A Final Jamie Day

5/30/09
We started the day bright and early to get Jamie back for her flight. We had breakfast at Houwhoek (after deciding they probably wouldn’t remember us) before heading back into Cape Town.

Murray picked Jamie and I up at 10:30 to take her to the airport. Saying goodbye to Jamie was pretty hard. We did well and are both ready for our next adventures. I know this next month will be just as enjoyable as the last two, in it's own way. I’m convinced this is where I’m supposed to be and that good things will come.

I went into RCCH this afternoon to prep the 12 year old for her amputation. She got admitted this morning for surgery first thing Monday morning. My options were to prepare her today or tomorrow. The preparation went swimmingly. One of the sisters interpreted for me since the patients first language is Xhosa. She was really receptive to the information. We went through the theatre tour book, IV and mask induction procedures, and used medical toys and supplies with a blank doll. She drew a smile on the doll and administered anesthesia via mask induction. At this point of play the sister had left, so we were left to our own devices on communicating. What happens in these situations never ceases to amaze me. The pt was all smiles and explored freely. We worked together to “wash” the doll, and administer the mask. I then wrapped the dolls leg in gauze such that it looked like the doll had an amputation. She smiled, took the doll, unwrapped the gauze, studied the leg, then mimicked what I had done with the gauze. She then went on to “wash” the doll, taking extra care by patting instead of rubbing the “stump”. A little while later, I headed back to my office to do some organizing while she explored on her own. When I came back I saw that she had wrapped two tongue depressors on either side of the leg, taking on the appearance of a prosthetic (maybe), which we had discussed earlier. I’m not sure what her actual intentions were but I was moved, and felt that the session had, indeed, been beneficial.

This evening Murray and his sister invited me to her place to watch the “Super 14” rugby match. Many of the people going I had met in Montagu, including Doug. I was happy for an eventful evening. Murray offered to pick me up from RCCH at 4:45. Since I got out a little before I went over to the coffee shop across the street. While I sat there I thought about the last two months. I’ve had such a fabulous experience so far. I’ve done so many things and met so many incredible people. I had so much I was taking with me, and so much more to learn.

We met up at Debbie's that evening for the Rugby game. The South African Bulls were playing the New Zealand Chiefs (the team we saw here in Cape Town) for the title. It was actually a very entertaining match and held my attention for the entire 80 minutes. I wouldn’t expect this since I don’t like football very much, but I have found rugby to be a pretty fascinating game to watch. The Bulls played an amazing game 61 – 17. They were scoring left and right, and they way they maneuver on that field-they’re like rugby ninjas! The evening was definitely a top one to add to my list of many. I had been a little down now that all my closest friends have left, but I realized tonight that I had South African friends. I have LOVED and cherished my American friends, but I think that this month will be a good time for me to really embrace where I am and spend time absorbing all I can from the people that live here.

A Night In Hermanus

5/29/09
Today was Jamie’s last day at RCCH. Shame. We were kept pretty busy at the hospital with theatre and dressing changes. Jamie offered to remain in the treatment room while I sorted out some other referrals. One of the OT’s from the other wards ran into us in the morning to tell us about an expected patient. The pt was a burn survivor being admitted for an AKA on Monday. The pt had not been prepped at all and they were asking for our involvement. Two other children requiring support would ALSO be having theatre on Monday. A full agenda for my first day on my own. Fantastic.

After work, Doug picked us up for our overnight in Hermanus. Hermanus is a beach town just past Cape Point. His family has a beach house there and we talked about spending Jamie’s last night in Cape Town on the beach. On the way we stopped at Houwhoek Restaurant in Elgin for lunch. We had paninis and salads. On our way out we passed under a doorway that heaps of people had written on. I suggested we add our names, and they both thought it a great idea. After debating which nicknames to use and where to right it, Jamie started in on her own name. She got as far as “Jami” before a man came in and swept his hand over Jamie’s proclaiming, “No no. I’m sorry. You can’t write on the wall.” Oops. In our defense, that rule is a little gray..

