A Southern African Journey

Africa is a gorgeous country. It is a country of diverse landscapes, gorgeous vistas, interesting culture, and amazing people. And this "winter", we had the opportunity to experience South Africa's gifts by taking a trip along its Western Cape. 

After traveling to our respective homes and enjoying a fabulous Northern hemisphere summer, we flew back home to Johannesburg and arrived to a chilly winter. After a quick 12 hour turn-around, our own family holiday got us back in a plane heading towards the famous Garden Route. After a short flight to George, we drove to Knysna and started our adventure on Houseboat Myrtle in the Knysna Lagoon. This was an exciting challenge for all of us as we maneuvered our dinghy to our Houseboat, converted dining tables in to sleeping spaces, and learned how pitch water out of our dinghy after the nightly downpours.

On our first full day at the coast, we drove through the rain to get to the coastal town of Sedgefield hearing that their Wild Oat's Community Market was not to be missed. Boy were they right! The ambiance was charming and breakfast was spectacular. The kids noshed on morning burritos, Nutella waffles, and hot cocoa, while Rob and I tried a variety of coffees and teas and a menagerie of baked goods. Unfortunately, the winter weather pounced and we had to dodge puddles to drop off our purchases in the rental car. But just as we were readying ourselves for departure, we saw a sign for the Sedgefield Craft Brewery. Well... we just had to go! We met the proprietor, a former techie from Joburg, who chatted with Rob over a pint (or two or three) of his delicious brews which helped Rob's retirement dream grow.  

The next day, we drove west through the bright yellow canola fields on our quest to reach the 4th oldest village in all of South Africa--Swellendam. On our long journey, we stopped at nearly every ocean vista, Trip Advisor recommend locale, or any interesting farm stall we passed on the ride. Arriving in Swellendam, we were not expecting to see a city bursting at the seams with gorgeous Cape Dutch architecture, it was as if we had stepped back in time... and to Holland! Swellendam, particularly our host, Karin, are full of stories desperate to be told. Families that have lived, worked, farmed, and created in this area for generations! Despite a strong desire to stay at the Old Thatch Guest House even longer, the siren call of the whales was beckoning.

On our way to Hermanus, we made a detour at Cape Agulhas. Though not as famous as The Cape of Good Hope (where the currents of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet), Cape Agulhas is the true southernmost tip of Africa. This location serves as the division of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. With little to see, but a dangerously rocky coastline, the recently manicured trail was full of educational vignettes and brilliant flora.

Within a few hours... we had reached our destination: Hermanus. This small seaside retreat is famous for it's whale watching (which is at its peak between June and December). From the cliffs at the village square, the loud trumpeting sounds of the Whale Crier can be heard. These morse-code like toots alert tourists to the whereabouts (and behavior) of whales just off shore. From our lazy walks through the cliff paths or lunch with a view, we could see whales spouting and breaching within a kilometer from shore.

Despite all the fun and adventures we had had up to this point, the highlight (and Xavier's 12th birthday gift) was our whale watching trip. We woke up before the sun and drove to the Old Harbor. After a brief training and some warm beverages, we  boarded the boat and made our way through violently choppy waters. For just over 30 minutes we were meters away from the Souther Right Whales. Because of their curious nature and the ease at which they could be hunted, the "right" whale were just the "right" ones to be hunted. These gentle giants came within meters of our boat just to investigate.

While enjoying our water safari, the choppy waters took their toll on one of the Langlands foursome. Angela realized that she is not destined to live at sea when her face turned green, the sweat beaded around her brow, and she was down for the count--literally!

From the golden farms and fields inland to the gorgeous crashing waves at the shoreline--South Africa's bounty is rich and we have enjoyed exploring it all! But our home, our puppy dog, and a nice fire were enticing. It was time to get back to Johannesburg.

Awe at Victoria Falls

Oops... this has been sitting in my draft folder since we went to Zimbabwe in April. I guess the end of the school year chaos caught up to me more than I thought it had. Here's some words about our awe-inspiring trip to Victoria Falls.

It's not often that I'm without words. I usually have something to say about everything. But our journey to Victoria Town in Zimbabwe has taken my breath away.

