(Mom and Steve at Chapman’s Peak)

Hard to believe that another three months has slipped by without a single blog update. Guess that’s to be expected when one lives in suburbia, surrounded by mega shopping centers, outlandish malls, five-lane highways, and restaurants/bars on every corner. Not exactly the image of ‘life in Africa’ that most people conjure up in their minds, but definitely my reality.

(Amy, Steve and Russell)

(Mayday and Russell at Camps Bay)

(Mayday and Koshie at Camps Bay)

Yet, notwithstanding the sterility of my daily life, I still manage to get to exciting destinations. And nothing spurs on travel more than a visit from family!

(Amy and Russell at Chapman’s Peak)

(Stunning scenery)

(Russell and Steve)

My mom and Steve spent four glorious weeks visiting us in South Africa… birding in and around Pretoria, exploring national parks, and visiting historic sites and iconic landmarks throughout the country.

(Cape Point)

(Cape Point)

(Flora)

First stop, Cape Town, which, in my honest opinion, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world! We stayed at an upscale apartment in the heart of downtown with stunning views of Table Mountain and located right on Long Street, famous for its bohemian vibe and lined with bookstores, various ethnic restaurants and bars. The only down side of our posh digs is that Long Street transforms into the party mecca in the evenings, with loud music blaring through every venue combined with drunken debauchery until the wee hours of the morning.

(Cape Point)

Despite our sleep-deprived evenings, we more than enjoyed ourselves during the days. We started our Cape Town tour with a brief walk up and down the beach in Camps Bay, followed by Chapman’s Peak drive, which winds its way between Noordhoek and Hout Bay…this is, by far, the most spectacular, scenic drive – with sheer drops from the road to the sea below – and towering mountains all around! I’ve probably driven this route at least ten times and I never tire of it!

(A room with a view)

(Boulders Bay)

(Penguins)

(Jackass penguins)

(Kalks Bay)

But Chapman’s Peak was only a brief stopover en route to Cape Point, a nature reserve within the Table Mountain National Park (and also a Natural World Heritage Site). The section of the park we explored was the Cape of Good Hope, which, in general, is wild, unspoiled and undeveloped! Simply stunning…

(Flamingo)

(West Coast National Park)

(Flamingoes)

After hiking up to the lighthouse and exploring some of the environs, we jumped in the car and headed towards Simon’s Town to see the famed Jackass penguins. There are few places in this world where you can get this close to a breeding colony of penguins, swim close to them in the sea, and enjoy their private beach! Amazing!

(Bloubergstrand)

(Amy and Merryland at Bloubergstrand Beach)

(Russell at Hermanus)

(Amy and Russell at Hermanus)

We meandered around Boulders Bay for a considerable amount of time before working our way to Kalk Bay, a picturesque fishing village on the coast of False Bay. We gorged on fresh fish and chips at a lovely seaside restaurant then worked our way back to Cape Town. Not bad for day one!

(Mom and Steve)

(Gorgeous seaside)

(Promenade)

(Hyrax)

The second day was a bit of a road trip to West Coast National Park, famed for its wetland bird species! And with Merryland and Koshieland, EVERYTHING is about birding…

(A quick stopover at Hamilton Russell’s Vineyard)

(The grounds of the vineyards)

(Reflections)

We spent most of the day hanging out in bird hides, admiring flamingoes, white pelicans, curlew sandpipers, ringed plovers, and many more birds…

(Cape Town’s Waterfront)

(Reunion with Victoria)

(Merryland and Victoria)

(LOVED seeing Victoria)

Hermanus was our next big destination, another one of my favorite little coastal towns with unparalleled scenic beauty. Merryland thought it was too modern with its upmarket shops, but it’s such a gorgeous place to walk along the promenade and take in the stunning sights and sounds.

(Sunbirds in Kirstenbosh)

We hiked in Fernkloof nature reserve, explored the grounds of Hamilton Russell’s Vineyards, and worked our way back to Cape Town in time to meet up with Victoria Woo at the Waterfront.

(more sunbirds)

Talk about spectacular reunions, it was lovely to spend the evening with Victoria and her wonderful boyfriend. I still marvel how so many years can go by, yet we can pick up right where we left off, as if we were just hanging out yesterday. I love you, Victoria! We’ve now met up in Cambodia and South Africa…time to pick our next meeting place!

