Part nine of Kate’s diary from South Africa starts immediately after the victory over Slovenia and then completes her time in Cape Town
We got back to the airport at about 7.30 and then had a wait of over two hours for our flight back to Cape Town. Somewhat worryingly the flight was given as Johannesburg but for some time it seemed that only I had noticed! Eventually it was sorted out and we arrived back in Cape Town about 11.00 pm; I slept for most of the flight and completely missed the drinks service! There was then an interminable wait for the coaches, which was the last thing we wanted after another long day. If we had lost I guess there would have been a lot more moaning! We finally got back to the hotel at about midnight.
Day 16: Thursday, 24 June 2010
As I woke up before 9.00 I managed to get the 9.45 shuttle, so that I could get to the Castle for the 12.00 changing of the guard ceremony – something I have never seen in London! I arrived about 10.45 and was able to join the 11.00 tour, which lasted about half an hour. I then got onto the ramparts and explored the building thoroughly; it is the oldest building in South Africa, dating from the late 17th century and built by the Dutch East India Company. The British then took it over. There are five flags flying outside, one of which is the Union Flag dating from before Ireland joined the UK, which I had never seen before….
Flags at the Castle
I went to the cafe at the cathedral for lunch, which was delicious, and then made my way to the Jewish Museum. It was a bit of hassle getting in, which included a security check, but they had a little film about Barney Barnato which I was really pleased to see. In case anyone is wondering, Barnato was a diamond merchant whose great rival was Cecil Rhodes, and Julian Grenfell (whose letters I have edited) mentions him in some of the letters. It had been quite difficult to find out much about him but he is obviously well known here. As I had a bit of time before catching the 3.45 shuttle, I went up to the archives as I had read that they had an exhibition. I didn’t actually have time to look at it but hope to go back tomorrow. I took a rather circuitous route back to the conference centre for the bus and found myself walking through another bus station, where the minibuses leave from; there were dozens of them.
I watched the Slovakia v Italy game, which saw Italy bottom of the group and joining France in leaving early. I went out for dinner with Lisa and Mark, to a restaurant none of us had tried before but which was very good; I had some delicious fish. We were able to watch the Cameroon v Netherlands game while we were there – the Dutch have got the maximum nine points, which very few teams have managed. One more day in Cape Town before I move on to Johannesburg.
Day 17: Friday, 25 June 2010
My last day in Cape Town. I had a final appointment with the chiropractor and then got the 13.15 shuttle after an early lunch. I walked to the area known as Bo-Kaap, where the Malaysians who were brought to Cape Town as slaves lived, and their descendents still do. It is noted for the houses being painted in more colours than you knew existed, but then this is the rainbow nation!
Bo-Kaap
I then returned to the archives but there was not an exhibition as I had been told, just a few copies of documents in the conference room, which a member of staff very kindly opened up for me, and a few panels about sport in South Africa. The Western Cape Archives and Records Service is housed in a former prison; the inside was gutted but the shell retained, so it is very secure!
I have managed to get to everything on my list and I am ready to move onto Johannesburg now. I had a fairly long walk to get the 15.45 shuttle and for the first time had a couple of potentially unpleasant incidents. I had been asked for money quite a few times but on this occasion a fairly smartly dressed woman actually put her hand on me and tried to detain me. I just said ‘No’ very loudly, which seemed to do the trick. Then, not far from the convention centre, where the shuttle buses left from, a young woman stopped me, saying she wasn’t asking for money, but then started a sob story about being pregnant and thrown out of her house. The really surprising thing is that both incidents were in ‘good’ areas with lots of people around. It just reinforces the message about always being on one’s guard.
The sea has calmed down a bit and I gather the Robben Island ferry was running today. In the half-time break in the 4.00 match I went to get some Werthers for tomorrow’s flight (I need to suck a sweet on the descent otherwise my ears become really uncomfortable) and decided to go and have a last look at the sea. It was very spectacular, with waves crashing on the rocks and a line of mist between the shore and the Twelve Apostles (the rocks behind Camps Bay).
Of course I didn’t have my camera with me, so I went back when the matches finished, but by this time it was getting dark so the photos won’t be as dramatic. The moral of this story is always have your camera with you! Time to pack for the second half of the trip. I haven’t got the itinerary yet from Sunday onwards, but at least we now know which grounds I will be going to so I assume everything will become clear soon.
I went back to the Italian restaurant just round the corner from the hotel and found Lisa, Mark, Barry and Thomas there. Barry and Thomas still hadn’t been able to get to Robben Island, which was really disappointing for them.
Part ten of Kate’s diary will appear soon