Taxi-drivers and beaches

South-Africa is a whole new world compared to Holland and a good way to get accustomed is by talking with those for whom South-Africa is reality. In my case, these were mostly the cab/Uber drivers. I noticed that they all had some negative connotations towards people in townships. As in my first blog, the general conception is that it is their own (negative) accomplishments that have brought them where they are. On the second day, an English guy and I went to the botanical gardens and also the (black) driver that drove us to it shared this perception. He added that he was not racist, but that it was mostly black people who lived there. Then he connected this by saying that they are also most involved in criminal activities. Whether that is true or not, it characterizes the reality in South-Africa. The reality in which still so many black people, subordinated during the apartheid-regime, are still blocks behind most white people. This, of course, is a generalization, but it is also what is perceived to be still the case. The driver came up with an interesting story in which he said that people who were robbed in the townships were stripped completely naked of any belongings except from a sock. I asked why, but he did not have an answer to this. Then, I joked, it must be a guy with one foot where after he said, ‘yeah so next time you see a guy with one foot, beat him up’. Since this may sound like a joke, but was not a joke, point made I would say.

After arriving at the botanical gardens and after been warned once again not to hike alone we decided to hike up the Table Mountain. It was a great, quite strenuous hike, climbing over boulders, on ladders and on what not. On top there was a great view of a part of Cape Town and surprisingly, a lake. It turned out to be a dam, created to regulate the water flow, used for drinking water, but apparently also as a beach, as could be referred from the enormous amounts of sand around the lake. So then, why not go for a swim, right? The water was great and being the only one in the water, on the table mountain, with the tops rising around me and the mist coming in, I knew this was an amazing moment. Back at the hostel at about 3, the plan was to hike up Lion’s head to enjoy the sunset. I had met a group of 4 Dutch people and we planned on going together. Unfortunately, the clouds had been moving in and we decided not to go anymore. However, the 5 of us would go surfing at Muizenbergbay and then climb Lion’s Head, which meant to me another day another chance.