i'll use photos to narrate this blog - it's more fun that way for me and whereas i DID a lot the last time I had a break - I took A LOT of photos this break. The photos are from my last shift with the BAP kids (we took them to the MTN science center), my 1st ever surf lesson, and the overnight trip to simonstown i took with some of the other volunteers. Enjoy!
the other morning I woke up at BAP and for some reason looked out the window (i don't usually look out the window, as there isn't much to see). on this morning, an enormous rainbow was in the big sky. it seemed an beautifully ironic thing to see in this place.
two of the volunteers who just finished their projects paid for the kids to go to the science center in this big commercial complex called century city. seeing them in the "real world" was a trip! some cried in the elevator because they had no clue what was going to happen. mesuli was fascinated by this fish.
the kids were too cute eating their hot dog lunch. most couldn't be bothered with the bun.
luthando in the "big head" mirror.
jessica in the spaceship tube.
nana building a house.
asemahle and her big head.
the kids were zonked on the ride home!
yesterday some of the volunteers and i took a surf lesson. one of the other volunteer projects run by aviva is at gary's surf school. i was very excited to surf! turns out i'm a natural! i got up instantly on the longboard and was able to move to a 7'10 later in the day. for a first timer, that's really good, i'm told. once high tide came in, though, i was no match for those huge waves!
so graceful!
giving it a try.
zoe, one of the volunteers on the wildlife conservation project, and i went to simonstown after our surf lesson and spent the night. i had been to simonstown briefly but knew i wanted to go back and spend some more time looking around. im so glad i did because after you leave the main tourist drag, it's a really quirky little seaport town with some really amazing things to see and photograph. zoe and i rented bikes today and explored the town. we found some hidden beaches, some interesting people and some really great views! i got all "artsy" with my camera and am pretty happy with what came of it. i gave some of them silly gallery names. :-)
this one i call: "mirror"
"descending staircase"
"botanical doorway"
"family portrait"
"diva in beggar's clothes"
we came upon the naval marching band. these two were happy to pose with their tubas.
"cancer stick holder" (that's actually what i call cigarettes!)
this was at the entrance to the navy yard. we wondered what was so "perilous" behind the gates...
we came upon a hidden beach that many locals love.
"snorkel"
zoe got me midflight - she calls this one "my masterpiece"
"bliss"
"bliss #2"
"poo-bin"
"sailor @ 5 rand" - (i paid him 5 rand - the equivalent to 65 cents - to take this photo of him)
as i mentioned earlier, we rode the train back. it was, as some of the brits here say, "bloody brilliant"! the views were amazing and i couldn't sit down...or put the camera away.
"woman with dogs"
this one can't be named. ;-)
"waving whale"
"changing in style"
a few lucky restaurants own property right on the water and this one advertises on the train platform. it boasts that it's summer all year round at brass bell (that's the name of the restaurant).
"looking back"