Before arriving at Doug’s, we stopped off on the beach to have a walk. It was absolutely frigid up in Hermanus and the wind was howling. But it didn’t stop us from running on the dunes, playing with the (teal!) waves and doing “twirly-whirlies”. We then went on to his house which was about a half of a mile from the shore. The house was cozy and looked out onto the ocean. What more do you need from a beach house?

After settling in, we headed into town for dinner. We first stopped by the drive-up cliffs overlooking the bay. In the spring time (or maybe winter?) this is apparently the number one place for whale whatching. You can drive you car right up to the cliff or sit on the ledge or a park bench and be mere feet from these giants of the sea. Since we are off season, our only views were of the waves. However, this still made for an exceptional sight. The waves were enormous and absolutely marvelous; sweeping in and crashing against the rocks creating nautical fireworks. As the water pulled back in, it poured back down the rocks in massive waterfalls. It was mesmerizing and we stood there for a while just talking and watching. I mostly watched. As we walked away I tasted the salt on my lips. MMmmmmm.

We first went for drinks near the water. A place called Shummi. We were the only patrons in the spacious venue. Jamie and I had a Shandy (I love that I found a drinkable drink! I only hope it will fly in the states).

We had a proper dinner at Harbor Rock, a sushi bar. We ordered a variety of rolls and nigiri and sashimi (which I tried for the first time; eh), and the prices were unreal. The bill was about 50 USD and we consumed about 50 pieces of sushi and a bottle of wine. Unreal.

Mucking Afazing

5/28/09
Today was a bit of a rough day at work. It was the first one I’ve had..not bad, I think. It was a cold and rainy day to begin with, and I just felt really drained and a little burnt out. Our work is certainly demanding, and can be draining, but I think my mood was a result of a lot of things. Jamie’s impending departure, for one. The thought of doing our job solo leaves me a bit uneasy. June will prove to be a big adjustment.

I did, however, have a really positive interaction with the twins and was able to meet their physiotherapist. I had been working with them daily to, firstly, get them out of bed. I walk them to them windows and mirror for play and stimulation. I make sure to get them on their stomachs using books and other toys for distraction to improve head/neck strength and initiate crawling. I noticed that twin A is reluctant to use his left hand so I’ve been encouraging that as well. The twins are interactive and playful. They think peek-a-boo and mimicking activities are hysterical and they have the most contagious laughs!

The physio and occupational therapists were working with mom today on fabricating a carrying sling. They wrapped twin B in such a way that his body was centered and lined appropriately. This sling will allow mom to carry her babies while improving their posture at the same time! The therapists reiterated many of the things I had been working on and gave me some new ideas. I have noticed that twin A has markedly improved neck strength and has begun to use his left hand more. Twin B is more fussy. He still doesn’t like being on his stomach. While his brother’s focus is looking left, twin B has a hyperextended neck and is encouraged to flex. Both boys also need their legs strengthened so we spend time working on that as well. It is really exciting to see their daily improvements!

After work, Jamie and I decided to treat ourselves to Charly’s. It was something on our bucket list as it has been a standard goodbye outing. Charly’s has the ability to turn the downest of moods on the downest of days upside UP. The building is painted in gray and hot pink with bright, animated, flying and dancing cupcakes. The chairs are fashioned to look like black and white pastries and are back dropped with the most colorful and elaborate desserts. And everything, I mean everything, has glitter on it. Even the food!! Jamie and I split a quiche and chose two desserts to take home. We took them back to my apartment to finish off our Gilmore episodes with hot chocolate. On a chilly, rainy day this was just as satisfying as any of our extravagant outings.

