i just had the most beautiful day! the short version is i took a township tour through capetown... we went to this amazing museum that documents the history of all the people who were moved from their homes into townships by the government in the 60's becuase the government didn't like people living so close to them and so many different kinds of people, indian, coloured, and black african together. they made them leave by force and then came with bulldozers and leveled all the streets. they seperated all the ethnic groups and put them in substandard housing away from the city. the museum has pictures and maps and stories and people's memories of living in district 6 (that's where they were moved from)

i was so moved by all of it... i was wanting to bring people like ronnie and your brother there so they could see and read and absorb everything. they would love it here.

then we went into the townships and the houses and saw where so many of the people that were moved are living. it's so similar to the us to me in many ways, the way the govermnent deals with it's poor... building inadequate places for people to live... small small houses with no running water.

oh, and then we saw some teenage boys who are living in huts going through the month long african ceremony of circumsision... except there is no bush here for them to go to, so they build plastic huts to live in in fields next to the highway and they stay there for four to five weeks. we saw them sitting outside with their friends who came to visit, they have little cloths around them and wear this white paint.

the history here is so shocking and amazing, and the people so resilient in their spirits. i don't know how to describe it.

then i had the guy drop me off at what i thought was close to the cableway to the top of table mountain... turns out i was about 3 miles away... all up hill up the mountain. so i had a nice unexpected hike and finally made it to the top. what an amazing view... you can see all of the city of capetown, robbin island, the ocean, and cape point too, where we were yesterday. had some good food at the top, i think it was something like baboutie meatballs kafi, with rice and vegetables... mmmm. i was thinking about rudy and your trip here back a while ago. it would be cool to talk about the differences thos (8?) years ago...

we just flew to joberg, it's a little harder edged here from what i've seen so far... again, lots of money. we're staying at this hotel next to a mall with gucci and other expensive stores that i never could afford. it will be interesting to see the differences between capetown and joberg... different tribal groups and languages tend to dominate in each city, and the dynamics of economy are a bit different too i think.

getting along well with other women on the team. i've been rooming with this woman becky, who is cookie and very much a music educator, but we laugh a lot, which is great for my spirit. one of the women had a crisis at home and might not come at all...

anyway, i will be off email for a few days becuase of the safari, and then back here for a few more days and a soweto tour, and then off to kimberley monday, where i'm not sure about email access.

love to all...