FANTASTIC.
Trip report coming soon.
Category: travel
my $500 mistake … or Why I won’t fly Copa
I had an airline ticket to El Salvador. On checking in, a young agent for Copa Airlines noted that I only had 3 months left on my passport. El Salvador is one of those nations requiring a minimum of 6 months.
If an Airline puts me on the flight, they could be fined.
She refused me a boarding pass.
I tried 6 or 7 ways to get permission to get on that flight. All failed.
Finally a more senior employee of Copa suggested I try buying a last minute ticket on another airline. The other airline was happy to sell me an expensive ticket, ignoring the 6 month passport requirement.
My bad.
Still, I’ll avoid Copa airlines in future, if I possibly can.
related – A friend has a visa for Congo. But was not allowed on the flight because the visa would expire before she was scheduled to depart the nation.
EsCape Town
5 days.
Far too few.
Cape Town is one of the great tourist cities: wine, climate, beaches, outdoor activities, history. Mandela and Desmond Tutu.
Long Street is the Khaosan Road of South Africa. Young people flock her looking for meaningful short term friendship.
Table Mountain was recently voted one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the world.
That said, this city and nation have problems: urbanization, land degradation, petty theft, disparity of wealth, …
I’m sure I’ll be back. Perhaps en route a Southern Hemisphere Round the World itinerary.
South Africa is a long, long way from … anywhere.
Great Gatsby, Cape Town
A Gatsby is a South African style of deli sandwich very similar in content and method of preparation as a hoagie in the United States. It is mostly popular in the Western Cape province. It is a seasonal dish and oddly is not served anywhere in the Cape Town region past 25 February each year until it returns on 10 March.
Gatsbies usually consist of long bread rolls cut lengthwise and opened up to form a sort of cradle which is filled with various fillings. While the choice of filling in a Gatsby varies widely depending on customer preference and vendor, one standard item is usually hot chips i.e. French fries.
Different varieties of Gatsbys include masala steak, chicken, polony, Vienna sausage, calamari, fish, and chargrilled steak.
Gatsbies originated in the Cape Flats area of Cape Town, where people would often buy large rolls and fill them with whatever leftovers they had, and split them four ways. This practice has carried on in modern times, with gatsbies being bought in full, half or quarter sizes. …
My half Gatsby made 3 meals. And I threw out most of the fries.
related – The great Gatsby hunt in Cape Town: Where to find it and how to enjoy it
District 6 Museum – Cape Town
District Six … is the name of a former inner-city residential area in Cape Town, South Africa. It is best known for the forced removal of over 60,000 of its inhabitants during the 1970s by the apartheid regime. …
MUST see attraction.
After World War II, during the earlier part of the apartheid era, District Six was relatively cosmopolitan. Situated within sight of the docks, it was made up largely of coloured residents which included a substantial number of coloured Muslims, called Cape Malays. There were also a number of black Xhosa residents and a smaller numbers of Afrikaans, whites, and Indians.
Government officials gave four primary reasons for the removals.
In accordance with apartheid philosophy, it stated that interracial interaction bred conflict, necessitating the separation of the races. They deemed District Six a slum, fit only for clearance, not rehabilitation. They also portrayed the area as crime-ridden and dangerous; they claimed that the district was a vice den, full of immoral activities like gambling, drinking, and prostitution.
Though these were the official reasons, most residents believed that the government sought the land because of its proximity to the city center, Table Mountain, and the harbor.
On 11 February 1966, the government declared District Six a whites-only area under the Group Areas Act …
… in 1994 the District Six Museum came into being. It serves as a remembrance to the events of the apartheid era as well as the culture and history of the area before the removals.
The ground floor is covered by a large street map of District Six, with handwritten notes from former residents indicating where their homes had been; other features of the museum include street signs from the old district, displays of the histories and lives of District Six families, and historical explanations of the life of the District and its destruction.
In addition to its function as a museum it also serves as a memorial to a decimated community, and a meeting place and community center for Cape Town residents who identify with its history. …
District 9 is a 2009 science fiction film produced by Peter Jackson and directed by Neill Blomkamp. Although set in an alternate Johannesburg, it is inspired by the events surrounding District Six. …
Cape Town style
After a couple of days, I’m starting to get a feel for the vibe of this town.
Click PLAY or watch a promo on YouTube.
Cape Town – World Design Capital 2014
In one way hip, like something in Scandinavia.
In other ways, quite rustic and backwards. Pedestrians all jay walk, for example. Foot traffic is lawless.
I’m not convinced yet that South Africa could host the Olympics.
Thiès, Senegal
Everyone likes Thiès. It’s a mellow city with not much in the way of traffic jams.
Perhaps it’s the vehicles. This one is only slightly less roadworthy than average.
Oft times having one reliable horse power is better than than the motorized alternative.
Africans do love football.
Trash removal workers are not unionized here.
Africa has great potential.
I project great things for this city.
if it’s Easter Sunday, this must be Cape Town
I’ve always heard that Cape Town has one of the most stunning locations in the world.
True.
That’s me in the hostel close to the stadium.
Reconnaissance day. I’m organizing to hike the Garden Coast.
departing Abuja, Nigeria
The new, planned city of Abuja is impressive.
“… the best purpose-built city in Africa as well as being one of the wealthiest and most expensive … “
Last day we made a driving tour of the modern city center. The National Cathedral is close to the National Mosque.
The highlight for me was a children’s park and small zoo at the foot of Zuma Rock.
My last night, some of the expat parents took me out to a new, gorgeous Club and restaurant. They had plenty of stories describing the challenges of living in Nigeria. But have no worries about their children living in Abuja. It’s safer than Las Vegas, Chicago or Toronto.
more interesting photos tagged Abuja, Nigeria
I’m off to see my friends in Senegal. Another week long Gymnastics Camp.
Rick McCharles 