When the sun is setting, between dusk and darkness, there is a moment when the light turns blue. And the world stops for a heartbeat.
Cape Town faces the Atlantic, so the water is pretty chilly even in summer. Muizenberg Beach is a popular surfing destination because of the good waves it gets, but any sane surfer wears a wetsuit.
Despite the cold, Kiara and Alanna squeezed every bit of fun out of the waves, sand, and sun in the last hours before heading to the airport. Since they were soaked to the skin and covered in wet sand, we had luckily scheduled time for a shower before starting our trip.
I used to have a bad habit of being late. Luckily Stuart is (possibly) the world’s most patient person. When we started dating, he once waited for me for over an hour in a restaurant where we were supposed to meet. The waiter already gave him a sympathetic ‘I don’t think she is coming, mate’… But already then, Stuart knew me well. I did come.
In recent years, I have found myself to become more and more punctual (although Stuart might disagree). What makes this weird is that South Africa as a culture is highly un-punctual (depending, naturally, on the subculture) – I remember once arriving to a house party 45 min later than the invite indicated, just to surprise the host who had just gotten out of shower. Whereas in Finland, if you arrive 5 minutes late for a dinner, you are late. And should apologise.
I guess I just always have to be different.
Road trips are a travel of choice for Stuart and me – to my mother’s absolute surprise. When I was a child, I could not keep my eyes open for more than 3.5 min in a car – if I was lucky. I still get snoozy occasionally, but luckily Stuart really likes driving. I just try to keep my snoozing limited to the boring bits.
Road trip in Namibia is on our near-future to-do list. One needs a 4×4, but the scenery is sure to be worth it.
Merlin has a real talent in finding mud. After several month of dry season, he still manages to get muddy on almost any walk – and whenever we let him out in the mornings. We have white tile floors in the living room and kitchen, and every paw print is visible – but luckily easy to clean. But let’s not talk about the bedroom carpet.
Day 150 deserves another mini celebration!!
Although I admit that in the past weeks the busy work schedule combined with spring flu has made it difficult to motivate myself for the challenge. But I am still here – maybe in few weeks I will even catch up on posting and editing the photos. And if not, – well – photos don’t have a ‘best before’ date.
Stuart has no sweet-tooth what-so-ever. It sincerely limits my possibilities for baking. I like eating, but there is only so much cake one person can handle. And our freezer can’t take that many chocolate muffins. Therefore, I blame Stuart for the fact that I have never learned to decorate a cake. But I do make good cinnamon buns (thank you Mum!), Karelian Pies (thank you Google!) and an occasional savoury muffin.
About this photo: Stuart doesn’t bake. It is a set-up.
When Stuart and I started dating, he once told me how I made him see the nature in Johannesburg differently again. I was childishly excited how there are flowers blooming around the year – and commented on it non-stop. He had lived here long enough not to see it anymore.
We all need to be reminded sometimes to see what is around us. Luckily there are children aroud. Children and foreign visitors.
It’s easy to find good food in Rome – as long as you avoid the biggest tourist centers. It’s much harder to find good food that is not Pasta Carbonara, Pizza Margarita or Veal Saltimbocca.
Local tasting menu celebrated ingredients from close by – an experience worth every kilo gained.
Fried artichoke is a specialty of the Jewish Ghetto.
In the past few days, I have visited more churches than in the last 3 years combined. Most churches in Rome were built to bring a sense of awe – a job well done! But as with most awe-inspiring things, if you look closer, you find touching, interesting and funny details to bring them close.
Rome is city with over 900 churhes, 200 flavors of gelato and 3000 years of art. It’s a city where a city gate designed by Bernini isn’t necessarily even mentioned in the guidebook. It is hot, crowded, expensive and chaotic. It is breathtaking.
Blue Moment 