Facts of Life in Cape Town March 15, 2018
From the moment we arrived in Cape Town nearly a week ago, water conservation has been on my mind. Not every moment, but certainly when working in the kitchen or bathroom. We had heard about the water shortage even before we left home and had wondered if we might be met with "day zero" in which the taps would be turned off totally. I'm not sure how the population would cope in that situation, but it is a real possibility. If there's no water left, the government will have no choice. Fortunately, the citizens of Cape Town have reportedly done an amazing job of reducing their water consumption to 50% of their former use. Day Zero has been put back for a few months. However, continued diligence is in order to avoid that possibility.
Reminders are everywhere. As we entered the airport in Cape Town, we were greeted by the above sign. Today we encountered a large public installation at the touristy waterfront, where the World Wildlife Fund was educating the public and encouraging them to be creative in conserving. Restrooms make hand sanitizer available for use instead of washing with water. Bottled water can be bought in restaurants but glasses of water are not given out. Everyone is encouraged to do less laundry; use fewer dishes; to flush less often; to take 2 minute showers; to "catch" shower water and use it on the lawn. Gardeners are "training" plants to need less water, which encourages deeper roots, and does no harm. People who water their yards with gray water make sure to post signs letting their neighbors know that the water is not potable, less they be mistakenly judged for using drinking water for lawns. On our flight into Cape Town, we could see large swaths of once cultivated land lying dry and sandy. Young children are aware of the crisis, and now teachers are needing to alleviate anxiety with reassurances that things will improve.
Hopefully, it will improve, but the infrastructure was put in place to serve a million residents - and now there are 4 million people living here. All over Africa, drought is an issue. It's a problem that is not going to be easily solved. Out of necessity, perhaps Cape Town residents will become models for conservation for the rest of us.
We have really lucked out - again - with our Airbnb apartment. It's a beautiful space, on the ground floor, 3 rooms, all white and sparkly clean, with a tiny private garden. It's well-appointed with a washing machine for laundry, as well as a dishwasher. Of course, we rarely use a dishwasher at home and certainly not in a city experiencing severe drought! Our German doctor landlord has been extremely attentive, stopping by almost daily to check in with us and have a chat.
The other harsh fact of life in Cape Town is the HIGH degree of security that is necessary - and the complicated system of alarm-setting and un-setting required with every entrance and exit of the house! We are surrounded by a cement wall topped with sharp spikes, and electrified wires; a locked gate into the property; a locked folding gate into the apartment, as well as a door that locks; plus all manner of sensors! When we get up in the middle of the night, we can see the sensor in the corner light up. OMG! We feel a bit like prisoners ourselves - albeit in a lovely prison :)! For the first couple of days we were terrified of setting off the wrong alarm that might result in an armed response. By now, Bruce has sorted out the system, but we are cautious. A mistake on our part would be embarrassing and might be dangerous.
You can't see the collapsed metal gate at the door ...
Unfortunately, this degree of security is apparently a necessary reality in Cape Town, given the scary stories that we've heard of break-ins and murders. What a sad state of affairs - due to the extraordinary income gap between the have's and have-not's in this land, along racial lines, of course, and the high rate of unemployment. Everyone is hoping that the new president, Mr. Ramaphosa, will be able to improve the economy and help to equalize opportunity.
"Let there be work, bread, water, & salt for all." Nelson Mandela
Despite the danger implied by the security systems, we have found that our neighborhood is lovely and safe. Even downtown seems fine, IF one is cautious and sensible, similar to Guatemala. Having said that, our very sensible friend Vanessa has warded off two pickpocket attempts, which shook her confidence for a while.
On a cheerier note, Bruce & I had a lovely experience on Monday morning when we helped Vanessa teach a group of first grade girls about gardening. Vanessa and hubby Graham are our New Zealand/Chicago friends who are living here temporarily in the land where Graham was born. They are the reason that we are here! Vanessa has been volunteering at an urban vegetable farm and had asked if B & I might like to help, too.
Once a week a different group of children comes to the garden to learn about composting and insects and worm tea and plants. This week's group was from an all-girls private primary school - and were fun kids. They reminded me of my Breakwater students - well-informed; well-traveled; rather empowered - but still little kids who loved letting the goldfish nibble at their fingers and were excited to pull a carrot from the garden and eat it on the spot. When my group heard that we were from the USA, they brought up the topic of our president, whom they all knew about. They did not hold back from voicing their negative opinions!
The farm, I have learned, is the remnants of the original farm, begun around 1770, to serve the Dutch East India ships traveling between the Netherlands and Java. A three hundred year old pear tree still produces fruit on a small plot, now surrounded by suburbia.
http://www.ozcf.co.za (link to Oranjezicht City Farm)
Having described some of the less flattering aspects of Cape Town, I must say that the city is stunningly beautiful, situated as it is between the Atlantic Ocean and the very distinctive, flat topped Table Mountain. On a clear day, everything seems to stand out in sharp relief. Other days, a deep fog has obscured the mountain, reminding us of a summer day in Maine. We are waiting for the rare sight of a white cloud covering just the top of the mountain, looking like a tablecloth on the table.
As for architecture, the residential area contains a mix of sweet Victorian era bungalows with fancy ironwork, such as we saw in New Zealand, and modern, glassy structures - all climbing the steep incline to the mountain. At times, the city has reminded us of the hills of Dunedin or Wellington, NZ, or San Francisco. We've been getting our exercise, traipsing up & down from the seaside city center to our apartment on the hillside.
One characteristic of Bo-Kaap that draws people are the colorful houses, painted in a rainbow of happy, picturesque hues. No one knows why, but, since the tradition is about 25 years old, one theory is that it's a reflection of Nelson Mandela's "rainbow nation".
Being in the city, the wildlife that we've seen has been limited to birds - but they are pretty prominent!
There's lots more to tell but I'll stop for now and send this post on its way. This weekend we've been invited to accompany V & G to Graham's aunt & uncle's home in Somerset West, a town located in the wine-growing area, about an hour away. That will be the start of a road trip along the southern coast.
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