Yesterday was an amazing day! I feel that I start every blog with this sentence, but it is an appropriate sentence for each blog, because each day has such amazing things that sometimes it’s hard to put into words. This post is a day late, but that just means that there are two awesome posts in one day! Especially because these past two days have been… yep, you guessed it: amazing!

We started off the day by going to the Table Mountain National Reserve, where we went to the Cape of Good Hope. Here we took amazing photos in front of the ocean and with the Cape of Good Hope sign. We arrived at the perfect time, because when we were nearing the end of our photos, a bunch of other tourists had come. We had no people in our pictures and it was amazing! The view (also something I mention in every blog, haha) here was incredible and I got some awesome pictures. However, the view does not compare at all with the next spot that we went to.

We drove, within the same reserve, to a lighthouse; however, here is the kick: to get to the light house, you had to take a steep hike. I heard it was easy, but my 178 heart rate says otherwise. Or it could just say I should get out hiking more often 😉 As we were walking up this steep mountain, the view was to die for. Literally, get to close to the edge and poof. When I finally reached the top, I felt so accomplished, because I was so tired, but I had made it and it was great! Seeing the great wide ocean is such an amazing thing, because it puts life into perspective- we are just one small part of the great big world. We then went on a side trail near the lighthouse, and let’s just say this wasn’t a piece of cake either, but it was definitely worth it. Lindsay and I decided that we were going to live on the edge, and we took a picture literally on the edge. It got my heart racing, but it was definitely worth it, and we were of course very careful. Even though the hikes were tough and I felt like my heart was beating a hundred miles a minute, I enjoyed being able to say that I reached the top and that I did not give up. Especially because the next spot we went to was the chill and hang with penguins spot.

After grabbing lunch at Cafe Penguino (I think this is penguin in Italian, because I know it is not Spanish), we headed to Boulder’s peak. There were a few technical difficulties at the beginning, but it was able to be worked out, and we were able to chill with penguins!! This was unbelievable, because these are creatures that don’t have many cares in the world, and they mate for life. The beach had a bunch of rocky areas, so me and some people from the group decided to go exploring. This was the best decision ever, because we saw a bunch of penguins. Some were cuddling, others were fighting, and one was gathering sticks to build their nest. As an animal person (in case you didn’t know 😉 ) I loved seeing and interacting with the penguins. My favorite was when I was able to get a picture of the penguin in the water, because I had been waiting for so long.

Finally, we ended the night in the best way possible. We went to the home of Jenny Eaves, and she played some of her songs for us. This wasn’t just like a regular: hey! here are my songs, the end. Instead, she gave us the story behind each song, and we were able to have a conversation with her. I loved her music, because it is meaningful, passionate, and full of heart. She is such an inspiration, and the stories behind her songs are so heartfelt that there is a deeper connection made to the songs. I loved her music so much that I ended up buying two of her CDs. One thing that she said, that really stuck with me, is how the legacy of apartheid and everything that happened has continued through music and other arts. This is so true, because many people portray their emotions and feelings in lyrics, paintings, sculptures, etc. I definitely think that a way that legacy is embodied is through the arts, and one just has to open their eyes to see it.

Today was a busy and hot day! It all started early at 7 am when we met for breakfast and saw the amazing sunshine; it looked like it was going to be one beautiful day. After breakfast, we headed to Cape Town harbor where we where going to catch a ferry to Robben Island. On our way there, I payed attention to my surroundings and I still feel a bit of a Mexico City vibe; however, with a tropical vibe. I can’t quite place the tropical vibe, but let’s just say that Cape Town is surprising me each day and I love it! Robben Island is where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for over 10 years. Once we reached the Island, we received a guided tour of the entire island museum, because it can be said that the entire island is like a museum: full of history and stories.

At Robben Island, we also received a guided tour from an ex-prisoner, Peter, that had been imprisoned on Robben Island. He told us of his stories in the prison and his perspective of what he lived there. I think it was amazing to have the opportunity to talk with an ex-prisoner first hand, because it is a great way to gain perspective on the situation. Overall, I thought that Robben Island was amazing because it has so much history and being able to see where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned and where he wrote “Long Walk to Freedom”. On the way back from the Island, I was able to see seals, whales and dolphins in the water, which was really cool. I also met this woman how had come here with 17 other family members. I thought this was wild, because handling 17 people must be really hard. It was really nice meeting her and having a conversation with her, because this was her last day in Cape Town, so I was able to get her thoughts on the area and everything. She seemed to really enjoy it, especially the safari’s she said.

