miscellaneous rambling

We saw a lot of eels on the dive trip. Some giagantic moray’s that were so huge. The diameter of it’s body was bigger than a man’s head, and it’s mouth could probably swallow a small bowling ball, when extended. Huge huge animals.

This shot is of a honeycomb eel. One of the smaller ones that we had seen. He’s sticking his head out of it’s home. The mouths are always opening and closing. Maybe to try to snag food whenever it comes by. They don’t attack humans.

the behemoth you see before you is a whale shark.

The whale shark is the largest fish in the ocean. It is massive, and was only discovered during the late 80’s. Which means that, not that much is known about it. We went from Thailand into Burmese waters <> to try to find one. In Burma, we didn’t see another foreign vessel. Occasionally, the small sampan boat, with about 5 fisherman.

The Burmese waters are somewhat depleted because the government there doesn’t protect their waters from over fishing as they do in neighboring Thailand. So we didn’t get to see as much as we wanted, but on the second day there, we did see 2 massive whale sharks, and they were only baby ones too. They are amazing to see under the water, and even amongst many of the more experienced divers, a rarity to see.

This photo was taken by Kirby. Swimming along the whale shark are some remoras.

this giant gorgonian sea fan is a bright orange color, but unfortunately didn’t come out so well in the photo. The part shown here is about 1/6 of it’s total size. If we were to take a shot of the whole thing, the flash wouldn’t not even get any orange color to come through. So unfortunately, I cannot show you the massive size of it’s entirety.

We found this leopard shark just chilling on the ocean floor. He was not frightened by us it seems. This was my first super close up encounter with a shark. Knowing that the whale shark is a bottom feeder, made my nerves calm down more. It was more nerve wracking watching white tip sharks at a distance, knowing that they are hunting for food, than it was next to this guy.

However, it is a misconception that sharks openly go out to attack people.

This was taken at a depth of about 28m. the water was a bit cold, and the current was strong. I’m holding on quite tightly to some rocks underwater, but the leopard shark is just lying still as easy as can be.

“ I can’t imagine what you’re gonna bring back from South Africa Jason.”; my cousin said to me before I left on my vacation. To be honest, I hadn’t thought of buying any South African art at all. I imagined a land of ethnic curios and crafts, which although interesting, not really my style.

Then right after that conversation, my friend in Johannesburg emails with a list of art galleries in the city, which she plans to take me to. So I figured, “why not?” It’s good to view local art and see what it’s all about.

That began a long search that I didn’t anticipate. After the first gallery, I was hooked. So was Dallas. We hit gallery after gallery and curio shop after curio shop. Plus a few antique shops. We found some great works by painters, sculptures, and photographers showing themes that expressed SA ( South Africa’s) past, and future. In fact, going to the galleries was an eye opener to the harsh past that SA has had to endure. Still, we didn’t plan to buy, just look..

The second week of our travels brought us to Cape Town, and we spent a full day sightseeing and shopping. Dallas decided that she did want to buy an object d’art as a souvenir of our (awesome) trip. So we went to the same gallery as we did in Johannesburg, but of course the Cape Town location. They had the best stuff we’d seen so far on our search.

However, they didn’t have what we wanted, so we got them to ship the sculpture that we were interested in from Johannesburg to Cape Town . It would only “take a day or two” they told us. Then, we could view it again, and decide if we were really going to take the plunge and buy this piece. ( we also bought inexpensive stuff like wooden giraffe sculptures, from craft markets too. ~ our tastes are varied to be sure )

Day after day goes by and the gallery hasn’t received the piece yet. Apparently it has been shipped, but no one knows where it is.

Later, it’s found out that the piece has been shipped, but the Fedex carrier has screwed up somewhere, and it’s lost in Africa.

Then, on Friday morning, the gallery calls me while I’m en route to the airport. The piece has made it in, and they can rush it over to the airport with a credit card form that I can use to pay. Actually, the piece hasn’t arrived in the gallery yet, but they assure me that they will be able to make it to the airport in time.

