Baboons on the Loose

I couldn't keep from smiling when I heard this story of baboons around Groot Constantia, one of the oldest vineyards in South Africa, set in the heart of Cape Town.The vineyard had been invaded by baboons, creating havoc by eating the grapes, then becoming inebriated and ripping the unique, thatched roof on many of the homes or invading the kitchens in search of tasty tidbits.
Constantia, a suburb where well-known people live, like Nelson Mandela, has been hard hit by the blight of the baboons.

They say nothing seems to frighten them, not even the blare of the vervulza, the horn used at the World Cup that was so noisy. The residents no longer feel comfortable sitting or lunching outside, as they are accustomed to doing, for fear of being attacked.
When I was last in South Africa I was amused at the baboons n the Cape who appeared to be everywhere in the rural areas. They made an interesting sight as they scampered up the walls of houses, sometimes with a banana in hand. But I was cautioned never to leave a window open if I left the house during the day, and always to close them at night. I even saw signs reading,"Beware of the Baboons!"

I'm sure the residents of the Cape who have to put up with this annoying behavior of these animals are not amused. But as for American visitors, it is very entertaining to see them climbing and springing about.

Nelson Mandela, Man of Integrity

I recently saw a movie about South Africa, THE COLOR OF FREEDOM. It is basked on the memoirs of a white, Afrikaans South African who was Nelson Mandela's prison guard for over twenty years. I was intrigued with the way Mandela managed to engage with this man, who gradually began to question his racism by witnessing the humanity he saw in Mandela. Again, I am moved by Mandela. Not ony by his courage to persevere so long for his cause, but also for his compassion and forgiveness towards his captors in the face of year after year of adversity and imprisonment.

Then, after his release from prison, at the end of apartheid, he established THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION ACT. Anyone who felt he was the victim of apartheid's violence was invited to come forward and be heard. Those guilty of the violence could also testify and request amnesty. This was a powerful act by Mandela and was instrumental in bringing democracy to South Africa. Probably because I have stood in that same stark cell on Robben Island where Mandela was confined for eighteen years, my admiration for his commitment to reconciliation, morality and integitry was made stronger.

It is wonderful in the light of the corruption and greed that we see all about us, to witness an individual who has truly born the fruits of Christianity. Baptized a Methodist he believed in the power of religion. He did not talk a lot about his beliefs, but bore the fruits of those beliefs in his life. As he once said, "Religion is one of the most powerful forces in the world. Whether you are a Christian, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew, or a Hindu, religion is a great force, and it can help one have command of one's own morality, one's own behavior, and one's own attitude." The world has witnessed the power of those beliefs.

The Long Road to Freedom

I recently read, The Long Road to Freedom, Nelson Mandela's account of his struggle as a freedom fighter in South Africa. I was surprised to learn that the African National Congress, which the South African Government always referred to as a terrorist organization, was actually started years before apartheid ever came into power. It originated as a peaceful means to bring peace and equality to all the different races in South Africa, wherein they would live together in peace, with democracy and justice for all. This was the essence of Mandela's lifelong struggle.
I again cannot help but to marvel at the character of this man who devoted his whole life to bring peace and equality to all in South Africa. His biggest regret is that he had to sacrifice his family for this cause, and this has caused him great grief.
But because of his strength of character, he was able to abstain from vindictiveness during all those years of imprisonment and to display kindness and humility to his oppressors. And after twenty-seven years of prison, he emerged advocating forgiveness as a means of freeing one's self and moving on.
As as result of this attitude of forgiveness, he has been able to do great things for the country.
I have lived in South Africa and was very familiar with apartheid. I left in l978. Five years ago I returned and was amazed at the difference in the country, especially in the Cape.
In Gatung (formerly the Transvaal) it seemed much the same -- only security was much more of an issue. To get in and out of one's house there can be a real challenge. Most houses are equipped with electric fences and locked gates because of all the car jackings and break-ins.
But then I went to the Cape. From the moment we boarded the South African plane, Kahlulah, at Jan Smuts in Johannesburg, we saw the difference. Primarily, everyone on the plane was speaking English and we saw numerous nationalities: Black, Coloured, Oriental and White -- all interacting positively with one another. What a contrast! The entire time spent in the Cape was one of ease and enjoyment, free of any overt racial tension.
I know South Africa continues to have problems, but I admire the man who was instrumental in giving all the people of South Africa the chance to experience freedom and hope.

