Yesterday J and I drove up to the Hillcrest AIDS Centre, which I have posted about before. I spoke with Julie, the Centre's CEO, about the craft collective that has developed there over the past eighteen years and the craft consignment shop, Woza Moya, the Centre manages. Beaded goods have remained the shop's longstanding and most popular merchandise, but I was really excited to see several sewn garments made from shoeshoe/ishweshwe, an indigo fabric here really popular for women's garments (especially for Xhosa dresses and skirts) - I'll write more about its history, fascinating starchy stiffness, and post some pictures of examples I've bought eventually. After visiting the Centre, J and I drove through Botha's Hill, a town that overlooks the Valley of a Thousand Hills. The view of the valley was beautiful even in the slightly overcast morning.
The next three pictures I have posted are of "wildlife" from in and outside of my apartment. Even though I'm in the city, my apartment sees its share of animals. Timothy is my lessor's cat who loves to lounge outside my apartment and sneak in when I leave my door open when I'm home during the day. Families of small monkeys occasionally chatter in the giant tree outside but have yet to invite themselves inside. Giant cockroaches have no compunction about flying in my windows for a visit, although we seem to have reached a truce over the last few weeks (they don't tromp around in front of me anymore and I just assume they're "guarding" the apartment while I'm asleep). There are also tiny, sandy colored geckos that I welcome into my apartment since they take care of stray mosquitoes. This morning I was surprised to find a millipede crawling on my rug - it was during my barefoot and pre-caffeinated stage so I emitted a tiny yelp, quickly snapped a few pictures (including one of it in its defensive "ball" pose) and, after scooting it onto a piece of paper, banished it outdoors.
Lol it's like Martha vs. Wild, but for realz this time :P I bet some of that wildlife could provide you with some much needed protein, Mar Grylls!
Posted by: Mark | March 01, 2008 at 01:54 PM