Travellogues-a-go-go (for researching your own trip or dreaming fodder), some local happenings and the odd creative experiment. *Old comrades wishing to get in touch can do so via Hotmail and the nom de guerre of skitkool. The skitkool mailbox is checked about once a week.
2012 as it unfolded before my camera. There are odd shots, artsy shots, slice-of-life shots, shots that happened to catch my fancy and multiple shots of some local events (with all these shots, it’s lucky this isn’t a drinking game). The local events: Dragon boat race on the Potomac, Civil war re-enactor weirdos in Arlington, Rosslyn Jazz Fest, Arlington Carny Fair, Glen Echo art decco, Clarendon Street Fest, Marine Corps Marathon après fini crowds and some storms and damage. The musical accom...
2012. The year through a symphony of kinetic snapshots in five movements. 1. Dragon boat race on the Potomac - GO!!!!! 2. Arlington County carnival. 3. A brief interlude on the Potomac down in Alexandria. 4. The Clarendon street fest featuring a spinning class to flog health club memberships (it was better than milling crowds). 5. The Marine Corps Marathon après fini mob in Rosslyn.
We were dropped into the African wild to survive with only our bare hands, fleet feet, gnashing teeth, a jeep and a ranger. Twenty-four hours amongst the beasts. Of the eight that went in, only nine of us returned. The locale: Schotia Reserve and Addo Elephant National Park.The musical accompaniment is Sing Sing Sing (with a Swing) by Louis Prima.
South Africa’s southern coast. A trail known as the Garden Route. My journey begins in Hermanus, where right whales swim close to shore watching humans watching them. Then further along to Mossel Bay, with its aboriginal cave beneath the lighthouse occupied for thousands of years. Then the museum complex with its replica of the Bartolomeu Dias used by the Portuguese in 15th century exploration of Africa. Wilderness with the cool name. And a crazy squatter, known as the Cave Man, homesteading i...
First day there, Table Mountain was cowering beneath clouds. So I went walkabout. First down to the Victoria & Albert Waterfront, a combination tourista trap, shopping mall and working ship yard. Then into the city proper to Green Market Square and up to Bo Kaap. The next day, the mountain was clear, so I hiked up. On my return to Cape Town after exploring the Western and a bit f the Eastern Capes, I cruised over to Robben Island. Saw Nelson Mandel’s cell. Then on final stroll around the V & A...
Dropped off at Die Top of the Swartberg pass, I was left to make my way back on bicycle for 54 harrowing kilometers through the Kleine Karoo. I passed farms and ostrich ranches (and camel rides?). At times pursued by ravenous herds of man-eating ostriches. Luckily, I arrived unscathed in the town of Oudtshoorn. Then we’re magically transported to Stellenbosch. Uni town and wine center. Strolled through the Village Museum for a gander at Dutch colonial life in the 17th and 18th centuries. Then ...
Armed to the teeth with digital cameras, we rolled into the African bush - Schotia Reserve and Addo Elephant National Park. Few expected to emerge uneaten. And thus we were treated to a pride of lions, a pair of rhinos, herds of elephants, a parade of giraffes and assorted bovines. And the roar of a wild, wild wind. For some reason, they wouldn't let us climb down from the rover to pet the hungry lions.
Spring in the Mother City. On flight fatigued walkabout in the city, I stumbled upon Green Market Square selling tourist junk. After climbing Table Mountain, sans cloud cover, I rode back down on the cable way. I was lucky nabbing a hard to get ticket to Robben Island. We were shown the prison by a former political prisoner named Nande (apologies to the gentleman if I’ve misspelt his name). You’ll have to wait for the photo/video to see Nelson Mandela’s cell. The V & A Waterfront is gentrified...
From Cape Town, I hopped the Baz Bus to ride along the Garden Route. First stop - Hermanus. Where right whale watching can be done seasick-free from shore. Whales seen, the next stop was Mossel Bay. Wind swept coast around from the town. Those rodent-like critters are Dassis, whose closest genetic relative is the elephant. Next stop - Wilderness (cool name). Grotty weather till the sun emerged just before I left. Enroute to Storms River Village, we crossed the Bloukrans Bridge with the world’s...
Venturing south from Cape Town, we were the first people to set foot on the Cape Peninsula in ages. Three seconds to be exact. The first stop was Hout Bay. I hopped a boat to Duiker Island. There, cape fur seals in solidarity with the Occupy Movement have occupied the island (right on, comrades). Then to Simon Town and Boulder Beach. Here a colony of penguins have claimed the continent as part of Greater Antarctica. Carrying on, on clunky bikes we rode a few kilometers through landscape like t...
