Cape Town, South Africa: Week 1

So, my first week in Cape Town was pretty outstanding.  If this week is any indicator of my 5-week adventure here, I may not be home for Thanksgiving. Frankfurt, your on notice…there may be a second contender for prospective settlement.

I arrived on Monday with equal parts excitement and regret.  I had so much fun in Mozambique that it was really hard to leave.  However, arriving in Cape Town was incredible.  The plane flew right over the top of Table Mountain offering a bird’s eye view of the entire cape, city and mountain.  Honestly, it crossed my mind that the pilots may be paid to do that by the Cape Town tourism board.

Cloud "table cloth" over Table Mountain

My first day in Cape Town, I met my landlords (who were lovely) and bee-lined it over to the Garden Center to purchase a phone plan, some Internet and groceries.  Now that my house was in order, I set up a date with my first friend, in Cape Town, Kat. I had been introduced via my friend, Ryan on Facebook and was excited to have a friendly acquaintance to show me around town.  Our first stop was dinner at Hudson’s, a delicious burger joint. My burger was incredible, but messy.  Since I wanted to make an amazing impression, I shared a couple bites with the front of my shirt and Kat and I called it a night around 10:30.

Em and Kat (friend #1)

On Tuesday, I explored the town.  I purchased my flight for Namibia, took a walk through the various street markets and headed down the infamous Long Street.  Long Street, apparently, is where all of the bars, clubs, restaurants and shops are located.  I visited a couple amazing shops and a lovely little restaurant called, Dear Me.  

 

There are so many fabrics, trinkets, housewares and African mementos that I want to buy for my new house, its ridiculous.  But seriously, I don’t have a house.  Not only do I not have a house, I don’t even know where I’m going to live in a year, let alone if I need a basket full of ostrich eggs to go in there.  Ugh. 

My last stop on Tuesday was to the Fugard theater where I purchased 2 second row center, first balcony tickets to Rocky Horror Picture Show….

Rocky Horror was on Wednesday.  So, after a long walk up to and around the Waterfront, I took a nap and prepared myself for a night of theater and audience participation with Kat.  Amazing!

Thursday and Friday, I decided to write.  I love this blog, but each post takes 2-4 hours to write and upload photos and I was waaaaay behind…. Which is why you all got Tofo on Thursday and Mozambique and Swazi on Friday. 

I picked up a chick on Friday.  What? Just doubled my friend count in Cape town!  We made a date to do a 5K color run at an ostrich farm in the Western Cape.  http://www.colourmecrazy.co.za

OSTRICH!!!

Apparently, everyone wears white and runs or walks a 5K course that is broken up by 5 color stations, blue, pink, orange, yellow and green.  When you run past, you get bombed with powdered color that stain your clothes, skin, hair and anything else it comes in contact with. 

Before Shot: Emily, Corina and Philly 

Before Shot: Amazing landscape and crowd

Walking in....

 

I stole these to photos from Luke Barritt. (www.lukebarritt.com)

Nailed at the Pink Station

Finished, relatively unscathed

Corina, Philly and I...Winning!

No, Philly, you don't have ANY on your face.

Philly, Em and Corina

Lead color offender and organizer, Richie

Meet my new friend, Gil

Sneak attack on Philly

The End.

Selfie, because you all love them.

After we completed the run, there was a stage featuring a bunch of local favorite bands such as Ice Cream and the Chocolate Sticks, Good Luck and Roger Goode.  Every hour on the hour, color bombs burst into the air simultaneously destroying any white clothing that remained after the run.  The party was spectacular. I say that because….it was. And also because we had VIP tickets that provided a bit of shade, free color, lots of fun and free booze.  Plus, Corina introduced me to a handful of Cape Town’s finest folks. 

Music Stage

This happened EVERY hour

I got absolutely destroyed by Corina’s friends, partly because I was the new guy and mostly because I am a smart ass.  Thank you Corina, Richi, Gilly and Philly, I am still digging blue powder out of my eyes, ears and nose.

Photo by Luke Barritt (www.lukebaritt.com)

Warriors! (Photo courtesy of Corina)

After the 5K run, I attempted to shower and make it to the Currie Cup rugby match.  The Currie Cup is the equivalent of the Super Bowl of South African Rugby. It’s a pretty big deal and as such drew huge crowds at the stadium, at house parties and at bars all around town.  Western Province was playing the Sharks in a rematch of sorts, versus last year.  However, last year, Western Province was the underdog and defeated the Sharks (Durban).  This year, it was opposite and the Sharks came out victorious in a lovely universal balance of “Even-Steven-ness”.

My friends, Kat, Gareth and Sara (Oh yeah, that’s right my “friend count” is now up to 7, if you’re keeping track) were Sharks supporters, so they were beyond happy with the victory.  The win progressed into binge drinking, trash talking and a dance party at a college-esque bar called Oblivion.  This bar housed people dancing on picnic tables, a stage – complete with a pole – and more drunk idiots than the Fire Marshall would approve of in a single cramped, sweaty room.

Kat, Gareth and Sara

Curriecup to be delivered to Durban for the Sharks' win!

I wrapped up the week with the Kirstenbosch market on Sunday.  Corina and I met Gil and Richie there for some street food and a brief walk through the woods.  

 

Hey Richie, get off your phone. 

Then trumped that bit of lazy wonderfulness with a lay on the beach.  Gil and I took a scooter ride to Clifton Beach #2 (there are 4) and met up with another Facebook E-Introduction friend, Simon. The Atlantic Ocean is cold as shit, but Simon’s friend Claus and I jumped in anyway and pressured Simon to follow suit.  He did.

Clifton Beach #2

Just prior to sundown, we retreated back to the city, washed up and headed to the Waterfront for Sundowners at the Radisson Blu.  What a lovely week.

Em, Corina and Gilly