) could only be performed by professional dancers. Think “Electric Slide” on steroids. Not a big hit.

Official Mascot – “Zakumi,” a stuffed leopard with green hair imported by the zillions from our Chinese overlords.

And, courtesy of the good ol’ USA:

Official Beer – Budweiser. (Sigh.) I know money talks, but with a world of actual good beer to choose from…

Official Soft Drink – …speaking of soda pop, it’s Coca-Cola.

Official Unhealthy Fast Food – Say it with me: McDonalds

And the best, thoroughly unofficial T-shirt slogan of the 2010 World Cup: “FICK FUFA.”

Onward.

Rodger

Postings from Pretoria #35

27 June 2010

Hello there... Rodger French here.

World Cup Report #2

Speaking as a formerly casual but currently dedicated-if-not-obsessed follower of the 2010 World Cup, the last 15 days or so have been pretty darned interesting.

USA! USA! USA! - A.J. and I scored tickets to the USA-Algeria Group C match at Loftus Versfeld here in Pretoria, and it was thrilling. This was the first (and possibly last) futbol match of any kind I’ve ever attended and we surely got our money’s worth. Both teams played well, the refs were pretty consistent, and our seats (lower level, smack on the goal line) provided us with a splendid view of Landon Donovan’s winning stoppage time goal.

[Sidebar: The vuvuzelas weren’t as overwhelming as we anticipated, although we took earplugs with us to mitigate the buzz. I wore them but, strangely, Anne, whose ears are much more sensitive than mine, didn’t.]

USA! USA! US… oh –The Americans, unfortunately, had a less than stellar effort against Ghana, the lone African nation still in contention, in the Round of 16 (“Win or go home.”). I confess to conflicting loyalties here, since I really do like Team USA, but also have a great fondness for Ghana, our home for two years. Bottom line: The Yanks were outplayed by the Black Stars, who now carry the futbol hopes of an entire continent as they advance to meet Uruguay in the quarter finals. Viva Ghana!

Speaking of Big-Ass Continents – My dream of an all-Korea final is in tatters. Only Japan still stands.

Viva América! – At this writing, the following teams from the Americas (Norte y Sur) are still in contention: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Viva Mexico!

And What of Europe? – England, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, and Spain remain. Italy and France, both former World Cup champs, are outta here, eliminated, let it be noted, in highly entertaining and dramatic fashion.

Celebrity Sightings – Vice President Biden and former President Clinton have been sighted at matches, and Biden actually popped by the Embassy. The impact of these visits on our lives, however, has been pretty minimal. And since Team USA is no longer a contender, the rumored visit of President Obama will not take place, much to the enormous relief of all US and ZA security officials.

Host Country - The South African team, Bafana Bafana (“The Boys The Boys”), failed to advance past the group stage, although they acquitted themselves with honour by bouncing France out of the tournament. In other news: Several hundred World Cup-related criminal incidents have been reported - none of them too serious, thankfully; the threatened strike by workers at Eskom (the electric company) has not materialized… yet; and fewer cars on the road has made driving in Pretoria almost enjoyable, not unlike Atlanta in 1996.

So… so far, so good. We’re hoping that the rest of the World Cup goes splendidly and that any major drama remains confined to the pitch. (Good luck with that.) Speaking as a newly minted-if-not-rabid futbol fan, I am still pulling for Ghana or some team other than the usual suspects to win the damn thing. Viva futbol!

Onward.

Rodger

Postings from Pretoria #34

13 June 2010

Hello there... Rodger French here.

World Cup Report #1

Finally… the 2010 FIFA World Cup is underway. This is the first time “The World’s Largest Sporting Event” (by its own admission) has been held on African soil, so this is a VERY BIG DEAL. We have been living with the preparation, the construction, and the hype since we arrived in South Africa some 21 months ago, so it’s a palpable relief to have this clambake actually begin. Finally.

I did not grow up with soccer (as it is known in the USA), so my knowledge of and appreciation for the intricacies of the game are unavoidably lacking. I am nonetheless a big fan of any sporting activity played well and have developed great respect for football (as it is known everywhere but in the USA). And so, in the spirit of international comity, here are a few potentially illuminating, if underinformed, observations to perchance help you through.

Futbol – American football is not football. Australian football is not football. (It’s not even comprehensible.) Only soccer is football, although I prefer “futbol”. Helps avoid confusion.

FIFA – The Fédération Internationale de Football Association is the international governing body of association football, with headquarters in Zürich. FIFA is responsible for the organization and governance of major international tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, first held in 1930. FIFA is also a soulless sports behemoth that rakes in billions of dollars in profits at the expense of local taxpayers, adversely impacts thousands of local businesses, and gives relatively little back to local communities. Not unlike the IOC, only more evil. And on steroids.

