This past weekend...

So this past weekend I hiked again with Clem on Table Mountain, this time up Skeleton Gorge and down Nursery Ravine – both accessed from Kirstenbosch Gardens. The Skeleton Gorge trail is steep, and there is a series of ladders in place in the steepest parts, and then later some fun hand-over-hand climbing through a boulder-strewn section of the gorge. It took us about 3 hours to ascend probably about 2500 ft. Great views from the top and then we descended down Nursery Ravine among blooming proteas – mostly on rock steps. No unexpected challenges this time like last week’s tunnel. Despite the temps in the 90s, we ascended and descended mostly in the shade. In by 7:30 A.M. and back home by 2 P.M.

Returned to Kirstenbosch in the evening for a concert by the Soweto Gospel Choir – wonderful! Every time I get discouraged about South Africa, I witness some wonderful examples of the rainbow mixing and this was one such time. Lots of folks of all stripes picnicking on the lawn and then bopping to the music. I found a seat on a bench with an English couple. Turns out they moved to SA when they retired, far away from their grown children. They don’t have grandchildren yet, though. They very nicely offered to drive me home.

This Sunday I planned on church. My first Sunday here I got up early in the morning and popped into two local churches – Catholic and Anglican. The Sunday after that I worshipped at St George’s Cathedral, Desmond Tutu’s church. A breathtaking place, and there were several baptisms happening that day. So this week I thought I would find a Lutheran Church but there aren’t too many here, except for the Old Lutheran Church on Strand Street, which was converted from a barn in 1780 and has an incredibly carved wooden pulpit. The information I was able to obtain before Sunday was minimal! Only a generic website and, when I phoned, their message information was sketchy. According to the only listing I could find online, it seemed as if their services were all in German (turns out that was another Lutheran Church) except the last Sunday of the month. So I figured, great, I will go to the local Methodist Church (affiliated with UCT) and hear some gospel music (which is what I was looking for) in the morning and the Lutheran Church in the evening. Turns out the Methodist choir was lame and, later, when I checked out the Lutheran Church on my way into town to a design Indaba at the coliseum, the service at 10 A.M. had been in English! Met the minister, Pastor C.F.B. Tessendorf, and we chatted for awhile. He allowed me to take some photos of the interior and told me it was the oldest church which is still being used as a church in Africa. I was bummed that I missed the service. Seems like he scoots around to three other churches in the greater Cape Town area on a Sunday. Clearly, there aren’t many Lutherans in the SA's "mother city." BTW, later at the coliseum, I popped into a Christian Embassy (whatever that is supposed to be) service. The congregation was black and standing and feeling the vibes - so I couldn’t see the front. When everyone finally sat down, I saw that the service was being led by a blonde women and several other white people. “We thank you, God, for our beautiful lives,” she prayed for them. Now, what does she know of their lives, I asked myself? Has she been out to the townships? After seeing the big collection bags being passed around this huge conference room, I quietly slipped away. That was it for Sunday worship for me!

We have a new group in at CCS now – new faces – new stories. I now have a roommate – Leslie, from New York, who now lives in the DC area near her Baltimore daughter. Lovely lady and we have much in common.

Pictures: Skeleton Gorge on right and Nursery Ravine on left of Castle Rocks on Table Mountain in the morning sun; looking down a set of ladders on Skeleton Gorge; Clem and some other hikers near Castle Rocks; Soweto Gospel Choir at Kirstenbosch; St. George's Cathedral; the pulpit at the Lutheran Church.