Endings & Beginnings

The view from Boyes Drive towards Muizenberg on the way to Kalk Bay is quite splendid. As the road twists and meanders down towards the sea there are benches at every turn entreating you to spend a moment of your time so that they may gently reveal what they gaze at during their lifetime. We decide not to accept their invitation but instead be brave and on two legs instead of sitting, we stand at the top, the smell of the ocean filling our heads making us quite giddy and light-headed. We look in amazement at the scenery below.


In Kalk Bay, (you guessed right, one of my favourite places) we head straight for (you guessed right again) hot, crispy fish and chips...loads of it as the portions are in no way mean. We eat and observe the people, the tourists, the gulls (ever-fighting for morsels), the rocks with the waves splashing over them. It is peacefully chaotic as people buy and find a spot and eat and chat and look.

We walk around the street and go into all the little boutiques with their trendy, up-to-the-minute clothes and bags and jewellery and hats and scarves. They play music in the background that fits the mood and we immerse ourselves fully in a gloriously tactile experience, surrounded by the modes of the moment

We find a shop with old books and an arty-looking, bald man sitting at the back surrounded by the semi-precious gem stone jewellery that he makes. He sits and sings to himself as his fingers tie another knot or thread another bead. He seems content and happy and chatty and is not shy to tell us all about himself and what he does and why.

Later, tired out, we sit and have a beer overlooking a sea that will soon be dark and mysterious lit only by moonlight and witnessed silently by mountains and a few now full and sleepy gulls.

It has been another exceptional day with my daughter and we both realise that I will be going home soon and we will have to say goodbye for a little while.

On a moonlit night in the city bowl, before I leave Cape Town for the second time, I sit alone and ponder over how life has changed, creating many endings, yet how the seed of envisaging a new life was sewn on my first trip and how it took root on my second when Tony and I realised that we love the Cape and that we could joyfully begin a new life here. What will be will be.

Hout Bay a Fisherman & a Painter

When going to Hout Bay from the city bowl you can choose to go via Kirstenbosch and Constantia or via Camps Bay. Both drives are equally scenic and beautiful, one green and one blue. Driving through Constantia there are old massive trees towering above you almost right along that drive and the road climbs for quite a while before it goes down to sea level at Hout Bay. As you go up you catch sparse glimpses of the Constantia valley below which reveals itself between foliage, branches, trunks and twigs and the Kirstenbosch mountains looming above on the other side. It feels as though you're travelling through thick green forests and with the window of the car open the smells are rejuvenating, fresh and ionised. I felt that if my lungs could speak they would shout a joyful 'thank you' for all that health-giving oxygen. I breathed and breathed and breathed.

Going via Camps Bay is a totally different experience of high, winding roads overlooking a great expanse of seemingly eternal, continually changing ocean, horizon and sky. Exhilarating! Then past Camps Bay there are little, yet exclusive and luxurious (and frightfully expensive) coastal suburbs all along the way to Hout Bay.

Cathy and I drove there via Camps Bay and we decided to stop in Llandudno as she had not been there either. Llandudno is another exclusive, luxurious beach-house suburb right on the ocean with each house built high up to maximise the uninterrupted views of the sea and it's myriad of moods. Someone told me that Cliff Richard has a house there, don't know if it's true. The beach at Llandudno seems to go on forever, and because there are no shops in Llandudno, seems to attract less people. The way down to the beach is a green tunnel with a little path, very quiet, and as it was very misty there that day, quite eerie. The misty beach was grey as was the sea and the houses could just be seen between swirls of mist, quite enchanting. We walked along the beach for a while but soon wanted to get back to the car as we were both feeling a little unsettled by the sheer quietness and mistiness of the place.


After the mist, clouds and stormy weather at Llandudno, we arrived to a brilliant blue sky in Hout Bay, and that's what Cape Town is all about, change, change, change. Before exploring, looking and wandering around we needed food. So, off we went to the second best fish and chip place in Cape Town (first is Kalk Bay, but my opinion only!) Overlooking the sea and rocks you eat your fish and chips from a paper packet at a wooden table with opportune, screaming seagulls hovering over you, very, very close, to try and snatch whatever they can, fingers included! We were however very good at keeping our lunch safe and gobbled up every morsel. They didn't get anything from us!

