Flagging in the Updates

Where was I?  The last was going to the winery, I think.  Now, what have we done since then?  Hard to remember after really good wine at lunch.  One day we drove what seemed forever, but was probably only a couple of hours, to see Monkeyland, Birds of Eden and Jukani big cats sanctuary.  All of the animals are rescued from zoos, breeding farms, people who had them as pets, whatever.  They, the facilities, have won many international awards for their work. The monkeys were in a many-hectare (no of course I don’t know how big a hectare is — Laird!?  He says 2 1/2 acres) fenced in area that was open to the sky.  They could have left, probably, if they had wanted, but since they are fed, they don’t.  We heard howler monkeys, but didn’t see any.  But we saw many, many ring-tailed lemurs; other lemurs; two gibbons that we were very fortunate to watch on the ground quite close to us, walking around, stopping to look for insects, etc. — one walked by us several times, so cool, even though he ignored us; and several other kinds of monkeys I don’t remember.  Great guide.  The birds were in a netted, also several hectare space with lots of water features and grottos and amazing plants — Sandy, you would have liked it a lot.  Beautiful, vibrant- , irridescent- and many=colored, what a joy they were: parrots; scarlet ibis; flamingo; crested cranes; ducks; several types of pheasant, including golden pheasant; Knysna louries, with their green-black feathered backs and the most astonishing flash of red underwing when they fly; maybe  golden breasted starling, but gloriously irridescent blue, green and gold; maybe a golden palm weaver, but not sure.  Their bird book doesn’t always jive with what we saw.  And we saw two blue duikers, which are tiny antelope-like animals.  At Jukani, the stories were mostly sad, big cats that were bred to be shot by big game hunters (use that term lightly, since they are guaranteed a kill); zoos mistreating animals or going out of business; cute little cuddly wild cat pets that grew up.  One beautiful white tiger was the result of multi-generational in-breeding and so, at only eight, he is about 80% blind — he’ll get to 100% fairly soon, they think.  He could live to be 25. Blind. There were wild dogs, a jakkal, a three=legged springbok, on and on.  And the most amazing sight, a thick line of black ants about a foot long and many ants deep — a big thick rope of ants crawling out of the tiniest hole, along the ground and up over a wire fence piece.  Moving by moving over those on the bottom. Our guide, also wonderful, told us they must have smelled blood from an earlier feeding. Yes, they bite — wouldn’t be pleasant to fall into one of their missions (or be one of them either)!

Sunday we had a braai at the flower farm — grilled snoek, yummy!  With Marita’s melktart, more yumminess and huzzahs.  Otherwise, I don’t know what we’ve been doing but we’re all having a lovely, lovely time.  I did go again to the miraculous Karina, the physiotherapist who has made me mostly pain free.  We took Mattie to her, too.  She has very bad osteoporosis and arthritis.  She said Karina made her feel better; hope that was true.  We’re both going again tomorrow.

Friday we go to Cape Town for a week and already have a list of things to do that will take double the time.  Today, I went to get my hair cut.  She did a great job, but she curled it while blow drying and then teased — my head was all fluffy!  Then a walk on the beach, another trip to the mall to get yet more things we didn’t bring with us or the apartments are not equipped with.  Today it was dish towels and toenail clippers.  Lunch at Cattle Barons — an American company that is franchised here.  Delicious wine!  Nederburg Barone if anyone can find it at their local wine shop.  Sandy and Daniel, y’all might be able to find it at Total Wine.

Happy Days, as Marita always toasts