South Africa, home of Nelson Mandela
After a great season with Respyrénées, it was time to slow down and see what was going on in other latitudes! We headed for South Africa, and more specifically the Cape Peninsula, birthplace of Nelson Mandela; the end of the world with the Cape of Good Hope, a mythical place for me.
I'm joining a friend who's been here for 8 years and is now a guide. She's going to give me a rich and detailed overview of the country's history, known and lesser-known natural sites (my favorites), the culture, the different languages spoken (Afrikaans, Xhosa, etc.), the people - in short, I'm going to get an eyeful for 10 days.
For my first steps on the African continent, this trip was disconcerting, wonderfully beautiful and extremely enriching. The country's history is still strongly marked by apartheid, the wild and unspoilt nature is well deserved, and the human encounters are unforgettable.
The time allotted for my trip wasn't enough for me to understand or see everything, but I had a good overview!
The Transkei region in the east of the country appeals to me, but it's far too far for this time (South Africa is just over twice the size of France, for comparison's sake), so I'll have to come back, "sien jou later" as they say in Afrikaans!