Root for North Korea – Only seven nations have ever won the World Cup - excuse me, the FIFA World Cup - and all of them are either European or South American. Enough. An all-Korean final is theoretically possible and would be wicked cool (official odds: not bloody likely), although, in the interest of requisite patriotic fervor, please note that Team USA is quite good and should go deep into the tourney. That said, I’m pulling for Ghana.

Drama on the Pitch – Since actual scoring occurs infrequently, if at all, any goal is necessarily fraught with emotion and high drama. I, however, am truly enthralled by the Wagnerian tendencies of many players to treat routine rough-and-tumble fouls as opportunities to reenact the death scene from “What’s Opera, Doc?”. Drama queens, indeed; and highly entertaining.

Make Some Noise – Futbol fanz are a noisy lot; some sing, some chant, some play drums. In South Africa, that sound you hear - the sound like a large hive of buzzing bees on steroids? – comes from tens of thousands of vuvuzelas. The vuvuzela is an inexpensive plastic trumpet, allegedly descended from the kudu horn*. Ubiquitous and unavoidable, they are loud enough to cause serious hearing damage. Anne and I will be attending exactly one match (USA vs Algeria) and we have already procured earplugs.

[Sidebar: *I say allegedly because I distinctly remember having one of these things, called a “blaster” if memory serves, when I was in high school.]

The Long View – 32 teams playing 64 matches at 9 stadia in 8 cities over 31 daze… We’re off to a good start and sincerely hope that South Africa can pull this off with as little off-field drama as possible. Keep a good thought sports enthusiasts, and I’ll keep you posted.

Onward.

Rodger

Postings from Pretoria #33

06 June 2010

Hello there... Rodger French here.

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“Kruger”

When we came to South Africa in September 2008, one of the first things we did was make “The List”; that being the places we wanted to visit during our all too brief tour in country. The first two were obvious: Cape Town and Kruger National Park. We’ve been to Cape Town several times, but simply hadn’t worked in Kruger until now. A.J. had, however, scheduled one last official visit to Swaziland (Postings From Pretoria #9), so we decided to extend that trip and drive to Kruger for a three-night stay.

We opted for a package deal, which included lodging, meals, and game drives, at Jock Safari Lodge, a small, very comfortable place located in the Park some 40km from the Malelane Gate, one of nine entrances. Kruger National Park (open to the public in 1927) is a very big place, encompassing some 18,989 sq km (7,332 sq mi), about the size of Israel. We wanted to see as much of it as possible in the course of five game drives.

[Sidebar: Jock Safari Lodge is named for a dog - that would be “Jock” – the subject of “Jock of the Bushveld”, written by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, an Englishman who spent considerable time in the South African bush. I actually read the book while in Kruger, and recommend it to anyone interested in what life was like – albeit from a White man’s perspective - in the Transvaal of the 1880s.]

Climatologically, we couldn’t have picked a better time to visit. It was a bit chilly for the morning (05h30) game drives, but we layered up. And since it’s the “off season”, the roads were not jammed with hoards of tourists (like us) equipped with cameras and binoculars, stopping whenever they spotted some animals doing what they do mostly: eat, sleep, and shit. And lots of it.

Our guide was James, a very capable young man who not only excelled at spotting game, but also at disseminating really interesting scientific factoids. I won’t try you with a blow-by-blow account of our explorations, but I have posted some photoz taken with my modest snapshot camera (someday… a proper zoom lens) and offer the following highlights.

Big Game – Saw The Big 5: Lion (a couple of young males considering taking on a buffalo), buffalo (giving the lions considerable pause), leopard (very shy and hard to find), rhino (white and the much rarer black), and elephant (several breeding herds); also giraffe, zebra, wild dog, hyena, kudu, wildebeest, bushbok, and the ubiquitous impala (or as the guides refer to them, “fast food.”)

“Ferrari Safari” – Some guides tend to zoom around the park looking for the big cats. James was, thankfully, not so inclined, except on one occasion, when we received reports of a young male leopard nearby. One very wild ride later, Anne and I spotted our first, and possibly last, leopard in the wild. We followed him as he descended from his perch in a marula tree to stalk a small herd of impala, until we lost him in the bush. Magnificent.

Deep Bushveld at Night – One of our evening drives found us deep in the bush after sunset. It was cold, dark, and damp… perfect. The bushveld can be a spooky place and one tends to hallucinate all sorts of possibilities in the headlights and searchlight waving back and forth. We spotted owls, nightjars, rabbits, and a porcupine, which was tremendously exciting. Seriously.

Colourful Birding – Grey-headed Parrots, Lilac-breasted Rollers, Brown-hooded Kingfishers, and Yellow-beaked Hornbills (my favourite bird in all the world). Stunning.