CHARLY'S BAKERY

Mucking Afazing Cakes

Later in the evening, I attended power yoga. It was everything I wanted it to be. Especially since my last two classes were NOT. Kate, my favorite instructor, was leading the class. She has the most soothing voice (the accent helps) and she has the ability to put me in the place I need to be for yoga. I am able to get way deep down inside myself and focus on nothing else. The most striking thing is that she conducts every class differently, but it’s always relevant to my feelings. This class she focused a lot on “letting go”. Kate thinks yoga is the best therapy because instead of talking about your problems, dwelling on them and rehashing them, In yoga, you just let it all go.

To get myself in the right place in yoga I put myself in a field (I don’t know why it’s a field). Kate always firsts instructs us to find our center. I sit in the field and lay big heavy bricks around myself in a small circle, but really high. This is how I keep everything else out. We are not to let anyone or anything intrude our space. She directs focus to the body and it’s response to the workout. If I find myself wondering I go back to my small concrete sanctuary where nothing can get me.

Kate also talked about how yoga practice can be applied to everything we do. I have found myself doing that at times. Yoga has helped me become more aware of the way my body moves, reacts and responds to my environment. I have also found myself appreciating the present; really absorbing it and experiencing small moments. In yoga we Kate instructs us to focus on the body’s reaction to each pose. Sometimes she will then tell us to do what our body is telling us it needs; to react with your body, not your mind. This is really challenging but super cool! Practicing this state of self consciousness at yoga has made enabled me to use it easily in the rest of my life. I am able to listen to what my body is telling me and give it what it needs. I’ve done a lot of trail running and hiking since I’ve been in Cape Town (you should see my gluts!), and it has made for the most amazing combination of yoga and nature. It makes me so unbelievably serene.

You Break It, You Bought It

5/27/09
After a busy Wednesday, Jamie, Sarah and I went walking on Long St to check out the shops. We picked out some nice souvenirs and enjoyed walking in the nice weather. We know to take advantage of them as they will be fewer and farther between as winter approaches.

FYE: While exploring Long St, Jamie showed interest in a small miscellaneous shop. From the sidewalk, there appeared to be a lot of glass items. I announced that this was exactly the type of store I should avoid. Everyone laughed. They soon found out, I wasn't being funny. I actually made it through the entire experience without any incidents. However, as we were getting ready to leave, I stopped at a shelf in the back corner of the shop, filled with comical stationary. I was enjoying them and considering them as souvenirs when Jamie called to me, "Danielle, what are you doing?" My response was shattering glass. I had placed the notebook from my hand back on the shelf and inadvertently knocked over a small glass. I looked at the pieces on the ground and groaned. I heard Jamie and Sarah erupt in an amusingly annoyed laughter. I picked up the pieces and brought them to the register. I presented them to the cashier who frowned sympathetically, but (to my dissapointment) said, "I'll get the barcode." I was certain this small but fancy glass was going to cost me a fortune so my heart dropped when she scanned the code and said, "Shame." She looked up at me and finished, "37 rand." I thought, 'whew! That's not so bad,' but I'm glad I didn't think it out loud because she decided to give me a 10% discount. I ended up paying R33 for a not only broken, but very ugly, and uselessly small glass. I let her keep it and took with me only a good story.

That night we finally squeezed in our Ethiopian dinner at Addis. Doug joined in on the festivities rocking up on his motor bike. The atmosphere was super fun. We sat in low chairs around a small table called a mesob (??). We ordered a meatball and yogurt dressing appetizer and a few main courses. The meal came to us on a giant crepe looking thing. The dishes were placed directly onto the bread. We then used smaller, rolled up pieces to pick up the food and eat it. It was a very intimate and cozy experience. We had a blast trying out the food, which (to no surprise) was delicious. We finished off our meal with tea and Ethiopian coffee.

Stellenbosch

5/26/09
Jamie and I played hooky from work today to road trip out to Stellenbosch. We chose a Tuesday because it is not only the slowest day of the week, but we often have nothing to do and always leave really early.

