A Quick Intermission

Okay, before I go on with tales of the rest of my week (as so much time and energy was devoted to recounting my time in Khayelitsha), I want to address some past questions and comments.

Joy and Mike: As I told you over and over, I am not on this trip to find the "Big Whopper," nor have I found it! I did, however, have the urge to run off with a waiter named Jacques in Plettenberg Bay (think Abercrombie and Fitch model with long, shaggy hair and a South African accent) but I trusted my better judgment and just tipped him well.

Auntie Lorrie: I am pretty sure I won't be able to sneak a springbok through Customs, though I desperately wish I could. I am, however, quite capable of bringing back some springbok biltong, which I've been told is quite nice tasting, if you're alright with eating something you'd like to keep as a pet (a jumping bambi, as the Westermans have called them). Also, I'm just using my regular Canon digital camera, nothing special. I'm just that talented. More like, it's pretty hard to take a bad picture when what you're taking pictures of happen to be some of the most amazing sights in the world. I can tell you this much, as well as those pictures may have turned out, they most definitely do not do justice to this country.

Uncle Joe: There was no dig involved with my commentary of St. Paul's. It really is an astounding place, and it's nice to see something so positive and beautiful come out of someone believing in something- anything, really- so much. There are very few places in this world, especially so grand in scale, that reaffirm my faith in God, in humanity, in life itself- what can I say, St. Paul's just did it for me.

Eberts: Thanks for keeping an eye on Patches for me... and tell Kendall I don't think I'll be able to bring a baboon home for her, but I'm working on it. Wild animals are hard to get through Customs these days, especially when they're particularly dangerous. And unfortunately, I don't think they make baboon biltong. I'll see what I can do.

To everyone else: I love you and thank you so much for your notes and comments and emails! I get a little homesick every so often (seems that traveling alone makes that happen a whole lot faster), so reading everything from you all has made it that much easier. And now, back to recounting the week...