Cape Town

In some ways I felt last night like college prepared me well for Cape Town. Perhaps, you are thinking, it was that comparative politics course where we studied South Africa. While helpful, that course was nothing compared with the training I received in falling asleep when the rest of the world just wants to have a party.

Here in Cape Town I have a room right on a big, busy, party street, complete with African Drumming from one bar, The Postal Service from another bar, and honking and revelry from the street. Not unlike Tacoma.

Beyond my accommodations, I am happy to finally be here in Africa after the week delay. Cape Town is as beautiful as they all say although I have not been able to climb Table Mountain because, the "tablecloth has been on."

I spent yesterday touring Robben Island, where so many political prisoners were kept during apartheid. Standing in one of those small cells, exactly like the one where Nelson Mandela was, you can't help but get a tear in the eye for all the people oppressed, killed, and jailed as they struggled merely for freedom and opportunity. The tour was an unbelievable experience, although it is strange to take a tour of a jail and line up to snap pictures of Nelson Mandela's cell. Far more powerful, I think, to spend a few moments of quiet solitary reflection in some remote part of the jail like so many of the prisoners must have.

I leave Cape Town on Sunday and head north toward Namibia and some smaller canyons before Fish River. It'll be nice to be out of the bar/nightlife scene and into some quieter lands.