Monday was a day to rest up a little & do all the laundry we brought home from the weekend. The condo had a washer & dryer but who wants to do laundry when we can go play? Besides we would have had to buy detergent. On Tuesday we headed for the Union Building. Not sure why Donald took this picture except he thought Abnormaal was an interesting sign for this load.
The Union Building is where the offices of SA President, Jacob Zuma are located. The buildings are quite elaborate.
This is just 1/2 of the building.
And roaming around the area is not without it's rules. But unlike the White House there is not a huge fence keeping you out.
The gardens were very nice.
I found it interesting that most of the government workers elsewhere were wearing blue uniforms but here the uniforms were all red and the gardeners or caretakers were all women.
And of course there was a GINORMOUS statute of Mandela.
That we just had to stand under for a picture.
Then there was a "photographer" who offered to take a picture with your camera for only 20 rand. So....who could pass up a couple of tricky shots?
After all 20 rand is only 2 bucks! A guys got to make a living.
From the Battle of Gettysburg to Pretoria, the Capitol of SA, Donald just can't pass up a picture of a nice cannon.
That brings us to the street vendors out in front of the Union Building. Not so many, not so crowded.
So how about a little shopping?
I passed up the guy in the hard hat pretty easily.
But maybe not so easily the beaded bread bowl. This guy tells me he made it himself and shows me the wire and beads that he uses. Maybe???
On every street corner you can pretty much buy something, hire someone to do work for you (kinda like our Home Depot guys), or give money to a beggar. Your choice.
But Dawn has a beaded 5 foot giraffe made by these guys that Donald likes....
so he decided he needs one too. We can't get a 5 footer home very easily so he went for a 2 1/2 foot one.
I don't know how we are gonna get all this stuff, (shelf shit as someone I know calls it), home.
Wednesday is a holiday here in SA. It is voting day. Many signs have been up around the cities for the ANC, DA, EFF, COPE and other parties. Don't ask me what they all stand for. I just know they are parties like our Republican and Democratic parties. You do not vote for a specific person. You vote for a party. Everyone here says the ANC will win. They are the party that gave them their freedom even though they are not doing much for them today apparently. They will not have the results for about 3 days. Since it is a local holiday Paul did not have to work so we went on a hike in the nearby nature reserve. Yep that's me out there doing what I love to do hiking with nature!
Just me & the zebras!
And the Impalas that I still call Malibus. I just can't seem to get my Chevys straight!
Yep, there I go.
This guy was out in the distance.
However I couldn't look up too much or I might step in some wild animal poop...
Or trip on a rock.
And you know what they say... what goes up must go down.
And then up again & down again. A billy goat I am not!
I wasn't sure if the rustling in the grass here was the wind or critters so I tried to just keep moving & not think about it.
At the end of the trail was this little tree/bush that was covered with snake skins.
Now I don't know it someone put them there or there is a snake lair in the bottom of the tree.
All I know is I'm glad it was at the end of the trail & not the beginning.
Or this may have been a whole different story to tell!
Oh, and these guys were along too! Sure Piper gets to ride!
But you can see I led the pack most of the way. I didn't want anybody saying I was the old lady who couldn't keep up!
And of course since it is Wednesday we finished off the afternoon with a swim lesson and today Daddy got to go in the pool.
Yep, gonna be a fish just like her Mama.
I told you about the beggars on the street corners. But I think this lady really missed her calling. She should be on America's next Top Designer. You know, the program where they give the contestants a bunch of junk to make an outfit. How clever was she to take the inside batting out of a blanket or comforter to make a nice poncho? OK, maybe more necessity than cleverness. Whatever!
And the star of OUR show decided she would like to wear her tutu with her jammies tonight. Maybe she will be a designer too! Probably not. Her parents are determined to make her into a nerd just like them. :))
No comments:
Post a Comment