July 12 LOVE CAPE TOWN









 Landed in Cape Town at 8 AM from Johannesburg. Wilson is behind the wheel again. This time it's an automatic and a small Kia. Much easier driving. Headed to Cape Town since our Airbnb isn't ready until 3. We found the coolest food store/take out ready made place. We were starving. It is clean anything you can think of from pumpkin soup to sushi. Did a major walkabout. 8.2 mi according to my fitbit. Saw amazing markets with so many flowers leather goods vegetables just everything. We came up on the municipal building. This is where Mandela gave his speech the day he was released from prison Dec 1 1991. The building is now a museum which we visited for free. Very very interesting. Too much to go into but I have to say he is/was quite an impressive man. We then came back bought a few things for snacks and of course South African wine for happy hour. We were debating if we should walk to our picked restaurant. We asked a couple downstairs who lives here. They said they are walking to the waterfront and would be happy to walk with us. He is 6 ft 3 and about 250 lbs. No one will mess with him. We hit it off. They said join us at the waterfront. The place is absolutely amazing. Super cool restaurants/bar with beautiful boats in the marina. Lolo is an MD specialized in epidemiology/virology. Her husband I can't pronounce his name is a finance guy. Speaking of which I read in the SA newspaper a record number of repo for cars and houses are taking place. The interest rate isn't like we have. Most people can't afford a fixed rate. Their mortgage rates fluctuate. Now the mortgage rate jumped to 11.25%. I asked him how that can be?  He said that's the downfall of the US market. He tried to explain but I didn't get it. This couple was fascinating. I spoke way back about the Masia people and how they bater with cows for marriage. Well Lolo is very modern SA. Her husband is very traditional. They have so much land and more cows goats and sheep then he has a number for. His family gave her family an undisclosed amount of cows for her. Even Lolo doesn't know how many. They had 3 weddings. The traditional wedding had 1800 in attendance. 8 cows 6 goats later they fed the crowed. They had lots of Palm wine. They said it lasted until morning. Here we thought this bartering with cows was very primitive and yet here we in SA and it is still going on today. Old Africa meets modern Africa. The sushi and oysters we had last night was just off the charts. Of course one of the best chardonnay yes South African I think I have had. Just a wonderful day. Tomorrow hiking Lions head. 

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