Sunday Christmas Morning~Cape Town, South Africa

It’s warm and sunny and the wind that blew us into town yesterday has calmed down. Our laundry is on the line drying at a rapid rate, which is good since I’m wrapped in a chitenje waiting for something clean to wear.

We made it to George’s niece’s house where his sister is now living. We awoke on Christmas Eve in our strange guest house on a bluff overlooking the Indian Ocean in a tempest. The wind and rain came in gusts and I took in the beauty of it while trying to repress the anxiety I felt about driving seven hours in it. The nature gods were kind, however, and by the time we’d drunk our tea and ate our fresh melon in the bizarrely decorated sitting room, the clouds were breaking and patches of blue sky poked through. The drive along the wild coast on high coastline roads, then through open wheat fields, then mountain passes, and finally down through the cape flats to family in the suburbs of CapeTown, was awe inspiring and the fellow holiday drivers mostly respectful and safe. A few crazies, but I was vigilant. This country has a bad track record for holiday fatalities. So does Malawi. Lots of drinking and driving. It’s better to be off the roads by afternoon and we safely pulled into the driveway just before three.

After greetings and catch-ups we walked to Christmas Eve mass about a mile from here, where the priest was a dead ringer for St Nicholas from Miracle on 34th St. It was actually a bit eerie. Same accent and everything. And when he said “Children! Children! All come down front, I have something special for you.” In that kindly voice with the soft accent, I thought, “this guy has got to be from central casting”.

I’ve got so much to write about. We’re having such a great adventure and are grateful every minute. We’ll have some family time today and a walk through the Botanical Garden, then tomorrow a drive down the peninsula to the Cape of Good Hope.

Stories will be forthcoming but For now I’m praying for peace and justice. What an inspiring place to be at this time in history. What sacrifice and dedication to equal rights. I’m going to focus on that light.

Love to all,

Linda