Snow on the mountains as we make our way back to Cape Town

The Orange River

Andre and I at the Koeksister monument in Orania

Sybrandus and I with a sign towards Cape Town when C/Town is in fact in the opposite direction

Strydenburg by day

The three of us drinking Dom Perignon to celebrate the inaugural braai at Andre's house

The inaugural drink on Andre's stoep (veranda) in Strydenburg

Beautiful Namibia

My first encounter with a dune in the Namib desert:)

I can hardly believe it's been 3 weeks since I landed at Windhoek International Airport. I had always wanted to visit Namibia, so I was particularly excited that I finally got round to doing it...and I was not disappointed. I'm completely enamoured with the country and can't wait to go back. I'm planning to make at least one trip to Namibia per year until I've seen and experienced everything there is to see and experience in this wonderful, wonderful country.

Our (Jenny - my sister, Barbie - our friend and I) very first Namibian adventure started on a very mis-adventurish note. We flew to Windhoek from Cape Town and our flight was seriously delayed - by more than 6 hours. So, what was supposed to be our first day in Windhoek (population: 230 000, capital) was largely spent on Cape Town International - which isn't the most happening place on a Saturday afternoon. However, all's well that ends well, and we finally made it to Windhoek, where my cousin, Bryan, and his family was waiting to receive us with a hearty Namibian braai.

The next day was largely spent recovering from the ordeal from the day before and catching up with the family - who so graciously accommodated us for the whole week we were there. That evening we went to a game lodge - had sundowners with our first Namibian sunset and watched the hedgehogs and buck feasting in the gardens. The day after Jenny, Barbie and I hit the streets of Windhoek tourist-style. Bryan made his BMW available to us (without a car one gets nowhere in Namibia, in that sense it's even worse than South Africa) and we made our way to the city centre to check out all the sights there. What first hit me about Windhoek was how much warmer it was than Cape Town, where the winter still doesn't wanna let up. I could walk around in the teeny tiny shorts I'd recently acquired and strappy tops. Since it's not summer just yet, temperatures hovered at a comfortable 28 degrees. At night it was a little cooler, but not that much cooler as one could still get away with wearing light summery clothes.

My impression of Windhoek is that of a spread out town with some charming colonial buildings. I was also struck by how similar it was to many towns here in the Cape. Almost all the shops and banks are South African and one is hard-pressed to find something that differentiates Nam from SA. However, one finds evidence of otherness away from Windhoek and especially in the names of some of the places.

The next day Barbie and I (Jenny had a migraine) would be adventurous and drive 70 km to go and buy biltong in Okahandja (70 km outside of Windhoek). It is on this trip that I got a taste for the open road and just how different driving here is from driving in the city. I had decided early on in the trip that the distances between places were too vast and since I was going to have to do most of the driving (one of my least favourite pastimes) I didn't have to venture far out from Windhoek. After driving to Okahandja I changed my mind. Firstly, it helped that we had a really good and reliable car. Secondly it was very liberating driving on a road and knowing there aren't any people for kilomtres. It was just outstretched planes and mountains - one is surrounded by nature, which wasn't very hospitable (read dry and arid), but had its own beauty and charm. I could feel myself expanding; taking up more space than I do in the city because there was more space for me. It was a great (addictive) feeling and after buying the biltong Barbie and decided to drive to the next town, Karibib (110 km from Okahandja). I was also completely enchanted with the magical names some of the towns had like Omaruru and Otjiwarongo. On our way back to Windhoek we decided that maybe Swakopmund (383 km from Windhoek) wasn't that far away and that since we went half way (to Karibib) already we might as well go all the way. Our fate was sealed: our very first adventure in Namibia would take the form of a roadtrip:)

