Month: July 2010

I will have a more complete final thoughts when I return home but I just wanted to do one last post from RSA before I leave.

Yesterday, I was able to do another interview with a guest house in Parktown West. The establishment had done quite well. He was unwilling to give me turnover numbers but they had close to 90% occupancy rate for the entire tournament. Funnily enough, he had actually visited Austin before for an international conference for the association of convention and visitors bureaus. Had some nice things to say about 6th street…haha.

Then I took the rest of the day off to do a bit of shopping for gifts and things. I first thought there was not anything in particular that I wanted besides a Makarapa, but once I started, I actually spent a bit. Stimulating the economy one person at a time. I especially was excited to hear about my Zimbabwean friend Tedious, who had managed to register with UNISA and will be starting his studies soon. He even gave me a gift, a (I will post the photo to prove it) 10 TRILLION Zim Dollar note. I believe the note is worth less than the paper and the ink it is printed on. Hyperinflation is crazy or “How to Destroy a Nation” by Bob Mugabe.

I was so excited to go to Alfred Beloyi’s Makarapa studio and see what the originator had created. Unfortunately, though many of the makarapa’s were exquisite, the only USA ones his shop had left were nice, but they just had beaded US flags on them, no player. I wanted the more classic one which had a player cut out on the helmet, so I ended up back at Rosebank market buying one I had seen earlier. (photos to come)

Last night I met up with Hilton and Caroline for a drink and to catch up/say goodbye. Besides the fact the Jolly Cool felt like a smoke box, it was a pleasant time, and I then went across the street to meet up with Bong’s friend Greg, who has been quite cool, taking me out with his friends and stuff when Bong’s has had to work.

This morning I did my final interview and said goodbye to both TEP offices I had worked in. Unfortunately, I missed Mahandra, but I was able to say goodbye to everyone else. (Don’t worry Mom and Aunty Lindsay, I will be composing a very lengthy thank you email when I get back home.)

Anyway I’m just about to leave Nicci and Chris’. I’m hoping one of them make it home before I have to leave. I cannot believe my trip is over already. Five weeks has both seemed like a very long time and also no time at all. Well more concluding thoughts and photos to come. I’m off to OR Tambo.

Peace,

Drew

Sorry for the delay between the two posts, crazy busy doing all sorts of things and battling a cold still, but here it is!

So for the past week I was able to do a few interviews in Soweto again and in Newtown, near the Johannesburg CBD and Newtown Fan Park.

I interviewed a couple of different restaurants who are TEP clients and both of them are doing very well, even if they do not want to give me proper turnover numbers. The Restaurant in Newtown is located right next to the FIFA fan park so a very high traffic area and quite fortunate for him. I also returned to Vilakazi Street and visited the famous Sakhumzi’s restaurant, right next door to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s house.

I also visited a different type of fan park for the Netherlands–Uruguay semifinal. It was a “private” fan park, one which you needed a ticket in order to enter. It was on the campus of a local private school and the demographics certainly indicated as much. The park was open to anyone, but the crowd definitely trended heavily to the affluent and was majority white. There was a concert before the match by a popular local rock band called the Parlotones. In my opinion nothing special because the sound was somewhat cookie cutter, but provided a good atmosphere. Chris, Bongi, and I went with Chris’ sister and her family. She’s married to a Dutchman and he obviously was quite pleased to make it through to the Finals. The next night for the Germany–Spain match, Bongs had some of his friends over and we watched at the house. Nicci and Luke were in Sun City for the week, so it was an all guy household.

Besides working, typing up some of my notes and doing more interviews, I also was searching, hoping, wishing for a ticket to the final. Unfortunately my local connection’s sms (which I’m still not sure he sent) never reached me while I was in Cape Town so I did not know that the last batch of finals tickets were going to be released. My connection knew 6 hours ahead of the official announcement but because I didn’t know, I was not able to go to the front of the line. In fact, I only found out after all the tickets to the final sold out!!! I was stuck. Now the blood suckers and extortionists emerged, asking absolutely ridiculous prices for the final. Even one of Ntokozo’s friends wanted R4000 (almost $600) for a ticket behind the goal in the nosebleeds/heavens/waaaay up there. I was not sure what I could do. I thought my best chance was to go outside the stadium with some money and try to find someone who needed to get rid of an extra ticket. That plan had some major holes considering that FIFA technically does not allow resale like that, and I received an email from the US consulate general notifying me of the various road closures and road blocks where police were supposedly going to ask you to produce a ticket. However, Sunday morning came and I was still planning my route of attack, but then an orange clad savior came through.