Stellenbosch is town about 45 minutes from Cape Town. It is famous for it’s multitude of vineyards. We rented a car (the same make and model of our first rental) in the morning and were on the road by 9am. The drive was beautiful. I had thought I’d seen all there is to see (As far as views go) in Cape Town, but Stellenbosch proved me wrong. I found the mountains and vast vineyards just as breathtaking as all the other amazing views. Every place in Cape Town has something different to offer. From oceans, to mountains, to countryside, to vineyards, and who knows what else is out there that I have yet to discover, I continue to be in awe of this beautiful country.

outside the shops in Stellenbosch

Our first stop was in the center of town. Doug recommended breakfast at “Beads”, a restaurant bistro. It was certainly one of the cutest bistros I’ve ever seen. It had a colonial feel to it with its old wood and fireplace. There was also an outdoor courtyard seating area. The colors and gardens were quaint and classy. The service, however, was less than fine (even by South Africa standards). It took nearly an hour to get granola and yogurt and scones. What’s more, they were nothing to write home about.

courtyard at Beads

After our breakfast, we explored the streets. Stellenbosch reminded me a lot of a small New England town. Partly because of the colorful autumn leaves, but it has a very old, country-side sort of feel to it. The streets were lined with small shops and bookstores. The street names, we learned (the hard way), are not on signs but on the curbs and painted yellow. We had a heck of a time finding our way into town and complained the entire time about the lack of street signs. It wasn’t until we stopped at an information center and mentioned it. The reason for the “curb signs” is because the college students were constantly stealing the street signs. Once we learned this, we found the idea amusing..and the navigating much easier.Our next stop was Jonkershoek Tea Garden. This was far off the “beaten path” and was a suggestion from Doug. He insisted the drive was worth it, and it proved to be true! This tea garden was not meant for tourists and that’s exactly the kind of thing we were hoping for. The menu was even in Afrikaans (with English translations beneath them). It wasn’t actually a garden at all…and there weren’t any special tea options, but we didn’t mind. The area was almost farm-like and surrounded with mountains. The café was a small cabin and there were picnic tables outside. We sat in the sun and ordered Roibos tea and pancakes (which are actually crepes). Roibos is the most popular tea here in South Africa. It translates literally to “Red Bush” and is delicious. It’s a very calming tea, and my new favorite J. Now that I think about it, there actually was some sort of garden at the side of the house. That was probably the tea…

After our rejuvenating tea break, we were on to the vineyards. Our first stop was Waterford Estate. And an Estate it was! It looked like something out of Gatsby. The dirt road leading to the winery was lined with tall trees. The estate also housed a pond and a small, picturesque farm. The mountains and clear, blue sky reflected in the ponds making us feel like we were in a painting. The area was very quiet. We parked the car, unsure of where to go or what to do since there were no signs or attendants or anything. We walked in timidly and were finally met by a soft spoken and elegant host. He asked us if we were here for a tasting and we exchanged glances before saying yes. It was at that moment that we realized the weight of our situation. We had traveled hours to one of the most famous and esteemed wine countries possibly in the world, and we hadn’t the slightest clue as to what we were doing. The interior was open and sunny and led immediately into a courtyard. We were sat at a table with 2 different wine glasses, a smaller wine glass, a pitcher of water, and an empty pitcher among other various cutlery (that I at least recognized.) Our host left us. We looked at the arrangement in front of us, then at each other. We each asked the other if she had any idea what to do, and when the answer was a unanimous NO, we broke into a sudden fit of laughter. It only escalated and suddenly we were doubled over trying desperately to compose ourselves…which only made it worse. You know that supper table scenario: your parents tell you to stop laughing, and you want to (for fear of choking) but everything around you is just so positively hilarious that your laughter is uncontrollable. It’s the best and worst feeling in the world.

