Good news, everybody: I turned 21, had an AMAZING birthday celebration, and didn't get a hangover OR throw up! Monday, April 12, 2010 I entered the world of (legal) drinking. Myself along with a bunch of friends went to a nice bar in Camps Bay (a nice area south of Cape Town, think Miami) called Cafe Caprice on Sunday. My friends supplied me with drinks the whole night and everybody, including myself, got thoroughly drunk. We all had a really great time and I'm really happy I was able to celebrate my birthday here with such wonderful people. I also got to wear my cowboy boots, always a bonus. Initially I was bummed that I wouldn't be celebrating my 21st birthday where turning 21 actually matters, but I'm really happy I celebrated it in Cape Town. Not only does it make an awesome story when people ask what I did for my 21st, but I really had an amazing time with really great friends. My friend Sam took some really epic pictures on Sunday night that made my birthday complete. On Monday I stayed in bed all day, until I met my friend Jess for some Cha Chi's chocolate cake, chocochino crush, AND potato wedges. Epic. For dinner a bunch of us went to Pancho's, a local Mexican restaurant that serves extremely potent and delicious margaritas. I was so stuffed from my enormous meal that I could barely go out that night, which was probably a good thing. At Pancho's they give the birthday girl/boy a shot of tequila and a sombrero to wear. I looked goofy but that tequila was super yummy. I coincidentally drank tequila most of the night and my huge dinner probably saved me from a tequila-induced death.
Last weekend I FINALLY climbed Table Mountain. It was so hard. The trail was moderate but the weather made it immoderate and strenuous. It was blazing hot outside and we were in the sun for the most of it. The trail was a wasteland of people sitting down panting and guzzling water. I like to think of myself as an athletic person and I was dying. Even though the trail was hard, the views made it worth it. All up the trail were amazing sights of the city and the outlying ocean and mountains. After about two hours of hiking I made it to the top. It was great! I had finally conquered the mountain that had been looming over me for so many months. Being on the top was so cool. The view was out of this world. You could see the whole mountain range and what seemed like the whole world. The sea was a beautiful blue, as was the sky. The air was perfectly clear and we could see for miles and miles. There's a restaurant at the top of the mountain so after some refueling, we went down. This part was so hard for me. Something about going down is really difficult, and I definitely struggled. Climbing the mountain was worth all the pain. 
Victory is the view from Table Mountain
Kapstaad (Cape Town in Afrikaans)
Yesterday I went to Stellenbosch with a few friends. I actually just got back a few hours ago. My good friend Lara lived in a township right next to Stellenbosch called Kayamandi. She brought about ten of us to visit the family she stayed with for the five months she lived there. The mom of the house, Mama Lily, is an amazing cook and hosts dinners and caters events. We were lucky enough to have dinner at her house. This. Meal. Was. Amazing. There were multiple courses and as she presented them to us beautifully while explaining everything we were eating. First we had this corn and bean soup. The description does not do it justice, as corn and beans have never tasted so good before. She transformed them into a soup masterpiece. We then had chicken curry with this crazy bread. The curry was great, and wasn't too spicy. The bread was a monster ball of warm doughy bliss. It was the most filling bread I've ever eaten and was absolutely to die for. Then we moved onto the main course, which was comprised of chicken, pap, pumpkin puree, spinach, and chakalaka. The chicken could not have come from anywhere but heaven, and I'm going to leave it at that. I've never had such good pap before in my life. Usually I don't like it that much, since it doesn't have much flavor. Pap looks like mashed potatoes, but tastes like nothing. This pap, though, was fricking awesome. I don't know why. I'm not the biggest fan of the way spinach is traditionally prepared, so I kept away from it. Pumpkin is used frequently in South Africa, and it's definitely a good thing. Mama Lily's pumpkin was pureed and had cinnamon and other spices in it. It was almost like a dessert. My favorite part was the chakalaka. Chakalaka is this delicious veggie dish of tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onions, and beans in tangy/spicy sauce. I've had it before at various braais and restaurants, but Mama Lily's put it all to shame. It is my solemn promise to all of you who read my blog that I will perfect my chakalaka recipe and make it for you when I'm home. It is my favorite traditional dish. How could anybody not love it with a name like chakalaka?? Mama Lily topped us off with this muffin/cupcake hybrids. They were shaped like muffins and had the consistency of muffins, but were sweet like cupcakes and had a sweet cream on top. If I could I would have eaten ten, but I physically could not eat anything else. Mama Lily had also made ginger beer and this great juice that had a bunch of fruit juices in it, but all I know is it was the best juice ever.
CHAKALAKA. Not Mama Lily's, I found it on google, but this is what the dish looks like.
After dinner Tuli and Ati, Mama Lily's daughters, gave us a tour of Kayamandi. Kayamandi is situated across from Stellenbosch and the people in the township definitely got the better view. From Mama Lily's house you can see the Stellenbosch and all the beautiful mountains. I enjoyed walking around Kayamandi. When you first see a township you think it's the saddest thing, but after a going to them time and time again you realize that the people are really happy. Nobody should have to live in a shack without running water or electricity, but the people living in townships have a very positive outlook and I think we could all learn something from the simplicity of life and sense of community they have. One crazy thing in Kayamandi were these things called 'smileys'. The girls asked us if we wanted to go see the smiley goats, and we did. I was thinking 'cool! a goat that smiles!'. NO. Smiley's are goat heads, cooked and charred. There were a bunch of them! EWW! Somebody was taking a searing knife and further burning them. It was so creepy, but oddly fascinating.
Five of us girls spent the night in Stellenbosch and had a good time. Stellenbosch is a really fun town, and I got to see my friend Eric who is studying there for the semester. I plan on going back sometime so I can spend more time in the town, since we had to get back early to Cape Town to return our friend's car. Mainly, I want to go shopping there and eat at all the cute cafes. I have some housekeeping to do today, literally and figuratively. I still have laundry left over from spring break (gag) as well as a pile of dishes to wash. This evening I'm going out to dinner with a few friends at a new Africa restaurant that opened on Lower Main Rd. I went on Sunday for the first time and the meal was great. It's a really traditional place and they even brought out a basin for us to wash our hands. That's a common thing, to wash your hands in bowl of water before eating. I really like the custom. There is something so personal and symbolic about passing around the washing bowl and towel and washing up together, right at the table. Last time I had beef stew and it was sooooooooo good. Everyone should at some point come to South Africa and eat traditional Africa food. There isn't anything like it. The last time I went to the place I'm going tonight I felt like I was eating a home cooked meal. It was really nice and comforting. The owner was really friendly and talked to us a few times. It really felt like home.
Anyways, I should get to the dishes. Everyone's mission is to go out and find an African restaurant and try some African food! I can guarantee you will love it and hopefully this post has peaked your interest.
-Sarah
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