Ron and Eric, Chris’ brother-in-law and brother-in-law’s brother, came through with an excellent ticket at very very close to face value. Thanks to Nick, Ron’s son and Bongi’s cousin, he convinced his dad and uncle to sell the ticket to me rather than to some well-heeled Oranje who would pay 2 or 3x face. After consultation with my financial advisor (Thanks Mom & Dad!!) and my own finances, I realized I had enough saved up to afford the ticket, with or without help. So I bit. I was not disappointed in the least. I paid, but I paid for an absolutely excellent ticket. 12 rows from the field on the halfway line, 5 rows in front of the Dutch WAGs, right in the middle of the corporate section. Everyone else around us had hospitality badges and wristbands.

As you can see, given my hosts’ nationality, I threw my support to the dutch side. Nick’s dad is originally from Holland and his uncle still lives there. His uncle flew back to South Africa with his daughter for the final–he had already been to 11 games in the two weeks he visited during the group stages.

Anyway I took a whole loads of photos of the closing ceremonies, the pregame, and the match. The will be posted on facebook very soon.

The game itself was not awesome because of the quality of the soccer, in fact it was a very dirty choppy and diving filled match, but the atmosphere was once in a lifetime and unforgettable. In fact, as much as the match was amazing, getting to see former President Nelson Mandela was probably worth the price of the ticket itself. Right after the conclusion of the closing ceremonies, I was heading up the stairs for the bathroom when over the PA system came Madiba’s introduction. I pivoted on the spot and ran right back down the stairs to my row. He was all bundled up but he was smiling and waving. I’m sure if he had his way he would have stayed to present the trophy, but his family concerned for his health were only willing to relent to let him visit the stadium. I heard FIFA placed a lot of pressure on the Mandela family for Madiba to visit the match, but I would like to think he wanted to be there anyway.

Unfortunately, because my Eric, Ron, and family were my ride, I did not get to see the trophy presentation, the two of them were too angry to sit through it. I can understand the feeling but am still a little disappointed that I missed it. However, the view of the fireworks from outside the stadium was probably better than from within so that was nice. I’ll post the video to youtube sometime soon.

Anyway I will have one more post before I leave South Africa, just busy trying to do some more interviews and pick up some gifts before I head home Thursday. Only a few days left.

Sorry for the very long delay between this and my last post. I had very limited internet access while in Cape Town. Just returned to Johannesburg but have a lot to update on my time in Cape Town.

Wednesday night, after the long trip to the West Coast, was the Spain–Portugal match. I decided to meet up with Stevan and Pete (American Superfans and bus organizers) and try to snag a ticket. I met up with the two at the V&A Waterfront where they had been hanging out and walked over to the game. My negotiating skills need some work but I got a ticket to the match. Unfortunately, I did not have my Camera so no photos, but I was very high in the nose bleeds before moving down in the second half to stand in the concourse behind the cat 1 section.

On Thursday I went into the office in the morning but no one was going out to visit clients so I decided, given it was such a beautiful and clear day, I would be a tourist and go up Table Mountain. Excellent decision on my part as the last time I was in Cape Town, it was so cloudy all the days we were there, we were not able to go up. I had to wait an hour and a half to buy my ticket and get onto the cable car, but it was completely worth it as the views were spectacular.

There were a ton of tourists up on the mountain, so I took my sweet time, looking around, walking a bit, and trying to get a hold of Mom back home. After many attempts we managed to get through to each other and I got to wish her well from the top of the mountain! Also because of the ridiculous number of tourists, the line to take the cable car down was very long. However, this offered the unexpected and unplanned treat of seeing the sun set from atop the mountain. I’ll post the photos here.

The next day I made two stops, the District 6 museum in Cape Town and the FIFA fan fest. I had a duel errand to run at the museum, not only were they a client of TEP, and therefore an interview subject, but I also had to deliver some important slides to the museum. My Papa, a very good amateur photographer, had taken a series of photos of the Cape Malay community in District 6 before the apartheid regime destroyed the area in the 1960’s. His photos are an invaluable historical record given that he was allowed access into the Mosques, weddings, and lives of the community. The Lois & B.H. Daniller Collection will hopefully prove very beneficial to the museum in their goal of reconstructing the vibrant and diverse community that was District 6.

