Rafiki’s Clan by Bess and Adelaide
Hello friends and family!
We began Sunday afternoon with tears - well, at least Bess did, when visiting the Boulders Penguin Reserve. (Penguins happen to be Bess's all time favorite animal!) Although the penguins were not in arms reach, they were just a fence away nestled in their sheltered coves. Even though Boulders is in a residential area, it is one of the few places where penguins can be observed wandering freely in their own natural environment at close range.
Next on the days agenda was Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope. Once at Cape Point, a large group of us decided to hike up to the Lighthouse and enjoy the beautiful view overlooking the ocean. Little did we know that on the way from Cape Point to the Cape of Good Hope we would have a run in with a pack of Baboons! Did you know there is such a thing as Baboon Patrol? Well there sure is! We encountered this patrol in the midst of our drive as we came to a halt to observe and take pictures of the baboons.
Although not much time was spent at the Cape of Good Hope, it was enough time to understand the meaning of surrealism. While waves crashed against the boulders we were standing on, we were all individually and as a whole able to experience the unimaginable beauty of the southern tip of Africa. Aime Cesaire, a postcolonial scholar, states that surrealism is a “permanent readiness for the marvelous” and “lifts constraints on the imagination.” Cape of Good Hope allowed us to tap into both worlds of the real and surreal at once.
This experience directly led into our 5th class. We began the night with a creative spin – a poetry slam. Each of us was required to write a 5 line poem as a means of self-expression of our personal journey. Everyone was anxious about reading their individual poems, but as it turned out they were all phenomenal - as you have seen with the previous post. As we continued through our class, we discussed the meaning of truth, forgiveness, and reconciliation. “Can you have one without the other?” was the main question brought to the table. While we had varying opinions it was one of the most stimulating group discussions we had had thus far, concluding what was a spectacular day.
Monday morning came too quickly. While some enjoyed a relaxing, free morning around the Team House, others ventured out on a hike up Chapmen's Peak. We gathered together around noon and headed to Hout Bay for lunch, followed by a trolley ride up to the tippy top of Table Mountain. We enjoyed the spectacular views of the entire city, as well as some hot coffee. We returned home for our final sunset on the beach and a delicious traditional African meal - Bobotie.
We are sad to leave this wonderful place, but more than excited about our Safari Adventure ahead! Off to pack for our 5am morning. Hope those wild animals are ready for our crazy crew!