Califonia

It is uncanny how much the Stanford campus reminds me of the University of the Western Cape. It is the blue gum trees.

Today, I realized that it is time to move ahead and to leave broken dreams to melt and to be recast. New adventures beckon.

A sanctuary. a monastery, a moment's heart beat.

The one where I am almost back on Kloof Street

As the aircraft prepares for landing, I can feel the anticipation rising. Although I am sure that Kloof Street will still be there (duh!), I am excited to see what has changed. I am not a Kloof Street resident any longer, but I will notice EVERYTHING! The sad news is that my beloved cell phone camera died during my embarrassing bicycle crash two weeks ago. The camera on the smart camera, inherited from The Abraham, is permanently set to add a sepia-esque hue to everything.

Estimated date of arrival: 4 Ocotber 2010. (But first London, back to Uppsala, a ride on the Gautrain... )

[Attached please find a recent photo]

Not quite Kloof Street (Part I)

I love Uppsala. There I said it!

In the mornings I have an inspirational walk past the majestic cathedral, University buildings, castle and botanical gardens to work (all covered in sparkling snow). My one complaint: I cannot seem to adapt to the coffee... Is it me? Probably. Is it possible for me to adapt? Unlikely.

My approach to the problem was two-fold:

1. Find good prepared coffee (i.e. I do not make it myself)

2. Find good beans (i.e. I prepare the coffee myself)

How fortunate that I am at the moment living one block from Ofvandahls, an Uppsala institution. The espresso had adequate crema and with a surprisingly acceptable aftertaste. And at SEK23 for a double espresso, this could be come my new morning coffee :-)

Beans, well, I asked/pleaded with Braamie to bring some from Origin Coffee Roasting in Cape Town (perhaps even Africa's Cup of Gold!). The attendant at the local Böner & Blad recommended I try El Salvador Bourbon Estate. My first pot resulted in mixed feelings - but to be honest I prepared it too weak...

More coffee hunting will follow...

The one with almost last post...

Today is the last day that we occupy the apartment on Kloof Street. I asked Braamie to take a last photo. Four years were way too short. I could do with a lifetime on Kloof Street. Although I felt protected from the woes of the world in my little patch of paradise, I have witnesses the ripples of the current economic downturn on Kloof Street. If you ever go to Cape Town, be sure to visit some of the places that I have written about, gaze up in wonder at Table Mountain as you drive/walk up the street and experience the energy that is uniquely Cape Town. I cried while I was writing this... not of sorrow, but just because I am letting go.

The one with the second last post

So, with five days left on Kloof Street, I managed to create a Facebook group (yeah, you can guess the group's name) and will transfer the blog contents over the weekend.

The one with all the closures

The bad news first:

Naked... gone

Seattle Coffee... gone

Rozenhof... GONE!!

Iron Fist... gone?

Some potential good news:

Hudsons - The Burger Joint

(Braamie and I had burgers there on Monday - good meat and the double-fried fries were unexpected, but they do sell a 'local' beer. When asked for comments, we did mention that the music was way too loud, but the waitress cleverly remarked that it was to drown out the noise from the table with the birthday party (with children). Score?)

Sumo

(Closed on a Saturday afternoon at 15:30)

The Opal Lounge... Manolo's renamed?
(Will never forget how scary that place was. I felt so intimidated by its sheer trendiness.)

Some really, really good news:

The Java Lounge is serving Origin Coffee :-)

The one with the Amazing Amazi pancakes

Received an email from my dad last Sunday:

Hello Janssoon,

Terwyl jy en die groote Bengel /Pieter-Louis sit en skaak speel tik ek gou die A(mazing) A(mazi) resep in. Onthou die Amazi is 'n geheime ingredient,want dis eintlik 'n v d Merwe suurmelk pannekoek resep wat Mimzy by haar Tant Johanna van oom Fanie Crouse gekry het.Hulle oorkant ons in Van Zylstraat in Universitas gebly voordat ons na Whitesweg 27 getrek het.Hulle dahlias was iets om te sien en oom Fanie had baie voeltjies in groot hokke in hulle agterplaas.Nadat hulle 2 maal getrek het het hulle in Aandrus in Haldonweg gaan bly.

2 koppies meelblom

1 teelepel bakpoeier

1/2 teelepel sout

2 eetlepels suiker

2 koppies suurmelk/amazi

1 teelepel koeksoda

2 geklitste eiers

1 teelepel gesmelte botter

Blus die koeksoda in die melk/amazi,meng met eiers en gesmelte botter

Voeg droe bestandele by en meng goed

Bak met olie of botter in klein bakpannetjie of in n groot pan deur die deeg in die rondte te gooi van die middel af tot teen die rand van die pan

Die pannekoeke is redelik dik en neem n tydjie om gaar te word. Bedien met enige bolaag bv konfyt of stroop met gerasperde kaas,of roomys of maaskaas of oxo of geurige maalvleis of hoender of...of...

Kan vooraf berei word en in yskas/vrieskas gehou word tot verorbering.

So, checking gmail on my cell phone, Deon made the batter and the pancakes :-)

Hello Kloof Street

And I am back...

As soon as the rain stops, I will investigate Sumo and that new hamburger restaurant..

Was Jimmy killed by a bad prawn?