The next day we would drive east towards the Botswana border. First we dropped off Jenny at the airport before heading to Witvlei. We were running a bit low on diesel and tried to fill up at the airport, but the filling station there only serviced rental cars. About 50 km from Witvlei the warning light goes on indicating that we were low on diesel and that we should fill up soon. I slowed down to 120 km/h and switched off the aircon to save diesel and hoped we would make it to Witvlei and that there was a filling station there. We got to Witvlei with a fair amount of diesel in the tank, but to our horror discovered that the filling station had been closed for the last year. The next place with a filling station was Gobabis, which was 50 km further on and we knew we weren't going to make it. We first went for help to the post office and then the Witvlei Village Council, where Richard generously gave us 10 litres of diesel. We weren't that impressed with Gobabis, which was 70 km from the Botswana border, so after we'd filled up we left. Between Gobabis and Witvlei we are stopped by a traffic officer and given a fine of R200 for speeding. On average I drove at about 160 km/h in a 120 km/h zone, so I was just glad that the fine wasn't that hefty and that we could pay it at the police station in Witvlei... again a good end to a slight misadventure;-)

Our big drive out would be the next day when we would go to Swakopmund. We hit the road early (6am) and were fortunate enough to see the sun rise on the one side with the full moon setting on the other side. That just did it for me and I knew we were going to have a great day. It took roughly 3 hours to get to Swakop and when we got there we were ravenous. We ended up at an Italian deli (ironic in Swakop, which is about the most German town we'd seen thus far) where the food was wonderful and the coffee smelt so delicious, that even I had a cup. It was also here that we struck up a conversation with one of the locals - Wayne, and he said that next time we're in town we should let him know, so that he can show us the desert elephants. We checked out the beachfront, but our real interest lay with the desert just outside Swakopmund. We instantly morphed into happy snappers as soon as we encountered the first dune. It was a great sight especially since the sea was right next to it. We wanted to do a desert tour, but it had already started by the time we got to the tourist information centre - bummer, but it will be done when next we're in Nam. We drove to Walvis Bay, checked the lagoon and all the flamingoes before heading back to Swakopmund to explore the town on foot. We had to leave relatively early so that we didn't drive back in the dark, but since this first trip to Nam was largely a "reconnaisance mission", I wasn't too fazed, since I knew I was going back.

It was with heavy hearts that we boarded our respective aeroplanes the next day. We attempted to prolong our visit, but it would've been too expensive for Barbie to fly back on a different day. However, I left Namibia with very fond memories and a promise to return because there is still so much I need to see. I want the full-on desert experience (Skeleton coast, all the works), I want to hike through the Fish River Canyon and must see Etosha. I even entertained fantasies of maybe generating an income with just a internet connection and setting up shop (and a home) in the desert. I knew I would love the desert, but wasn't prepared for just how enthralling/enchanting it would be. It's the idea of the wide, open spaces of just me and the dunes. I can deal with the heat and the sandstorms (I think). I just have to go back to Nam again and again and again.

My favourite street name in Windhoek. Another interesting fact is that the bigger towns we visited all had a Sam Nujoma ("Father of the Nation" and first president of Namibia) Avenue

Jenny and Barbie in Windhoek with the Christuskirche in the background

This is where our Thelma and Louise-like adventure starts in Okahandja

These interesting "bar stools" are found at Joe's Beer Garden, a landmark in and must-see whenever one is in Windhoek. Of course the glass in my hand contains good German beer

Our hero and rescuer when we almost ran out of diesel in Witvlei - Richard from the Witvlei Council

The German influence is quite evident in Swakopmund with many building emulating the German style, like this one, which used to be the municipal building

We were totally enthralled by the desert dunes just outside Swakopmund. This picture (unfortunately) does not capture the full majesty of these beautiful features along the Namibian coast

Barbie and I took photos like this one at every place we passed through outside of the capital, Windhoek. This is the last picture of this kind taken on our way back from Swakopmund at Usakos - about 215 km from Windhoek

Happy Birthday

Look how chuffed I am with my birthday cake

So, I hit the big 3-0 a couple of weeks ago, but we only really celebrated this fact on Sunday, when I and a couple of friends had brunch at the Mount Nelson. For those of you who don't know, the Nellie (as we Capetonians fondly refer to it) is an institution and always makes into the "Top Ten Hotels in the World" list and thus I thought it would be a perfect setting for me to celebrate my entering a new decade. Also I didn't feel like organising a huge party, so brunch at the Nellie was perfect because I only had to find out how many people were coming and make the booking. For many including myself it would be the first time at the prestigious Mount Nelson.

