National Heritage Day / National Braii Day

September 24th is National Heritage Day here in South Africa. It is a public, national holiday and just like in the United States, this usually is blissfully accompanied by a day off from work. However, when September 24th falls on a Saturday, we are not quite so lucky. Such was our luck this year. We all certainly managed to make the most of the holiday nonetheless. Celebrations began in the office on Friday where we had a tea time discussion about the origins of the holiday and every one was asked to bring in something that resembled their heritage and where they came from. My roommate Charlie did a great presentation on how the Holiday started and then discussed his own heritage and family. We proceeded to go around the board room and each person spoke for a few minutes about their background, their family, and what token of heritage they brought to share. Lots of people brought food, pictures, and even a dvd of South African music! It was so interesting to hear all about my friends and fellow employees backgrounds and family origins. I felt like I was really getting to know each and everyone much more which I really enjoyed. I tasted Jewish Challah bread, German pretzels, Danish cookies, Italian biscuits, and much much more. What a delight! 

Some of the office crew after our Heritage Day Talk

As the time came for me to share my heritage, I proudly pulled out a picture of my dad and I, explaining how my Italian roots come from his side of the family. I continued to brag about how awesome my Nana's Italian meatballs are and how she is the best cook in the whole world. I couldn't leave out her Italian stubbornness and of course how my dad and his brothers just 'happen' to suddenly develop thick Italian accents when they are all in a room together. I made sure to proudly include my Irish roots as well which I attribute to my mom's side of the family. I gave my mom credit for being the tannest Irishwoman I know. Although I know there's much more to my composition besides just Italian and Irish, these are the two I relate to and identify with the most. I loved talking about my family with my co-workers because it is a part of my life that means so much to me. I'm so proud of the fact that I come from such a large, loving family. As I've grown older, I've come to learn that not everyone is as privileged as I am to know where they come from. Although they are crazy at times, I absolutely love my family because they mean so much to me and have really been the roots to my existence. Heritage day is such a wonderful way to reflect upon this and it was a nice reminder of how lucky I am to be blessed with amazing people in my life. 

When the real Heritage Day rolled around on Saturday, it brought along gorgeous sunshine and 75 degree weather. Perfection! I woke up after a wonderful night's sleep and walked the two minute walk around the block to a local Saturday morning farmer's market that I've come to frequent and love. The vendors are all so nice and the fresh vegetables are lovely. The market is housed in a big open hall with many different types of sellers ranging from fresh vegetable farmers to bakers, smoothie vendors, chocolate connoisseurs, coffee baristas, organic fishermen, poultry farmers, etc. I stocked up on vegetables and delicious freshly baked bread. I returned home and then hit the road for a light run along the water, soaking in the salty breeze and watching the waves crash along the boardwalk. As I was running home, I ran through the Company Gardens, a beautiful park between my house and the city center. The Gardens were teeming with hundreds of families having picnics, playing live music, and just having a wonderful time. There was such a good vibe in the park and I couldn't help but smile running through. One of the big differences that I've noticed living in South Africa opposed to the United States is how dedicated Africans are to their family and how much they cherish familial values. This could not have been clearer than the image in the park on Heritage Day, a pure celebration of what it means to be together and enjoy the simplicity of each other's company. 

When I arrived home, it was a unanimous decision for my roommate Andrew and I that the only proper way to celebrate our Rhode Island (yes, he too is also from RI) and Italian heritage was to do what we do best.....sit on the beach and get a tan!!! So as our ambitious four other roommates headed out the door to hike for three hours, we turned in the opposite direction armed with our towels and books, and went straight for the beach! 

Camps Bay beach is a simple ten minute drive from our house and although you are still in South Africa, one would believe you traveled all the way to the Caribbean. Beautiful palm trees, sparkling blue water, and waves galore. The beach was filled with Holiday beach-goers and the roadside restaurants were populated with brunch-eaters and the like. Camps Bay is a much more public beach than the ones that I had been to prior. It reminded me much like Fort Lauderdale, with a bit of a commercial feel. Nevertheless, a beach is a beach and I loved every minute of it! We met up with two of our friends from work. One of them, Ryan Janks, brought his three year old son Erin with him as well. Erin was lots of fun and kept us entertained for hours on end. The best part of the afternoon was when all of the sudden, a crowd of 100 people start dancing on the street in a FLASH MOB! I couldn't believe it, I'd never seen a flash mob in real life but have always wanted too. In case you are unfamiliar, a flash mob is a coordinated dance put on by a very large group of people who minutes before are simply going about as normal civilians. Then all of sudden, a massive coordinated dance breaks out on the street! It was so much fun and the dancers were great. I can now say I've witnessed my first ever flash mob!

FLASH MOB!

After basking in the rays for a few hours we packed up and headed back home because in just a few hours we were hosting our first BRAII!!! A Braii is basically a cookout/bbq in South African terms. National Heritage Day happens to also be National Braii Day. Thus, my roommates and I thought it would only be appropriate to celebrate the holiday as Africans do. We invited our neighbors over, three South African girls who live on the third floor of our house. We also had a few friends from work over and our neighbors brought friends as well. It turned out to be a lovely evening with some grilling on the porch, lots of drinks flowing, and fun being had by all. I must say, it was the perfect way to end my very first National Heritage Day. I really hope it won't be my last because I'm starting to fall in love with this place! 

The gals (my roommates) before the big Braii

Some roommates, some neighborhoods, and lots of friends!

