Heavenly Hermanus

To build up an appetite for breakfast, we set our alarms early, packed first and drank tea. 

I've found my conscience has been left at home on this trip. I'm not normally a big meat eater, not enjoying big slabs of meat nor the idea of eating a fellow animal. But, breakfast was delicious - pancakes with charred apple and tiny bits of pork; I've eaten kudu already a couple of times; and tonight, added springbok and then ostrich. The starter ranks, without doubt, one of the best dishes I've ever tasted.

What I hope were side effects of the malaria tablets have worn off and it's a great delight to be far from home enjoying wildly good food. I feel a little guilty but am convincing myself it's good for my iron count!

Hermanus is a delight. Arriving in Cape Town from safari was quite an invasion on the peaceful mind. But here, it feels relaxing and much more holiday-like. 

We have a beautiful room overlooking the bay but know we'll be lucky to see a whale as we're right at the end of the season. We've enjoyed a stroll away from hoards of city people and come across three new birds, probably very common (but not to us!): a laughing dove, Cape bulbul (you may see him blipped with a beautiful white eye - but I didn't catch his yellow bottom) and a karoo prinia. We also spotted four African penguins swimming by which, because it was our find, was more exciting than visiting them at the dedicated tourist/conservation beach yesterday.

We've had our eyes opened to the townships that exist here, the size of which is quite frightening. As we drove here today, for minutes on end, we saw row upon row of tiny corrugated shacks butted up against each other. You can see there's huge depth as well as length to these settlements because of all the posts that stick out above the roofs. Each 'house' has electricity and many have a satellite dish. None have water. None have toilet facilities. There are communal blocks in places. There are thousands upon thousands of people living like this. We are failing to comprehend how that can possibly change; unsettled by the contrast of rich versus poor; and horrified at the corruption that has gone on to-date preventing the improvements that are so desperately needed. The guy who drove us here, despite unnerving us with his strange petrol station stop for snacks, talked positively about how change was coming for these people. But we wonder, is it?

And then there are we enjoying time by a pool and delicious food. :-/