It being winter I have to admit to being a little apprehensive about the weather. However, the weather gods smiled on me and I got a lovely day - at least 24 degrees and lots of sunshine. Since it would be my first time at the Mount Nelson, choosing the right outfit was of the utmost important. I was going for smart casual with an emphasis on casual. I'd decided that my newly acquired leopard print shoes had to make their debut and I would dress down my (rather formal) heel with a black velvet pants. Choosing the top was a bit more tricky as my wardrobe leans towards a more casual look. However, I unearthed a lovely cream top, which I hadn't worn before and could dress up with some accessories and straight hair (instead of my normal wavy look) and voila - I had the perfect outfit - casual, but stylish, something that I felt reflected my age more than the jeans and sneakers, that I wear every day.

The food was fabulous. I had cheese and bread (with my champagne), eggs benedict, salads, stir fry, and a selection of desserts - it was a buffet brunch, so one could really pig out;-) Then came the surprise chocolate birthday cake. Now my mother makes a lovely chocolate cake, but this one was a white chocolate mousse cake with milk chocolate on the outside. I was really chuffed with this surprise, as you can imagine.

I feel rather fortunate to have been able to celebrate my 30th birthday in such style - surrounded with such good friends and people.

Ciao for now.

P.S. Scroll down for more pictures.

Liz and I. Liz is the one who came up with the idea of brunch at the Mount Nelson and isn't she the spitting image of Skin of Skunk Anansie?

Christelle and I trying to smile naturally even though it takes Tessa forever to take the photo

Tessa and I having a whale of a time

l-r: Tessa, Christelle and Engela, who can never be just normal on a picture

Carin and Florence looking rather chuffed with their brunch.

My bellydancing concert 2007

Who would've thought my blog would come in handy again...especially as it's been dormant ever since I returned from Germany. Ahhh, Hamburg, what a far and distant dream. Wish I could go back there.

But enough of this wistfulness.

On Friday, 6 July, I was part of a group of women who took part in the Soma Tribal Fusion Bellydancing concert at Westerford High in Rondebosch. Below are the pictures that were taken backstage for those who were unable to attend my performance.

Let me tell you, it was a real pleasure performing on stage. It was such a rush. Christelle and performed in the opening dance, which went off without a hitch. My second dance was also a veil dance (which, I didn't know that well, but I was confident I could pull it off;-). The fact that I caught up in one of drops that served as a prop on stage did not bother me too much although it provided some comic relief for those who knew me in the audience. I must admit to looking forward to the next concert/performance. It was a bit stressful putting together a costume from scratch, but now I've got some experience of making a costume and next time I'll not start from scratch as I've acquired quite a couple of useful items.

So, I hope you enjoy the selection of pictures below and remember to feel free to post comments.

Much love
Abi

My belly (and its adornment) up close

Mini-me: Danielle tries my garb on for size;-)

The bride of Tribal Fusion: Marissa

The bellydancers and the girlas (my nieces): From left Danielle, Christelle, Abi and Jesse with Maysoon in front

The main chicks: Christelle and I looking absolutely fabulous

Christelle strikes a pose

Let's all pose together!

