The second weekend

 

I was so tired Friday afternoon that I just fell asleep on the couch. When I was awake already Steff’s friends were here. It is Party time! Let’s go out! First I thought: "No way". I cannot do anything tonight. There were chatting and laughing a lot. It was a pleasant atmosphere at home. So I decided to fast change my clothes and join them. We headed towards Hout Bay Market, which is  situated on the water’s edge in the old authentic part of Hout Bay Harbour. It was a very busy, but cosy place. You could see here people of all ages and all different cultures together. You could buy here lots of different kind of foods and also cool stuff. I was still surprised about how easy traders were bargaining to make a deal. This is something you don't see often in Holland.

 

Hout Bay Market

Here are also different places with life music which we most enjoyed. Steff said that South African people are working very hard during the week, but they love to go out in the week-end. It was a lovely place, it was a good decision not to stay at home. We were quite late at home and Saturday morning we had to wake up early. I was very excited because we were going to do surfing. I love the sea and all different water sports. I tried surfing before in Holland, but I could feel, I knew that this would be different. Steff already said so many things about the beautiful waves of the ocean. We had a great group with some other exchange students from Herschel and Bischops.  We got wetsuits, because water temperature is quite cold here. After detailed instructions about sharks, warning signs and surfing, we could start to feel the surf board on water. The Ocean here is the place where the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean meet. It is so magnificent, peaceful and awesome. It was a great feeling to be on the waves, the rest of the world disappeared for me. You never really know what is coming. A small wave , or maybe a big one. All you can only hope that when the wave  arrives, you can catch it, you can surf on it.  If it works, you feel freedom, you feel that you are on top of the world. 

 

Ready to go

 

To the waves

 

"On top of the world"

 After this fantastic experience we went home. Almost all exchange students stayed with us and some other friends of Steff came by. We were just all afternoon  “enjoying the art of doing nothing”. We watched a movie and we had fun together. Saturday evening! Party time! It was so amazing good, almost all exchange students were there, dancing and nice food.

Sunday morning we hardly could get out of bed. Around one o’clock the guests arrived. Elise and Andries invited their friends for a garden party. There were at least 30 people. here was a lot of nice food and we grilled some meat. It was beautiful weather so we spend quite a lot of time in the swimming pool. My brother made a joke with me. He said if it is normal to have a party every day in Cape Town, he is going to fly over here tomorrow.