Out of Africa

Christmas greetings from Cape Town, South Africa!!

Ally and I arrived last night (too bad we're still waiting for Ally's luggage to arrive...but that's another story!). Tonight, her friend Lou from San Fran will join us (Lou is living in Tanzania for a year on a Fullbright Scholarship, working as a professor in Environmental Law). The three of us will call the Park Inn our home for the next week and a half, and I'm filled with anticipation for all the fun we're going to have in this amazing city.

I titled this blog "Out of Africa" because Cape Town is truly the continent's biggest exception. When looking at the beautiful mountains meeting the sea as we were flying in, I was reminded of Northern California. When walking around colorful Long St. last night with all its bars and restaurants, I felt like I was in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of DC. When peeking at the brochures on the area's wine country, photos of rolling green hills, I feel like I could be looking at the French countryside. And when looking at all the beautiful people in their Hugo Boss and Dolce & Gabana, walking around the manicured city streets with gorgeous Dutch-colonial style buildings, I feel for the first time that my cycle of 5 t-shirts and my footwear options of either my sneakers or flip flops are highly inadequate! :) Oh well! And my point is, Cape Town is a very, very different place from East Africa where I've been traveling for the last five weeks. I feel oddly indulgent being here, but I'm sure that will fade away...and perhaps too quickly, as I was humbled and blessed on a regular basis in East Africa by the amazing, joyful spirit of those who by Cape Town's material standards are living meager lives.

I'll get some photos uploaded in the coming days to share the Cape Town sights with everyone. In the meantime, I hope you all have a very lovely, rest-filled holiday.

Much love,
Mere

P.S. - Before leaving Kampala, we caught the new James Bond movie. Loved it! And it was great to see/hear the locals' reaction to Joseph Kony, the Ugandan War Lord, getting his due!