The girls from my class - all dressed up and ready to perform in the opening dance

Just so you can see what my outfit looked like from the back;-)

Yours truly ready to go on stage and perform

Driti and Christelle in full garb

Whoa Momma: Driti dressed to the nines for her star performance;-)

At the concert venue doing last minute touch-ups

From left to right: Christelle, Abi and Driti half ready for the show at Driti's house

That's me with my hair and top ready for the concert

Christelle and Driti are half ready for the show

Christelle gets the attachment for her belt ready

Beginnings and endings

On the eve of my departure from Belgium and subsequent arrival in South Africa, I feel as if this (beginnings and endings) is what my life has been reduced to over the last two and half weeks (since I left Hamburg). It's also strange that it feels that more than two weeks have passed since I so reluctantly left Hamburg. I realised this is the pace at which I want time to pass all the time. I simply hate those weeks when you start out on the Monday and before you know it it's the start of the Friday working day...you are completely exhausted, can't remember half the stuff you'd done in that week, all you know is that you've been doing it on the trot and that the weekend will also be so crammed with stuff that you'll not have the opportunity to completely rest and recoup. Also you live with the depressing knowledge that the next week will pass in exactly the same way. It pains me to say it, but that's what I'm returning to in South Africa. I know there are times when things have to be hectic, but when I left SA 5 months ago (it feels so much longer), it had become clear that I was not striking a satisfactory balance and that I was constantly trying to catch up with the hectic pace my life (especially my working life) had acquired. That will definitely have to change when I get back since I was very unhappy and stressed and it had taken me close to 5 months to de-stress and regroup.

Mostly I feel as if I've finally gotten round to touching base with myself. Like I've regained ownership of my life again instead of constantly reacting to external factors that always seem to require my immediate attention. A sense of myself had gotten lost along the way and it was quite a struggle to rediscover that hidden and obscured self. I feel as if I'm just so much more present in my life as opposed to watching my life pass in front of me like a film reel. I have the space and time to process new experiences and figure out how I feel about it. My actions and reactions are no longer mysteries to me as I'm in touch with what I feel when I feel it and I can trace my action/reaction back to that feeling. I get such intense pleasure from music, instead of it being some background noise to distract me from the mundanity of my life. My life hasn't become less mundane, but I am no longer overwhelmed by the mundanity of life and sometimes even welcome it as a time when I reflect on other aspects, but that's luxury of idleness. If you busy all the time there's no time for reflection and that's great sometimes, but one has to strike a balance, an acceptable balance (for each person that balance is different) between the busy time and the idle moments when one can just enjoy the simple pleasures. I for instance can't wait to get back to my flat and just sit on my balcony with a glass of wine or juice, watch the cats play in our garden, hear the trucks and cars pass on Jan Smuts Drive...just me and my thoughts. There is no need for distraction since I'm just completely content with what I have at the time: sunshine and maybe a little bit of music in the background;-) I want to have more of these moments in my life because they are the ones that will keep me in contact with who I am, which will ultimately help me relate better to other people and my environment.

On the other side living between beginnings and endings is very exciting. Although there's always something/someones you have to leave behind, there are also always something to look forward to. I really enjoyed and revelled in the peace and serenity here at Tom's parent's house. I'll miss the people too, but I have such a lot to look forward to. I'll touch base and resume relations with my nearest and dearest. I've had quite a couple of homecomings over the last couple of years, but this one will be one of the most memorable for all the right reasons. Firstly there's going to be great feasting and celebration because I'm back...and like sitting on the balcony by myself this is always a form of therapy, for me at least. Why? Because I'm fortunate enough to have surrounded myself with some wonderful people. People I have always appreciated, but who have come through for me so brilliantly in the last while. I would also like to acknowledge the great new friendships I've formed and the old friendship that has been strengthened while I was here. For me an experience is made just that more enjoyable and significant because of the people who have shared it with me and all the great people I've bonded with here have played a large part in colouring my experience with great significance. And for that I'm very grateful.

There you have it then, my last posting from Europe. It was a wonderful privilege to share all my travels and experiences with all you guys. The next one will probably be from my living room in Cape Town. I'm still unsure whether I'll keep the blog going after I've entered corporate South Africa again. Posting pics and relating my experiences from different parts of Europe has been an integral part of this blog and I don't know if I'll find anything in my daily life in South Africa to replace it. We'll play it by hear and next time I post it would be about how great my homecoming was.

