Allan, Jean, Suzanne, David and Danielle Cathro and their friend Emmanuel
Edinburgh - Scotland
Umlazi - Kwa Zulu Natal - SA
5 Decemeber 2007
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I met the Cathro family and their friend Emmanuel at the North Wharf Hotel and we started our day with a visit to Table Mountain and then we went on a township experience
Suzanne does "the Titanic" on top of Table Mountain JJ
Doing the Table Mountain shuffle J
Emmanuel, David, Danielle, Suzanne, Jean and Allan enjoying champagne atop of Table Mountain
At the Afrikaans Language Monument in Paarl
Friends at the Afrikaans language monument
Enjoying lunch at Lily in Kayamandi
Lily showing off her kitchen and famous stove
Please
click on the above picture to see Suzanne and Emmanuel dancing with Pelokaze and
Vivi
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Please
click here to see Jean and Suzanne teaching the Masakhane kids a highland fling
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With Nozandile and Johannes outside of the shack home - Can you spot Jean? J
David meets a young friend in Zone J
Having fun with the kids in Kayamandi
David and Jake, who acted as David's "bodyguard" in Zone J J
Day 2
Cape Peninsula
In Kirstenbosch Gardens
Looking at the Hard Rain (Bob Dylan) posters in Kirstenbosch
The whole group framed by Kirstenbosch flowers
Danielle gets into an awkward pose for one of her great photo creations
Hiding under a Kirstenbosch tree. J
More photos in Kirstenbosch
Buying postcards at the Kirstenbosch shop
Guess who was left to pay fro the postcards. JJ
Having a baby kingklip lunch at the Seaforth restaurant near Boulders Beach
Emmanuel proves that he finished his fish lunch happily. JJ
Don Pedros here we come! J
At the penguin colony on Boulders Beach
At Cape Point with the Cape of Good Hope in the background - It was a very windy day!
Fun picture taken on the Cape of Good Hope Nature reserve
Suzanne looking a bit skeptical after seeing the retreating chacma baboon in the above picture
Danielle lines David up for a fun picture at the Cape of Good Hope
The whole group at the Cape of Good Hope
After our visit to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve we made our way back to Cape Town via a very windy Chapmans Peak, Camps Bay and Sea Point
It was great fun to take this sextet around Cape Town, the Winelands and Kayamandi. We had much fun together in all that we did and I do believe that everyone had the opportunity to obtain a great idea of what my city and its peoples were all about. Truly a great tour and most certainly one that was enhanced by us having Emmanuel on board with us. Overall a very happy group with a very strong social commitment to the peoples of the world and with that said, recognising the latter, this just had to work for me tourwise as well as in personal capacity.
THANKS A TON FOR ALL
ALLAN, JEAN, SUZANNE, DAVID, DANIELLE AND EMMANUEL
ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT "SOUTH AFRICA AND THE ZEBRA"
Received 1/1/2008
Dearest Selwyn,
To quote a well known tour guide "Wow, Wow, Wow".
Our South African experience was just that from beginning to end. This
country of stark contrasts never failed to delight, surprise and challenge
at every turn.
Our special time with you was all too brief yet we seemed to pack so much
into two extraordinary days.
The Dassie Den, Kayamandi, Lily's Chakalaka and the famous stove, Nozandile
and Johannes, the children of Zone J, the amazing Masakhane dancers,
Kirstenbosch, Boulders Beach, Don Pedros and Chapman's Peak - these are
memories that will stay with us all.
We were also very sad to part company with you on our departure from Cape
Town. By the way we followed your recommendation to dine at Gold and had a
wonderful evening.
On our journey to Knysna a new tour guide emerged from within the group. It
seems you now have a rival in the form of Emmanuel who would point out
places of interest (in the style of Selwyn) along the way. In fact he did so
well we nicknamed him 'Little Laduma'. The rest of our trip around the
Western Cape gave us an introduction to the beauty, diversity and vastness
of the country.
Then came Durban. Big, Brash and Busy it seemed we had been transported to another world. We were greeted at the airport by around 20 or so of
Emmanuel's family and neighbours along with a small troupe of Zulu dancers
who performed some special dances on the pavement outside the airport - what a welcome!
Selwyn I won't even try to describe our time there with the people of Umlazi
township which gives us a great excuse to return and tell you in person.
However the highlights were:-
A visit to Zwelebanzi High School in Umlazi especially arranged by some of
the teachers and the head teacher who although the school closed for the
vacation were proud to show us the developments taking place due to the
relationship and support of James Gillespie's school in Edinburgh.
A huge welcome party at Emmanuel's home in Umlazi.
Spending days on the beach with our friends from Umlazi.
A ride in a Kombi with about 24 people packed in (probably illegal) and the
sound system turned up to mark 20. I am still waiting for my insides to
rearrange themselves as I was sitting just above the Bass speakers.
Being welcomed at Emmanuel's family church where they went to the trouble of designating one of the priests to translate the whole service to English for
us.
Having experienced all that I feel we have probably only just scratched the
surface of this great and beautiful country and people.
Regrets - not having met the special lady that turned Selwyn Davidowitz
around. I believe your wife's name is Bettie and it would be an honour and a
pleasure to meet with her next time.
Finally
Our offer of sponsorship for a special event / day out for the kids of
Kayamandi stands until it is needed and is gifted without reservation.
We had some great news recently - Emmanuel has passed his matric exams and will hopefully be in Cape Town University soon. We are working hard here to help with sponsorship. (watch out you may see 'Little Laduma' up Cable
Mountain one weekend with a group of bewildered Japanese tourists)
Selwyn you have touched all our lives with your boundless enthusiasm for
your country and your love and support of the people of Kayamandi. We spoke
about you every day of the remainder of our trip and continue to think of
you fondly. May your work continue to thrive and prosper (but please please
try to groom a successor).
The attached photograph will always remind us of that special 'Zebra'
relationship.
We will return and meet again
Our warmest regards and a very Happy New Year
Allan, Jean, David, Emmanuel, Suzanne and Danielle
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