Coming home to Tankwa

Posted on 2014-04-01 by Princess

I’m just back in Cape Town from a four-day working trip to the Tankwa Karoo to help build Subterrafuge. Arriving around midnight Wednesday night, driving through mud puddles from the couple of rainy days, pitching my tent in the rocky soil, it didn’t register yet but I was coming home. The last few years my home has been everywhere and nowhere. In the same way I came home driving my van onto the Monegros desert for the first time in 2012, Tankwa is one of those special places that instantly feel like home.

Arriving in what will become Tankwa Town even before DPW rock up is such a privilege. Being able to see it grow organically from the few people at our Subterrafuge camp to the thousands that will be for the burn. It doesn’t feel like work, but there is still lot to do and less than 4 weeks to do it. Those cones won’t build themselves!

Being back in Cape Town for a couple of days I already miss Tankwa. Waking up in my little tent in the desert before sunrise, hearing the jackals howl, cooking water for coffee on a wood fire. Getting to work, cutting wood into smaller pieces for cladding of the cones, painting them, putting them on the structure using a kick-ass nail gun, standing on 4 meter scaffolding above the desert. Life doesn’t get better than that.

So I’m off to Tankwa again now, back home. I will be back in Cape Town (my home for the last 6 months) a month and a half from now, only for a couple of weeks before I’m flying back to Brussels (my first home). See you at the Burn or somewhere along the way!

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Bye bye Woodstock

Posted on 2014-03-26 by Princess

In my relentless quest for couches in Cape Town to crash on, I have arrived in Table View, which for most living in the City Bowl sounds like the end of the road. Wood MyCiTi station used to be the end of the T01 bus line, and it will be one of my last stops before returning to Europe. I’ve bought my Shosholoza Meyl train ticket to Joburg yesterday for less than 2 months from now. These last months will be about AfrikaBurn and Subterrafuge so I probably will spend more time in Tankwa than in Table View.

As a farewell to Woodstock dinner I went to Jamaica Me Crazy for a Jack Black and a Trinidad Roti. The clouds were covering Devil’s Peak, but in the other direction the harbour was still visible. I’ve liked this place since first moving to the dodgiest part of lower Woodstock and have grown to love it, even more than Obz. Probably because it isn’t as hip as Kloof Nek, not as fancy as Bo Kaap and more diverse than Obz. And that it is dirtier and has more of an edge than these places, a bit like my home town Brussels.

A part of Woodstock I only discovered recently is Sit Lowery Roadtowards CBD, whit some very interesting galleries like Stevenson, Blank Projects and Goodman Gallery. Be sure to check out Wim Botha’s Linear Perspectives at Stevenson before 5 April and across the road James Webb’s The Two Insomnias at Blank Projects. Both are extremely talented South African artists. James Webb bringing two captivation sound installations: Children of the Revolution and Untitled (Al Madat). And Wim Botha with three jaw dropping installations, especially his sculptures in marble, wood, cardboard, polystyrene and a range of materials blew me away.

With the Cape Town winter knocking on the door, the weather turning wet and cold and the South-Easter Cape Doctor giving way to the north-west winds of winter. I’ve noticed I recognize faces of people back in Belgium here in Cape Town, maybe I’m subconsciously preparing myself to go back. Before that however there is a lot of building, partying and picking up MOOP in the Tankwa Karoo. The clan burns in 37 days!

MyCiTi

Time flies

Posted on 2014-03-20 by Princess

Another Wednesday has come and gone without me posting anything here. I know, it’s becoming embarrassing. All I can say is that time is flying, in little over 2 months I’ll be flying back to Europe. And before that there is of course AfrikaBurn, one of the big reasons I’m here in South Africa. I’ve hooked up with Subterrafuge, in the words of Travis & the AfrikaBurn Comms team: “The biggest artwork ever to grace Tankwa Town’s skyline, subterrafuge is an artistic statement against fracking and will blow your mind when you set eyes on it.” You can bet I’m excited about this and hopefully a crew will go up to the Karoo the next week and I can join them, which will be the first time on the holy Tankwa land. Subterrafuge still needs a lot of cash so if you’ve got any to spare (even as little as 7 Euro), chip in at https://www.thundafund.com/subterrafuge

Last weekend was a blast of another kind, going on a two day surf trip to the Overberg with Papa G and his band of crazy Afrikaans boys. Had some nice surf, breathtaking views, tons of talking kak (and piele), some local craft beers and general good times. If you’re into surfing and located near Cape Town, keep an eye on Slow Tours for the next trip: https://www.facebook.com/slowdrivejourneys Also check out stock. skate co. a Woodstock based skateboarding outfit bringing out some nice skate vids: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFaMMIy4Wg-aP9UAXUVD3NA

So much else has happened, but I can’t even remember what and it’s history now anyway. So yeah, that’s it for now. If you’re going to the Old Biscuit Mill on Saturday, drop by in The Bello Studio where Subterrafuge will be raising funds by selling planks, well not really we’re keeping the planks but you can write your name or message on it and it will become part of the sculpture and raffle tickets for an AfrikaBurn ticket draw: https://www.facebook.com/events/637321312972286/?fref=ts

Building excitement!