(Lions at Kruger National Park)

(Such magnificent animals)

Meanwhile, no birding trip to Cape Town would be complete without spending a day at Kirstenbosh National Botanical Garden! Few gardens (if any) can match the sheer grandeur of the setting of Kirstenbosh, nestled up against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. In fact, Kirstenbosh has recently been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the first botanical garden to be included in this impressive list of natural and cultural heritage sites with outstanding universal value.

(Appreciate all wildlife, large and small)

(Spiders)

(Bee-eaters)

Birds are particularly abundant in the gardens – more than 125 species have been recorded. But my favorites were the brightly colored sunbirds…their stunning beauty actually got me excited about birdwatching!

(Elephants)

We ended our tour of Cape Town with shopping and dining along the Waterfront! Koshie even splurged and bought an amazing African beaded mask. I, too, have quite a weakness for African art (or any art, for that matter). My house is slowly but surely looking more and more like a curio shop!

Next up, Kruger National Park! We loaded up my Jeep and made the five hour trek to the gates of Kruger. We spent four full days doing game drives morning, noon and night! I actually loved the self-drives as it really gives you the flexibility to stop, photograph, and explore without the pressure of being on safari with a truck full of strangers.

(Giraffes)

(Lizards)

Mom and Steve were in birder’s delight…even I started to rattle off the names of the birds, from the Southern Carmine Bee-eaters to Grey Plovers to Cape Wagtails to Crested Barbets to Kingfishers to Lilac-breasted Rollers, etc… And those were just the birds.

(Baboons)

(This elephant freaked me out!)

We also so rhino, giraffes, elephants, lions, hyenas, zebras, baboons and warthogs! All in all, we had fabulous game drives.
Sadly, I couldn’t take the entire month off with my mom and Steve, so I headed back to the office while they continued their travels, either via day trips from Pretoria or pre-arranged tours.

(Zebras)

(Zebras)

They explored Pretoria’s Botanical Gardens, hung out at the Blue Crane (more than I care to admit), frequented my neighborhood farmer’s market, and even engaged in weekend bird-watching outings to Rietvlei Nature Reserve just a few kilometers away.
I absolutely loved having them here! I’m so grateful I got to show them where I live, introduce them to my friends, and show them my way of life in South Africa!

(Patterns)

(Patterns – birds)

Since their departure, I haven’t done anything too exciting…just working and getting caught up in the daily grind. But I am planning to return home next month! I will be back in Austin, Texas over the 4th of July, followed by a two-week training in Bangkok mid-July! So time to start planning those reunions!

(Merryland and Koshieland and Rietvlei Nature Reserve)

Sending much love to all,

Amy

(Amy and Russell in Melville)

Hard to believe how quickly the weeks and months seem to pass by. I’m totally happy and content with my life in Pretoria, although my day-to-day existence feels more akin to life in the suburbs as opposed to life in Africa. Granted, the major difference is my ability to travel to nearby destinations with sights and sounds unlike anything I’ve ever seen while growing up in the burbs of Prairie Village, Kansas!

(Interesting mural)

(Basking for money)

On weekends we’ve been exploring some of the interesting locales within a hundred mile radius of Pretoria. Russell and I perused the bohemian streets of Melville, a trendy neighborhood of Johannesburg boasting a variety of quirky, unique and eclectic shops. I seem to be a total sucker for vintage clothing and antique stores….guess it’s hard to escape one’s upbringing as my mom continuously exposed us to the wonders of antiquing from an early age!

(Amy, Russell and Ryan)

(Russell @ Botanical Gardens in Jo’burg)

And we’ve had the luxury of taking a few days off to explore Durban and the Midlands Meander, South Africa’s first, largest and most popular arts and crafts route in Kwa-Zulu Natal!

(Ushaka Village in Durban)

(Durban)

Nested between the city of Peitermaritzburg and the majestic uKhahlamba Drakensberg mountain range, the meander spans a distance of over 80 kms with a vibrant network of over 200 vendors of world-class crafters, restaurants and various shops.

(Russell asked the sand sculpture dude to create a little something for us)

(Sweet….)

(Lovely time in Durban)

I loved every minute of the meander, from its gorgeous rolling hills, dense forests and majestic mountains to its quaint trading posts and exquisite art. Plus, we stayed at a lovely little cottage overlooking the mountains. We built a cozy fire each night, drank red wine, and snacked on Brie and homemade fig jam. Absolutely heavenly!

