Splendid cape

I managed to check everything off my list on my three days in Cape Town with my buddy, joe.  It felt like I've been gone a month.  

√ We did our posh over the top meals with bottle after bottle of the best yummy South African wines.

√ Joe and I took a boat (Susan Kruger!) to Robben island where South African fascists inprisoned ANC leaders until a surprisingly recent 1991.  

√ We made it up Table Mountain.  This was My first for both tourist jaunts though I have been to Cape Town many times.

√ I got to see our lovely mate mark, holed up in his posh Clifton beach mansion.  

√ And i went on a date I had set up over the internet two weeks ago from Sydney.  

The rand is 10:1 aud or usd now so there were big bargains all around.  Joe's and my first early dinner, At the Most exey in town, cost $65 each including two bottles of Chenin Blanc.  That is Nothing for Sydney.

The gay club scene here is sadly getting smaller due to online dating and "blasting" (injecting) drugs, with alcohol out of favor like in Sydney and Miami. In the most egalitarian country in the world now, there are still horrors in gay life, as in above article in which gay country boy was beaten and set on fire.

Joe's and my Trip to Robben island prison was surprisingly engaging.  Sadly and probably intentionally, there is a gorgeous view of freedom, monolithic Cape Town, from the island.  I saw and mentioned to our guide obvious parallels with auschwitz, especially the feel of the abandoned cellblocks.  We had an actual 1991 polical prisoner as our guide which made it feel like 1990, when amazingly there were still political prisoners here.

Touring the cells I was touched by one prisoner who echoes my sentiments about my own traumatic life ordeals, that the hardship made him who he was, and that he wouldn't want to change that if he could.  I agree about my own life, wouldn't change a thing.  I also noticed that I am usually the only or at least first person who asks questions in public talks.  Must be the tbi outspokenness Phil noticed.

The elections were on yesterday and it is a national holiday.  ANC is powerful (ironic after visiting robben island but the leaders there practiced their revolutionary politics every day and emerged from reconciliation very very strong strategically and organisationally) and DA will win the West Cape but the rest of ZA leans ANC.

To the top of the monolithic table mountain.  My Knees were flimsy feeling so joe and I took the cable car.  Man, what a beautiful place Cape Town is.  I can see why Americans joe, david Kaye, david goette and mark gibbons decided on Cape Town as their homes, despite the danger and strife in Africa.

Revival of flak tradee 

Pinotage and Chenin Blanc, amazing, hard choice.  Drank a whole bottle by myself at mark's, in ecstasy.

Glen Hotel looked great, nothing worked though: light switches were in bizarre places, shower leaked all over floor, pool beautiful but cold, hot tub dirty and cool, spa sauna off, spa steamroom off, spa hot tub cold and dirty.  Not nice for a date, so we went to my room and cuddled in bed to warm up which was a cozy entree to more fun.  Brekkie looked posh but it was Bread and more bread for brekkie, not much else.  There was zero on their extra menu I could eat.  You'd think there's be smoked salmon or   French toast or something except meat or eggs. Not cool.  I have to give the glen a thumbs down.