Keep well.

Hasta la vista Barça

So Wednesday night I didn't get more than 2 and half hours' sleep, not b/c I was out partying. No, insomnia hit me hard when I could least afford it. However, I thought I'd push on with my programme for Thursday despite not sleeping the night before. The day started with a tour of Picasso's haunts when he lived in Barcelona at the end of the 19th century. It was very interesting and while it's true that Picasso's family stayed in Barcelona long after he left for Paris, I think Barcelona is making too much of its connection with Picasso. He was in the city for about 2 years and it was while he was still a schoolboy, so the works he did there were not that significant. He was merely familiarising himself with artistic convention, so that he could eventually break with those conventions and develop cubism. The tour ended up at Picasso museum, but I decided not to enter b/c it was such a wonderful day and I wanted to make the most of it.

I first visited the outstanding Modernista buildings before heading for the beach. On the way to the beach I bought the most heavenly ice-cream: chocolate, pistachio and coffee. The beach was great and the surfers pathetic especially if one considers how small the waves they were trying (unsuccessfully) to ride were. I spent about an hour at the beach coming to terms with just how tired I was, but I couldn't stop, there was still so much I needed to see. So I took a bus to the Plaça d'Espanya to check out impressive Palau Nacional, the Olympic stadium and the surrounds. Incidentally it is here that I found the strange warning sign below.

To finish off the day of sightseeing I visited the arena in which bull fights took place. It was wonderful and since it was within walking distance of the La Sagrada Familia, I made my way over there to have one last look at it before taking a bus back to my room for a short nap. To my chagrin the nap didn't happen and this on the night when it was my last chance to go out. Princesa 23 (my Barça haunt) was celebrating Women's Day with welcoming and cheap drinks. Very reluctantly I made my way over there and ordered my first Mojito. The first thing I noticed was that they were not shy with the alcohol. My Mojito was basically rum with crushed mint and lemon and a spritz of carbonated water on ice. It tasted great and it was a great pleasure watching the barman and the flare with which he russled up each drink. I found myself sitting next to the only guy at the bar and we started chatting. I can't remember what his name was, but he was Senegalese and had been living in Barcelona for the last six years. I ordered my second drink a Caipiroska (basically a Caipirihna with strawberry pulp). It was great so when mr. Senegal asked if I would go with him to a bar where they were playing live music, I readily agreed. We ended up at Harlem Jazz Club (around the corner from where I stayed) and the music was great. The band played something like jazz fusion and afterwards they played Orishas (a Cuban band, living and making music in France - in Spanish of course). I danced the night away with the mr. Senegal and his mates. I was on Malibu and coke, but again they practically filled the glasses with Malibu and only adding the coke for colouring. When I finally got round to asking what the time was, it was 3am and since I hadn't slept the night before and still have a full day of shopping and sightseeing the next day, I decided it was time for me to go home. Mr. Senegal implored me to join him the next evening for some live Senegalese music at the same club, but since I couldn't be reached via phone and I had other priorities, I didn't feel I needed to honour my promise to meet up with him again.

After too brief a sleepy, I had to be up the next morning to move out of my 2 star accommodation into a 4 star hotel. The hostal (different from a youth hostel in that they don't have dorms) I was staying at couldn't accommodate me for my last night in Barcelona, so I thought I would treat myself on the last night with a room which had a TV and my own bathroom. After I'd moved into my new room and taken a shower, I hit the shops hard. It was just so nice not to be subjected to the rigorous programme I'd put myself through the previous two days. I decided that I was my worse enemy and that I should give myself a break instead of pushing so hard. I ambled between shops acquired a pair of shoes, a bikini top and accessories. In between I had time to go up a column (similar to the one on Trafalgar Square) at the harbour to get a more panoramic view of Barcelona as well as a visit the Picasso museum. After this I successfully managed to get two hours' sleep before heading out to Princesa 23 for a cocktail and dinner and a Flamenco performance. My guidebook said that the Flamenco I was about to see would be cheesy and I thought to myself, how bad could it be since I haven't seen that much Flamenco. To my surprise, I noticed the dancing wasn't that good, but the singing and music was excellent. The singer was a real character and people (read: tourist, cause locals wouldn't be caught dead in such a place) were invited onto the stage to join in. It was very enjoyable and I returned to my hotel room satisfied and content.