I then went to interview the informal traders, both displaced by the FIFA Fan Fest, and those who occupied space in the Fan Fest’s craft market. The people who normally operate stalls in the area currently occupied by the Fan Fest did not seem to be doing too well. The items sold there were a combination of obviously counterfeit or knockoff leather goods, clothes, and sunglasses, with a spattering of traditional African craft, and low quality World Cup related fan gear. In contrast, the artisans who paid R100/day to operate in the Fan Fest had much more intricate and exquisite work. I did learn that many chafed under the restrictions applied by FIFA. Many had been creating goods long before the World Cup, only to discover in their “debriefing” that any item with the words “World Cup,” “FIFA,” and most shockingly “2010,” were not allowed to be sold. Now I understand the intellectual copyright of the first two words, but 2010….that’s absolutely ridiculous! How can someone copyright a bleeding year! Most of the vendors said they were only working for a few days, it appears FIFA tried to have as many different chosen/selected/scouted vendors be allowed the chance to operate in the Fan Fest. While not selling much, the artisans do appear to be making good business contacts with potential wholesale buyers from America and Europe.

Saturday, being the Germany-Argentina match, I thought I would try my luck again and attempt to wrangle a ticket outside the stadium. Since I was staying in the Apartment in Green Point (fortuitous) I walked over to the stadium. Unfortunately, I was past the stadium in terms of the fan walk so I did not get to experience that particular morsel, but I heard between the stadium, fan parks, and fan walk, 300,000 fans were watching the game in Public Viewing Areas…crazy. I first tried my luck in the front of the stadium were the fan walk led to, but the sheer number of police and witnessing one guy busted for buying tickets had me thinking I should go try the waterfront side again. My negotiating was much improved and just my luck, I bought a ticket for $100 less than face value. I unfortunately missed Jacob Zuma and the Special Olympics celebrity soccer match, but it was a small price to pay. (For fear of reprisal, in no way am I hereby implying that South African President Jacob Zuma participated in the match as a Special Olympian…)

The match was surprising but quite fun to watch. Having no dog in the fight, I could easily wear my blue shirt but let the two German frauleins paint German flags on my face. Shocking to see Argentina dismantled in such a way, but the Germans played beautiful and creative football, and despite all of Argentina’s talent and attacking flair, they could not put the ball in the back of the net. After the match went again to the Waterfront and despite losing the huge group that my seat mates were a part of, I ran into Jonathon and his friends and then was lost in the massive celebration at the German Bar Paulaner. I had some dinner and met two German guys and two South African girls whom I ended up hanging out with. Lutz, David, Jules, Louise, and I ended up having an interesting night. After watching the Spain-Paraguay match in the Paulaner, we decided to go out. However, we first needed to pick up Jules and Louise’s car. This necessitated a few mile trek back into Cape Town and a run around to try to find an open entrance to the place where the two girls had parked their cars. Unfortunately, this excursion subsequently killed most of the night, though they felt bad and decided to take the three of us for drinks. It was good the three guys were there because I’m not sure it would have been great for just the two of them to have been walking around at that time of night looking for a way to get their car.

With no game on Sunday I decided to take up my Aunty Lindsay’s other restaurant suggestion Bahia. (I already went to the “Five Flies” Thursday with Dustin Godevais a former high school soccer team mate who was a year below me at St. Stephens). The food was excellent. I had the baby kingklip on the recommendation of two different waiters. I am not the biggest fish fan but the Kingklip was so fresh and flavorful, spectacular. I also had a strange celebrity sighting. Towards the end of my meal, a huge entourage left the restaurant. I knew someone who thought they were important was in the restaurant as there were quite a few private body guards around the restaurant and the place was packed. Well, none other than the infamous Paris Hilton walked right by my table. No idea why she is famous. My funny waiter from Namibia, Hugh, said that there were at least 15 of her in Clifton.

Sunday, my second to last day in Cape Town, I went to Somerset West, where my Mom was born and raised, and went to lunch with old friends of my Grandparents, Sarah and Abe. Slightly delayed because my car’s battery had died, I had to wait for a replacement car before I could make the trek out to their house. Along the way, I was disappointed by the observation I made. The road that takes you to Somerset West (N2 I believe) is also the road to take one to the airport. Well all between Cape Town and the Airport there were signs speaking of the N2 corridor reclamation project, “living with dignity” etc.. and brand new government built houses starting to replace many of the formal settlements. Of course, as soon as I had passed by the Airport Exit and continued through the roughest areas of the Cape Flats, there were no new government houses to been seen and only miles and miles of rickety and poorly built shacks with black electrical wire snaking into each of the houses sprouting from a maypole like arrangement.

Lunch with Sarah Abe and their son Graham was very nice. Originally, I had planned to stay with the two but they could not have me, which in the end worked out better for everyone. I am very glad I got to see them though as they are extremely warm and welcoming. They kept apologizing for not being able to let me stay but I will say again they have no reason to and it was for the best that I stayed in the city itself.