Since we didn’t want to risk any last minute check-in problems at the airport, we first checked in our luggage, and got our tax refund on the existing things we had bought.

We waited to see if this deal was really going to come through.

Shortly afterwards, the delivery man shows up. The piece is boxed up, and time is running out before we have to go through customs, so we decide to just sign for it, and then go.

I couldn’t believe this was happening. Last minute art dealings in a foreign country, couriers rushing to meet me, it was all exciting!

Then, after a long 22 hours of travel home, we open up the box in our living room, and find that it was broken in HALF. The delicate neck portion of the figure was clearly not packed and supported well enough, and it didn’t survive the journey.

I used Skype to call the gallery in SA immediately. They didn’t balk at the damage and said that they would not charge my credit card. Given the rush from beginning to end, they know they can’t completely say that it was not their fault or the couriers.

I tried to make a claim from Singapore air, but they said that as China Air was the final carrier on our trip, they would not cover damages. Then China air was on holiday for Chinese new year, and then we had to wait a week for them to come back to work.

In the end, through a series of phone calls with the airline, they would only reimburse me $100 USD for the piece.. but then, since the gallery didn’t charge me, I guess I made a $100 bucks for our stress…

Dallas was very upset, since she was the prime instigator in the decision for the statue. I got some quick drying cement, and glued it back together. It’s not perfect, but it’s still nice to look at..

If you’re wondering what it is, the title of the piece is : Pregnant Woman~ I miss you so much.

In my opinion, Africa is a bit of an enigma for people from North America. For the most part, I think it’s safe to say that when the average person thinks of Africa, he/she only thinks of:

1. apartheid

2. poverty

3. lots of big animals

Yet how can such a place then produce international stars in sports and acting? How is it that Cape Town is voted as one of the top 10 beautiful places to live in my travel magazines?

After meeting many South African’s ( SA), and hearing both good and bad stories about their country, the puzzle just got more confusing. So we decided to go and check it out. Plus, the idea of going on a safari sounds very cool on its own.

Firstly, I’d like to say that the trip was just awesome! We had a lot of fun, and the country really was beautiful. People are friendly, and the food was first rate. ( we both gained weight on this trip..)

1. A bit on apartheid

Basically, one word can sum up South Africa: Contrast. Literally, and metaphorically, the contrasts between rich and poor, first world and third world are clear as black vs. white… as is racism, as we know, has always been a problem within the country.

Just driving from the airport to the suburbs, we can see townships, also known as “informal settlements” which are basically shacks made up of scrap metal and wood, where the poor live. And then 10 minutes later, your middle-class homes, which are very similar to what you’d see in North America, and then another 10 minutes, and you are in middle-upper class homes, with massive yards, and swimming pools in the backyard. One can see all this within a 40 minute drive upon arrival to the country.

The townships are really amazing to see. It’s not just one or two shacks, but hundreds of them together, which means hundreds of people there, living with no water or electricity. They burn wood or coal for fuel ( fire hazard) and the sanitation is terrible. You’d think that the government would notice and do something, when several hundred people decide to just move and build homes literally overnight.

Your average home has a 5-10 foot wall encircling it, with either barbed wire, or electrical wire on top of that. Every house has an electronic alarm, and bars on the windows and even the motors of the front gates to the homes are locked down, because people will steal them. Most parking lots have security guards patrolling it, and you always lock your doors while driving, and keep things in the trunk of the car, because otherwise, someone will smash your window at a red light, and take out (ie. Steal) whatever is in your car.

There are many reasons why SA has so many problems. Apartheid, though now officially over, still has long lasting effects. It will take another generation of people before the future can brighten, because there was an entire generation that was denied education. This is now resulting in 30% unemployment rates, 40% illiteracy, and that’s only in SA! SA, which is the wealthiest African economy, also has hoardes of illegal immigrants from other parts of Africa which are even worse. These people are escaping war, and poverty around them, which is thus putting an even larger burden on SA.

