Goodbye Cape Town, back to Jozy

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.