This weekend was pretty good overall. I was feeling a little under the weather so I didn't go out fri or sat night. Saturday I decided to try to finally see some museums. I went to the District Six museum first. It was interesting to learn about this specific aspect to aparteid. District Six was a large diverse community in Cape Town where the people were forced to move out so the wealthy white community could move in and be part of the suburbs. The museum had a map on the floor of where district six was located and it looked like people who had lived in district six came back and wrote in their family name of exactly where they lived. It's a small museum, but had a lot of personal accounts and pictures.
Next I went to the SA National Museum, which is their art museum. I lucked out and went on a day when there was a new exhibit opening. I was just walking through a photography area and ended up coming in right as someone was about to present the new show opening. I got to see the new exhibit which was interesting, but not amazing. It was basically about the artist and his exploration of what it's like for people to grow up without knowing who their fathers are. It had a lot of video elements to it which was cool. I think the space it was in made it difficult to really see all of it because there were so many people walking in front of projectors etc... I think you'd need to really stand and listen to the entire thing. But anyways, there was a little reception in a courtyard area, so I helped myself some little snacks they had. I probably looked a bit out of place, but it worked out.
Then I went to the Planetarium which is combined w/ their regular south african museum. It reminded me of a small scale version of the field museum in chicago. I had good time once again because I walked in just as the Planetarium was having a show and I was able to get a student discount, so for a bit over a dollar I got to see one. Much better deal than any of the museums in chicago. Anyways, the show was interesting because they focused on the sky from the view from Cape Town. There are certain things you'll see here that won't see at home like the southern cross. They also said that Table Mountain is the only land mass that is represented as a constellation. It's not called table mountain, but that's what it's of. After the show i walked around a bit, but it was all pretty boring to me.
The whole area there is around parliament and there's a big garden area and really nice walking street that the government gardens and museums run along. I went to the Slave Lodge because I heard it was a good museum, but all the doors were locked. I know they're open on Saturdays, but I couldn't figure out how to get in if they were. I also need to go to the SA Jewish Museum/Holocaust Museum, but those will never be open on Saturdays. All in all it was a good day and I'm glad I checked them out.
Today a bunch of us went to Strandkombuis restaurant which is a fish braai/beach kitchen buffet. It was basically four hours of hanging out and eating food. They had amazing home made bread at the beginning which I of course stuffed myself with. I was a little full for the main food, but it was still good. Now I'm just back at the apt. digesting for a while. I feel really lazy since I didn't go out fri and sat night, but I guess it's better to get over my cold. Not sure what's going on this week/next weekend yet, but I need to start making sure I get everything in that I want before my time here runs out.
