I truly immersed myself in the lives of my hosts. I visited Di’s office and got a glimpse of Jon’s work as a museum designer. But I also made a donation to the Cultural History Museum of Cape Town, finally delivering a gift that was delayed by just 276 years. The coin was given to me by my host in Lillehammer, Norway.
This morning, Di woke me up, telling me it was time to go. Jon had already left for work and taken Michael to school. After a shower, I joined Tara for breakfast before we headed to her high school.
Tara complained about the school uniforms, which aren’t common where I’m from. Honestly, I think uniforms wouldn’t be a bad idea in Holland either, considering the glaring material differences between students. Some kids can’t afford the latest Nike shoes, which leads to exclusion from the ‘cool’ group. A standard uniform would equalize things and make everyone feel included.
Tara wasn’t completely against the uniforms, but she had an issue with how outdated they were. “They could modernize it a bit to make it more comfortable,” she said.
After dropping her at school, Di drove me around her workplace at the Public Health Department of the University of Cape Town. While she attended a meeting, I spent a few hours using her office’s internet to catch up on some work until Jon picked me up around noon.
I had a mission. Remember my stay in Lillehammer last month? My host, Håvard, gave me a Dutch “5 stuiver” coin from 1724. It was recovered from the wreckage of the VOC ship Akerendam, which sank in a storm near Ålesund in 1725. The ship was on its way to Cape Town, but never made it, and the coins were only discovered in 1972.
My mission? To bring this coin from Norway to Cape Town—276 years late.
Since Jon works in museums, he arranged for the coin to be officially donated to the South African Cultural History Museum. I met Dr. Aron D. Mazel, the museum’s director, and Dr. Helène Vollgraaff, the curator, who graciously accepted the coin. The local press even took some photos for the newspaper. Soon, the coin will be on display in the museum.
Afterward, Jon and I had lunch with Aron at Trisha’s, a popular spot in Cape Town where I had dined before with my previous hosts Ludo and Juanita. Aron, a historical geologist, mentioned how he felt that coins like this one should stay with the shipwreck to represent the full historical story. He had a point.
Following lunch, Jon and I picked up his brother Paul at Woodstock station and headed to the Science Centre in Century City. There, we explored exhibits on gravity, chemistry, architecture, and astronomy—perfect for all ages. We even visited the Camera Obscura, where a lens projected a live panorama of the city onto a white table. We could even zoom in and see a cyclist changing gears!
Next, Jon dropped me off at Brian’s place in Rondebosch, my next hosts location! Brian is a graphic designer for Touchline Media, specializes in sports magazines. He invited me over after seeing me on national television.
Brian’s apartment had a distinct retro 80s vibe, which made sense since his mother had arranged for him to live there after his grandmother passed away.
Sensing my exhaustion, Brian suggested I take a nap. After a two-hour rest, I woke up to find him playing a Nazi-themed video game on his PlayStation. I tried it briefly before we had pasta with dried tomato sauce and decided to head out.
We rode his vintage Vespa to Observatory, a vibrant suburb filled with galleries, cafes, and hairdressers. We ended up at Cool Runnings, an open-air bamboo pub with white sand, where we sipped Guinness and watched fire-spinners perform to the beat of African drums. The relaxed, rhythmic atmosphere was mesmerizing.
While taking photos, I met Jean-Pierre, the event coordinator, who was fascinated by my travels. “You’re living the life I’ve always dreamed of!” he exclaimed. You can find the images here.
Later, Brian and I headed downtown, where I spread my arms as we sped through the cool night air, past palm trees and quiet streets.
We eventually arrived at Long Street, a place I knew well by now. After strolling up and down, we stopped at Mr. Pickwick’s, where Brian treated me to a slice of Cape Town’s famous Hummingbird cake. We talked about reality TV, trading stories from shows like Survivor and Big Brother.
Our night ended at 169 On Long, a bustling R&B club. Inside, people from all walks of life danced to the beats of Destiny’s Child and R. Kelly. But the mood shifted when a male stripper, resembling a miniature Bryan Adams, jumped onto the stage. As soon as he started tying a woman to a chair with his belt, Brian and I made a swift exit.
Back at Brian’s place, I discovered his CD collection and played August and Everything After by Counting Crows, one of my favorite albums.
Brian, ever the gentleman, insisted I take his bed while he slept on the couch. I tried to protest, but he wouldn’t hear it.
Brian’s laid-back attitude is infectious. If everyone were this relaxed, the world would be a better place.
Goodnight, Rondebosch.
Ramon.
