2009 Adventures

Archive for the ‘South Africa’


Istanbul, not Constantinople

Published September 20th, 2009 in Photos, South Africa, Turkey | No Comments »

Hello from…Istanbul! I bought a last-minute ticket on Friday evening, flew out on Saturday evening, and arrived on Sunday evening. And after almost exactly 24 hours in transit, I am beat. After we landed, I followed the instructions that came up from a “Istanbul airport to city” google search–last-minute flights=no guidebook–and took the metro and tram to Sultanahmet in the old city. That meant an hour sitting surrounded by piles of luggage on crowded trains and struggling through turnstiles with a gigantic backpack, rolling carry-on, and heavy laptop case. Oy. Old Turkish women in headscarves were giving me is-she-crazy looks out of the corner of their eyes as I sweated and struggled.

I’m so tired, I’m barely coherent.

I had a seven-hour layover in Doha, and although I was too tired to go out into the city, the airport is close to town and has a great view over the rooftops. It was surprising to find how much I miss the sights and sounds of the Middle East–it always makes me smile to see men in their white robes, chatting on high-end cell phones. And I’d forgotten how the extreme heat creates a haze that obscures the horizon, giving the impression that you’re in a very hot, very sandy bubble. It was lovely to be back, if only for a while.

And now I’m in Istanbul–love at first sight. Although extreme exhaustion complicated the process of walking over the (very lovely) cobblestones and over-zealous Turkish restaurant owners turned the road into a gauntlet of “hi lady, are you hungry?,” I just can’t get enough. Earlier, I heard the evening call to prayer from the Blue Mosque as I strolled along streets lined with colorful glass lamps. And now, I’m in my top bunk, listening to the sound of a sudden rainstorm on the awnings below; it’s quieted the sounds of the Eid celebrations.

Now, to sleep before I begin the search for a reasonably-priced private room at a hostel with decent internet–because of the time difference, I’ll be working 3:30-midnight, which won’t go over well in a dorm. I’ll leave you with some pictures of my last days in Cape Town, which were wonderful and filled with good people.

http://picasaweb.google.com/eekauppi/CiaoCapeTown?feat=directlink

Ciao, Cape Town

A whale of a time

Published September 18th, 2009 in South Africa | 1 Comment »

**I wrote this last weekend in Hermanus and am just now posting.

http://picasaweb.google.com/eekauppi/Hermanus?feat=directlink

Hermanus

The most striking thing about South Africa–other than its crazy amazing coastline–is the people. Without fail, everyone I’ve met here has been remarkably friendly and generous. When people learn I’ve only been here a week, they are quick to welcome me and offer any assistance I could possibly need. They’re always willing to chat–and always with a smile. It’s a huge departure from Buenos Aires, where the people are notoriously cold and detached.

I couldn’t love it more.

A girl that works at my hostel said that the thing all South Africans aspire to is to be chill. Relaxed, unhurried, unstressed. In the face of all this relaxing, I often feel very American. In other words, I expect to get things when they’re promised (from laundry to my boots), I work for eight hours per day, and I love the concept of personal space. I’m not used to being the uptight one! I met a German guy yesterday who said, “South Africans don’t put much importance on work…maybe that’s why their country is not functioning so well.” Funny, that could also be said about Argentina, where work is also not a priority.

The same German guy, Julian, was also full of such gems as, “Dressing like an onion has many advantages.” (We were talking about wearing layers.) And speaking of him brings me back to the friendliness of people in South Africa–tourists and locals alike. Julian and I hung out yesterday in the way that travelers do, instant friends because you’ve landed at the same hostel at the same time. In the evening, we had dinner with two of his friends, both from Germany and in South Africa for different reasons. Heidi has been living here for ten years, and Friederike has been interning for six weeks. Within an hour, Friederike had informed me that I “always have a place to stay” when I visit Germany, and Heidi had given me her phone number, insisting that I call if I need anything when I’m in South Africa, from a ride to visa assistance. And another guy, whose name escapes me, insisted on paying for everyone’s dinner.

I’m in Hermanus for the weekend. It’s a tiny town about two hours from Cape Town, and supposedly has the best whale-watching in the world. From July to November, the Southern Right Whale migrates here, and because the water is so deep close to shore, they come amazingly close to land. It’s fantastic to see them leap out of the water or slap their huge tails, but mostly they kind of float along with the waves and look like giant logs. Have you ever seen the move City of Angels with Nicholas Cage and Meg Ryan? If so, think of the scene where all of the angels are standing on the beach, facing the sun and water. In Hermanus, it looks just like that every time a whale comes close–everyone rushes to the shore and stares at the water. Yesterday, we spent an entirely pleasant afternoon listening to Marimba music and picnicking on the cliffs, all the while watching for whales.

Despite the lovely scenery and the whales, Hermanus is more of a day-trip kind of town, and I’ll be happy to get back to Cape Town tomorrow night. I haven’t decided what’s next–any suggestions for places in South Africa?