Contrasts

I am struck by the contrasts of beauty and ugliness here in South Africa:

This is Brenton-on-Sea, a beautiful beach area that one is safe to enjoy, but only during the day, and only if one is with others. At other places we are instructed to please enjoy the beautiful cliff walks into town, but don't go after dark, don't go alone, and don't take valuables with you. Same in the towns and cities. Don't take an evening stroll around your neighborhood, don't take the train, don't drive through areas with townships, don't stop on the freeway as it is a high crime area (by airport). Don't stop at traffic lights in certain areas, drive through the red light if clear. Keep your windows rolled up and doors locked. These admonitions are from the tourist literature and the government! People lock themselves in their homes with their alarms and razor wire. Sad really.

 Electric fences are common in Cape Town.

 Razor wire and barbed wire is everywhere. It is odd the house that doesn't have it or spikes.

And everyone has an armed guard security service sign. We frequently see the ADT guards driving around in their vans with their flak jackets on. The armed guards adding money to ATM machines have machine gun toting guards stationed around the machines as they are filled.

We are in Fish Hoek now. It is supposedly one of the safer areas in the Cape Town region. Less razor wire, so that is good.

On a more uplifting note, here are two pictures:

Kirsty holding up a rock in Tsitsikamma National Park.

Locals fishing at Brenton-on-Sea.

Peace my friends!