Posted on 2014-03-11 by Princess

I’m very excited, it’s getting closer to the Burn in Tankwa and I am very happy to be on the crew of Subterrafuge who will be building the tallest structure ever built on the Karoo. I’m equally excited about Nowhere, where we will be building our Wonderever barrio for the second time and it’s going to be bigger and better. Well def more people camping with us, and looking forward to building an even nicer structure. I’m also taking up a bigger role in the Build Crü as Project Build Lead for one of the new structures build in the Monegros desert. And on top of that I’ll be part of the wonderful team supporting the barrios (what they call theme camps at those other burns) this year. So it looks like it’s going to be a busy and exciting next few months!

What a ride

Posted on 2014-02-27 by Princess

I know I’m lagging behind with my weekly posts on Wednesday, but if last week was hectic, it has now become a roller coaster ride. After my last post on Friday I felt I deserved a good night out, so that’s what I had. Warming up with some beers at Rafikis, hipster central on Kloofnek, hanging in the smokers alley and dancing at Aces and Spades and finishing up with a drink at Stones in Obz, because it’s the only place still open at 2AM.

Saturday noon was a very nice brunch in the park to wave off Meryem before she got on the plane back to Berlin. Next time I see her will be at Nowhere in the Spain, will be nice to meet up with some Cape Town friends as well as the regular Nobodies. And then coffee with Steven & Merel from Belgium who finished their 3 weeks in South Africa (much too short!) in the Mother City.

Sunday was AfrikaBurn work day with DPW. Even though I won’t be joining them for build in Tankwa, it was nice to work (mainly sitting in the grass, watching a tent dry) with them, such a nice pack of random crazies. And learned to play Ninja. Going back to the backpackers watching the end of day 4 of the second of three Australia – South Africa test games of cricket and deciding I need to see the third one here in Cape Town.

After more than a week of not sleeping well, either because of alcohol, heat or general hecticness at the backpackers, was sleeping like a rock when my roommate wakes me up shouting “Dimi, was you backpack here?” After my phone getting stolen at the same place less than a week before, I could at first not believe it when I saw my bag was indeed gone. Someone had jumped the wall, got into the room, grabbed my backpack and ran off. If it wasn’t for the quick response of my roommate and the neighbours, who’d just had their car window smashed helping the police find this guy, all my stuff would have been gone. Now at least I got the half back that didn’t mysteriously disappear in between the guy grabbing my back and the police catching him half an hour later.

Needless to say, I’d had enough of that place and a desperate plead on FB, got me enough couch surfing options to last me the next couple of weeks, until I can find a room to rent. Spend the last three nights in Hout Bay, on the other side of Table Mountain and away from the hustle and bustle of Cape Town city. It did me good to have some quiet time, yesterday evening going for a sunset swim at Penis Bay (Sandy Bay, gay nudist beach). I hope returning the smart phone I found lying on the beach to the police give me some extra good karma towards somehow getting back my own stolen phone or some other stuff.

I am starting to miss the city life though, so for tonight booked in a decent backpackers on Long Street (confirmed that it’s a good place by two friends) so I can enjoy a night out at Natural Selection in The Waiting Room and before that going Bowl & Roll lawn bowling. I’m all for adventure, but do hope the next week will be a bit less eventful or at least have less unpleasant surprises.

Hectic

Posted on 2014-02-21 by Princess

I didn’t post on Wednesday this week, which is the first time since my pledge to have a new blog post every Wednesday. It’s been a hectic week, moving from house sitting in Obz to a backpackers in District 6 last Sunday, which happened to be the hottest day in Cape Town since I’ve been here and while struggling with a massive hangover. After my second night at my new home that someone had stolen my brand new Fairphone from under my pillow. And yesterday learning that I didn’t make the cut onto AfrikaBurn’s DPW crew.

Despite all that still turned out to be a good week with a shot at surfing, two wine tastings, an introduction to pole dancing and a lot of good times with a lot of new friends and some very good times with some older friends. As I’m getting used to Cape Town making sure i’m happy in the end!

Fairphone

Posted on 2014-02-12 by Princess

I’ve finally got my Fairphone. Years after hearing about the idea’s behind it and eight months after ordering it and crowdfunding it in the process. I’ll use the excuse that I’m writing this blog post on it not to make a full review. I’m just ☺ as a child with my new toy. Also because it shows that there are other ways than the anything to make a profit ideology that drives companies like Apple to glue in batteries so you can’t replace them yourself.

One app that came already installed on the Fairphone is iFixit, which tells you how to fix anything from a Mac to your car. Another nice one, developed by the Fairphone team themselves is Peace of Mind, which lets you put your phone in ✈ mode for a set time, up to 3 hours.

