Note from the Weblog Czars
Sunday, January 07, 2007
By Jeremy Schut
Sorry for the break in updating the weblog, as you can tell we’ve been very busy these last few days. Rest assured we are all still alive and kicking and those who were under the weather are now feeling much better. Thanks for following us on our adventure thus far and be sure to continue to check up on us daily. I also want to encourage all our readers to leave comments for us. We would love to hear from everyone back home, so visit the site and leave comments frequently. Just click on Comments under the entry for that day, write your comment and submit. Thanks again.
Your local weblog czars,
Jeremy and Jeff
January 7, 2007
By Annie SteginkHello to our friends and relatives back home. We miss you all very much, but we are also having an amazing time meeting people and seeing beautiful sights. Please keep our health and travel in your prayers.
Today we had the opportunity to worship at Saint George's Cathedral in downtown Cape Town. It was the church of Desmond Tutu when he was archbishop. It was quite an interesting worship experience for all of us. It was quite a traditional service conducted in three languages- English, Xhosa, and Afrikaans. Thankfully, the sermon was delivered in English so we could actually understand.
After church, we divided up in groups to spend the afternoon with families of the church. We went in to the experience with nerves about carrying on small talk all afternoon, but we all emerged with new friends and stories. I think for many of us, these home visits showed us the extremes of the economic spectrum. The particular house I visited was in a fancy gated community and the place was full of expensive furnishings and beautiful decorations. It was a sharp contrast from the townships we saw just a few days ago. We were all greeted with warm hospitality and given tons of wonderful food. It was a nice change to eat in a home with a family and have conversation in a more intimate setting. You learn things in a home over a meal that it's hard to learn in a museum.
Once we all gathered back at the church after our meals, we got a quick tour of the cathedral and it's beautiful stained glass windows. We then headed down to the waterfront again to do some more shopping and sight seeing. At 10:00, we were all anxious to return and go to bed after a long day.
Blessings and love from all of us!
-Annie
P.S. ... Happy 60th Birthday, Dad! Love, Emily
January 6, 2007
Saturday, January 06, 2007
By Kate Leese
Today was a day of changed plans, but interesting none the less. Because of cloud cover on Table Mountain we were forced forgo our plans of a hike and drive the cape shoreline instead. The scenery was breathtaking; jagged cliffs, turquoise waves, and the occasional Ostrich lined the curvy road leading to the Cape of Good Hope. It was easy to see why centuries ago, sailors had a hard time navigating the turbulent waters filled with massive rocks lying just beneath the surf. While there, we hiked up tall rock formations that gave rise to panoramic views of Africa's most Southwest tip. Just a bit further up the coast was Cape Point where a lighthouse stands on a sheer cliff and signs point in the direction of landmarks thousands of kilometers away. This area of Table Mountain National Park was heavily visited by other tourists and local swarms of baboons now associate people there with food. Before getting out of the car we were greeted with a sign that reads "Baboons are dangerous and attracted by food." The snack area had an electric fence to deter the animals but as some of the members of our group found, once you are out off the fences the baboons think you are fair game and good for a free meal. The animals wait on parked cars for people carrying any sort of snack. Some approached Tracy who was carrying a bag, thinking it might have something inside. She quickly threw the bag and the baboon went after it. Only after biting through her postcard did it realize there was nothing of value and moved on to inquire other students; for whom this will definitely be a day not to forget.
Kate Leese
January 5, 2007
Friday, January 05, 2007
By Britton Evans
It was another beautiful day in SA. We started the day off with a ferry ride into Robben Island on the Sea Princess. We had a special tour of Robben Island by ex-political prisoner Lionel Davis. While on Robben Island, we were locked up in a prison cell, visited a lime quarry, and walked where the prisoners walked just 13 years ago. After getting out of prison in mid-afternoon, we made our way back to the main land and walked around the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, a very ritzy part of Cape Town; unique stores, nice restaurants, and live entertainment right on the waterfront with a beautiful view of the ocean and the mountains. We are all doing fine and are healthy. Thanks for your prayers.
Blessings,
Britton
January 4, 2007
Thursday, January 04, 2007
By Carlie PostWe started our morning at the District 6 Museum, which is a memorial of sorts to a harmonious community in South Africa that was destroyed during the 1960's. The apartheid government decided to force the people out of their homes because they were living together in peace with people of many different ethnic backgrounds. Our guide, Noor, lived there and told us his story. Some of us bought his book.
From there, we walked four blocks to the Castle of Good Hope, which was established by the Dutch to guard them from the British, but the British eventually overtook it. We saw the prison cells, dungeon, and torture chamber. It was rather creepy, but the castle was actually pretty because it is painted light yellow and is built like a fort, with the moat still in existence.
We spent the better part of our day in Guguletu, which is a small "township," which is where black people were forced to move during apartheid. There, we visited the J L Zwane Centre and Church, where we met our guides, who were very hospitable and entertaining. We visited small, two-room houses enlarged slightly by shacks, and the poverty was very evident. Our guide even showed us his own house.
At the church, we had a question-and-answer session with the pastor, who is an incredible man full of faith and passion. He explained to us some of the problems that South Africa faces, including the lack of marriages and high number of children; poverty; unemployment (about 70% in Guguletu); homelessness; hostility between ethnic groups; trauma; orphans; and uncertainty about how to face these problems. It was sobering and we struggle with how to process these concerns, but we continue to enjoy the beautiful country that surrounds us, and the energetic and compassionate people we are meeting.
We hope that our friends and family back home are able to view these entries, or will soon, since our Internet is quite limited. We hope you are doing well!