Charlie grilling away on our tiny charcoal grill

Great Neighbors

Running around Cape Town

Running has always been a passion of mine. As many of my fellow running gurus know, there is nothing in the world like waking up at dawn, tying up those shoe laces and heading out the door to be greeted by the rising sun. Rain or shine, it is quite possibly the best way to start the day. Fresh, crisp air, the sun beaming on your face, and a full world outside just waiting to be explored. 

The best part of running for me is that it is an opportunity each and every day to explore my surroundings. My best runs have always been those where I don't plan ahead, take a few left and right turns unknowingly, and work my way back home. I've come across amazing things by just getting lost and taking in my surroundings. Running in Cape Town has been no different. I have absolutely loved running around my neighborhood and developing a familiarity with the area. I feel like each week I find something new and exciting that is just a few minutes away from where I've been living all along. It's been the best way for me to grow familiar with Cape Town and it has helped me feel much more comfortable with my surroundings. 

My daily running route around the neighborhoods

I quickly came to realize about five minutes into my first run here that Cape Town is MUCH more hillier than Rhode Island. As a matter of fact, the two don't even compare. But I've always had a nag for hill running and fortunately, I've really enjoyed the challenge. Each morning, I venture out around my neighborhood and run up toward the base of Table Mountain through gorgeous neighborhoods on the hills of the mountain. I love getting to see all the school children heading off to school in their school uniforms while their parents are dressed in snappy suits and ties. After cresting the hill tops in the surrounding neighborhoods, I make my way back down the mountain and the view could not be prettier. The whole cityscape stretches down below and if I time it correctly, the rising sun paints the sky         a beautiful orange. 

Water Reservoir...view from Lion's Head Mountain

On most mornings, my descent down  the mountain ends at the water reservoir about 1/4 mile from my house. There is an 800 meter cement track around the water reservoir that is populated day and night by runners like myself. It is a gated area with guards at both ends so I feel extremely safe in the area. I can't help but think back to the days I used to run around the Barrington High School Track. Fortunately, this track offers much better views not only of the city bowl down below, but of Table mountain on one side and Lions Head on the other. At every turn around the track, it's a breathtaking site. Lots of times I'll forget how long I'm even running along the reservoir because I get lost in the pure beauty. Luckily, I usually make it back to reality in time to realize that the 9 a.m. work day doesn't wait for runners like myself lost in a daze.  

View from Dog Park

 One of my favorite discoveries from running is the amazing dog park just around the corner from my house. The dog park is a great venue where dogs run at their free will and play with each other while their owners have picnics on the green grass or read on the many benches nearby. Lots of people don't even have pets but simply go for strolls in the park or set up a blanket to enjoy the afternoon.  The first time I ran through the park, I couldn't believe it had taken me two weeks to find this great place. Trees and green grass populate the entire park, a beautiful large fountain sits in the center of the park, and there  are SO many dogs. I'm a big dog lover so the park is a great place to live vicariously through others.

 

Large Fountain in the middle of the Dog Park

The best part about the park is that each night around 5 pm, there is doggy school, where dogs are taught to sit, stay, heel, and be obedient. I literally laughed out loud as I saw this because I couldn't help but think about the time that my family and I took our own dog Striker to Doggy School only to find out that two days later, he would be a Doggy School drop-out, earning an F in the course. Needless to say, we all knew he was special to begin with.

More of the Dog Park

Just last weekend, I ventured on a long run to the Promenade, which is a 3 mile boardwalk all along the coastline. It was the most beautiful run I have taken since I've been here. Despite the grey overcast weather, I felt at home by the ocean. The boardwalk was streaming with walkers, joggers, young and old. It was so beautiful. I definitely plan on marking this route as one of my favorites for the longer weekend runs!

Waterfront Promenade

St. Mary's Cathedral....my new Parish!

Apologies for the delay in blog entries. Between work and trying to experience all the great things Cape Town has to offer, it's hard to sit down and actually write about them! Needless to say, I'm back and here to report on my new found parish, St. Mary's Cathedral!

Having been raised in a devoted catholic family my whole life, I had every intention to continue attending services here in South Africa. Lucky for me, St. Mary's Cathedral is a beautiful Roman Catholic Cathedral just a five minute walk from my house! It has wonderful architecture on the outside and is actually the oldest Catholic Cathedral in South Africa! The parish is a great mix of all different types of people, from native Cape Towners, (both Afrikans and Zulu), to visitors and passerbys. The thing I love about the Catholic church is that no matter where you go to worship, even if it is thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean, you know you will feel right at home because the mass is always the same. I walked out of the church after my first mass a few weeks ago on a Sunday night so overjoyed by the fact that I had found a parish that I was very happy with and reminded me of home. Plus, The celebrant, congregation, and everyone involved are so nice and friendly. 

The celebrant at St. Mark's is an energetic priest who says a great mass. Just last Sunday at 10 am mass, he stood at the altar at the end of the mass and said 'I heard a bunch of "amens" at communion so there must be a few Americans out there this morning.' He then encouraged us all to raise our hands and introduce ourselves to the congregation and where we were from. I slowly raised my hand and said I was from Rhode Island. His response was priceless...."Miss Rhode Island, Miss Congeniality!" Haha I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that all the way across the world and the few things anyone knows about Rhode Island is the hit comedy Miss Congeniality! But I guess if it weren't for Sandra Bullock, he wouldn't have known about Rhode Island (as most do not) so I can't really complain! 

I'm happy to report that I now feel that I've established a solid Sunday tradition for 10 am mass. Although St. Mary's is no St. Luke's or the Providence Cathedral, it's just up my ally and exactly what I was looking for. All in all.....success!