Others though were more giving and sharing and even went so far as to hold out their food to the gulls most unselfishly

Tummies full and feeling content we strolled around a bit and then walked to the jetty to look at all the fishing boats. There was a shirtless fisherman on one of the boats fixing his nets and when I asked whether he'd mind if I took a picture of him. He asked if he should put his shirt on and I quickly replied: "no, no, don't worry", wanting to have an authentic picture of him but then feeling a bit embarassed by my seeming keenness to have him topless. Oh well, life is full of misunderstandings!

We had our portraits sketched by a long-haired, rather grubby but interesting-looking man wearing tatty clothes. We all chatted while he was drawing us and he turned out to be a singer and martial artist. The drawing though was awful and he'd drawn us so that we both looked exactly alike except that he'd added a few lines around my eyes and mouth and made my hair straight, but although we thought that he probably should stick to singing and doing martial arts, it was fun to have our picture done.

Then, as the day aged and feeling tired and 'walked out', we headed back to the car and looked forward to the drive back. We both felt that it was a priviledge to have such beautiful places to go to whenever you feel like it.

We went home feeling happy and blessed.

Conversations with Dog

At home we get ready for a week of house, dog, cat and turtle sitting at our best friends' house. We sleep over so that we can all get up at 5am so they can set off early to miss the traffic.

When they have left, Oscar looks up at me with sad eyes and asks: "so where'd they go this time, when will they be back?"
I reply with crossed fingers and toes and a serious face: "they won't be long!"
He looks long and hard at me and I hear him muttering to himself: "liar!"

I pretend not to hear and carry on with my unpacking. He sits at the gate, waiting patiently for them to return.

A couple of hours later, getting sick of waiting, he comes in and looks at me earnestly and asks hopefully: "are we going for my 5pm walk or what? If you don't take me I won't stop licking this cushion and it will get all wet and soggy!"

"Of course we're taking you" I reply assuringly, "go fetch your lead!"

With that he is off to where his lead is kept on a hook and Tony takes it down and gives it to him. He immediately takes it in his mouth, sort of tripping over it as he walks and follows us to the gate where we put his lead on and then all go for our 5pm walk and he is happy and content. Later on we throw his ball for him a couple of times so that he can retrieve it and bring it back, he loves it and smiles all the while.

Then it's time for bed and I have the priviledge of sharing a bed with him and listening to him snore all night. He sleeps in the hollow of a rolled up blanket next to me and every now and again during the night, lifts his head to check that I'm still there.

The next morning, tea calling me from the kitchen, I get up leaving Oscar to lie in.

"Are you getting up already?" he exclaims unbelievingly, "you're mad, I'm gonna sleep some more." And he does...till 9am, when he can't hold it any longer and just has to go out for a pee.


Later on we decide we need groceries and a cup of coffee at the Organic Market down the road, and start getting ready.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asks sounding shocked, then in a soft little voice he whispers: are you going to leave me alone? How long will you be gone?"
Again I reply, this time truthfully: "Won't be long!"

I wait for another sarcastic comment, but there is silence, just a sad, sorrowful, brown-eyed, tear-jerking look.Then in an indignant way and with a huge sigh he stammers: "ok, then I'll just have to sit on this couch till you get back!"

Guilt-ridden, we set off for our coffee, knowing full well that we can't be too long when there's a brown angel waiting for us, needing us and wanting to give us so much love.

As the sun sets on the horizon, everyone is happy. Oscar is content sitting behind me on the couch, Snappy the turtle is full in her pond after having a good meal and Prince looks at me as if to say: "Don't worry, all is well and I'm now going to sleep."

And yes, all IS well.