The weekend was rather unexpected. Though I've wanted to visit Victoria Falls since I first arrived in Africa in 1999, it has always seemed "too far away" or "too expensive." But when Rob got a complimentary flight (thanks to a complaint about some bad service on a British Airways flight), how could we not take the opportunity to see one of the World's Natural Wonders?

We arrived in Victoria Town, Zimbabwe, on a warm Saturday afternoon just after a short 90-minute flight from Johannesburg. The arrival hall and excruciatingly long customs line reminded me that Africa has many faces and we were staring down an old decrepit one. Meeting up with our driver, who guided us past traditional dancers in loin clothes made from springbok skins, we (Rob and I) were aware that we were definitely back in Africa again!

We arrived and enjoyed a few minutes of rest and relaxation at at The Kingdom Resort before piling back in an air-conditioned bus on our way to the jetty for a cruise down the Zambezi river (thanks for the recommendation Bronny!). At our personal table for four, we enjoyed a water safari while throwing back Zambezi beers on the Zambezi river--now that's a first! Though the beer was crap, the views were magnificent. It was a bird watching paradise with crocs and hippos on or near the banks. But the highlight of this ride was the moment we caught an elephant washing itself in the river. Staring at this majestic creature as it appeared in the distance silhouetted against a setting sun, we knew this was going to be an amazing journey.

The next morning it was time to see what we'd came for--Victoria Falls! A quick 10-minute walk from our hotel, took us on another mini-safari as we walked past hippo and elephant dung, baboons, warthogs, and the wild Zimbabwean drivers.

Victoria Falls was said to be "discovered" in 1855 by the Scottish explorer, David Livingstone (though thousands of Zimbabwean natives would have already been aware of the falls' existence, I'm sure). Livingstone named the falls in honor of Queen Victoria. The falls relish in the fact that they are twice the height of Niagara Falls. Because of it's wide sheer drop (and the crashing sounds that erupt from it) the falls' indigenous name translates to the "cloud that thunders." It erupts from the peaceful river and spews a cloud of water into the air at such fervor that as it returns to the Earth it has created a mini-rainforest ecosystem.

While enjoying a peaceful walk through the national park, we participated in our own mini safari with baboons, birds, and some sort of Springbok-type animals. After viewing the falls from every vantage point, we decided to walk to the Lookout Cafe to enjoy a drink while looking out at the gorge and weaving waterways that carry the now peaceful water away from the falls. Grubbing on nuts and colorful cocktails (virgin for the wee ones), we reminisced about the experience we had and watched some adventurers wing, fly, and bungee across the gorge. It was then that Rob, our expert in frugality, surprised us with his most shocking idea yet, "Let's book a helicopter ride over the falls and see them from above." And so we did.

After lunch, we got picked up and whisked away to The Flight of Angels where we were videotaped listening to security briefings, being weighed-in, and bubbling with excitement before we enjoyed the fly over.

Once the helicopter landed, we were just like the characters in the movies--all bent down, blocking our heads from the powerful blades above. We loaded up on the helicopter and enjoyed the most unbelievably euphoric 8-minutes of our life. The helicopter lead us in a figure-8 pattern so each person could view the falls without obstruction. It was an awe-inspiring excursion.

After the ride, everything seemed a bit of a downer. The afternoon spent in the pool was only made more pleasurable by chats about the amazing birds-eye view we had just enjoyed.

At night, we walked through downtown Victoria Falls City on a quest for items that would suffice for a casual in-room dinner. We ended up at a local supermarket as the only Mzungus (white people) inside. People stopped to stare at us as we gawked at the prices and quality of the food. When we paid for a few sodas and crackers with our unbelievably overused US dollars, we were given the third degree about our time and experience in Zimbabwe. We walked out of the store reflecting on how lovely the Zimbabweans were--so reminiscent of our time in Kenya.

This is not a trip soon forgotten.

the Karoo and the beach

"Tricia is coming! Tricia is coming!" Those were the words echoing through the house the week before Spring Break started for us. Not only was Tricia coming, but my friend and colleague, Bronny, had arranged for a trip out of the city--hoorah! With a night arrival, Tricia got here just in time to repack so we could head out to the airport to Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.