The next morning I was up early to catch my plane back to Brussels. However, before boarding I bought another pair of shoes...I'm weak, I knew I shouldn't buy at the airport b/c things are just horribly expensive there, but these were good shoes and I was prepared to pay the price for them, so I couldn't see any harm being done. There was also a scary couple of minutes when we were flying over the Pyrenees mountains. We got into some serious turbulence. I've never been scared on a plane before but our little aeroplane was rattled around so much that I couldn't shake the feeling that things could go seriously wrong. It was smooth flying after that and I for one was grateful that we had a skillful pilot, who got us through that turbulence.

My last word on Barcelona is a reference to the soundtrack to my Barcelona trip. I listened mostly to Maroon 5's Songs for Jane and The best of Depeche Mode. I'm sure without these great albums, my trip wouldn't have been half as good and whenever I listen to them I'll also remember the great time I had on my very first holiday all alone in Barcelona...may it be the start of many enjoyable trips on my own.

Hola Chicas!!

...and of course all the guys that read my blog. I know this post is a bit delayed as it's been four days since I returned from Barcelona. The weather in Belgium has just been so great (sunshine and 14 degrees average) that I've just been lounging around and basically doing what I want when I want to do it. My days have been spent not getting out of bed before 11:00, getting some form of exercise (either walking, helping in the garden or cycling) sitting outside chatting to people (online) and trying to work on my very last assignment...without success. Tom's parents also make it very easy for me to be lazy, all I have to do is show up for the regular meals, otherwise I'm left to my own devices, which really suits me as there will not be a lot of "me-time" when I get back home on Monday (I still can't get to grips that it's so soon already).

Back to Barcelona, what an enchanting city. It was definitely worth the trouble although it wasn't that much trouble if I'm honest with myself. I flew from Brussels after spending a weekend there with Rikke, the Dane who studied with me in Hamburg. I'd been to Brussels on quite a couple of occassions and thought I'd seen all there is to see in Brussels. I was mistaken and pleasantly surprised by all the new things I'd discovered in Brussels: the EU parliamentary buildings are very impressive and modern. What struck me was the new housing developments next to the parliamentary buildings. They were a carbon copy of those developments on the right as you drive in from the roundabout and the Caltex filling station at the Waterfront. Their sunny, southern-ness seemed a little incongruent with the old, grey Northern European buildings surrounding the parliamentary complex, but were also for a sign of my imminent return to Cape Town:)

Upon arrival at the airport in Barcelona I packed away my thick coat since at plus 12 degrees one does not it any more. My accommodation was a basic (double) room off La Rambla (the main boulevard) in the gothic centre of the city. A great location in that a lot of sights and the beach is within walking distance. The gothic city centre is a maze of pedestrian streets, plazas and structures dating back to the times when the Romans settled in the then Barcina. It is the historic core from which the sprawling city with a population of 1.58 million developed. Barcelona awakened an appreciation of architecture as there are such a multitude of awe-inspiring buildings. What I also loved were all the plazas and/or fountains at regular intervals...it seems as if the city planners just used any excuse to set up a plaza and/or fountain wherever they could. The drawback of staying where I was staying was that it also seemed to be the main shopping area and thus it was sometimes difficult to stay committed to sightseeing and not be tempted by all the shops and their wonderful wares.

