This week I was a little concerned I wouldn't have anything worth while to talk about on the old blog. But then... yesterday rolled around in classic Capetonian fashion with some good old fashioned insanity. The two stories from yesterday, as usual, revolve around the informal
salesmen at the beach and a minibus ride.
I'm unsure if I've talked about the informal beach salesmen before. But if I haven't they are the guys walking around the beach with coolers constantly yelling "IceCreamIceCreamGetYouMineralWaterIceColdCokeGreenNYellowLollies!" on repeat. All the time. You don't sleep on Cape Town's beaches. But anyways, I realized maybe an "IceColdCoke" would be a worthwhile purchase. So I wait about two seconds for one to come and harass us. I asked the man if he had any Coke. "Of course, my brother. But you must wait a minute." And he walked away. Left his coolers and just walked away. I watched this guy walk off the beach, up to a man sitting in a chair on the sidewalk. Talk with him for a few minutes and then continue walking. At this point I decided to find out where he was going. So I followed him. I followed him until he walked into a grocery store right across the street. This man was going into a grocery store to buy me a Coke and then sell it to me at a huge markup. So I set a limit of how much I would pay this man R15 (while they cost about 12 in stores). After about 20 minutes, he comes back with one Coke. "20 Rand, my friend"... "Sir, did you just go to the Pick N Pay to buy that Coke?".... "No! No! I take my job very seriously! I'm not trying to play anyone"... "Regardless, man, I'm not paying more than R15."....After much arguing he sells it to me for 15. But turns out he only has R3 change. (This is surprisingly common here, no one ever has change. I've had taxis drop me off and say they will call me later to get payment when they have change.) So I take the 3 Rand and he says he'll be back in a few minutes with my change. But then! All of the sudden the man has an epiphany. He sees my housemate Rune's R2 coin on his blanket. Picks it up and gives it to me telling me "Here is your change." You have to be kidding me right now. This guy just picked up Rune's money, while I was watching and tried to give it to me. Takes his job seriously my ass. After calling him on this he says he'll be back with my change soon. He didn't come back. But I was still content with the story.
My second story from yesterday comes from the minibus ride back. After getting dropped off at the taxi rank and being probably the most scared I've been here, going across the bridge with the touchy-feely homeless people, I get into a minibus via Wynberg(!) and we begin to drive off. At the first robot outside of the minibus rank, a man runs off the sidewalk and jumps onto the back of our bus as we continue to drive. (See Picture Above). This wasn't a joke to this guy, he rode for about three blocks and then just got off his free ride. The free rider situation was alarming to everyone on the bus, not typical behavior, I guess.
Asides from those things, this week was pretty slow. Had a nice hike up Devil's Peak, played soccer in the Cage a few times. The soccer in the Cage can either be tons of fun or the most frustrating thing I've ever done. There are about 30 guys there 6 teams of 5. You've got the Zambian guys (who are enormous), two teams of Americans, the old guys, the guys that call each other names of South African presidents. (They at least have someone they call Zuma and someone called Thabo Mbecki), and the team with the guy with the dreads. You play first to one goal, then the next team comes on. So if you are winning its great fun. But if you are losing because you are playing the teams that will just shoot every time they cross half field its beyond frustrating. No fun to play D if you know you're just going to be kicked.
Not getting service at this cafe even after asking for my drink twice.
Last weekend something I didn't mention, but amused me all the same and not really SA specific. Were my two run ins with hardcore alcohol abuse last weekend. Both pretty scary, both rather funny. 1.) My friends and I went to Cafe Sofia to catch a soccer match, we get there about 4:30. At about 4:45 this table sits down right next to us. They order some beers. Nothing exciting so far. Then about 10 minutes later, I notice one of the guys sleeping. Now this Cafe Sofia is not a quiet place, the game is on high volume, people get really into the games cheering and what not. But this guy sleeps on. For the entire game. I figured he must have gotten bit by our old friend the TseTse fly ( I don't think they have those in SA) but sleeping sickness seemed to be the order of the day because he was OUT. About the 90th minute of the game. He starts to rise. Now the not so funny part starts. He starts throwing up all over the restaurant. It was vile. The manager comes over, tells his friends to escort him out. On his way out he can barely walk, but the one thing he can do is, grab his beer on the way out the door. That amused me.
Second incident. This was at the balcony lounge of the Waiting Room. A very crowded area on top of this bar. Everyone is talking, everything is fine. Until BAM! this one girl just falls over. Just 100% passes out, while she was standing up. I'd never seen anything like it. So everyone is in a general panic now, get the staff, call an ambulance! But then this Mexican kid, Pablo walks up to her and just starts speaking Spanish. And by some crazy stroke of insanity, she gets up starts talking to him in Spanish and doesn't even seem to be drunk any more.
Weird.
Around the World in 80 Days starring Jackie Chan is a terrible movie.
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