Jock-like Creatures – Specifically hyenas and wild dogs. These dogs are endangered; so finding a small pack was a bit special. They were very curious and mostly ran around doing dog-like things. The hyenas were equally curious, but kept trying to find something on the bushmobile to sink their teeth into; not a frivolous concern, since a hyena can bite through even very substantial tyres.

I would be remiss not to mention that we appreciated the efforts of the lodge staff (and tipped heavily) and thoroughly enjoyed the fine company of our fellow tourists, both on game drives and at mealtimes. All in all, I’d say that we took our best shot at Kruger and everything went swimmingly. Now we’re back in Pretoria and waiting for the 2010 World Cup to begin. Hang on.

Onward.

Rodger

Postings from Pretoria #32

18 April 2010

Hello there... Rodger French here.

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“Mboyti”

It is with mixed feelings that I report a general settling down around our house. The good news is, I’ve started to work again at the Embassy (in my sixth position there) and am enjoying having virtual money regularly appearing in my actual checking account. The sort-of-sad news is, our excellent excursions in Southern Africa are unavoidably winding down.

Not that we’re finished entirely, of course; but between preparing for (a) the World Cup coming to ZA in June and (b) our imminent departure to Washington, DC in September, serious touristic expeditions are inevitably going to be harder to arrange.

Our most recent trip, which took place over Easter weekend, was to the Mbotyi River Lodge in the Eastern Cape; which is, incidentally, the province where Nelson Mandela was born. We started out from Durban, where we rented a car, and proceeded on an epic drive through some of the most beautiful countryside we’ve yet seen: Rolling hills covered in sugar cane giving way to fields of maize, forests of eucalyptus, and tea plantations. Stunning. And epic, because of (a) less than ideal directions and (b) the fact that Easter weekend is when the roads in ZA are most crowded.

Indeed, we were stuck in traffic in the small towns of Flagstaff (really) and Lusikisiki, surrounded my throngs of people trying to board minibus taxis to take them to wherever. But apart from the strain of avoiding running down Kamikaze pedestrians, it was a pretty nice scene. Everyone was in fine holiday spirit, even at the petrol stop, where we were treated to the sound of a taxi full of ladies dressed in white spontaneously breaking into song.

The final part of the drive, scenery aside, was quite stressful: 20 km of VERY bad road, much of it in the dark. Our rental, a mid-size saloon car, performed admirably, albeit at an average speed of roughly 12 km (7.5 mi) per hour. But make it, we did; and in time for dinner.

[Sidebar: I sincerely regret that we were unable to take more photoz of the countryside, but photography was relegated to a distant 3^rd place behind my relentless scanning for potholes and A.J.’s probability-based navigating.]

The next morning, we were able to check out just where in the world we ended up. The Lodge overlooks 1km of beautiful Indian Ocean beach at the Mbotyi River tidal estuary in an area known as the Pondoland Wild Coast. It’s a beautiful place and a regular destination for families looking for sun, surf, and fishing. It being Easter, the joint was packed, making for a colourful cultural experience. The beach was ideal for strolling and the ocean perfect for splashing about. We even saw dolphins frolicking just beyond the breakers.

All in all, a very nice weekend, although we still had to drive back out the bad road on Easter Sunday and then make haste to Durban in order to avoid an extra day’s charge on the car. But make it, we did; and with (I kid you not) exactly one minute to spare.

[Special Sidebar - Durban Sports Notes: We got a good look at the new Green Point Stadium, built expressly for the FIFA 2010 World Cup. As stadia go, it is magnificent and will look terrific on the TV.

Also, you may not know that baseball is very popular in Durban, particularly within the Indian community. In fact, we drove by the McCarthy Toyota Baseball Park, which sports several diamonds and was packed with kids. Not playing cricket.]

Onward.

Rodger

Postings from Pretoria #31

28 March 2010

Hello there... Rodger French here.

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“Namibia” “Namibia: Sossusvlei”

Our Namibian adventure continues.

If you plan on traveling to Namibia, be forewarned: tourism there is a very expensive proposition and it is easy to spend beaucoup bucks, even with modest accommodations. We elected to go with an inclusive package deal through a company called African Extravaganza. Following a four and a half hour return drive from Walvis Bay to Windhoek, we immediately – and I mean within minutes - embarked on a four-hour drive to the Namib Naukluft Lodge, located in the Namib Naukluft National Park.

Also making the trip were Daniel and Sonia Harel, a lovely couple from Durban, and their daughter V, visiting from London. We all ended up sharing vehicles on several occasions, and they proved to be excellent traveling companions. The highlight of the drive was our transit over the Streetshoogte Pass, described in the brochures as “scenic and steep.” Yebo.