The first afternoon/evening in Barcelona was spent orientating myself, checking out the shops (if I must be honest) and settling in. The next day, armed with my Lonely Planet guide, I undertook a walking tour of the old Barcelona. This again was just to orientate myself more comprehensively. For lunch I decided that I should have tapas (and sangria) and I discovered this restaurant/bar that would become my regular haunt - Princesa 23, why b/c I deserved to be treated like a princess;-) I was not disappointed by the tapas and left very satisfied and with the intention to come back and try out the cocktails at the bar. The afternoon I ambled around the inner city (probably checking out the shops again, but not buying anything since the last day in Barcelona would be my shopping day) and the evening I attended a performance by "one of the most talented guitarists" (Manuel Gonzalez) in one of the old churches (Eglesia de Santa Maria del Pi). I enjoyed the performance a lot more than I thought I would. Another advantage of having all those open spaces is that there are always street performers entertaining the crowds. There is constantly music being made or people donning elaborate costumes in order to make money and amuse at the same time. Well, I knew I had to sample the Barcelona night life at some time or another, but I didn't feel brave enough to go it alone on my second night in Barcelona, so I holed myself up in my room with the great book, I'd brought along for company.

The next day I'd gotten myself a ticket for the public transport for some serious sightseeing. My first stop was La Sagrada Familia...a huge cathedral designed by the legendary Antoni Gaudi, a pioneer of the Modernista movement at the turn of the 20th century. After more than 100 years the cathedral is not yet completed (they hope to have its roof on by next year), but it's impressive nevertheless. The details is just astounding and just when one thinks one seen everything another detail jumps up at you. In brief the modernistas combined various styles (gothic, islamic and renaissance) and some like Gaudi, were very dismissive of straight lines, so you have buildings with fluid lines and quirky ornamentation, almost bordering on kitsch, but still staying within good taste. I spent some time at the Sagrada Familia, soaking up the history and just marvelling at the beauty of it.

After a brief stop at Barcelona's Arc de Triomphe and La Pedredra (a house designed by Gaudi), I made my way to Park Guëll and Gaudi's house. The park was wonderful again with a lot of the Gaudi quirks. Gaudi's house was a bit of a disappointment (very sterile), but I wasn't too fazed. The garden had enough twists and architectural wonders to keep me enthralled. It had started raining as I was entering the park, so I decided that instead of the metro I'd take the bus back down to the city centre, to give myself more a sense for the city. When I got there it thankfully stopped raining, so I ventured down to the harbour to see if there's anything for me to see. I stumbled upon a shopping mall and was reminded of the Waterfront again, but otherwise there wasn't much that interested me.

As can be imagined I'd covered quite a bit of ground in that day, so I was dead tired when I got back to my room. However, I promised myself that I would go out that night to watch some Flamenco. After very unwillingly getting dressed and moving out, I found out that the place to which my guide book was leading me, no longer existed. I wasn't too put out since I wasn't really in the mood for appearing social, so it was with a glad heart that I returned to my room and my book, Shalimar the clown, by Salman Rushdie.

This is where I'll end this post. I did too much in Barcelona to cram it all into one post. Tomorrow I'll expand on what I did in my last two days (and nights, I finally sampled the night life) in Barcelona.

Enjoy the pics.

The passion facade of Sagrada Familia. Unfortunately this picture merely hints at the impressiveness of the building

A moving sculpture of Jesus just before crucifixion at Antoni Gaudi's very impressive Sagrada Familia - a cathedral that's a 100 years in the making (still incomplete) and representative of the holy family

One of the many street performers in Barcelona outside the big gothic cathedral. This guy was fascinating b/c he was about 3m tall (obviously he was standing on something) and he kept on reaching for the skies. That's all he did the whole time I was there and I was wondering for how long he'd kept up the performance and what goes through one's mind when one does something like that

One of the wonderful creatures imagined by Antoni Gaudi and found at the entrance of Park Guëll, which Gaudi designed before the project was abandoned

This is what I imagine the gingerbread house in Hansel and Gretel might look like, but it's a creation of Gaudi at the entrance of Park Guëll

A confusing sign: it's obvious the picture on the right means no swimming in a pool that's so shallow that it wouldn't even cover your feet properly. But what does the picture on the left mean. Don't get struck by lightning? Does this mean that lightning regularly strikes in this area? And strangely enough this sign appeared again a couple of metres further from this one

The beach at Barcelona...it doesn't look any different from the one in Durban and those waves were not that impressive, but it's beautiful nevertheless

Note the shoes hanging from a line in Barceloneta, the obviously poorer neighbourhood right on the beach

I loved these lions at Monument a Colom. They were so different from other bronze lions (say at Rhodes Memorial) in that they seemed to have character and they had different poses.

