Life has been busy...

...it's a serious under-statement. Life has been HECTIC!! Both socially and at work. I'm exhausted and the holiday season's only just starting. I can't wait for some time off between Christmas & New Year (our offices are closing). Anyway, I just haven't had any free time to do blogging, so I'm really sorry to all my regular readers. To make up for it, I've got hundreds of pictures and bits to share here - I think I'll split things up into a few different posts, instead of doing one long one. That way I can do them over a few days...

I'll start with the weekend. Last weekend. On Friday night, Jake & I went with my folks and some family friends to see the Cape Town Military Tattoo. We went last year as well and Jake had thoroughly enjoyed it then. It's held at the Castle of Good Hope, which was originally built as a fort in 1666, replacing a small clay & timber fort built by Jan van Riebeek after his 'discovery' of the Cape in 1952 (http://www.places.co.za/html/ct_castle.html - for those of you who'd like to check up further history of the place). It's always fun visiting there and I remember so vividly school outings to the castle's dungeons.

Less chatter, more pictures...

The castle moat around, with a view over part of the city...

This is the main entrance to the castle - it reminds me so much of Greece, for some reason...

The flags flying proudly on the castle wall in front of Table Mountain (gorgeous, isn't it?). Honestly, I don't know what all these flags represent. The first one (on the left) is the New South African Flag (adopted in April 1994). it's followed by the old South African Flag (I didn't know we were still allowed to fly that one) and then the Union Jack. The next one is red, white & blue striped, which, on the internet, is described as the Netherlands flag. I don't know what the next Union Jack-type flag is and the last one is orange, white and blue - this is the one I thought to be the Netherlands flag, but apparently isn't. Anyone else know?

I love this photo, with the British flag flying behind an old military vehicle as it leaves the castle...

The image was a bit spoiled when the driver whipped out his cell phone...

Jake wouldn't pose for the photo, so I did. Somehow (gladly), I don't really fit the part, do I??

This is inside the castle grounds. We were there really early...

A modestly naked man at the castle. Neptune - he looks like he's falling apart...

My dad took Jake on a little walk to check out all the machinery that I wasn't interested in...

And the trucks...

The music was great and it was a super, cultural experience for Jake. He's not wild about the canon fire and wanted to go home when they started that. Actually, at one point there was a little mock war scene with crackers going off and people pretending to get wounded. Jake was quite concerned and at one point yelled out at me "they're gonna get us killed here"... This piper is Tony. He works with my dad and is the lead piper (or whatever he's called). He played the pipes at my wedding...

Another one of my dad's photos (I got into trouble for using a picture of his on my blog without giving him credit a while back)...

We also had a visit from the Minstrels or Kaapse Klopse, which Jake thoroughly enjoyed. 2nd Jan is an unwritten holiday in Cape Town, the minstrels celebrate the arrival of the new year with a parade through the city streets every 2 Jan. I must try get there with Jake this year... The lone piper (Tony again)...

I'm sure that we'll be back in the stands again next year, it was really a great evening out. As shocking as it sounds, I just need make sure I learn the words to our "new" (1994) national anthem before then. It was quite embarrassing sitting in the front row, with various militants standing in front of me and not being able to sing the first part of the song. I know the Afrikaans & English parts, which are parts of our old anthem and we learnt these at school, but the Xhosa section is foreign to me. I keep saying I'll learn it when Jake goes to school, but I don't think I can wait that long. It's actually a very pretty song, a prayer - the words for those of you who don't know it, are: Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo, Yizwa imithandazo yethu, Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo. Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso, O fedise dintwa la matshwenyeho, O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso, Setjhaba sa South Afrika - South Afrika. Uit die blou van onse hemel, Uit die diepte van ons see, Oor ons ewige gebergtes, Waar die kranse antwoord gee, Sounds the call to come together, And united we shall stand, Let us live and strive for freedom, In South Africa our land. This translates to: Lord, bless Africa May her spirit rise high up Hear thou our prayers Lord bless us. Lord, bless Africa Banish wars and strife Lord, bless our nation Of South Africa. Ringing out from our blue heavens From our deep seas breaking round Over everlasting mountains Where the echoing crags resound ...

Go learn it... XXX