After Robben Island, we went for lunch and I really enjoyed the place that we went to, because it had many different choices of cuisine. I ended up getting tacos, which is really funny given that I’m from Mexico. So now… the tacos definitely did not amount to the tacos in the Mexico City; however, it did beat the US tacos, especially with the corn tortilla. Here I was also able to try a beef jerky like thing; however, it was much softer and tastier than beef jerky. I cannot remember the name of it right now, but it was not bad. It still kind of freaked me out how they had the picture of the cow right next to the product. Like… I know that I am having cow, but can we please not show me the cow? Next stop after lunch was the Slave Lodge.

The Slave Lodge was an amazing place because it made one really think about the situation, and how we still have slavery in the world. Going through the museum, improving my knowledge on the topic, and seeing the names, videos, and quotes was really impactful. All I can say is that I still cannot believe that humans were doing this to other humans, because they are such inhumane acts, and like one quote said (from what I remember): you have to be devoid of all humanity to do that to these people. It’s very sad how similar situations are seen in the world today, maybe not in regards to slavery (even though we do see this), but more in regards to racial differences and other hate speeches that people give. We then brightened up the day by visiting Bo Kapp.

This was an amazing neighborhood! I absolutely loved the bright houses and what they stood for. Each house was painted a different color, and these were people that never resettled during apartheid. I absolutely loved the neighborhood and the community feeling that I got as I was walking through it. There were also posters about protecting the heritage of the houses, because there is apparently, a corporation or something trying to build a skyscraper in this area. The community was not having it and they protested it; in the coming year, I believe that they are going to court regarding the situation. This goes to show the passion that people have for their heritage and how they want to make it live on, even though their heritage is full or pain and challenges. We then headed to our sort of final stop of the day.

We went to the house of a woman, who would teach us how to cook. Immediately when we got there, this woman, named Jasmine, was very welcoming and loving. I loved learning from her and cooking with her. I am a picky eater, and I was not that hungry, but I still loved the opportunity to learn from her. I was very proud because I got the hang of Simosa making really fast, and I thought it was very relaxing and peaceful. I am definitely trying these at home! I just loved how this woman welcomed us into her home and gave up some of her time to teach us about her heritage and her cuisine. She then made these donut-like deserts for us, and they were delicious. All in all, I would say that this was one of the most amazing opportunities I have had, because this woman opened her home to us, and included us in her traditions.

Today was an amazing day, and as I write this, it is still not over, because it is December 31st after all. Tonight we are going to a vineyard to celebrate the end of 2018 and the beginning of 2019. I cannot wait to welcome the New Year, especially in South Africa!!

Today was my first full day in South Africa, and it was amazing! Having been to Kenya and Tanzania, this is not at all what I expected. I woke up to the brightest sun, and as I looked out of the window, it felt as if I was back home. There is a place 2 hours from Mexico City called Valle de Bravo, and traveling through Cape Town has reminded me of this place. I just find it very fascinating how Cape Town reminds me so much about Mexico. We also have people that “watch over” your car in a public parking, and we also have people that clean your car’s windshield in the hopes of earning a bit of extra cash. I can say though, Valle de Bravo does not have the amazing views that I saw today. The scenery was just jaw-dropping and not at all what I expected, because I was expecting something similar to the other two African nations that I visited, but I was completely wrong! I saw the most clear and inviting blue waters, and I have met the most welcoming people. So far, this is an amazing adventure, and I cannot wait to delve deeper into it, and find out how Nelson Mandela’s legacy continues.

I am interested in seeing how Nelson Mandela’s legacy of inclusion, generosity and truth continues to this day, and I have already began seeing two parts of this legacy (a positive, and a negative one). Whenever I travel, I make sure to pay attention to the minor details and to my surroundings, because they are often the ones with the most information. I cannot wait to explore and investigate more tomorrow, so that I will be able to answer the question: how does South Africa honor and live the legacy of inclusion, generosity, and truth as taught by Nelson Mandela?

Welcome! This blog is going to bring you with me as I journey through South Africa and learn about the apartheid movement, Nelson Mandela and more. 

Education is the Most Powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. — Nelson Mandela.