There is obvious indifference and animosity between the different ethnic groups in SA today. Though they do now work together, out on the streets, just watching people interact, and seeing where they live, one gets the sense that things are still slow to change.

2. On poverty

Just taking a quick look at SA, one sees a city that rivals Sydney, and Vancouver. One sees beaches that are finer than ones I’ve seen in California, and in Greece. One sees ( and eats) at restaurants that have foods ranging from burgers to sushi, and South African fusion cuisine from all over the world.

Yet, when one looks closer all this, they’ll most likely see black people as those who are parking their cars, serving their food, and opening doors. Because they are still the ones who are doing the “lower end” jobs in society.

I went into Cape Town University to ask for directions one day, and found lots of black students, so I’m not saying that they are all uneducated. Once again, the next generation is when things are going to get better for this country. ~ actually, speaking of universities, certain universities also tend to have different demographics. Stellenbosch university has primarily Afrikans students for example. Not that there is anything prohibiting blacks and other groups from going there, but there is a definite trend resulting from past habits.

We took a drive into downtown Johannesburg, which was a real eye opener. Once we crossed a particular road, the whole world changed. Buildings were starting to rot, trash filled the streets, and the streets were crowded with poor people. Even the air smelled different ( honest!) I just thought of the phrase “ On the wrong side of the tracks”, because truly we were “not in Kansas anymore”. It’s a good thing we were with friends, because I would not have survived in public transport.

3. On animals

Contrary to popular belief, the modern cities of SA are very modern and not filled with lions and elephants crossing the road. Instead, I saw more than a few Porshes, Mercedes, and fancy motorcycles on the roads. Small towns have the same feel as in small town Alberta. ( even the countryside around Johannesburg is similar. Lots of wheat fields)

There are few tribes people left, and whoever are left, are far from any sort of town or city, so no, we didn’t meet any. (that was a little disappointing )

The countryside is incredibly varied. Within the Kruger national Park itself, the flora is different within a 50km area. The park, only one of several in SA is larger than Taiwan itself. Imagine driving through a park where you have to stop occasionally because elephants are crossing the road, or there are lions suddenly appearing next to the car, and then disappearing into the bushes. All are completely wild animals. They are free to roam as they please throughout the park. One camps in certain areas, which are protected by electrified fences, so the animals cannot come in.

It was amazing to see animals in their natural habitat, and a completely wild. From the photos you’ve seen on the post, don’t think that they are tame. If you step out of the car ( which is prohibited), they will attack and kill you. And the park assumes no responsibility.

*** I began writing this 3 weeks ago when we first got back and things were fresh in my mind. On reading it again, I think that the reader may feel that we had a rough trip, and that Africa is one big problem area. Actually, it’s not. The place is really nice, the people are friendly, and we plan to go back and explore again someday.

My knowledge is limited, but I think it’s a little clearer than most people. Especially those who have never set foot there. So for the SA people reading this, don’t be offended.

In South Africa, one of the biggest problems that one has to deal with is transportation. Now I understand why the South Africans I meet in Taiwan, all love their cars, and /or miss driving them.

The trains are available, but most white people I met or know say they will NOT take the train due to the dangers of getting robbed, killed,raped, etc. Nor will many people even go into the train station. Busses are very infrequent, and taxis are dangerous as well. They have cabs ( unlike in North America, cab and taxi are not synonomous) but they are very expensive. ( yes, it's basically a taxi)

So we rented a car, or got drove around alot. At one point, we wanted to go out to the town of Fishhoek, to visit Dallas' friend Adele. However, we couldn't arrange transport. Everyone fretted about what we could do. How could we get there? In the end, it was decided that the train, was the only way, and that we had to be very careful on the train. I was very nervous, after hearing horror stories about the trains etc.

but, you know, ... we did it, and it wasn't so bad. We were told to buy 1st class tickets as it might be safer. The photo below is a first class car. We were told not to take out our camera either, but I obvious did. :)

The 1st and 3rd class trains are in effect, the same. the price difference is negligible, and the separation of them comes from the age of apartheid, when blacks could only take the 3rd class train. ~ there are no fans, A/C, in the cars, there is no garbage bin, but plenty of garbage on the floor, and they DON'T announce the stations, so you have to strain to look out the window or miss your stop.

