Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa

[Diplomat]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nunya</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Loved the story about John, very well written.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The food was very good but the portion sizes were small.... </div></div> Those are the kinda places you take a date (except someone like Jazz, cause she can eat a horse <span style="font-style: italic">and</span> it's rider ) and then after you've dropped them off, you stop off at burger king... </div></div>
But if not with someone like Jazz, then that wouldn't be much fun. Didn't you read her last trip report? I would take Miss World, er....Jazz, anywhere - appetite and all

[Diplomat]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jazz</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChurchDude</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Speaking of John, he was an incredibly interesting man. From the time we met in the Company Garden, I took a liking to him. Maybe it was his enthusiasm, his zest for life. And so it was quite the shock when he told me he was homeless. According to the story he told me, he was a veteran of the South African military who fell on hard times after he lost an eye and was discharged from the army. While he away on military duty, he had used some of his money to make some investments with a friend, who assured him that the business was doing well. However, when he was discharged, the friend disappeared and he was unable to keep his home as he had no income. He had a wife and a daughter, the former had taken the latter and he had not see them in a number of years. His life spiraled out of control; he took up drinking and became an alcoholic. He turned to a branch of a renowned Church for help, but he was unimpressed with the show of extravagance and very little concern for people like himself.

How did he manage to keep himself clean? He had a place where he took a shower every morning, changed his clothes, and stashed what little he had away in a corner of the park. He insisted on wearing clean clothes every day because he loved interacting with people. Sitting in the park allowed him to meet people like myself and he enjoyed showing newcomers around. He refused to feel sorry for himself and said he just needed a helping hand to get back on his feet.

What I found even more interesting was that after years as an alcoholic, he finally got some help in going sober. From his perspective, he could not remain an alcoholic if he was going to get his life back together. While he had given up on organized religion, he had found God and was convinced that He had a plan for his life. He walked around with a worn New Testament in his pocket. Whenever he was tempted to feel sorry for himself, the stories in the Bible reminded him that God loved him and that knowledge caused him to have a positive attitude. Even though some of the people he had met had promised to help him with a job, and those promises did not materialize, he was expectant that any day could be the day that he would meet the one who would be the answer to his prayers.

For a while I was amazed that this man was far more optimistic and had more faith than most Christians I knew. In some respects, he was far more fortunate than most people in that he had learnt how to be happy without having material things. I learnt a lot from him as we walked the streets and I resolved in my mind that the rest of the group had to meet him the next day. Two guys, one black and one white - walking and talking like long lost friends in what once was apartheid South Africa. The words of the apostle Paul came to my mind then: &quot;For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus&quot; (Galatians 3:26-28). Though separated by thousands of miles, and despite the differences in our life situations, this homeless man was my brother. Walking with him, it actually felt like it.
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Just awesome... the personal connections you make everywhere you go... you leave footprints in the lives of others

Loving the report and the pictures so far! </div></div>
Thanks much In and on my travels, I find the personal encounters to be among the most memorable and somehow, there always seem to be at least one wherever I go. After meeting John, everything else was gravy. I still think of him and trust that he is moving in the right direction in getting his life back on track.

[Jazz]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChurchDude</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nunya</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Loved the story about John, very well written.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The food was very good but the portion sizes were small.... </div></div> Those are the kinda places you take a date (except someone like Jazz, cause she can eat a horse <span style="font-style: italic">and</span> it's rider ) and then after you've dropped them off, you stop off at burger king... </div></div>
But if not with someone like Jazz, then that wouldn't be much fun. Didn't you read her last trip report? I would take Miss World, er....Jazz, anywhere - appetite and all
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Thank you Churchdude we would have such fun if we traveled together!

*lang out tongue Afta Nunya* abayyyyy!

[SamChabs]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa

waiting patiently for the Joburg part of the report....

[Diplomat]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SamChabs</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> waiting patiently for the Joburg part of the report.... </div></div>
Coming up. Two more days in Cape Town including our road trip

[Diplomat]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa

Breakfast was a buzz of excitement as I related my experiences with John. As was to be expected, the others were quite interested in meeting him and I told the appointment for the next day to do so. John would take them on their own tour and they would get a chance to meet this fascinating man.

Sitting in the breakfast area of the Hilton, certain things caught my eye.

[Diplomat]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa

Across the road from us, an exhibition was going on.

[Diplomat]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa

[Diplomat]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa


A representation of the iconic Nelson Mandela



After leaving the exhibition, we waited anxiously for our driver who would take us to Cape Point. The very helpful hotel front desk staff had suggested it as a place to check out and had also made travel arrangements. It wasn't long after that Rasheed came. A very engaging and enthusiastic 26-year old young man from Malawi. More on him later. We hopped into the minivan and away we went. If I recall correctly, the drive was a couple of hours.

[Diplomat]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa

My first impression of Cape Town was how clean the place was. In Zambia there were people that swept the side of the roads first thing in the morning. No machines, nothing automated, just simple men and women with straw brooms and bags in which to put whatever garbage there was. I did not see men and women sweeping in Cape Town, but from my limited perspective, the public sanitation crew was doing a great job and overall, the people were extremely friendly. Maybe it was the fact that this was an &quot;artsy&quot; and major tourist-inviting town.

Though we were in the downtown core, the traffic was surprisingly light.

The morning had been a full one so far. Meeting John and our quick walk through &quot;the Garden&quot; to Mandela Square, the happy coincidence of the exhibition of the life and times of the man himself and my visit there, and listening to Rasheed, the drive to Cape Point as well as the place itself promised to be interesting. I found myself looking forward to it.

Some sights along the way....

[Diplomat]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa

I have to admit, even from inside the vehicle the view was breathtaking. It was as if we were &quot;ooing&quot; and &quot;aahing&quot; at every turn with cameras going off every where.

[Diplomat]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa




The &quot;whale&quot; wasn't real


A road trip lasting a couple of hours without stopping for the ladies to shop was to invite trouble. Rasheed was a smart guy and so we did stop. Plus, had we put it to a vote we (the guys) would have lost anyway seeing we were outnumbered 4:2 \0/

[Diplomat]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa

A little bit further ahead, Rasheed stopped again. This time I think he was definitely trying to score some points with two of the younger (as in 30 year-old and single) ladies.


This cast of characters was promoting their CD

[Jazz]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChurchDude</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My first impression of Cape Town was how clean the place was. In Zambia there were people that swept the side of the roads first thing in the morning. No machines, nothing automated, just simple men and women with straw brooms and bags in which to put whatever garbage there was. I did not see men and women sweeping in Cape Town, but from my limited perspective, the public sanitation crew was doing a great job and overall, the people were extremely friendly. Maybe it was the fact that this was an &quot;artsy&quot; and major tourist-inviting town.

Though we were in the downtown core, the traffic was surprisingly light.

The morning had been a full one so far. Meeting John and our quick walk through &quot;the Garden&quot; to Mandela Square, the happy coincidence of the exhibition of the life and times of the man himself and my visit there, and listening to Rasheed, the drive to Cape Point as well as the place itself promised to be interesting. I found myself looking forward to it.

Some sights along the way....









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OMG these pictures do not look real!!! I love the colors on the roofs and the waves look impossibly fake! how beautiful! my goodness!

[Compry]

Re: Cape Town, Jo'burg - South Africa

Beautiful pics and report so far. I'm glad I came on today.