Pan African and New Friends

We spent about 4 hours at the Pan African Market on Friday. It is a large three story building filled with vendors in individual stalls. About a 20 minute walk from where we are staying into a fairly busy area. The weather was clear and cool for our walk. Very California like.

The architecture and wrought iron accents on buildings reminded us of New Orleans. The city is also a bit like San Fransisco with it's hills and morning fog.


At the market, everyone had the best price to offer and a bargain to show us. In most places we were their 1st customers of the day and therefore got an extra discount. Same line as in Jo'burg.


More important than the treasures we bought (I did have to do my part for the local economy) was the interaction with the people. I cannot begin to describe the kindness of the people we have encountered here. They have an amazing warmth, friendliness and curiosity about us.


To most of the people we have spoken with, America is the place they want to go. We have heard Alaska (as Bob heard 7 years ago), Chicago (because she saw it on TV) and Hollywood (to see the stars).

One of the vendors yesterday (Janice) asked if she could have our email address. Then she asked if she could keep my pencil. Of course I gave it to her and dug out several more pens and pencils for her. She was so excited and said she would share them with her friends.


Patrick, her co-worker had a fairly long, deep conversation with Bob. He told him that life is hard in Cape Town. There is a lot of discrimination for people not from South Africa. He is originally from a village in Cameroun. His parents do not read and he is teaching himself to read. He told Bob several times what a nice man he was and thanked him for talking to him. And yes, for the skeptical among you, this was AFTER our purchases.

We had to find an ATM (yes, I had more to buy) and a woman in a shop directed us to a building. There are several ATM's inside this shopping center with a guard watching them. When we told her we just walk up to an ATM that is outside at home, she seemed quite surprised. 'That is not safe' is what she told us. When the ATM machine we went to wouldn't work, the guard directed us to another one downstairs. Down two elevators and turn right (although he pointed left). Then he said, 'Come' and walked us down to take us to the right spot.


Spent a couple of hours late yesterday afternoon just hanging out. Bob worked on pictures, I spent a few quality hours with my book.


Dinner was again at the Italian restaurant up the street. The waiter we had previously recognized us. 'A glass of sauvignon, a glass of chardonnay and a bottle of sparkling water?' was his opener. Yes, he remembered from earlier in the week. He too stood by the table after we were finished and talked to us for awhile. He said there are such high hopes for World Cup in 2010. If South Africa does well, it will help them so much. If they do not live up to expectations they will not have the opportunity to be on the world stage again for a long time.


Back to our B and B and in for the night fairly early.


FYI....Pix from Day 3 (of 5) at Mala Mala have been uploaded to Flickr. They can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/14356799@N06/sets/72157622650064238/