We did manage to compose ourselves (a little) by the time our host came by with the menu. It was time to come clean. Jamie made the announcement that we were wine tasting virgins (well she didn’t say it like that..anyone who knows Jamie would know she wouldn’t say it like that). Our host chuckled and maintained his politeness. He listed our options. I don’t remember all of them, just that one of them involved homemade chocolate made to compliment the wines. We obviously chose that one. Waterford is actually known for this pairing of chocolate and wine. We sampled 8 different wines. He went on about asparagus and pineapples and years, and percentages. I took notes and even enjoyed a few of them. Obviously, the two wine glasses were for red and white wines. I learned that the smaller wine glass was actually for water and the empty pitcher was a decanter for the unwanted wine.

waterford estate

Our last 3 wine samples were paired with the chocolates. We were presented with a slab that had printed on it the names of the wines and the chocolates, and information about each one. We were instructed to sip, bite, sip. The first was a shiraz and dark choc, which I was thought was alright. The second was a Cabernet Sauvignon and a rock salt choc. I didn’t particularly like the wine but the rock salt chocolate was amazing! The last pair was a natural sweet white wine and a rose geranium milk choc. The wine was one of the best I’ve ever tasted but the chocolate tasted like potpourri. I went home with two bottles of that wine and a slab of the rock salt chocolate.

Our next stop was Uva Mira. I was really entertained by the name of this winery. In Spanish, Uva means grape and Mira means look or see. This winery does not only produce some of the best wines in the country, but also has the most spectacular views. I tasted the chardonnay (which apparently won “Best in the world”), and I didn’t think it was all that great. But let’s be honest, who am I to judge? We saw a large room that housed barrels upon barrels of wine and explored the decks. Before leaving we enjoyed biscuits by the vineyards. I noticed some of the grapes on the vines and was tempted to taste one. I thought better of it, and we headed to the car. As I walked I just kept thinking what a grape sewn for the purpose of wine making would taste like. How different would it be from a farm grown grape? And how COOL would it be to say I ate a grape from South African vineyard. Arriving to the car I noticed a grapevine growing right in front of where we parked. It was fate! At the last minute I dove for a grape and jumped into the car. It was at that moment that I thought about pesticides and sulfur. I touched the grape with my tongue. When I tasted nothing, I went in for a bite. My teeth had barely sunk in before it burst in my mouth. What I tasted could easily be described as poison. I yelled out and immediately spat out the window. I continued yelling and spitting, to Jamie’s utter concern and confusion, for a good 30 seconds. I was convinced I was going to get sick (and possibly die) by morning. Thankfully Jamie was there to knock some sense in to me. I blame any mishaps and screw ups that happen from that moment on on that venomous grape.

We made a quick stop at strawberry farm on the way to our last winery. We were hoping for some fresh strawberries of strawberry wine, but came up dry. We did, however, discover sun dried strawberries. What a novel idea!! They were delicious!!

Our last stop was Spier, aka the DisneyLand of Stellenbosch. The last thing we wanted was to go to “DisneyLand”, but Spier was famous for its cheetahs. Here, you can actually pet a live cheetah for R90 (10 bucks). We didn’t feel right leaving Stellenbosch without the famous “Cheetah Encounter”. Even our South African friends and coworkers said it was a “must-do”. Since it was so late in the day, we barely made it. The cheetah encounters stopped at 5. We arrived at 4:51 and begged our way in. The reason they stop at this time is because animals are more awake at night. They typically sleep during the day, which is perfect for petting. They told us the cheetahs were becoming to active for visits, but they let us in anyway! Even though he looks asleep in the pictures, our cheetah was pretty awake during our visit. He actually made me jump once or twice. Cheetah’s are surprisingly soft. I wanted to snuggle up with him, until I saw his mouth. As we were leaving we heard our cheetah purring. At this point we were about 100 feet away but his purring sounded like my head was against his chest. It was wild.