I have to thank our friends not only in regards to the train, but overall for looking out for us. Part of why we made it back, is because they were always on the look out for dangers. I think that the train is safe if you take it in the day, and you watch your back, but it wasn't as bad as I imagined it to be.

Just 45 minutes drive out of Cape Town is the college town of stellenbosch, which in addition to the university, also is wineland. They winelands are beautiful, similar to Napa, and Niagra, but with the addition of the mountains in the background. What is the best thing about the area, is that the wineries are mostly older, and each have their own flair to it. Most are done in Old European decor, some of the wine tasting is in old, dank cellars. The wine was excellent, and so cheap. I wanted to ship a case back, but the shipping was about 5x the price of the wine I was going to buy, so well... didn't do it.. but we brought back 6 bottles.
The town is nice, and has great food. I don't know how much studying I would have gotten done if I went to university here.

People talk about how beautiful Cape Town is. Voted as one of the top 10 beautiful cities by travel magazines etc. etc. In fact, Cape Town IS beautiful. It's similar to some coastal cities like Vancouver, but what makes Cape Town special is that it's not just the city that is beautiful, but the whole freaking area. About a 100km drive around the point and back up to the city. Each spot 20-40 min. away is a little town that is beautiful and has it's own feel.
We stopped at towns to have fish and chips, and to shop at little antique stores, and one day, we went out on a friends car. ( borrowed it while she was at work), and we drove down the the famous Cape Point, which is in the park, right next to ( virtually the same place as) the Cape of Good Hope.
This point is where the Atlantic Ocean meets up with the Indian Ocean. ( Indian Ocean is to the left of the lighthouse in the photo). The oceans are actually two slightly different colors, and the temperatures are about 10 degrees different. What that means is that to the left of this photo and to the right of this photo could be living different kinds of marine life under the water. Very very cool.
This was one of the things I really wanted to see. To me, seeing things of geographical importance is quite breathtaking.

Ok, this is gonna be my last animal photo posted, unless by request. Although not an outstanding shot, perhaps some of you want to know what it’s like being in the park. Well, the animals are sometime hard to see. You can drive for hours and not see anything. And then sometimes, they are right there crossing the road in front of you.

Such as these elephants blocking the road here…

“The Big 5” are the 5 most dangerous animals in Africa. They are the lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo, and the leopard. We were fortunate to see 4 out of 5. We hunted for 2 days to see a leopard. We went on night safaris and sunset safaris with guides, drove all day on our own, but they always eluded us. We met people who had seen them, but looks like we’ll have to wait for the next trip there. The size of the Kruger national park is larger than Taiwan itself.

For us, it was an unusual thing. To rent a car, and simply drive and drive and drive for 5 days, to look for animals. I mean, animals? Just looking at them? Spending DAYS just looking at them?

We met people who go to the park year after year. Just to get away from the noise and crowds of cities, and just to be in nature. I guess it makes sense. In Canada, I went to the rockies every summer for at least a weekend. It’s the same thing, only thing is they have bigger animals there.

We’ll go back again when we have the chance.

