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day twenty: the market

After we climbed Table Mountain, we went for a lovely afternoon at the local market in Cape Town. (I was so thrilled!) It was a festive place with beautiful things. If you don't believe me, take a look for yourselves! I love these colorful bracelets that Amy captured.





This baby's name was Courage. Adriana asked his mom if she could have him!

president's way
























In honor of president's day today, I love this picture I took at the Smithsonian this past summer in Washington DC. Hope you are enjoying celebrating our presidents today as much as I am!

day nineteen: thanksgiving turkey

Because we were in Capetown on Thanksgiving day (and, because we had just hiked a gigantic mountain), we wanted a little turkey - even if it was just luncheon meat - to celebrate our American holiday. So, we ate turkey! Albeit one slice each, I felt like I had adequately celebrated!























day eighteen: table mountain

I like to think of myself as a hiker. Intermediate, if I was forced to choose. (In reality, that may be a stretch.) But, no doubt, I can hold my own going up a mountain... as long as the mountain isn't too difficult. But in this case, I ate (only) a huge slice of triple chocolate mousse cake for breakfast (yes, breakfast. but don't judge...it was my birthday! post on that coming later) before starting the hike, plus something about an altitude difference, lots of wind and mildly strenuous rock climbing and this birthday girl wasn't too sure about what she had signed up for with this Table Mountain hike (aka, Turkey Hike in honor of our Thanksgiving Day). There were a few times I wondered if I was going to live to see 26 years + 1 day. Nah, I'm mostly kidding... but kinda serious. However, I kept plugging and chugging and when I made it to the top, I knew why I had pushed forward: I unknowingly was surging ahead to the most beautiful views my eyes had ever beheld. See for yourself.

(fyi, this is what Table Mountain looks like: click here. It's literally flat on top, like a huge table.)





a sign posted at the top of the mountain


a dassie





is that beauty or what?!





















day seventeen: camera pics

On my camera alone, I came back with 1,065+ pictures. 

We all shared pictures, and from the most I can tell, here is a count of *some* of the others' photos:

Bethany: 600+, Liz: 275 ish, Kara: 390+, and Adriana: who even knows, but a lot!

From just the four people I listed, that's over 2,300 pictures! I'm lucky my computer hasn't totally crashed yet, and here's to hoping that it won't. Nevertheless, we had a great time snapping pics of the breathtaking scenery and landscape (and people!) we saw while we were there. We also had a fun time taking lots of pictures of us taking pictures (?). It seems odd, yet I like to think it's 'artsy'. As I looked through the thousands of photos when I returned, I couldn't believe how many we had of our team members just posing with a camera! I love it.









day sixteen: the team























Meet the Team:

Top Photo: All the girls on our team! 
Amy, Katherine, Bethany, Lindy, Leah, Liz, Kara
 Joanna, Erin, me, Adriana

Bottom Photo: All the guys on our team!
Jeff, David, Ricky, Harrison and Scott

We had a pretty darn special team! We are gelled and meshed together like we had been friends for years. This was my first mission trip, so it seemed great to me, but according to others even this was a supernatural and exceptional blessing. We had so much fun together and all really enjoyed each other's company and being on this adventure to Africa together. It was many of our first time to Africa, so that became a special memory for us. I would do it all over again!

day fifteen: Arise

We visited an after-school kids club while in Capetown called Arise. We were able to spend the whole day at Arise helping to prepare for the afternoon program and also getting acquainted with the mission of the organization. Arise ministers to vulnerable and at-risk children in the neighborhood and surrounding communities. Brigitte, one of the sweet workers there, told us that children walk from far, far away to come to the after school program here. What a blessing that is! The organization and this experience sure was a blessing to me.

































































(Arise had a policy that we couldn't take photos of the kids there and/or post them online, so the few we were allowed to take, I'm not allowed to share. I wish you could see their adorable faces!)

day fourteen: south african money

I'm not totally sure why, but I was completely enamored and in love with the South African paper currency (and coins, too). All of the money had safari animals on them! You can barely see in this photo, but the 2 rand coin is a picture of a kudu. 






















You can see more examples of the money with animals on it: here!

day thirteen: capetown scenery (& beauty)

These pictures speak for themselves. I had a few "extra" that I wanted to share, but that didn't fit into the categories of the other posts - previous or coming. They sure are beautiful!






(photo courtesy of Bethany) 


























I love the brightly painted walls in the picture.