Christmas in VA & NC...

So this is a bit out of order, but really felt strongly that you all experience these pictures... I mean how often can you get fried bologna, really?

This is just awesome...the dog is real btw!

MILly & DILly...

Cape Town- Day 9 Two Oceans Aquarium...

On our last day in CT...Chris and I visited the Two oceans aquarium. It was interesting to see what animals can live in the conditions of the Atlantic and not the Indian (and vice versa).

Cape Town- Day 8 Buena Vista Social Cafe & Penguin Colony...

Pamela, from Cape Fusion Tours, highly recommended this Cuban bar, which was conveniently around the corner from our hotel, so we finally checked it out. So glad we did, it was truly an amazing experience!

I'll take a single malt scotch please...yes, the one on the top shelf that you have to get a ladder out to get. Looks like no one has drank this for a while...could you please dust off the bottle! Only the best for my baby!

A legal Cuban...

and it was oh so smooth!

Thousands and thousands of penguins...cold chillin in the Indian ocean!

They didn't mind us at all!

Cape Town- Day 7b Gold Restaurant...

Chris and I wanted to get as much local food as possible, so headed out for some entertainment as well at Gold's Restaurant. We started it all off with a drumming lesson!

Chris was pretty good!

Our appetizers...can't remember their names...

The entertainment was well worth it!

Cape Town- Day 7 Cape Fusion tour...

During my research of things to do in Cape Town, I search long and hard for local African Cooking classes. It seems that Cape Fusion Tours is one of the only that provide them and what a service they provide. Pamela picked me up personally and took me to the District 6 (Apartheid) Museum, while giving me it's in-depth history.

This was what a typical home looked like before the destruction. I was, of course, interested in the fact that this was the kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom (the bed is behind me in the corner). There was no stove, simply a gas burner. They got water from the public faucet...

On our way out, we stopped by Charlie's Bakery...you could the sugar in the air coating your skin it was so sweet.

Onward to Langa township outside of CT...it's oldest township. Pictured here are Pamela and Eugene in front of Eziko Restaurant. I won't rant and rave about their amazing grassroots project b/c I've already done so in one of my January entries. So for further information on how these people are changing hundreds of lives see that entry.

Eugene is one of the most enthusiastic foodies I've ever encountered...so much passion for food, for the process, for the ingredients...he's my kind of people!

Pap...called Ugali in Tanzania, but essentially it's white corn polenta, but much drier and more crumbly (I like it better)...

Cooking my lamb stew!

Eugene teaching me how to make the steam dumplings in cabbage leaves...

This is the kitchen for the non-profit school...again, see the other entry for more information.

And here it is...my lamb stew (quite tasty and I'm not a huge fan of lamb).

Semp and beans (my fav). Semp is dried white corn, soaked and cooked for hours till it's the proper consistency. Often they pair it with sugar beans (which are very similar to pinto beans).

blanched butternut squash, sauteed veg and stir fried cabbage and spinach

steam dumplings in cabbage leaves...

We ate family style, with our hands (as it should be...so fun). Eugene was kind enough to share a bottle of wine from a local vineyard (his friend). It didn't even have a label, which is unfortunate b/c it truly was the best red wine I've ever had!

The damage!

Cape Town- Day 6 Winelands tour...

We took a tour of the winelands for half a day and though it was quite rushed and not super organized (not like the Cape Peninsula tour), there were some beautiful sites and tasty wine/cheese.

Cape Town- Day 5 Around the Waterfront...

One of my favorite pictures...as Chris and I approached the waterfront we found two boats, but this one was kicking ass! That coach was relentless!

The Victoria and Alfred Hotel

So this was at a Dutch restaurant...we were looking at trying some exotic beer and this one also had such an exotic glass that I literally had to give my left shoe as a deposit. I ended up not even liking the beer, but Chris sure did. Luckily, he didn't break or steal it, so I got my shoe back.

Cape Town- Day 4 Table Mountain & Beach day...

Katerina, an old co-worker of Chris' from Google Dublin, was in CT the same time we were, so she joined us on another Hop on / Hop off bus tour. She braved a cable car ride up to Table Mountain (she's deathly scared of heights, so was a trooper!)

getting ready for the world cup

a view from the top

going into nothingness

I was pleased to see how thick and sturdy the cables were for the cable cars