Having read about the Owl House in a travel magazine, Bronny convinced me that this was a not-to-be-missed location, but with 5 of us, there wasn't space in the small town (read: village) of Nieu Bethesda for us to stay. So after a three hour drive inland past views that made us question whether or not we were in Arizona, we weary travellers arrived at Ganora Guest Farm.

This gorgeous sheep farm lies on the bottom of the Sneeuberg foothills where the owners have lived and sheered for the last 15 years. On the site, Hester has educated her children and sold real estate in Nieu Bethesda while her husband Jan ran the farm and fulfilled his paleontologist cravings by walking the riverbeds of his property. Jan took us on a tour of his small museum where the kids held skulls that pre-date dinosaurs by 50 million years. The skeletons of this area belong to a mammal-like creature called the Gorgonopsia. When we weren't oogling at the 7,000+ year old bushmen cave paintings or playing with the resident water mongoose, we were dining on amazing farm-to-table delights or lying on the grass and gazing at the constellations.

From Ganora Guest Farm, it was a quick jaunt to the "town" of Nieu Bethesda where we explored the Owl House, the home and art garden of the mentally afflicted, Helen Martins. Though she only lived until 1976, the amazing concrete, metal, and recycled glass creations in the garden were so cutting-edge and ahead of their time. Walking amongst the art gives one a sense of hope and excitement, while the inside of her house felt eerily hopeless despite the colorful crushed glass walls and painted glass.

The village of Nieu Bethesda was incredibly charming and abounding with artists known around South Africa and beyond. After shopping at Annette's The Cow Jumped Over the Moon shop, we heard that The Brewery and Two Goats Deli was owned and operated by her brother. So we headed over there enjoyed delicious hand-crafted brews with homemade beer breads and goat's cheese. The kids loved The Brewery because the seats were made out of old tires and the hammock was a double-wide bed hanging from the trees which entertained them for hours. From the archaeologist dig at the Kitching Fossil Exploration Centre to the pottery creations of  Charmaine Haines--Nieu Bethesda was a total African experience!

After our time in the Karoo, we drove another couple of hours to Port Alfred, a small town in the Eastern Cape. This being the regular vacation destination of my South African colleague, Jackie, we were sent with a list of a dozen places to go, people to see, and locations to dine at. The town is steeped in British colonialism with a contemporary mix of Xhosa artists. The area is home to the oldest pub in South Africa (the Pig and Whistle) and a dozen beautiful craft and artisan shops. The oddest peculiarity of the region is the Big Pineapple of Bathurst. The Big Pineapple honors the first crop that was successfully grown in the region--the pineapple. It was also home to the International Pineapple Symposium in 2005--who knew such a thing existed?!?!

The highlight of the kids' journey was the downtime spent at the coast in Hangklip-Kleinmond. From our stay at the Purfikt House, the kids were able to play in the cold ocean waters, explore the beach's tidepools, (attempt) to sand board down the dunes, and dip their feet in the (slightly warmer) East and West River that lie parallel to one another just a stone's through from the house.

All in all, we had a great excursion and we look forward to continuing our exploration of the outskirts of South Africa!

to see our photos (though not as great as Rob's photos!): https://www.flickr.com/photos/129917005@N03/sets/72157651629973431/

Christmas in California

One of the worst things about living half a world away from home-- jet lag.  Jet lag is a close second to other worst things... like: missing births, weddings, deaths (and all other familial and friend-centered events); not being present for joys and sorrows that permeate our loved one's daily lives;  and the ever-important "hug-on-demand" that you can get when you live close to your nearest and dearest. That all said, the positives of our crazy lives still outweigh the negatives and so we continue exploring the world and teaching as we go. But jet lag is a nasty result of such an interesting lifestyle. And this year--jet lag is dreadful. Between the inevitable holiday blues, the 22+ hours of flying, and the 10 hour time change, I'm walking the halls of our summery still house at 1 am in Johannesburg reflecting on our Christmas in California.

