A year ago on Monday we started our journey, we celebrated with a traditional South African stew (potjiekos) that Lindie cooked for us. The stew was made with ostrich neck meat and various veggies, dessert was a dish called “thirsty” pudding, mmmm delicious!!
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Last weekend we (Barry, myself and Yvonne) dropped off Lindie’s visiting brother at Port Elizabeth airport, Port Elizabeth is an hour’s drive from Jeffrey’s Bay. After we dropped of Lindie’s Brother, we spent the day checking out Port Elizabeth. Turns out there was a Mexican navy sailboat docked at Port Elizabeth. Visitors were allowed on the ship, so we climbed aboard this beautiful old sailboat and roamed around the deck. It was so nice to hear traditonal Mexican music on the overhead speaker and listening to the Mexican naval crew speaking Spanish. We could also smell Mexican food being cooked in the Galley - I know that smell of fresh tortillas and caldo de rez a mile away!! It made the three of us (hey three amigos) miss a bit of home, since these are sites, sounds and smells so familiar to us back home in L.A. Oh man what torture, I’m missing good Mexican food big time.
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Yesterday morning we dropped off Nino (the recently adopted stray minature pincher and the Bross’ new addition to the family) at the vets office to have his balls removed. When we found Nino we noticed he only had one nut hanging. We brought Nino to the vet last week for a checkup, necessary vaccinations and also pointed out the one nut to the vet. The vet informed us that one of Nino’s nuts is lodged inside his stomach and recommended neutering him, otherwise his lodged nut might someday get cancerous.
We picked up Nino after his surgery and he wasn’t talking (barking, yelping ,whining you know dog speak) to us - who could blame the poor fella, he wakes up and finds his balls and libedo gone. Sorry Nino it was for your own good, someday you’ll thank us. Well today Nino seems much happier we’re on speaking terms again.
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Tomorrow off to Amman, Jordan.

South Africa has been very good to us, Yvonne and I both feel comfortable out here - it’s so nice when people don’t stare at us! Honestly, I was concerned about sticking out like a sore thumb, but no one gives a rat’s ass about the color of our skin, we just blend in with the rest of the folks. At times I feel like the invisible man, which I really don’t mind, it can get tiring when you feel like everyone is watching you.
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Two things rule in the South African diet - meat and booze. We’ve been eating to our heart’s content (thank God because I’ve lost so much weight from traveling throughout Asia! I feel like I’m gaining those lost lbs. again) and drinking the excellent South African wines (Yvonne and I did an organized wine tasting tour while we were in Capetown, so nice to have someone do the driving while we get to sample and taste).
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We’ve been rather lazy during our stay here in South Africa. Our first week and a half was spent in Capetown and Plettenberg Bay, just enjoying the civilized comforts of eating and cooking good food, checking out the tourist sites and watching a few movies (I highly recommend the S. African movie Tsotsi, which won the Oscar for best foreign film, excellent!! ‘Sgood). As you can see we are slowly easing ourselves back to domestic life in L.A.
A huge thanks to Adam, Robin and Gail for showing us around and putting us up (and putting up with us) in Capetown and Plett, and for teaching us a thing or two about S. African life, culture and food.
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Week 2 1/2 half onwards has been spent in Jeffrey’s Bay at the Bross’ huge pad. Life in J’Bay is extremely slow paced in this surf town - which I’ve yet to do here because I’m a wuss that doesn’t want to be in the cold water without a wetsuit..ditto with the windsurfing. So instead, like I said earlier, we’ve been helping with the Sam babysitting. A lot of work chasing down this little guy and making sure he doesn’t fall and injure himself, unfortunately we weren’t too successful a couple of times. I tip my hat off to anyone that has raised a child - shit it’s hard work! I also managed to finish reading John Irving’s “Until I Find You”, I’ve had plenty of time to read through 800+ pages of this book. Our major highlight in J’Bay is borrowing the Bross’ car and either shopping for groceries or going to the local cinema. I’ve now adjusted to driving on the left side of the road (with ride side steering). I have to keep reminding myself to “stay left.” Life in J’Bay is so slow, but we’re enjoying it immensely.

Sorry I’ve been rather lazy on the blog front. We’re currently in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa and having a great time hanging out with our friend’s Barry, Lindie and Baby Sam - whom we’ve been babysitting periodically, along with a stray minature pincher puppy Lindie’s parents have found. Will write more in a few days, time and motivation permitting. Take care.