hey mr. sandman

friday in cape town. good times, but we have serious business to get down to!

but first, our word from our sponsor:

a FULL day of beach fun ... we all get up early, and after enjoying (another!) delicious breakfast, we're off for a drive - over kloof neck, with the spectacular coast opening up to us on all sides ... over to bantry bay, passing the monte carlo-esque clifton beaches ... winding our way, hugging the shore - heavenly! we pass salt, wakame, newport deli; we soak in the incredibly modern and ultra cool architecture (they build with real brick here, not wood toothpicks like in the u.s.!). finally, we are at delicious camps bay again, a golden crescent of sand ringed with palm trees, table mountain, lion's head, and the twelve apostles. we sunscreen furiously, making sure to cover every inch of exposed skin (this is summer in africa, after all!). we have all the necessary accoutrements - beach chairs, matkot paddles, ipods - and down to some serious beach time!

i take a run along the coast, almost making it to the hotel bearing the dozen apostles names ... and head back, feeling, literally, alive. it is heaven on earth here - spectacular, easy, fantastic, sparkly. we think, every minute, what we were doing last week at this time; what we'll be doing next week at this time; and we pinch ourselves to be so lucky, so blessed to be here together enjoying all of this.

the day passes lazily and easily - pizza on the beach for the kids, sand games, reading, walking ... michelle and dave text us ... david has just returned from his business trip to botswana, and they must simply have a drink with us! done - we agree to meet at 'blues', overlooking the beach, around 4 or so. just as we are crossing the street to meet them, they pass us by, hooting to our delight! we share afternoon cocktails on the terrace of this sexy lounge, looking out to our own kids who are still availing themselves of afternoon delight on the beach. drinks, great conversation, good food all ensue - and we agree on the absolute necessity of meeting for breakfast the following morning, our 'send off'.

back at 2 inn 1 kensington, klaus, chris, and team continue to spoil us ... late afternoon cocktails (again!), we quickly get ready for dinner at aubergine. more springbok, lamb, ostrich, and fish arrive; cheese plates and soufflés come and go, as do bottles of wine and sparkling water. we laugh, i fall asleep at the table - horrible! my plans for all night dancing with the kids at 'la med', on the beach, are dashed by my old age!

darn, and just when cape town was starting to make me feel SO young!

good neighbors make neighborgoods

two things i have learned today in south africa:
1. in cape town, the general public starts serious consumption of alcohol at 10 in the morning (will explain) and do not complete said activity until late in the evening (punctuated by a more obsessive imbibing at 'sundowner' time)
2. sociologically speaking, cape town still seems divided - not on the surface, with all forms of humans co-mingling; no, this is slightly more insidious division which seems to take place in hip restaurants where an active social scene is taking place (also, will explain)

today - lovely! heavenly! after a great night of sleep, save for the 3 hours i stare blankly at the ceiling, trying not to wake jane (unsuccessful, forcing her to finally sport an eye-patch whilst i hesitantly watch cnn), we rise to a head-on view of lion's head (mountain) rising ceremoniously over the hills of cape town. breakfast is a lavish affair in the long dining room with the table that seems to continue on into the pool. the kids - omelettes, breads, jams, cheeses. jane and i on lighter grub, including yogurt, honey, smoked salmon, and many a latté (what else is new). it's spectacular but windy - the cable car up to towering table mountain is closed - and we make our way to the ever-hip neighbourgoods market in woodstock.

cape town is spotless! even an area described to us as 'slightly seedy' looks upmarket compared to new york! clean, neat, and tidy. we park at the old biscuit mill, and mill about with all manner of hipsters in low slung jeans and brad pitt hats. ciabatta breads abound, cute baby t's, dog designer duds ... all the usual suspects. we arrive to a large hall, brilliantly lit, and chock full of food vendors with pestos, french pastries, cheeses, tartlets - the most incredible picnic fare! while jane schemes to get sandwiches for a beach lunch, the kids and i turn the corner and - voila - there's a party going on! music, bottles of wine, young families, groups of friends - everyone is drinking, eating pizza with arugula and homemade buffalo mozzarella. would we like a glass of wine? why yes, funny you should ask. it IS 11 o'clock, isn't it?

two coupes of bubbly ... in real champagne glasses! 30 rand together, with a 20 rand deposit for the glasses (returned if we bring them back). we do, and together the twins of sparkling are $3 total. it is incredible value, this land of mandela! everything is value priced - beyond fair - making the holiday even more enjoyable. the movies are$2.50, dinner for 5 with four courses each, drinks, and a bottle of wine with a spectacular view is under $100. we're talking serious eating, amazing service, top location.

well fed between our opulent breakfast and our cool snacks, we head to the beach - incredible camps bay, as we snake between mountains and find ourselves staring down, way down to sugar beached lined with palms and swathed in aqua blue water. fantastic! we park across from the most gorgeous, promenade-lined beach - for $2 (sorry, can't resist) and spend the afternoon lolling about in the sand, playing paddle ball, staring at the mountains behind us and the sea in front. collecting seashells. snacking. heaven.

when we finally pull ourselves away, it's almost 5 o'clock - time for a quick smoothie and ride back to the hotel. more wine flows, our complimentary 'sundowners' and we quickly get ready for an early dinner at the ever-hip wafu on the water. everyone is in a 'valentines' mood - very amorous - and we stake a prime view of the ocean and ingest ridiculous amounts of sushi, dumplings, and edamame. even dessert, which we all profess to feel to full to enjoy. we've missed 'happy go lucky' at the classic theater, everyone is now (finally!) tired, so it's home sweet home to enjoy a dvd together. we're zonked, happy, and well taken care of!

tomorrow, penguins at boulders beach, or the cape of good hope. and more spectacular and welcoming south africa!