A 'Medium Cup' Kind of Day

5/3/09
I started my day with an am run to the base of Table mountain. While running the base trails, I found myself in the middle of a race! I was running opposite the race and passed runners every 15 feet or so. At first I thought I should leave, but I realized that there was nothing that kept me from the trail…so I kept going, cheering the runners on as they passed. I was taking in the view of Lions Head to my left, Table behind me and the city in front of me when an energetic and over zealous runner spotted me and said, “Wow! Morning Ma’ am! You look hot!” The next thing I knew I was being squirted with water. I watched him as he passed me. Not breaking stride, he held up his hand and said, “Your welcome!” Completely in shock, I could only laugh. It was so bizarre it was comical. Just around the next corner, I saw a volunteer handing out what appeared to be gel packets. But when I saw a used wrapper on the ground, I saw it was actually a water packet! How ingenious!

In the early afternoon, Jamie and I set out for Camp’s Bay. It was the perfect beach day; high sixties, clear skies and no wind. We first got lunch at The Bayside Café. Having made myself a large breakfast (scrambled eggs with cottage cheese and ketchup on wheat and fruit), I placed a small order of two tapas. My tapas were (no surprise) delicious!! One was a veggie tapa: veggies, pesto and parmesan on sliced (and toasted) French bread. The second was an adventure: springbok (a South African antelope) and parmesan. Springbok tasted just like ham. Yum!! We spent the rest of the afternoon laying and walking on the beach watching the surfers and beach goers. Camp’s Bay is prime spot for people watching. The children are adorable and almost all of them can ride waves, either with different boards or with their bodies. The waves here are incredible. I’m seriously considering testing them out for myself. The surfers get pretty far out there without any shark encounters, but there are a lot of rocks…I also hesitate to spend money on a board when I know how cold the water is and that the temp should only continue to drop. Not too mention I would never get it home..But it won’t get TOO cold and the waves are just begging me to get in and play.

After getting some ice cream from our favorite place, Marcel’s, we decided to wait out the couple hours until sunset. We got grapetizers (exceptionordinarly delicious sparkling water fruit drinks) and toppers (equally delicious cookies made famous on our safari!) and made ourselves comfy in the sand. I don’t know what it is about me and cookies and candy bars here in South Africa. I think it’s all the new options. The US sweets are easy for me to deny, but I have NO discipline when it comes to South African sweets. Good thing I’ve also increased my exercising.

The sunsets are gorgeous at the beach, but I think I’ve been spoiled by our safari ones. The colors were magnificent and like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I kept waiting for the sky at Camp’s Bay to get prettier but it never quite met my expectations. I hope I can sincerely enjoy a regular sunset again. Regardless, our sunset was beautiful, especially against the waves (sprinkled with surfers).

South African Slang:
Alice Band = Headband
Candy Floss = Cotton Candy
Now = anytime between now and 5 hours from now; variations include: “just now” and “now now”
“The Monkeys are having a wedding” = when it’s raining while the sun is shining
“Noon-Zan” = What’s your name? (shona)
Billtong = Beef Jerky
Shame = awww or “sad”