The Mount Nelson for the Second Time

When my family and I arrived from France on the 'Athlone Castle', and before coming up to Johannesburg, we stayed at the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town. I was 6 years old and I have always remembered a large, pink, comfortable building and a sedate and restful room , lots of trees and greenery and many, many squirrels scampering about. I also remember my Mom buying me a book of paper dolls and clothes to cut out, probably to keep me busy and out of her (and others') hair! It was a very nice book! I loved it!

Now on my visit to Cape Town last May, it coincided with Mothers' Day, and Cathy had planned a lavish treat for me. Firstly she took me to Company's Gardens to walk around and to open the appetite! It was full of nosy, fearless, impetuous squirrels almost coming to sit on your lap to beg for food. After loving watching their theatrical antics we walked to the Mount Nelson Hotel, just across the road, for 'afternoon tea'! How dandy! I was thrilled! I did remember it a bit, but not much, I remembered the 'pinkness' and the 'greenness' of it, and the comfortable ease of the whole place. It just felt right when I was 6 and still does 'a few years later'. Tee Hee! We began our afternoon feast sitting outside on the terrace overlooking lush, well-tended gardens, then retired to the lounge to finish gorging in large, body-hugging, soft armchairs. We ate like little piglets. There was such a choice of delicious, well-presented, tempting goodies to choose from, savoury and sweet, from small tasty little quiches to melt-in-the-mouth cakes, puddings and trifles with dollops of fresh cream, and tea, coffee, hot chocolate, whatever you fancied, served by a long-serving, chatty, giggly, old, coloured waiter, ready to chat and laugh at every opportunity. I look back gratefully on a lovely chap, lovely place, lovely food, lovely company, lovely day.

Treading Lightly

With the thought in mind that we are going to be packing and moving, we have once again looked through all our possessions and ruthlessly selected and kept only what we regularly use and what we need. The rest was sold, given away or thrown away. It feels good, it feels light, it feels 'out of my head' and 'off my back'.

I realise that having little yet having all you need is great abundance.

When Tony came back to South Africa he arrived with two small boxes and his bicycle. One box had clothes (few) and the other had tools. Now that is minimalism! He has since accummulated a few more bits and pieces, but few. I love a minimalist interior with simple lines and few but comfortable pieces.

Some dream pictures of simple lines and contemplative spaces.

Nala 'wiggle rump', an angel-dog

Nala is an Australian shepherd, with no tail as is supposed to be, and when she wags, she wags her rump in lieu of her tail, hence Tony's nickname for her, Nala wiggle rump. She is sweet and adoring, affectionate and very perseverant when walk time is near. I only know two dogs and they are both so different yet so loving, that it makes me sure they are special entities put on earth to help us and make our lives happier and easier. They are angel entities.

Nala pads softly into my room, sits and looks at me. Her soft brown eyes dig deeply into my soul and I wait in anticipation for her to say something. But only her eyes talk and she says: "Come on, put your shoes on, it's my time now!"

Not getting much action from me, she tries Cathy a little more persistently: "Hey, Mom, stop doing unimportant things, it's walk time, that's important."

Realising that she is not going to let up, we down our tea, get dressed, put sun cream on, shoes on, and still sleepy-eyed finally head towards the door where her lead is kept. Cathy takes the lead to put on her, and for her, that is the sign that her walk is definitely on and she goes a bit crazy with excitement. After a few tries to quiet her and get her out of her barky-whiny-jumpy mode, the lead is finally on and we are able to head outside looking demure and controlled until we get outside the gate where Nala takes off at a gallop, galloping on the spot to begin with, with Cathy two-handedly holding on for dear life and me trotting behind huffing and puffing.

This becomes the usual routine while I am visiting, and I laugh as I picture what other people see when they see us setting off. We pass a whole group of 'bergies' (homeless people who used to live on the mountain but now find spots in the streets to call their own) and Cathy knows them all and stops to chat to them. Every now and then she tells Nala to 'wait' and Nala stops her gallop and waits patiently as I catch up with them, a little out of breath.