Don't get me wrong, we've had some amazing Christmases not in California. But after the trips to Rob's family in Belgium, Jordan, Lombok, Thailand, and recruiting in Bangkok last Christmas, I was eager to go home. So... after 6 years of Christmas in California absences, I pushed and prodded, whined and weaseled my way into what is now being coined our Costly Christmas in California. But damn, it was worth it! We arrived home restless for cold weather, craving chaotic family events, and a yearning (by me) to relive the Christmas traditions of my youth through my kids' eyes. And we did just that!

We were most excited about the opportunities to play elves on many occasions. Our first experience started on day 2 of our trip, when my dear friend Tricia came down with stupidity and fell off a young man's loft bed leaving her and her Spreading Christmas Cheer Project in a lurch! Who would be the delivery elves this year while she was bolted to her couch with a broken wrist, smashed face, and a gloomy disposition? Why? We would. Of course. So after some careful scheduling, loading, and Google mapping, Tricia's elves loaded vans and cars with over $6,000 of items that two very wonderful (but struggling) families needed and wanted this holiday season.

The second such elf-like experience came just two days after Christmas when Santa's [belated] helpers organized a living room redecoration to accommodate a new TV and cabinet for the matriarch of our family. Despite the white-lies and lunch cancellations, our Nama was pretty excited about her new entertainment! Now she can watch 'Judge Judy' in HD! During this holiday, we enjoyed a girls-only trip to see the Nutcracker, BART-ed to San Francisco to see the Christmas displays in Union Square (though extremely disappointing, dinner at the Ferry Building was quite delightful), attended an adorable American/Russian Christmas program at Katya's daycare, and made copious amounts of holiday treats with my Nama while listening to my grandfather's old 45s crackling in the background.

We enjoyed opening gifts on Christmas Eve at Dominic and Anna's house, making retro Christmas ornaments from Styrofoam balls and sequins, watching my dad finally show off his "frying bacon" routine (what grandparents won't do for their grandchildren!), thanking him by driving to Half Moon Bay at the start of crab season to score some deliciousness, long and lovely dinners with cousins, as well as seeing to the health and well-being of grandpa's chickens.

A holiday highlight was enjoying a Christmas with little ones again! It was great to see our niece and nephew mesmerized by the glitz and excitement of Christmas. During a pre-departure sleepover, we even got to take Katya and the kids to one of those outrageously decorated (and synchronized-to-music) houses in the Bay Area. The kids got out and danced on the lawn under the fake snow while my parents and grandmother listened to the music from the comfort (read: warmth) of the car!

After caring for our dear friend, Tricia, Rob and I got to sneak off for a little date and caught The Secret Life of Walter Mitty while enjoying a dinner of popcorn and soda. We even got to enjoy some alone-time with my godfather, Steve though this time it wasn't over BINGO cards. Rob even organized an afternoon out with a former colleague who is now living in Pakistan! Whoa... reading over this list of events makes me tired all over again!

But... one of the most enjoyable and unexpected events occurred just a few days after Christmas when my mom (in her wonderful Annette way) concocted a plan with an old friend and arranged a post-holiday soiree with some of the former boys of the Golden Gate Boys Choir. Without knowing all the ins and outs of the event, I called upon my Notre Dame girls and included them in the mix--boy they didn't know what hit them when they descended on our house with 30 people cramped in every corner of my parent's house devouring amazing Filipino food and catching up on old times. Seeing my friend Dian pregnant made me giddy and meeting the newest addition to Teresa's family was such a blessing.

But watching my brother sing after such a hiatus had to be one of my personal highlights. Seeing my brother pick up complicated sheet music and sing so beautifully took me back to all those years of carting him to rehearsals, following him on tour around the world, and doing my homework in many a church basement! I was thrilled to see friends I hadn't seen in years and catch up on the lives of people who were so vastly important in our old lives. I know that my parents enjoyed the night tremendously--they stayed up and gabbed until midnight! My mother, again, pulls off another one of her crazy plans with great success!

Though our jaunt to the states was wonderful, it's nice to be back "home" in our own beds, with our own things, and our crazy dog in toe. Though we miss everyone desperately and long for the next holiday, it is time to get back to reality in this new year!

Blessings for great adventures and happiness in 2014!

**to check out our picture gallery, click on the images below**

A Californian Christmas (2013)

A Californian Christmas (2013), a set on Flickr.

some photos of our jaunt to California at Christmas