This is the red helmeted Guineafowl. It has a black body with white spots, a torquoise head and a red little "helmet" on top. These birds are common, and one can even see them on the farms just outside of Cape Town. They are basically chickens, and although common, I have to say, these were my favorite bird to look at. They just look so funny and cool at the same time.
As to how edible they are, I never tried, nor did I find anyone who has eaten one. ( I know you guys are curious)

One of the coolest things about being in Africa, is you get to see so many animals that one doesn't usually think of, or have even heard of. One of these is the Blue Wildebeest, which is also known as a Gnu. This animal has cool blue/black stripes on his body, and usually roam around in herds. This one was alone. Later on in the day, we heard a report that a lion had taken one down. We managed to track it down, and watch the lion feast on the kill for about 40 minutes. We could hear the breathing of the lion as well as it gnawing on the meat, and crunching bone. The lion even picked up the carcass of the animal with it's mouth and carried it over to a tree so it could eat under the shade.

We spent 5 days at the Kruger National Park. Rented a car, and drove over a 1000km in the park alone in search of wild animals. Besides seeing old friends, the park is the highlight of the trip. On safari day after day, our efforts were rewarding with several sightings of the big 5. The only one that we didn't see was the leopard.
This shot is taken at sunrise of 2 lions just waking up. They are, as you can see, on the road. They are right next to our car!
In the park, our daily schedule was 5am wake up, quick breakfast of instant coffee and toast, then we hit the road until 10am. When the day heats up, the animals hide in the bushes, and cannot be seen. We then go into the nearest restcamp for a nap, have lunch, and then chill out until about 4pm. Then we are on the road again, until 6pm. The camps all close at about 6:30pm. After we have dinner, we are usually in bed about 9pm.
Sounds strange to sleep early and wake up early on a vacation. Stranger to just drive and drive and drive in search of animals. But in fact, its an incredible experience. Imagine vast expanses of natural landscape and just driving at a leisurely pace, while spotting an amazing array of wildlife everywhere. We met people who spend 2 weeks at a time in the park, and they do so year after year. Just to get away from people and the cities, and to enjoy some peace and quiet.

Although not a complete gathering, this photo shows a few of our SA friends whom we've met over the years, when they were working in Taiwan. We're sitting in a restaurant in Johannesburg called the "Cats Pyjamaz", and the food was really the cats pyjamas.
I had a salad with raw ostrich meat, and had probably the best nachos I"ve ever eaten there.

Here's something you don't expect to see in Africa. Penguins! Yes, the South African penguin is a species indigenous to only South Africa. There are two colonies that exist in the country. This photo was taken at the one near boulders beach, just south of Cape Town.

Dallas and I don't eat much meat, and we haven't eaten beef or lamb for years. but when you go to a country like South Africa, all the gloves are off... the meats there are so much better than what you can get in Taiwan.
In addition to this, you can get wild game. and I mean WILD..
We went to a restaurant called carnivores, where we just ate and ate and ate... I took a shot of only part of the menu. As you can see, there are things such as giraffe on the menu.
Surprisingly... giraffe was our favorite meat.
What is also interesting about this restaurant is that your food is eaten off of iron plates. Servers will come to your table with a skewer of meat, and a machete. They ask you if you'd like some meat ( crocodile, impala,...) and then they place the skewer on your plate, and hack off a piece..
The food comes fast, and soon you have about 6 pieces of meat on your plate, and you kind of forget what animal each one is.
There are sauces which compliment each type of meat as well.
After the meal, I tried hard, but could not stay awake in the car on the ride home. Then, at night, had trouble sleeping. Was sweating through the night. I could feel the energy flowing in my body from the richness of the meats. Body was definitely not used to this.
However, this was one of the coolest meals we had. Definitely felt like this is Africa.
Although, to be honest, not alot of people eat exotic wild game. And you cannot get it at all supermarkets, but specialty butchers.~ just want to clear that up, so as not to stereotype all SA people.

Here is a shot of one of the performers at the cobra show. He has a scar on his arm ( though not shown), which is from a king cobra bite. We asked him what happens when one gets bit.
First, you are rushed to the hospital where the serum gets injected into you. Then, the area which is bit is now dead flesh, and then has to be cut out. Afterwards, you have to stay in the hospital for a week with an oxygen mask on, while your body slowly recovers...
Johnny is in his early 20's and has been doing this since he was about 15 years old.