Another religion

Monday 26th September

Hout Bay, Cape Town, Western Cape Province

National Assembly

This morning we took a stroll around Cape Town City Centre, passing the parliament and visiting St. George's Cathedral, former seat of Archbishop Desmond Tutu.  Located right next to parliament, it is easy to see what a thorn in the side of the apartheid government this must have been.

But church is not the only religion on the go here.  After lunch, we went to the Springbok Experience, the story of South Africa's love affair with rugby, described throughout as "a religion".

It tells the story from the first Springbok team in 1906, through the separate teams and boycotts of the apartheid era, the formation of the Rugby Union in 1992 and

A piece of Mandela magic

the winning of the 1995 World Cup when Mandela famously appeared on the field in a Springbok cap and Francois Pienaar's number 6 jersey in an inspired moment which united a nation.

There is an area to try out for the Bokke in a series of simulators.  It turns out my fitness is better than expected and I can kick like Patrick Lambie but am possibly the world's worst at passing.

The 'experience' finishes with a passionate 'Our Honour.  Our Heritage' film, which could convert the most sceptical into a Springbok fan.  This is followed with a pint of the local beer, a sip of which reminded me why I don't drink.

Enough said

Perhaps the most amusing part of the museum was the account of South Africa's first game against Scotland, which the Boks won 44-0.  One Scotland fan is quoted as saying, "Forty-four nil, and we were lucky to get the nil!"

Dinner overlooking the V&A Waterfront signalled our last night here, then as if to get us ready for going home, the heavens opened on the drive back round the bay.

One for sorrow?

Saturday 10th September

Manyane, Pilanesberg, North West Province

On visiting Pilanesberg last year, the elephants really stole the show.  This year, we have seen but a few.  In fact, there was not much to be seen at all across the central region - a few impala and the compulsory zebra crossing the road without a hint of irony.

But soon, another driver signalled to us that lions had been spotted in the area.  After making our way to a plateau beside the dam and jostling among the jeeps for space, we got the most magnificent view of a pride of four females with one large-maned male sitting proudly out front.

Lions, Pilanesberg

It's easy to understand why this animal is so admired and feared - it is a glorious sight to behold.  Strong, masterful, majestic - there's no end of clichés for this king of beasts.  It's rather hard to tear ourselves away.

But tear ourselves away we must, for South Africa were about to take on Australia at rugby and we headed back to camp to watch the game on a hastily concocted screen, the single springbok at the side of the road surely a good omen.

One for sorrow?

Alas, not.  Clearly the adage 'one for sorrow' applies to springbok, as South Africa swiftly lost their early lead and were defeated 23-17.  Rugby is close to a religion here, and it was too much for some of our companions to take.  Their violent shouts of "Ag-fuck-man!" said it all.

There's an advert on the radio at the moment which says, "There are two times when it's okay for a boitjie to cry - when the Bokke win and when the Bokke lose" and many such tears were shed this afternoon.

After that, it was back to the game spotting, where rhino were the main sightings - mostly solitary but one large herd of them, which seemed unusual.

Sugar thief

The most amusing scenes were to be found from the restaurant in Pilanesberg Centre, who had placed a salt lick on the veld below their deck.  To our left, a wildebeest and a zebra were fighting over the salt-lick (the wildebeest using its horns, the zebra its hind legs) and to our right, a waiter was trying to tazer the monkeys that were stealing the sachets of sugar.