Last Day in Cape Town

This was a different sort of day. We started our day by boarding a ferry and taking the 8 kilometer trip from Cape Town out to Robben Island, best known for being the place where Nelson Mandela was held from 1964-1982. While many of our experiences up to this point showed off the greatness and beauty of South Africa, this experience began to open our eyes to the reality of the Apartheid government in this country, which only ended 15 years ago. Once on the island we were bused around with a tour guide describing the history of the island including its role as a place of defense against the Germans in World War II. It was stunning when our guide talked about the ways that the government classified people at the age of 16. There were four classes: white, colored, Asian/Indian, black. This was determined by the government through various methods. When the skin color alone was not conclusive, they would put a pencil in the hair and if it stayed, you were considered black, if not you could be considered colored--with greater privileges. After the bus tour we were led through the prison by a former political prisoner who had been detained on the island. They were very open to discussing their experiences and the realities of the treatment that they received. It was sobering and fascinating at the same time. As you listen to something like that you can't help but wonder how those things happen. The final portion of the trip was viewing Nelson Mandela's cell in the building where they kept the political leaders. Very small, no toilet--intentionally--only a bucket that was cleaned out by the prisoner every day and then used for them to clean their clothes, and early on only two thin mats and a blanket or two. It was an enlightening experience and a moving one also. The boat ride back was a bit wavy and rainy. Several women had a few stomach issues for a bit. We then went to lunch and had fish and calamari after a wonderful bread and Greek salad. Some quick shopping and back to the hotel to change for the concert. This concert was in Stellenbosch and shared with two other high school girl choirs. Both choirs were from the same area but one was a choir from an English school and the other was a choir from an Afrikaan school. We began with Dr. Rieck doing warm-ups for the entire group and teaching a simple round. The two choirs sang a couple of pieces and then WoCo did several selections. The South African Freedom Songs were a particular hit. There was excellent interaction following the concert with the choirs. We were very warmly and enthusiastically received. It was especially fun when several of the students from Stellenbosch University, whom we met yesterday, arrived for the concert as well. After this is was back to the hotel and the choir was off to dinner on their own and packing since we leave the hotel to go to the airport tomorrow morning by 7:45.

Good Hope and Animals

Sunday was filled with wonderful and new adventures. We received our wake-up call at 6:15 AM and left for the Cape of Good Hope (also called the Cape of Storms) by 8:15 AM. En route we heard many things about the vegetation (the Cape had species of vegetation that can only be found here--up to 7500 of them), animal life, and stories of discovery and storms. As we drove toward the national park we needed to stop along the way for a family of baboons that were playing, laying, and various other things in the street. Baby baboons wrestling is not a typical sight in Eau Claire, so needless to say we were pretty captivated by it all. After many warnings about the baboons interactions with people when we arrived at the old lighthouse, where we all got out and rode up a trolley sort of vehicle to get to the lighthouse, the choir was a bit jumpy at the baboons in the parking lot that seemed to be interested in what they were doing. We took some wonderful pictures at the top by the lighthouse and then proceeded to ride down to the point with a sign making the spot. Group pictures and some rock climbing later we were off towards lunch.

The big adventure on the way to the restaurant was the sighting of two whales (not supposed to be here yet). To get to the restaurant we walked across white sand in 90+ degree weather. After a lunch of sea bass--excellent--it was down the boardwalk to see the colony of penguins. 15 years ago 15 penguins migrated to this part of Africa and have been prolific to the point of a colony of over 2800 now. On our way toward Stellenbosch to visit Stellenbosch University (a school to which UW-Eau Claire has an exchange relationship) we drove past some fences behind which we saw ostrich, wildebeest, and antelope (and probably others I can't remember).

We met with the church choir at Stellenbosch and had some picnic foods that they had prepared for us, talked, sang for each other, and talked some more. It was a great experience to be able to share our common passion for music. Some of the member of their choir mentioned the obvious passion that we had for our music--great compliment. Around 6 PM we were back in the buses and on our way back to the hotel. It was a down evening before another early wake-up call for our last full day in Cape Town--definitely one of the most beautiful cities of the world.

A Safe Arrival and a Good Time

Access to blogspot in South Africa has been impossible so far, thus the delay in getting much wanted information to everyone at home. But where there is a will there is always a way. So here goes. Here is some cutting and pasting from Dr. Rieck.

Day 1
We are finally in Cape Town. we arrived here around 2 PM your time and got to the hotel about 40 minutes later. Things went really pretty well. Some interesting moments getting through the re-check procedure in Joburg (what the locals call Johannesburg). Overall very smooth.

Day 2
We just got back after a very busy and hectic day. It was really good in many ways.

We started the day going up a cable car to the top of Table Mountain. It was incredibly beautiful up there. Cape Town is quite an interesting city. Kirsten Rieck got some really great shots. Then we did a city tour on the bus and stopped at a shopping center, had lunch and went to meet a youth choir. It was a Milay group that gave us some traditional desserts, taught us a new song, we taught them one, had dinner and prepared for the concert that was supposed to begin at 7:30. At that time nobody was there, when we actually started the concert at 8:15 there was a great crowd. We didn't finish until about 10:20 (they had two choirs, some dance, and three soloists--then us). The pastor of the church who opened the concert with prayer talked to me afterwards and really loved the concert. He was very sweet and we had a nice talk.

Day 3
Today's adventure is going to the Cape of Good Hope. We saw it from Table Mountain yesterday, but get to have the full experience today. We actually don't have a concert today. It is a cultural exchange and a picnic with the students from Stellenbosch University. We should be back to the hotel at a more reasonable hour tonight. I need to douse with sun screen now since it is supposed to be in the mid 90s today, but breezy.

Don't we all wish we were there...

Getting Ready to Leave

When an endeavor such as this trip is embraced, rarely do those embracing it realize the magnitude of the task. After months of planning, weeks of anticipation, days of working, and hours of rehearsing it is almost time to leave.

The reality of the journey hit us hard when I sent out an e-mail this weekend to the choir and those traveling with us that the time between our departure from Eau Claire and our arrival in Cape Town, South Africa is 33 hours. While this seems like a tremendous number, the amount of time invested by everyone to get to this point is much greater. The women have spent hours of time learning and memorizing (or almost memorizing on a couple of things) music, raising money, making preparations, and now packing. I'm proud of them. Their efforts are about to be rewarded. Our buses leave Eau Claire on Thursday morning at 4 AM. And we're off!!

(Dr. Rieck)