Ode to Hamburg

I have finally managed to tear myself from the place I am almost as attached to as home. Not that I really had a choice, my studies were over and the lease on my room expired today. I'm posting from the living of my in-laws in Belgium after an arduous train trip lasting 8 hours. Actually the trip wasn't that bad until I had to make the last change at Liege. I somehow got confused and the train station didn't have lifts or escalators going up to the platforms, so I had to schlepp my heavy luggage up stairs a piece at a time. Well, all's well that ends because I got here tired as hell (although I indulged in some cat naps on the train) and was served with cheese croquettes, one of my favourite Belgian delicacies (and here I'm using the word very liberally).

So, back to Hamburg. Tuesday I ventured out to do some last chores and to take in the city one last time. As I walked to the train station after having handed back my library books I started thinking (for the first time) what it is about Hamburg that has me so enthralled. I realised it's all the little things: it's the ease with which I was able to slip into my life in Hamburg. It is how relaxed the people are. It's the way my limits have been pushed over the last couple of months not only intellectually but also physically - who would've thought I could function so well on so little sleep? I love the fact that I could hide out and embark on a completely new life (however briefly). It's the great people I have met over the last couple of months. Hamburg was the site of all these wonderful experiences and as such it will always be very special to me. No other place (except home) has such sway over me. However, I'm realistic enough to know that this a completely unique experience that will never repeat itself and that the positive experience has a lot to do with how I view Hamburg. Despite this, I can safely see myself calling Hamburg home and living there - maybe indefinitely if the job is good enough.

I'd like to elaborate on the ease with which things happened for me in Hamburg. I couldn't help but draw parallels between my experiences in London and Hamburg. The thing that got me really down about London was how difficult it was to get things done: get a job, find accommodation even go grocery shopping. The time it took to get from one place to another because of the vast distance between places. Sure it might have had something to do with the fact that my mindset in London was a lot more negative (for whatever reasons) and I was just a lot more uptight. Maybe my experience in Hamburg was more positive because I just went there with a more positive mindset and I had learnt that I shouldn't get too worked up about things I have no control over. Maybe my experience in London laid the groundwork for my experience in Hamburg in that it was there that I learnt to bounce back from setbacks. Maybe I'm more at ease in a smaller city (Hamburg pop: 1.7 million) than a big city like London (pop: 7 million). Despite these possibilities, I would like to believe that the ease with which I went about my business in Hamburg had to do with something inherent to the city.

For example on Tuesday I had to go to different parts of the city to do different things. I had slept only three hours the night before and yet it wasn't a mission to do all I had to do in my allotted time. Of course some of it was pleasurable (shopping), but still it was just such a pleasure to be where I was and do what I was doing. Since the beginning of February (when it hit home that I was leaving Hamburg) I've experienced separation anxiety. I would sometimes walk instead of taking the bus just so could spend more time experiencing of the city. I had this urge to touch things...so I could hold onto it. This morning I had the same feeling as I was sitting in the train watching the familiar skyline becoming smaller and smaller. And that's why I think that my attachment to Hamburg is not solely a function of the intensely positive (and sometimes not so positive - but intense nevertheless) experiences I've had there.

And that's why I'm glad I had this blog. It's a record of what I've been up to (with reliable dates). It is THE ode to my experience over the last five months.

P.S. This is not the last post because coming week I'll be checking out Barcelona and I'm sure my experiences here in Belgium will also make for some interesting reading;-)