CapeHoppin: From Cape Cod to Cape Town: an ideal day

this is from Sunday

Yesterday was perfect. I know I say it all the time but yesterday really was in the top 5 Cape Town days.

It began in the hostel we have been staying at since we moved out of our house on Thursday.We planned to go to the top of Table Mountain first thing in the morning (aka 10), but after the struggle bus that was yesterday morning we were a bit behind schedule, but no problem because the cable car was closed due to weather problems- yes I took the cable car, who do you think I am. I'm not hiking that bitch. We arrived, after eating the best egg sandwiches of my life, and somehow I cut the entire line, oops, and were on the cable car in no time. It was the perfect, no clouds in the sky- except the classic "table cloth" of clouds that lies on top of Tabsies sometimes. We took the terrifying, 360 rotating cable car and arrived safely on top of the mountain I have looked at everyday for the past 4 months. It was cool and you can see the whole city, the water and the other mountain tops, but something just didn't seem right. There was a restaraunt in front of me and benches all around and somewhat of a park space. It just didn't feel like this was THE table mountain people have spoken of; so we wandered. We found a better spot that was more what I picutred and took the photoshoot you see here. It was better, but still not perfect; so we wandered some more........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tristan, Thea and I expereinced something yesterday that is unlike anything I knew existed on this earth or I have seen first hand. I was inside of a cloud, on the edge of one of the seven wonders of the world, unable to see anything in front of me, yet could hear my echo, my hair was wet from the tangible air around me, I was sitting on a rock in a field of rocks that surrounded me for what we've destermined to be about 11 football fields behind me. I am pretty sure it was the end of the earth I was on. I was more scared than ever, being that if I stepped one more foot I would have fallen to death, I assume because I couldn't see anything but cloud, yet I was so comfortable that I could have satten there forever. I wish I knew this serentiy and incredibleness existed steps from me before because I could honestly say it was the most surreal thing I have ever experienced. I was so alive and so close to death at the same time. It was truly magical. We sat for about an hour until we were just too oddly damp and freezing to stay longer, but it was a moment I will never forget. I cannot look at Table Mountain the same way ever agin knowing that that exists on top. I wondered if anyone else has ever experienced it and why novels, movies and headline news aren't written about its magesticness. We went back down the stupid cable car and took a nice lunch to digest what just happened to us to try and bridge us back to reality. I am still trying to come back to reality, but honestly I'd rather be there.

Next up on this phenomenal day for the ages was my visit/ goodbye to Langa, where my first homestay was. Now we all know Linathi and I were best friends, but the rest of the fam and I didn't bond like others. They were fine and great, but not so incredible that I felt I needed to visit. Honestly I was wrong. Returning to the place I had spent so much time and become so a part of at some point was the best decision I have made. They were so overjoyed to see me and I was to see them. My host mom had her baby and she is the cutest, littlest bundle of love I have ever seen. I went to a bush party across the street- in xhosa culture a boy goes to the bush around age 18/19 to become a man and be in nature alone- he had just returned and the celebration brought so much love to my heart it was great. My grandma and her friend who loved me were there and SO happy to see me, it was the loveliest. Gaby's host mom, who was so incredible to me my entire stay there and truly took me in as her own was the most incredible. She is so a part of Gbay;s life and mine and I hadn't given that the time and love it deserved. All of her kids were so happy to see me and the whole experience was s gratifying. Upon leaving the party I was with Patrick and Sam and their host brothers who they are very close with and hang with all the time, and got to check the last thing off my South African bucket list and ride in the back of a pick up truck with them. check, check, check! On our taxi ride home, we bought potatoes and onions on the side of the road for our latka party.

This is when things became even better, the real kicker for making this best day ever status. In the small, hot plate kitchen of the hostel Gaby, Ellen and I attempted to make latkas for the first night of Hannukah. Like Thanksgiving, we had to work with what we had to pull it off and man did we. After shredding potatoes on a small, hand held grater for upwards of an hour, Sizwe stepped up and became the jew of the century and squeezed the daylight out of them to get all that water out and seperate that yummy starch- the secret to the crispiness if ya didn't know! We attempted to cook them on the hot plate, but it kept short circuiting and we were all staring at uncooked potato shreds floating in luke warm oil. To the rescue came the hostel kitchen which we were so lucky to get to use and the three of us took over this industrial kitchen and fried up 40 of the most delcious latkas I have ever made/ had. Mom I am not kidding, they were just as good as yours and it brought chills to my entire body eating something that tasted so much like it came from you and our kitchen so far across the world. After a bit of inter religious bonding and teaching, yes there were not one but two kids on the trip who did not know what a latka was- oy fucking vey! We lit a piece of paper with another to represtn candles and sung the prayer all together in the kitchen. It was the perfect end to a perfect day. The smells I went to sleep with were the perfect representation of my time here: I had the wind in my hair from the top of Table Mountain, the smells of Langa food and Latkas on my clothes and was surrounded by the 23 fools I have shared this journey with. It was extraordinary. No words- except for this novel i just wrote you. I had the perfect balance of taking advantage of this city by having the independence to see the great Table Mountain, the access that SIT has granted me by visiting people so far from me but filled with so much love for me in Langa, where I began this crazy ride, and showing my friends so much of me through the food and tradtions of my wonderful family at home. It was ideal, very very perfect.

I am currently on the bus to Swellendam, a town on a river that we are spending our last three nights at- ahhhhH!!!! three nights!!!! this is insane. It is one of the most gorgeous drives I have ever been on and is solidifying the amount of appreciationa nd gratitude I am currently filled with for being in such a wonderful and unique place. This past 24 hours has just made me so incredibly grateful for SIT, Cape Town and my family and life and opportunities. I am one lucky duck that is for sure.

Off to rafting and wrapping up this thang.