Let the world slip, we shall ne'er be younger

My arrival in Joburg was accompanied by my first overwhelming experience of jetlag. Or it could have been another strand of delerium resulting from my sighting of Daniel bearing roses at the airport...
Sunday night we dined at the Catz Pyjamas, a favourite from last Johannesburg visit, for the obvious cat theme which includes many and various cat images and a cat-walk of fame: bronze stars lining the stairway inscribed with the names of feline legends such as Sylvester and (Calvin and) Hobbes. We byo'd a delicious South African cab sav which was one of a number of delightful gifts (successfully) designed to seduce me, including a HUGE box of Lindt lindor balls. Was there ever hope of resistance?
On monday we eventually ventured out to Woolworths- a far flashier version than it's Australian namesake- to do some grocery shopping. Amongst other exotic gourmet goodies, this Woolworths sells ONLY vegetarian cheeses. Impressed. We spent the evening preparing a meal for Daniel's brother Matthew, wife Bridget and the digsmates (flatmates) Rene and Jaco. Daniel created once more the most delicious meal i've ever had - sorry Mum- tagliatelle with caramelised onion, aubergine and mushrooms in vegetarian camembert and fetta. Yum. Also probably the most unhealthy meal i've ever had. Daniel claims it is the only meal he knows how to cook. If that's the truly the case, i think i can cope with it. And despite my fear of encountering cricketing enthusiast Matthew post-world cup thrashing of South Africa by Australia, it was a lovely evening. I was neither personally blamed for the SA cricket team's dismal performance nor credited for Ricky Ponting's brilliance. Surely i get credit for appearing to know anything about cricket at all.
Tuesday was a public holiday - Freedom Day, in recognition of ALL South Africans being given the right to vote (only in 1994!). However, Daniel had to go to rehearsal. So i went on another grocery outing, this time with the digsmates, Jaco and Rene, to the less lavish Pick'n'Pay. I got lost in aisles of unusual foods and packaging. The vegetable selection process here is complicated by having to take each different veg to be weighed and priced at a manned station seperate from the check-out counter. It's not easy being green. (And there's no recycling here- Mel you would be traumatised) Furthermore, it quickly became apparent that various other vegetarian staples were not going to be found adorning these shelves. Disheartened by the lack of tofu, vietnamese rice-paper and felafel mix, i was comforted by the vast SA wine selection centrally located in the foodstore, and spent some time there getting acquainted. Meanwhile, having already completed their shopping necessities, Jaco sent Rene on a search and rescue mission for me. Finding me in a haze of new and exciting South African groceries, she led me reluctantly out of the shop with only two bags full. I continued to pass the time until Daniel's return, meal-making with my limited vegetarian resources... The actor returned, we went for a 'sundowner' drink or two at a cosy bar before returning to sup with friends Ally and Linda.
This morning we explored the Museum Africa, an educational and quirky historical gallery housed in an impressive architectural structure with a great layout (i did not get lost). The exhibitions moved through tragedy and inspiration. One display was a replicate shanty house which I found chilling and disturbing considering these tiny dark shacks are standard accomodation for the majority of South Africans. Then there was random uplifting interactive displays, such as the giant kaleidescope into which Daniel and I climbed.
We wandered back through the markets by the Market Theatre where i found Mum her mother's day present (which, in retrospect, happens to be the ONLY South African purchase i made other than food and drink. NB: superior restraint).
Sans rehearsal venue for the afternoon, Daniel, Taryn and Ally are practicing in the backyard while i blog. Later, there is to be a showing of "Dr Collinger's Funeral Service" in the loungeroom.