I am not used to walking in Jo'burg as we drive everywhere, so slowly, slowly, I become fitter and fitter and the walks become easier and easier while Nala looks back and waits, urging me on with her knowing look. It seems that she knows that I'm an older dog and that I am slower, and there is only acceptance on her part and that feels so good, no criticism, no judgment, no impatience. I am who I am right now and it's ok.

I really got used to our walks to the park and it became part of my daily routine for a while. Getting up and just grabbing something to wear, putting hair in an elastic and just heading out into lovely streets lined with pretty houses or interesting apartment blocks with the clouded mountain in the foreground, with a quiet dog-filled park as my destination. Lovely.

We all walk back quiely after having spent a lovely while, running, meeting dog-friends, chasing a few squirrels, sniffing, slurping, drinking water from the fountain, walking around, sitting on benches, chatting, giggling, watching other people and their look-alike dogs and just being happy and content in the present. We are all a bit exhausted when we get back home and some of us flake out on the floor.

Almost Flying

Being up high has always absolutely thrilled me, the higher the better, I would love to piggy back on a hang glider, I adore heights. Maybe I'll be a bird next time. So the cablecar is thrilling for me but not quite as thrilling as the last time I went many years ago, when the car was open and I could lean over and pretend I was flying. Now it is all closed and 'safe' and revolves while ascending. But still a fantastic experience.

Being up there was windy, cold, high, awe-inspiring and spiritual. I felt small and unimportant and vice versa, all at once. I felt that the universe is simple and that God is simple. I felt that the more I knew, the less I knew and the less I knew the more simple I became. I felt like a pawn out of Google.Earth that if someone wanted, at the click of a mouse, they would zoom me in and out of the panorama. If I spread my arms wide would I fly, would the wind lift me up and take me where it goes? If I lifted my hand high above me, would God pull me up? I was so high already, it would have been a very little pull. Cathy checked the heavens carefully to see if He would...luckily He didn't and I was able to enjoy another whiskey that night!

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

It is a spectacularly beautiful park covering 1320 acres with 89 acres under cultivation, on the slopes of the mountain, southeast of the Table Mountain range. The plants grown here are only indigenous to South Africa and represent one of the most important botanical collections in the world. (Ok enough boring information which I got out of a book and certainly not out of my head, now for more important things!)

It is really though, a most beautiful place and Tony and I both feel that we could easily go once a week just for the peace and tranquility of it. (Entrance is free on a Tuesday for pensioners, whooohoooo). On a Tuesday when we went we saw many older people with their little picnic baskets just sitting quietly under trees overlooking magnificent views, nibbling their sandwiches and sipping their hot coffee from their flask. We intend to do that regularly when we're there, again, Inch Allah.

We hadn't taken food with us but just water and we walked and walked and walked. It was a hot day and, sweating profusely, still managed to enjoy the beauty, which is saying something because when I'm hot and sweaty I don't enjoy much. We found little shaded paths and sat under old majestic trees, saw an owl hiding behind some branches, drank our water which was tepid by now, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We treated ourselves to a coffee at the little restaurant and watched all the tourists with their expensive labelled clothes and giggled at their sight because a lot of them were dressed in khaki! I suppose they think because they are coming to Africa, they must blend with the bush.

When Cathy and I went in May, we were a bit more organised, food-wise (Cathy's idea), and brought brioches with us for breakfast (from a real French bakery at her shopping centre next to where she lives), with take away coffees bought from the shop, and for lunch had brought sandwiches and a chocolate eclair (same French bakery) each for desert. Aren't we good girls? The sammies and eclairs were heavenly and the French eclair's taste brought a million taste memories to my palate but couldn't really place them. Had a feast and most of the time sat eating and then resting! We were very full but we did manage to walk a bit and find old, interesting, wise, knotty trees to talk to. This particular one wasn't very talkative though.

As the gardens are set on the slopes of the mountains, the higher you climb the better the view of the suburbs below. So you are constantly surrounded by beauty, with the mountains to one side, the magnificent, well-kept and sometimes manicured gardens and the panorama below. Wow, who could ask for more?