Universal

This is Lamees, we were standing outside yesterday and my daughter was looking through Lamees's phone and came across this photo (one of many).  That is when I realized that selfies cross continents, all teenagers are the same.  They love themselves, a lot.  She is beautiful and I wanted to show you one more facet of South Africa. Lamees is considered a coloured, which is the mulatto race here. She would be considered a white coloured, even typing this is weird to me because being called a coloured person in America is derogatory and so back woods.  That word took a one way bus to hell in the 60's and yet here we are in 2013 and it's a race of people in Africa.  There is still a huge amount of racism here, my family doesn't deal with it as much because once people hear our accents they get all weak in the knees and want to chat us up because they love America and they love our accents.  Yes, I am done with my rant.  Lamees is beautiful inside and out, a sweeter girl I have never met.  

From South Africa With Love,

Is That What I Think It Is???

I don't know what you think it is, but I will give you the correct answer:  Chicken feet (gasp).  Here people braai everything (we call it barbecue), and sell it on the streets.  We were outreaching for one of our baby works and lo and behold, chicken feet.  I have never indulged in or partook of chicken feet (and never will) so I can't say as to what it taste like.  I'm sure that many of you are thinking, "Like chicken Nicole, it taste like chicken", nope I beg to differ.  It is toes people, you would be eating toes,  I have an aversion of feet that borders on being diagnosed as a phobia so this is the unspeakable.  Feet!!!!!   I have been very busy lately and have not blogged for a while, but this needed to be posted because........ just because. A goat was galavanting around the market while we were there and I honestly feared for its safety (and hoofs).  I lost sight of it so I hope that it did not meet with an untimely demise.  My husband is hispanic and he eats goat, so it may be in my trunk. Who knows............ 

From South Africa With Love,

The Point

My boys performed Saturday night for the Grassy Park Church's music scene and did a wonderful job. They had the coolest music scene!  They were interviewed before they performed and it was hilarious.  That is the most that I have ever heard my oldest son speak in a very public setting.   He even pulled the altar call and three people responded.  We had a great weekend, 195 people in attendance on Sunday morning with 18 baptized.

From South Africa With Love,

Occupation: Food Critic

I had no plans to become a food critic (I wanted to be a ballerina), but I also have no choice because my husband likes to try different restaurants.  So, yes I am still eating and there wasn't a rain cloud in sight.  We have a thing for  sushi, it's a love hate relationship.  I draw the line at raw meats so I pretty much love anything sushi related that is fried.  I have friends that would turn their noses up at the sushi that I eat and tell me that I have no right to call my self a sushi eater.  To them I say, "On the menu it is under the category of sushi, and these people are Asian and would know".  So to make a long rant short, I really liked the decor of this restaurant (more than I liked the sushi).

Beautiful, isn't it?

The sushi looked quite delectable but the rice wasn't as fresh as I like it.  I understand that a lot of preparation goes into making sushi.  It is a craft.  Sometimes though it shows a little more pride in your food,  if you take the time and prepare things that morning instead of pulling it out of the fridge where it has been sitting there for  2-3 days.  Just saying.  When I go to a restaurant I want to enjoy the food as well as the atmosphere, I can't get full looking at paintings and sculptures.  It would be nice if I could, I'm sure that the camels would have appreciated it.  So here is a picture of the sushi, do not be deceived by the presentation.

My husband loved it and will surely not appreciate my opinion of this restaurant, but it is my blog and this may not be America I still exercise my right of freedom of speech.  I liked the sushi  served at the Ocean Basket and John Dory's thus far.  I'll have to post when we eat at John Dory's again (and we will) their sushi was outstanding.  Until we feast again.......

From South Africa With Love,

South African Couture

Her name is Phumza (pronounced Pumza) and she is a fashionista.  She attends our church and is so fashion forward.  South African chic.  She is Cosa (her tribe) and she is beautiful.  I have been wanting to post pictures of her and I caught up with her today, she laughed but she posed.  She usually wears more bohemian pieces.  I'll post more pictures of her and her wardrobe.  I'll also post pictures of other South Africans so that you can see how diverse the people are.

From South Africa With Love,

Huuummp Daaaaaay!!!!!!

This is the adventure that I have been waiting to post!!!!!!  We rode camels!!!!!!  It was quite the experience.  Some of us took short rides and others took the scenic route by the beach (I took the short ride, there was a weight limit for the camels and I exceeded it. So.... I didn't want to tax the poor camel too much plus the guide was eyeing me ).  It cost $5 for the short tour which was basically a lap around a track and $20 for the longer more scenic ride. They have saddles as you can see but they have humps so it is a very wobbly ride.  They are moody little buggers too and they were screaming and snapping at 

some of the riders (my husband).  It was very cool though, they are so tall and have very strong backs (heehee).  

My daughter took the scenic ride, and when it was time for the ride to be over her camel refused to stop walking.  They told her that he felt comfortable with her and that she was a natural.  A natural born camel rider?  Who would have known? 

More Camels and a Goat

From South Africa With Love,

Houston We Have A Problem

My Internet has been down people so I could not post anything!!!!!!  We have a lot of catching up to do.  My family and the Rugnaos' went to the World of Birds for Barb's birthday.  Why the monkey you ask?  Because they had monkeys also and we got to interact with them and that is why one is sitting on my son's head.  They are so sweet, their fur and hands were so soft....sigh........  I was antsy at first, they bite and we were told repeatedly not to touch them but to let them touch us (seemed a little one-sided, but we followed the rules).  We had so much fun, and there were so many beautiful creatures to see.  Bobby stated that "God is a wonderful artist", and I couldn't agree more.

That was the fauna, now the flora.

Everything is so vibrant and we just entered Spring.  Well this is all I have for this expedition, but there is definitely more to come.  Stay tuned...........

From South Africa With Love,