It's been exactly a year since I first came to Africa and I have been thinking quite a bit lately about the last 12 months on this continent. Obviously, I have not really seen a lot and there is still a lot of unexplored territory on my personal African map, but many of the bits that I've seen in the past year are definitely among the most beautiful places that I have ever been to. The most fascinating part of Africa for me is the beautiful nature, the amazing wildlife, the wide sky and the stunning sunsets. And of course, the people - even though interaction has at times been and still continues to be challenging. Coming from Europe, some of the habits and attitudes of people here are simply startling and I sometimes find it hard to understand their acts and choices in life. That being said, I also find that making an effort from my part almost always pays off. The reward is a beautiful smile and some very interesting insights into Batswana culture. Of course, the fact that I am not on my own here also helps a lot - so a big thanks to my favorite man and all the other people who have made me feel at home here!
After I worked hard all week(end), it was time for some pleasure today!
We came home with some homemade jam, some olives and of course we also had some delicious cupcakes.
However, the best part of today was the glass of champagne.
Hope you enjoyed the weekend!
We took this picture last year on our way back to Cape Town from whale watching. The road was going high along the coast with amazing views towards the water and the bay and when the sun set we just had to pull over to watch the spectacular colors in the sky and on the water. Oohh, Cape Town...
Last night, we invited some friends over and finally tried some of the recipes from Jamie's 30 minute meals (something we have been wanting to do for a looong time). After a power cut that almost ruined our evening plans, we started cooking and even though it took us slightly longer than 30 minutes, our guests said it was totally worth the wait :)
Thanks everyone for joining us and for the nice evening!
This picture is from my first trip to Bali back in June 2009. I was meeting up with a group of friends that I hadn't seen in a while and was excited to see them. I wasn't really prepared for the stunning views and the sunset over the infinity pool at our hotel, and the beauty of this special island. Ever since that first visit, it has definitely been one of my favorite places in the world and I would loooove to go back there (rather sooner than later)...
I attended the opening of an exhibition at the Thapong Visual Art Centre last Tuesday and it was one of the best events I have been to in quite some time. The centre was packed with people, the art was beautiful and interesting, there were music, drinks and good conversations all in the same place.
The exhibition is running until 26 May, so check it out if you're around!
Last week I had to run some errands in BBS Mall. This also involved some waiting and so I had time to walk around and take some pictures of the shoppers and vendors around that area.
Every day, people come from the surrounding villages and sell fresh fruits and vegetables from their gardens. This "trunk market" is the closest thing to a real market you will find here in Gabs as most people buy their groceries and everything else in the supermarket.
Rumour has it that due to the ongoing public service strike, shops might be closed in the next days, so maybe that will give the street vendors additional business?
We went to Joburg for the weekend and got some nice views of the city in its autumn colors. Many of the trees have put on brownish leafs and when it is not overcast, the air is crisp and clean, especially in the mornings.
Apart from spending a lot of times in the shopping malls, we also had a look at the stylish 12 Decades hotel in the Maboneng Precinct, followed by a visit to the Market on Main - it was a lot busier than last time and I was shot in Joburg :)
The sun is getting low over the Lake Titicaca. We spent some time on Isla del Sol, a holy place for the ancient Inkas, and wandered around the top of the island after we had finally climbed the Inka stairs. The view of the lake and the snow-capped Andes in the distance was incredible and being so close to the sky at almost 4000m the colors seemed a lot more intensive.With some clouds partly covering the sun the atmosphere was kind of mystic and I got lost in thinking about what it must have been like at the times of the Inka.
There was a massive thunderstorm the other day and overall, we've had lots of rain these days. The beauty of the rain here is that most of the time the sun will come out fairly quickly again, sometimes even quick enough for a beautiful rainbow like this.
Our last trip from Singapore was to Hong Kong in early December 2009. I was curious to see a major Asian city and so we caught a plane to another small island. Hong Kong was decked out in kitschy Christmas decorations and felt even more busy than Singapore. We took a bus tour through the city in the afternoon and saw a glimpse of the sunset between all the skyscrapers. After nightfall the city puts on a spectacular lightshow, that makes the natural sunshine seem rather pale.
This week has been pretty uneventful here, as weeks in Gabs can be sometimes. There was some work over the weekend, some cake on Monday, some pizza on Tuesday, some tennis on Wednesday, some meetings on Thursday and maybe some fun today? I almost forgot that this is what life & work usually are like...