For dinner we ate at the widely suggested “Moyo”. It is an outdoor, buffet style, authentically African, dinning experience. It took us a bit to finally decide that we did, indeed, want to eat at moyo. Once we did, our waiter sat us at a big couch/lounge area. The food was all incredibly delicious. Even though it was buffet style, it was cooked fresh in front of you. We had fish, springbok, sugar beans, veggies, and (of course) Malva pudding. While we ate we were entertained by African drummers who even gave us a personal performance at the end of the night.

uva mira

drive to uva mira

Malva Pudding + Beach = Paradise

5/25/09
After work Jamie and I were tired and hungry. We decided to check out the café around the corner from our apartment, Special Gallery 38. We walk by this place on our way home from the bus stop and had wanted to check it out. It turned out to be a great idea. The atmosphere had a very ‘coffee house’ feel and magnificent artwork lined the walls (hence the name). I ordered a coffee and it was notably delicious; I don’t usually differentiate coffees, but I was impressed with this one. We ordered sandwiches and enjoyed the atmosphere. Afterwards, we visited our favorite bookstore. Jamie read up more on “things to see in Cape Town” while I relaxed beside her and listened. Jamie is a planner. She loves to collect and read pamphlets, brochures and tourism books. It works out well for me since I don’t have the patience or attention span to absorb that sort of thing. I let her read the captions out loud, and when something sounds cool, I get us there. I’m the doer.

Doug met up with us for dinner again. Tonight we went to Hout Bay. On the way we stopped at Llandudno, a sort of mini (very mini) Malibu. The sun was setting making the view spectacular. Jamie and I thought we would like to live in Llandudno…if only we could pronounce the name (land-dud-no). We ended up at Chapman’s Peak Hotel Restaurant. We had an amazing dinner and our first real piece of Malva Pudding. Which is not actually a pudding at all, but a cake. Caroline’s friends had raved about it when they came to visit. We tried a sample of it at Fruit and Veg market and couldn’t wait to try the real thing. It was everything I dreamed it would be, and more!

On the ride home we stopped at the Clifton Beaches. We checked out the 2nd and 3rd beaches. What a fantastic place! From the street, there are about a thousand steps leading down onto the beaches. The views are amazing. Once down, you are completely secluded, and the beaches are fairly small. There is no place on earth that makes me happier than the beach. There is something magical about the beach at night. The cool sand, the warm(er) water, the stars, the white foam against the seamless water and sky heighten my senses. The air smells saltier and feels thiner. It makes me feel light summery –even in the winter. It makes me feel happy.

Lunch With The First Lady

5/24/09
I started my morning with a yoga class. I was really looking forward to it since I hadn’t been in a while and felt like I needed some recharging. I was severely let down when I arrived at the over crowded studio. The instructor was not what I was expecting from a Sunday morning class. He was militant and fast paced. Even though I know all the poses and even their sequence, I was stammering and mixing them up. It was utterly frustrating. To recover I came home, did a treadmill workout and then did my own Yoga on the rooftop. I felt human again.

Jamie and I chose to explore Sea Point this afternoon. We took a cab there and walked down the boardwalk along the ocean and massive waves. We checked out the lighthouse and the playground. We tried to ignore the fact that we both secretly wanted to ride the sea-saw (teeter-totter), but finally succumbed. It was more enjoyable than I expected. We rocked for a good 20 mins, and we only stopped then because the seat was digging into our thighs.

For lunch, we tried out a place called La Vie. It turned out to be a great choice. Our waiter was friendly and playful. He immediately assumed we were from the US and proceeded to call us “Michelle” and “The First Lady”. I said to Jamie, “I can see the resemblance.” She said, “Michelle IS really stylish…” Our meals were fantastic. We had amazing hummus and salads. Afterwards we searched up and down main street for a recommended gelato place. We finally found it…and it was well worth the search. The shop was adorable and we enjoyed gelato on small waffle “hearts” drizzled with Ferero Rocher chocolate sauce. MM!