Tea Time

Because South Africa was one time an English colony, there is, of course, a lot of English influence there. One custom I really enjoyed was having tea. I'm actually more of a coffee drinker, but I loved the tea rituals. They say that if you're visiting in some one's home for longer than thirty minutes and you haven't been offered tea, you should feel insulted.

The tea is always served in bone China cups and saucers, usually with matching cake plates. And the tea spoons and cake forks are so cute. They are very dainty and much smaller than our tea spoons and dessert forks. With the tea comes "biscuits" (cookies), cakes or scones with jam and cream. Depending on the occasion, the "spread" can be modest or elaborate.

When I returned to the States, I brought sets of the forks and spoons which I continue to use today. I also brought a set of bone China tea sups, saucers and cake plates, as well as a coffee set. (They didn't use coffee mugs when I was there). Whenever I serve tea or coffee in these I hear a lot of "oohs and ahhs" from the women, who really seem to enjoy them. Men probably think they are too dainty.

And of course, these lovely pieces are placed on a tray that has been covered with a tray cloth. These are beautiful pieces of linen, often embroidered and also dainty -- a suitable object on which to display the beautiful dishes.

Tea time in South Africa is a quite formal, enticing and enjoyable custom which I do miss.

Swimming with Penguins

For a truly unique experience at the beach, how would you like to go swimming with penguins?


This is what I did in the Cape Province in South Africa. Boulders Beach, in the southwest part of the Cape, is a tourist attraction for the beach, swimming and the penguins. Here is a protected colony of jackass penguins.


It was a real treat to watch these penguins swimming and roaming freely among the tourists, and listening to their braying noises that give them their name. I couldn't believe how I and the other tourists could walk among them, getting as close as three feet, and they showed no fear. They appeared almost tame.

When leaving, there is a big sign in the parking lot that reads, "Be sure to look under your car for penguins before leaving."


Playing and swimming with the penguins in their natural habitat was a real delight.

Seeking a Pure Race

I was intrigued when I recently heard of a book about South Africa written by an Australian author, Bryce Courtenay, who spent his childhood in South Africa. The book is Whitethorn. He deftly describes South Africa as "...a dark, fierce landscape where kindness and cruelty, love and hate share the same backyard."

I had heard the book was hard to read because of some of its content, so it was with some trepidation that I opened it. There were some hard parts, but overall it was an interesting story about a little orphan boy with an English name living in an Afrikaans orphanage in the northern Transvaal during World War II.

The Afrikaans and English are the two dominant white races of South Africa. The Afrikaans enforced apartheid from 1948 to 1994.

What I found most arresting was the portrayal of the Afrikaans people who ran the orphanage. They were among very radical Afrikaaners who supported Hitler during World War II, and who shared the same dream of maintaining a pure race. Hitler, by eradicating the Jews, and the Afrikaans by suppressing the blacks. I have even heard Afrikaans people refer to themselves as "the chosen race."
This support of Hitler came as a shock to me. I had not heard this before, and I have lived there.

Fortunately, as is explained in the book, not all Afrikaans were so radical. But they are known to be a stubborn and proud people.

Mealie Pap vs. Polenta

I'm sure that the discriminative diners among you are familiar with polenta, an Italian side dish made of corn meal. It can replace potatoes or pasta in many dishes with sauces, such as meat sauce, alfredo sauce, or tomato based sauce.

I was surprised to learn of the Italian origin, as I had learned to eat a simplified version of it years ago in South Africa. It was called mealie pap, which is a thick porridge made from corn meal. It had been the staple of the black people's food for years.

The white population loved to serve it as pap en vleis, (porridge and meat) at cookouts instead of potatoes or bread. Next to your lamb chop or boerewors (sausage), or steak, a portion of pap would be placed on your plate, so thick it was often eaten with one's hands, just like the blacks did.

When first offered this, I had to politely say, "No, thank you!" It sounded and looked very unappetizing to me. But over time, I grew to really like it and found it to be a very good accompaniment to meat -- but it had to have lots of butter! It was also served with a sauce called sheba at the cookouts, which was made with tomatoes and onions.

Polenta is more sophisticated than plain pap, with the addition of cheeses or herbs. Some people even like to fry squares of it, but here's how I usually make it:

Polenta

Bring to a boil 4 cups of water (part chicken broth) and salt. Gradually add 2 cups of cornmeal, stirring vigorously, taking the pan off the heat. Stir till relatively smooth, return to heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring often. You can then add butter, (1/4 cup), and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. I like to also add garlic.

Just pour over your favorite sauce and you are in for a special treat!