Cape Town - Week 4

So, where to begin this week? While nothing significant occurred during my 4th week in Cape Town, it was still 7 days of memorable moments, pictures, and anything else that doesn’t fall into the moment and/or picture category (maybe thoughts?) Let’s start with the “job”:

After a successful cupcake photo shoot (the release was delayed one week, although hopefully will be featured in this Tuesday’s paper), I was contacted again for two additional shoots:

1. Raw Chocolate Seminar – In sticking with the food trend brought about by my experience with cupcakes, I was invited to attend a “healthy eating workshop” with the main topic of interest: raw chocolate. For about 3 hours, I photographed, as well as participated in an all-you-can-eat, all-you-can-learn tutorial regarding raw chocolate. Raw cacao beans. All natural chocolate shakes, chocolate mousse, chocolate cookies and chocolate cake. All provided free-of-charge (and free-of-taste) to myself, and the other 14 female participants to which the event catered. Although the food actually was quite tasty, it has officially killed my sleep cycle, as after the session, I was as amped up as a baboon on crack (I imagine the combination would create quite a crazy scene).

2. Massage Therapies – A drastic move away from consumable goods, I was thrown into a new genre of photography: the world of technology-enhanced massage products. The first product was a handheld massage tool which I photographed as it worked the lower ass of one of the day spa workers (it’s strange how many different angles I needed for this shoot). : ) I would have enjoyed myself more, but I was still worn out from the nice 15-minute jog I had taken that morning, as the trusty battery in the Green Monster decided to cease working -- even the AAA man was amazed by the fact that it had lasted so long as the battery was as lifeless as the Notre Dame football team – ba da bing, good one me!

After taking pictures of the ass-master, I was onto the second product of the day, an electronic massage bed, imported from Asia, that probably was as comfortable as the concrete floor on which it lay. Although I was provided a free session on the massage bed (hello more non-monetary payment!), I felt as if every bone in my back had been fractured in a slow, rhythmic pace. And the pictures did not turn out well at all. But, at least I had the 45 minute walk home to look forward to thanks to my trusty and reliable oversized lawnmower.

Aside from work, the rest of my week was primarily composed of more visits to the beach, teaching foreigners how to throw an American football, and of course, visiting various bars and clubs to fulfill my alcoholic desires (just kidding Mom… well… kinda…) : )

- Monday Night – My newly-found group of friends (two South Africans and an Israeli ex-pat) took me out to a bar called Mercury, a place known for its great live music, chill atmosphere, and of course girls that are actually willing to talk with you for more than 3 seconds (one of the 1st females with which I spoke to in Cape Town provided me with a just a taste of the reputation for which Cape Tonian women are infamous – “Get the f*ck away from me! I said get the f*ck away!!” – she was very sweet, definitely a take-home-to-mom type of girl). Well, after combining an hour of foosball, nonstop American rock music, and some hilarious pictures, I officially had set the bar for one of my best nights out in Cape Town. Hello Monday-night routine.

- Thursday Night – My 2nd night out was a bit more chill, as I attended my first, and quite possibly last, comedy show in South Africa. With half the jokes in either Afrikaans or in reference to a Zimbabwean/Nigerian custom of which I’ve never heard, I sat there utterly confused. Unable to determine whether or not a joke was funny, in the English language, or even ok to laugh at due to its incredibly racist nature (the phrase “politically correct” definitely missed the trip over here), I was thrilled when the final act came to an end. Although the night did not start off well, it ended on a positive note, as I attempted to teach “American dance moves” (whatever those are) to a group of locals as the song “Put Your Hands Up For Detroit” blared in the background. You can let the pictures below tell the rest of the story.

- Saturday Night – Saturday brought along the most interesting night, as I welcomed three “first-time” experiences in Cape Town:

1. Braiing – Quite possibly one of the most famous social gatherings in South Africa, a braii is a BBQ. Just that. Different name. Same food (for the most part). Enough said.

2. Suburbia Gone Wild – Traveling to Kevin’s friends house in Century City for the braii, I received my first taste of suburbia taken to the extreme. Just imagine a new-home development on the outskirts of a city, yet building it to support a community of 1,000,000. With endless mazes and mazes of roads, identical-looking houses, and shops galore, Century City had everything. Hell, it even had its own amusement park! All within a single, enormous, confined wall. Insane.

3. Foot Skating - One of the fastest growing sports in all of South Africa, foot skating involves skateboarding without a board (since supposedly some extremely poor South Africans attempted to join a skateboarding competition, but could not afford to buy a board… its ok to laugh). Alike to the American version of “freestyle walking,” the sport involves, walking, running and jumping off anything in sight, while attempting to look as “Tony Hawk” as possible. Any fellow companion of mine at Brad Thompson’s 7th grade sleepovers in which we snuck downtown during the night to partake in such actions would be more than proud.

After some intense grinding, 180, foot grab action, we ended up at a great club on the outskirts of the city, and rest is history (aside from the pictures of course).

Onto this weeks lesson:

“Learn me something something about South Africa.”

This Week's Topic: Walking

To the left? To the right? I have no idea… still can’t seem to figure it out. Walking is probably the most difficult part of my day, as everyone just seems to run into each other. There is no motion or signal, that indicates the direction that each person will take. Instead, an invisible magnet pulling everyone directly into eachothers vicinity. Even locals have confirmed that it is a part of life here, and just must be accepted. I've also been told that it's not that big of an issue, and that the only reason Americans notice it is because "you are always in a rush to go make money, so you are forced to avoid anything that could slow you down, and prevent you from even more money." (gotta love what the world thinks of us). :)

Onto the pics...

	Some intense foosball action at Mercury
	Becoming friendly with the locals
	I know, I'm kinda fine
	Teaching some of my infamous dance moves
	Foot Skating 101
	I don't know what it is about me trying on various head-related pieces of random girls, but I think it suits me well
	Raw Chocolate Session -- notice my ability to capture the action of chocolate mousse production -- a skill that many photographers spend their entire lives attempting to find
	Raw Chocolate (aka legal crack)
	The Ass Master 2000

Next Week: This section is getting a bit pointless, as I really never know what awaits me in the week ahead.