As my flight was at 2 monday afternoon, I was able to conduct one more interview with a small hotel that is a client of TEPs, the Daddy Longlegs. It’s location along Long Street right in the heart of the city has resulted in massive benefit for the hotel. It is holding steady at a 80-90% occupancy rate and was able to charge slightly more than high season price at what is normally the lowest of low seasons.

Anyway I’m off to bed. Battling a cold I caught on my last couple days in Cape Town. Need the sleep. Hope to post the photos soon, love to all back home. Still another 9 days left in SA.

Howzit from Cape Town! Arrived on Monday night and found my way to UCT alright, thank you GPS and the very small “Campus Accommodation 2010” signs. Finding a place to stay here has been hectic. I had first booked a backpackers single (sharing a dorm room w/ another person) for R395/night. Expensive but doable and the cheapest I could find when I was booking my trip. Well about a month before the trip I get an email from the Campus Accommodation people claiming that I had not booked with a travel partner so I could not have that rate…of course I had to respond because if I had booked with a travel partner, we would have booked a double and paid less per person than the sharing rate. They then agreed to try to find me a travel partner. When they could not do that, they said they would charge me the single rate, a whopping and ridiculous R627/night. I tried to negotiate but the lady pretended not to receive my email and said she had booked me at the single rate. We had already paid 100% for 7 nights at the backpackers rate, but when I arrived they wanted me to pay the remainder. I stalled and then avoided because I did not want to pay anymore for a small concrete dorm room w/ a bathroom down the hall.

I then caught two breaks. I was explaining my predicament at the office on Tuesday and Jonathon came to the rescue. He offered me to stay in a small studio apartment he and his brother own in Green Point, about a km away from the stadium. It’s very small but I have my own bathroom and a small kitchen. Unfortunately, the fridge needs to be cleaned so I cannot use it and the place is very dusty. On Wednesday morning (I still stayed in UCT on Tuesday) when I went to talk to the manager in Baxter Hall. Short deviation, my Mom lived for a year in Baxter number 6 and my Aunt lived three years in Baxter, but I was staying in the newer Graça Machel dorm. Anyway, the manager refused to refund my money, but he did say he would honor the rate I was quoted and paid originally. So despite feeling very annoyed for whoever runs the concession of UCT’s dorms during the world cup, at least the contract I signed was honored.

However, I spent last night in the apartment. I have yet to decided for certain if I’m going to stay there, I still have the key for the dorm room at UCT, but I think I will. The only reason I would leave is the dust, my lousy allergic tolerance may make it unbearable but we will see. After tonight I think I will know one way or the other. At least I’m going to go back to UCT to use the gym facilities and the field they included in the room rate.

Anyway, as for work. Yesterday (Wednesday) I went with one of the consultants, Rob, to the West Coast to visit some of his clients. It was interesting because it was a completely new area and landscape for me. We visited a guest house, Duinepos Chales, in the West Coast National Park, Geelbek Restaurant in the park as well, a quite beautiful boutique guest house called Abalone in Paternoster, and a San cultural center. These places know that the winter is a low season, but all of them are having a very difficult time, seeing almost no traffic or turnover whatsoever. They have varying hypothesis that boil down to the normal local South Africans that would come on vacation here have been scared away by the prospect of foreign tourists, but for varying reasons (too far away, tour operators keeping the tourists solely located in the cities, and not the right demographic of tourists) there are no foreign tourists visiting their establishments.

The places in the national park experience their high season in a month because that is when the wildflowers emerge. The chalets were cool and built in a very eco-friendly way, sandbags in the walls. I can imagine if all the succulents were in bloom the whole area would be stunning. The restaurant overlooked a sea lagoon and driving through to Paternoster was interesting, though I fell asleep due to my rushing in the morning and not getting breakfast (bad). The Abalone guest house is set in this quiet fishing village overlooking the sea. According to Rob, Paternoster was the first place that a group of Portuguese explorers laid eyes upon during a trip to sail around the coast of southern Africa. These are supposedly the first words they uttered, the beginning of the lord’s prayer I believe.

We finished off the day at the San cultural center. Unfortunately we needed to get back to the office so we couldn’t stay long but the place seemed really cool. They offer tour experiences with fire making and bows and arrows, and even ranger training. They even host a few Anthropology students who work at the center working and doing research.

I’ve posted photos on facebook for everyone. Link here

PS Thoughts and Prayers with Max, he just had surgery yesterday on that ankle he messed up in his fall some weeks ago. First step on a very long recovery. Poor guy, again, if you’re in Austin go visit for me. Thanks!