The Lodge is not fancy, but our room was perfectly fine and the food quite decent. No TV, no internet, no problem; the desert provides all the entertainment one could wish, and we had adequate shade and a nice breeze even during the hottest part of the day. Necessarily, organized activities took place in the mornings and evenings.

Morning 1: After breakfast, A.J. and I took a two-hour stroll amongst the rocks, accompanied by Princess, a very sweet and savvy border collie. Besides being good company, Princess knew her way around, so we were never in danger of losing the trail. Upon returning, we enjoyed some quality pool time before retreating from the sun.

Evening 1: Time for a “sundowner” drive to Marble Mountain to watch the sun set. I’m sure you’re all familiar with the whole “constantly shifting colors of the desert panorama” thing. It is a beautiful sight to see. After dinner, we settled in for the evening’s entertainment: pulling up a couple of chairs outside and taking in the Milky Way in all it’s glory, contemplating our cosmological insignificance.

We are so small.

Morning 2: Anne’s birthday, the 20^th anniversary of Namibian independence, and the big adventure on our schedule: a trip to Sossusvlei (“So-soos-vlay”) to see the dunes. The Namib Desert is over 55 million years old; the oldest on the planet, and the dunes are among the most photographed geological features on Earth. Still… the sight of sand dunes up to 320 km in height is wicked awesome. And climbing one barefoot in the desert heat (topping out at 43º C – that’s 109º F) is a serious reality check. (It was observed that the texture of the sand itself is trés exquisite.)

Escaping to a shady picnic area, we had a spot of lunch, at which we were joined by a small flock of sociable weavers and a cautious black-backed jackal, before heading back to the Lodge. This drive was to prove to be the “extra” in “African Extravaganza,” as our 4WD desert-touring vehicle developed a problem with one of its cylinders. Fortunately, our driver Michael was on the case and phoned for backup. So, with grand bonhomie, A.J., myself, the Harel family, and Michael limped along on three cylinders until the cavalry arrived. We made it back none the worse and immediately succumbed to the siren song of the swimming pool.

Evening 2: One last climb up to “Sunset Rock,” followed by dinner (Oryx Cordon Bleu) and a chorus of “Happy Birthday” to Anne from the staff ladies. Then it was off to view the Milky Way, catch a couple of shooting stars, and pack for the trip back to Windhoek and on to Pretoria.

This was, in all likelihood, our last trip to Namibia, although, just in case, we have already started another list of sights to see, including the Skeleton Coast, Caprivi Strip, and Fish River Canyon. Should I ever be fortunate enough to have another go at this remarkable country, I will not hesitate.

Onward.

Rodger

Postings from Pretoria #30

26 March 2010

Hello there... Rodger French here.

Photo Update Alert: http://picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

“Namibia” “Namibia: Sossusvlei”

When we first arrived in South Africa in 2008, A.J. and I made a list of places we wanted to visit during our two-year posting. Our record of touristic accomplishment is mixed, but I am extremely pleased to report that we have just returned from a week in one of our Top 5: Namibia; which is, IMHO, among the most physically beautiful places on Earth.

A bit of historical background: Namibians have suffered much torture and violence, notably at the hands of German colonizers (1884-1920). Following WW II, the League of Nations mandated what was then known as South West Africa to South Africa, which imposed their laws, including, after 1948, apartheid. Inevitable insurrection ensued and much black blood was spilled, but on 21 March 1990, the Republic of Namibia (Motto: “Unity, Liberty, Justice”) came into being. The German influence, however, is still pervasive, not least because of the large numbers of German tourists and retirees.

[Sidebar: Being of pink and blondish hues, I am often presumed to be an Afrikaner or German. I therefore make a point of identifying myself as an American as soon as possible when interacting with black Africans. This usually results in greater respect as well as lots of questions concerning immigration and President Barack Obama. I might have mentioned this before, but it bears repeating.]

This being a DOS bidness trip, we stayed two nights in the capital Windhoek (“Vind-hook”), a pleasant small city (and home to our current favourite beer, Windhoek Lager), then took off for the coast with several of A.J.'s colleagues to visit an American Corner in Walvis (“Valvis”) Bay, which is much more a working harbour than tourist mecca. Our hotel overlooked the Walvis Bay Lagoon, home to thousands of flamingos and the biggest f**king pelicans I have ever seen.

We also visited Swakopmund (“Swakopmund”), which is a very quaint town, and home to many of the aforementioned Deutsche pensionäre. Lunch was taken at a scenic restaurant at the foot of a lighthouse, where we were joined by three resident, and very well mannered, chickens. That evening, we dined at the Walvis Bay Yacht Club, where I scored some really excellent tourist loot. Anne and I were most reluctant to leave the coast, but we had to book it back across the desert to Windhoek, where transport awaited to take us to an altogether amazing place.

Onward.

Rodger