(Dargle Valley Pottery)

(Russell really wants a zebra skin rug)

We spent several days in the Meander, admiring terracotta pots, eccentric galleries, and master craftsmanship while taking advantage of fine wine and locally brewed ales. We ended up spending a small fortune on hand-made leather goods, artwork, and rugs!

(Shuttleworth Weaving)

(Spinning yarn)

My favorite stop, a family run business that’s been passed on from generation to generation, Shuttleworth’s weaving! This hilltop rustic barn is where the Shuttleworth family still spins, dyes and weaves mohair into glorious throws, carpets and scarves!

(AMANDLA!)

(I loved that the monument only made ’sense’ from a specific angle)

(One more image of this magnificent monument)

And we managed to find that healthy balance between shopping and enjoying the outdoors! We hiked a series of trails through the Howick Falls Gorge, and stopped at the base of the thundering 107-meter-high cascade!

(Howick Falls)

(Howick Falls)

We also attempted to admire Karkloof Falls, an equally stunning waterfall, but visibility was an issue as the rain and fog rolled in right when we arrived.

(Howick Falls – pre-hike)

(Red Ribbon for HIV/AIDS Awareness)

Lastly, we made a special trip to see an incredible monument to Nelson Mandela, a statue comprised of 50 steel columns to commemorate 50 years since Mandela was arrested and charged for treason! The vertical bars also represent his imprisonment.

(Dense vegetation)

(Bottom of Howick Falls)

(Amy @ Howick Falls)

The designer of the monument stated, “When you walk through the structure it radiates like a burst of light, which symbolizes the political uprising of many people and of solidarity.” He said the sculpture showed the irony of the apartheid government trying to stop the struggle. “But it had the opposite effect as it helped to grow and galvanize the movement.”

(Closer to the falls)

(Howick Falls)

What I found most fascinating about the monument….from a distance, it looked like nothing – a series of metal bars looming into the air. It was only when you reached the distance of approximately 35 meters when the portrait came into focus. Truly magical…

(Karkloof Falls)

(Midlands Meander – Russell showing off his new Nguni skin boots)

Back on the home front, I’ve finally launched Pretoria’s Photography Club! Basically, it’s a social gathering where we meet once a month, drink copious amounts of wine, and view a slide show of images pertaining to that month’s theme. It’s a great way to build a sense of community and to socialize with people who share a common passion for photography.

(Durban – Umhlanga Rocks)

(Lighthouse)

We arranged our very first photography outing, a trip to the mining town of Cullinan (famous for the discovery of the Cullinan Diamond – the largest rough gem-quality diamond ever found). However, our interest was walking with lions.

(Beach Time)

We discovered a lovely family run business that has dedicated their lives to wildlife conservation efforts. One of these efforts is their endangered predator-breeding project.

(Walking with Lions)

(Our Guide)

Sadly, the number of lions in Africa is decreasing at an alarming rate. Currently, African lions occupy approximately 22 percent of its historic range. And despite the fact that lions are found in 27 countries throughout Africa, most populations are too small and isolated from other populations to be viable.

(Teenage cubs)

According to recent estimates, fewer than 32,000 African lions exist today, representing a decrease by at least 50 percent over the past 22 years. And if current trends and patterns continue, scientists believe that African lions will become extinct within a very short time.

(Beautiful lions)

Until very recently, conservation of the African lion was not identified as a matter of significant concern. The subspecies was considered abundant, healthy and wide-ranging. Unfortunately, most lion populations were not closely monitored and, as a consequence, their steady decline over the last few decades was overlooked. Therefore, adequate conservation measures to address the primary threats to the species—retaliatory killings resulting from human-lion conflict, habitat and prey loss, disease, and unsustainable off-take for international trade in lion and lion parts— are lacking.

(Feeding time for the older lions)

(My highlight – bottle-feeding the baby lions)

The United States is the world’s largest importer of African lion parts, for hunting trophies and for commercial purposes. However, listing the African lion as endangered would significantly benefit the iconic animal by generally prohibiting the importation to the United States of African lions and their parts, unless it serves a conservation purpose. Such a listing would be an essential step to reversing the current decline of the species. Please do your part by signing the petition to list African Lion as an endangered species: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/120/076/715/list-african-lion-as-endangered-species/

(Love this little cub)

(But it still got quite feisty

Finally, my mom and Steve are literally on their way to South Africa as I type, arriving in Johannesburg tomorrow afternoon. I am so looking forward to seeing them in person…and to showing them around this glorious country!

(Loved walking with these beautiful animals)

Sending much love to all,
Amy