About Traveling to Africa

I sent an email to everyone who traveled to S. Africa with our group asking them what they liked best about the trip and what impact–if any–it had on their life.  Below, are responses from two of the travelers.

Gale Wright says:

I can’t pinpoint one event on the trip as my favorite.  There were many!!

1.  One was standing on the point at the southern tip of Africa and realizing where I actually was!  Seeing the Indian Ocean, off to my left,  the Atlantic to my right, and Antarctica straight ahead!

2.  Another was staring at the 5′ X 8′ room, on Robben Island, that Nelson Mandela was sentence to lived in for almost 20 years, while working long hours in a rock quarry.  Thinking about what all he went on to do, for South Africa, after living such an unjust and torturous existence, is truly amazing!! 

Making a Tsi-Akim Maidu-Mukuni connection

The following article appeared in our local newspaper, The Union.

http://www.theunion.com/article/20111219/NEWS/111219780/1066&ParentProfile=1053

Going to South Africa was at the top of Marge Kaiser’s “bucket list,” but the former Executive Director of the Sierra Nevada Deep Ecology Institute wanted the trip to be more than a fantastic vacation. “I knew we would have an opportunity to meet indigenous people, and I wanted to facilitate some kind of cultural exchange.”

Don Ryberg, Chairman of the Tsi-Akim Maidu tribe, responded enthusiastically to the prospect of connecting with a tribal leader from Africa. He prepared a greeting to be read aloud, and gave Kaiser note cards of their barkhouses, a gift of handmade native jewelry (a tiny woven basket in the shape of an acorn), a T-shirt from Indigenous Peoples Days, and an invitation to attend the Calling Back the Salmon ceremony in 2012.

Located in Zambia, the Mukuni Village, home to the Leya people, was already part of the tour, and a cultural exchange was easily arranged. Although Chief Mukuni was unavailable, three of his assistants met with Kaiser and accepted Chairman Don Ryberg’s message, gifts and invitation.

After returning from her trip to South Africa, Kaiser received a letter from Sydney, the Chief’s assistant that said, “The chief is very happy for the invitation. He will definitely come with a few persons of Mukuni Village.”

The current Chief Mukuni, Munokalya Mupotola IV Siloka III Mukuni, the 19^th Chief of the Leya,  is a modern and enterprising man, who is promoting tourism in his area while trying to minimize the adverse impact it might have on his people’s way of life. Approximately 7,000 people live in the village where local people live, work, build and decorate their huts.

Commenting about this portion of the trip, Kaiser said, “What a meaningful experience it was to bring greetings from the local indigenous Maidu across the continents to the indigenous Makuni.”

 

BOOKSFORAFRICA.ORG

Kids at the Township

Ever since I returned from S. Africa, I’ve been looking for a way to help people there, especially the children.

The December 2011 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine I found what I was looking for and thought I would share it.

The organization is BOOKSFORAFRICA.ORG.  According to O, give one dollar and “Two books [are] shipped to a classroom in Africa. In many schoolrooms on the continent, 20 children share one textbook.”

If the kids we saw on our trip touched you the way they touched me, then you might want to donate to this simple, but transformative idea.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday.

Cheers!

 

South Africa Dinner Party

From Left: Janine, Sharon, Joan, Marge, Gail, and Ken

December 1, Janine had a dinner party for our California group of travelers.

Everyone brought wine and a dish to share and the food was fabulous!

Honestly, the group has the culinary skills to open a restaurant.

Of course, I forgot my camera, but thanks to Tommie we have photos. First, the people, then the food.

JoAnne, Janine (again, but hey, it's her house), Michelle

Jan and Tommie

So, you can see, the wine was plentiful. We even had a few bottles of the S. African variety.

On to the kitchen….Meet Janine’s husband and our co-host, Galen, who is holding a piece of this gigantic, tasty, moist scone that Tommie got out Food & Home Entertaining, a South African Magazine.

Our Co-Host: Galen

Not sure I’ll can remember everything that we ate so forgive me if I forgot your dish…

Janine made hearty, hot, yummy good like Grandma used to make Chicken Soup with lots of chunks of chicken.

Tommie doubled the recipe for a Baby Marrow (that’s zucchini in English) Chive and Parmesan Scone Ring that she brought on a king-sized platter that her husband, Mike, designed.

Baby marrow, chive adn Parmesan scone ring

I made a black bean version of Chakalaka and seasoned it with my secret curry blend.

Black Bean Chakalaka with Curry

 

 

Not photographed was Michelle’s moist, sweet Chocolate Termite Mound Cake and Joan’s South African pudding which disappeared moments after being put on the table.

We also had salad and muffins (I think JoAnne brought them) and another cake with a sweet sauce and there was fresh fruit

Anyway, you get the idea– It was a wonderful evening and the food was DIVINE.

Chakalaka and Other South Africa Recipes

So, I scoured the internet to find a Chakalaka recipe. I haven’t made it yet, but it looks good–similar to what we had in the Township and at some of the hotels.

Bon Appetite!

By the way, there are lots of recipes for South African Food on the web.  Check out these links to get started.

http://www.exploresouthafrica.net/culture/food.htm

http://www.food.com/recipes/south-african

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/world-cuisine/africa/south-african/viewall.aspx?page=1

Excelsior’s Award-Winning South African Wine

Day 15: Excelsior’s Award-Winning  South African Wine

Today we’re on the bus traveling from Knysna to Cape Town with a stop at the Excelsior Manor Guest House, an historic wine estate in the Breede River Valley, for lunch. More good food and drink–who can complain about that. The ground were also lovely…and it was another picture perfect day with blue skies and warm temperatures–probably in the low 70s.

Knysna Elephant Park

Day 14 Knysna Elephant Park

I had no idea how cool it would be to stand next to African elephants to feed and pet them. Of course, I’d seen my share of elephants at the zoo, but feeding them and touching their hide was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had. They are enormous, gentle and incredibly smart. A few people on our tour wanted an opportunity to ride elephants, but it just didn’t happen.  As far as I’m concerned, being close to them was thrilling enough.

Knysna & Featherbed Nature Reserve

The river boat that took us to Featherbed

Day 14: Knysna & Featherbed Nature Reserve

Today, we  took a ferry ride on the Knysna Lagoon, which has five fresh water rivers flowing in from the surrounding Outeniqua Mountains and meeting the Indian Ocean. Our destination–Featherbed Nature Reserve–reputed to be the premier eco-experience on the Garden Route — which is only accessible by boat.

Garden Route & Tsisikamma National Park

Day 13: Garden Route & Isisikamma National Park

The Garden Route lies east of Cape Town and encompasses some of South Africa’s most beautiful beaches, mountains, and rivers. This was one of those times that I didn’t mind being on the bus. The views were breathtaking! I was too busy gaping out the window to take pictures, but I took the one below off the web, just to give you and idea.

Township Tour (continued from Oct. 22 post)

Day 12: Township Tour  (continued from Oct. 22 post)

When I signed up for this part of the trip, I had no idea that the Township consisted of mostly poor blacks, some of whom live in shacks not unlike those that line the back roads of the deep south.  The abject poverty was difficult to see – especially the children, some who came looking for hand outs, bringing some of our group to tears. We were told not to give them anything, but instead, make donations to our guide, who would give toys, pens, pencils and other things to the community organization. Our tour guide was from the Township and explained that this community of 500,000 also contained middle class and professionals along with a plethora of hair salons, but we saw more poverty than anything else.