For an explanation how the sourcing of the material and the production were done in the fairest way possible, you should read the Fairphone website, where you can also sign up to know when they will be producing the second batch.

I’ll just leave you with a couple of pictures of the small details that just made me smile.

District Six

Posted on 2014-02-07 by Princess

Today i went to the District Six Museum. If you have seen the film District Nine, this is the story of District Six but with non-humans instead of non-whites and in Johannesburg, not Cape Town. The people living in District Six were forcibly removed from 1966 onwards and most of the buildings destroyed. Until today most of the land is left undeveloped and is a wasteland, in the city bowl close to the Central Business District, the centre of Cape Town.

What struck me most in the stories of District Six and its residents is their defiance and the vibrant community in this working class neighbourhood close to the harbour. First in the beginning of the 20th century, after an outbreak of the bubonic plague for which the black population was falsely blamed, they were forced to move to their ‘homelands”. In 1966 District Six was declared a white area under the Group Areas Act of 1950, and by 1982 more than 60 000 people were forcibly removed to the Cape Flats. District Six was razed to the ground except for a places of worship, today still standing in the barren land.

The stories, told by former District Six residents in interviews, are personal accounts of life under Apartheid, with pass laws limiting where people could go. But also the resistance against this, like people burning their passes. The struggle of unions and political organisations, like the Non-European Unity Movement rejecting coöperation with the government. But also the stories recalling the vibrant culture, the two cinema’s, the coon carnival, Hanover street running trough the district like its artery.

While District Six itself isn’t much more than a wasteland with a few churches and the CPUT campus on it, it is worth to drive trough, for instance with MyCiTi bus 102. The museum is definitely worth a visit to give an insight in this part of South Africa’s history. And if you are in town beginning of January, the coon festival is a part of the vibrant culture of District Six that is still alive today.

Ocean love

Posted on 2014-02-05 by Princess

I love the ocean and for ocean lovers there is probably no better place then the Cape Peninsula, it has two*. I’ve been in my happy space the last two days. Yesterday at Cape of Good Hope, the Atlantic side, for my first open water freedive. And this morning surfing at Muizenberg, False Bay side, the birthplace of South African surfing.

Learning to freedive has been on my to-do list for a couple of years, and it was only last week, hearing about Trevor Hutton’s courses that I realized Cape Town would be the place to do it. I only found out he has held two world records talking to him during the course.

Monday was spent in the lovely Sea Point Swimming Pool learning to breathe (I’ve done it wrong the whole time), about free diving equipment (not that much, but pretty important) and equalizing (getting the pressure in your ear and in the water equalized, like when you’re in an airplane) and putting it to practice in the water. It turned out I have a good static apnea (almost 3 minutes), but some trouble with equalizing.

Yesterday was the real deal, diving in open water, after driving around to find reasonably clear water (a common effort for divers here), we (Trevor and his spear fishing buddy Craig) got into the water in the Cape Point national park (crossing hartebeest, bontebok, ostriches, baboons, turtles) and in the water at Cape of Good Hope.

Freediving here is not the “yoga freediving” (as Trevor calls it) in its birthplace the Mediterranean, you have to face the elements (Cape of Storms), fauna (sharks) and flora (kelp forest). This being the spot for my first dive at the same time spoiled me, since it’s an amazing place. Swimming under the kelp forest is both amazing and claustrophobic scary. And even though there was only about 1.5 meter swell, I got quite seasick after an hour, which was a first for me.

Despite the seasickness and my equalizing problems keeping me from diving deeper then 5 meters, I have found a new passion, that might come on par with surfing. I will make the best of the 3 months until I fly back to Europe and get as much time as I can under and on the water.

* Any Capetonian will tell you the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet at Cape Point, and not at Cape Agulhas, no matter what Wikipedia says.

Short update from Obz

Posted on 2014-01-29 by Princess

This weeks Wednesday post will be a short one, I’m tired from surfing and don’t have much inspiration.

Got back from Namibia, moved into Obz, where I’m house sitting a friendly Burner’s fab apartment, overlooking Devil’s Peak. Spending even more time on Lower Main Rd, mainly drinking coffee and using the internet at Hello Sailor and bolo’bolo. Went to the Karoo with lovely people, saw a lot of wildlife and even more stars including some shooting stars. Realised I still need to braai a lot before I’m even close to becoming a braai master. Took some more pix with my super cheap plastic fantastic analogue camera (none of that Lomo bull, the real crappy deal) and got my Fairphone underway from Belgium to Cape Town, so expect some pix some time soon. Lovin’ Obz and Salt River (walking home from Woodstock bus station). Doing some paid web development work and soon some paid modeling, so finally feel like I’m earning my stay in South Africa. Thinking more and more about moving to Cape Town for a more permanent stay. That a bout wraps it up for now. Check back next week or subscribe to my blog via e-mail using the form on the right at the bottom. And I’m out!