Aloha meets Ubuntu

photo: Jason Patterson

I first started following the voyage of the Hokule'a last year at the suggestion of a friend who knew how much Vince and I enjoy the sport of sailing. At the time, the Hokule'a had just embarked on a historic leg of their worldwide journey, namely from Hawaii to Cape Town.

Their voyage is significant on many levels, but perhaps most notable is the fact that this particular leg signified the youngest culture (Polynesian) arriving at the cradle of humanity where the oldest cultures of mankind originated. This "reverse-migration" story with people returning to their roots piqued my interest even more than the sailing. I have been tracking the voyage ever since!

The crew of Hokule'a made landfall on the African continent in mid-October arriving in Maputo, Mozambique. From there, they made their way to Richards Bay in South Africa before stopping in Mossel Bay where they visited Pinnacle Point, an archaeological site where some of the oldest known hominin fossils have been unearthed. From there, Hokule'a rounded Cape Agulhas, the southern most point on the continent of Africa.

photo from TEC FB page

Along the way they picked up National Geographic photographer and The Explorers Club Fellow Dan Lin (right) who is from Simons Town, South Africa. Lin and TEC Fellow Nainoa Thompson (left) sailed across the southern tip of Africa and into the Atlantic Ocean aboard the Hokule'a with #ECFlag 124. This marks the first time in known history that a vessel from the Pacific Islands has ever reached the Atlantic.

Hokule'a finally reached Cape Town more than a month after landing in Africa where they were greeted by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in the spirit of Ubuntu for which he is a proponent. I had hoped to be in Cape Town to welcome them too when they arrived in port, but a little thing like moving to Asia at the end of November put the kibosh on that plan. 

However Vince was in Cape Town last week for work (and a stop over at the Royal Cape Yacht Club for a farewell drink in order to watch a friend's son race). He managed at least to make it over to the V&A where the Hokule'a is docked during its stay in Cape Town. The crew was not in to say Aloha to, but Vince kindly took a few pictures of the vessel for me to see. Amazing!



 

"Aloha" is a Hawaiian greeting and farewell that conveys affection, peace, mercy and compassion. "Ubuntu" is a Nguni Bantu term roughly translating to "human kindness." It is an idea from the Southern African region which means literally "human-ness", and is often translated as "humanity towards others", but is often used in a more philosophical sense to mean "the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity. 

I would have loved to have been there to see Aloha meet Ubuntu in person, but unfortunately the timing was just not on my side. I am encouraged though to know that at least it did happen.

 





To read more about the voyage of the Hokule'a check out these articles in:
The New York Times
and
National Geographic.

To track the voyage in real time, visit their website tracker, 

(Please note that the Polynesian Voyaging Society owns the trademark for the image of the voyaging canoe Hōkūle‘a™)

Thanksgiving en Blanc

Le Diner en Blanc (DOB) this year was on the very same day as the annual American Society of South Africa Thanksgiving Dinner as well as the United States Marine Corps Ball in Johannesburg. We were already committed to DOB by the time the other invitations came out and were sorry to have to miss these two special American November celebrations in Johannesburg. So in order to pay homage to all things American, we planned a sort of "Thanksgiving en Blanc" menu for this year's DOB.

Puffed Pastry Cornucopias stuffed with Brie, Marula Jam, Grapes & Macadamia Nuts

New England Clam & White Corn Chowder

  

Asian-inspired Rice Noodle Salad with Turkey

And since DOB Johannesburg was on the same night as DOB Singapore, we gave our turkey course a little Asian spin in honor of our new adopted country. Of course we only used "blanc meat" turkey!

macarons are French!

The best of Asia ... right in our own backyard

I started the evening with a Mango Mai Tai

Can you believe we have finally eaten in the best Asian restaurant in Joburg a mere three weeks away from our departure? Yep. And besides it's being a stone's throw away from Valley Lodge, I have been literally passing by it at least four times a day on the days Vince is in Joburg and I drive him to and fro his office. 

It's our fault really. We have totally taken for granted the low-hanging fruit right in our own backyard and instead have been lured by the more tough to get to restaurants in far-flung locations. But now that time is running out, we are starting to think and act more locally. Case in point, Gwefey Asian Cuisine located in the World Trade Center in Morningside, Sandton. 

Displayed in its windows on the West Road side are the many awards it has received - as one of the Best of Joburg Reader’s Choice Awards - since it opened a scant three years ago. Best Eastern Restaurant. Best Business Lunch Restaurant. Best Romantic Restaurant. And it was named one of the 2014 Eat Out 500​, the power list of the best restaurants across South Africa.


An unlikely place for a fine dining experience, Gwefey Asian Cuisine is located in an elevated atrium at the base of the World Trade Centre on the edge of the Sandton CBD. But its location is probably responsible for its Best Business Lunch Award. It is within sight of several major corporate headquarters such as Investec, Old Mutual and IBM.

I made a dinner reservation to celebrate the end of the EcoMobility World Festival and told Vince to walk on over after work. (It is only about three blocks from his office and about half way home to Valley Lodge.)




Their menu is Pan-Asian with an extensive assortment of dishes from all over the region - Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, etc. and several provinces and cities in China including Sichuan, Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Everything we sampled was really really good! And the Vegetable Spring Rolls were crispy and crunchy just the way I like them. That definitely explains the Best Eastern Restaurant Award.

Shanghai soup dumplings!

Gwefey had all our faves, albeit many with different names. Shanghai Soup Dumplings are called Xiao Long Bao, Singapore Mei Fun are Char Kway Teow, and Sesame Noodles are called Dan Dan. And they have a nice selection of Sichuan specialties to satisfy our collective "spicy tooth" such as the Spicy Shredded Pork, Hot and Sour Soup, and garlicky Sizzling Eggplant we sampled. They have a Tea House downstairs and they do take out and delivery!





The name Gwefey comes from a legend about the controversial love affair between the reigning Chinese Tang Emperor and his son’s ex-wife. Their obsession with each other blinds them to the corruption unfolding around them, and finally the legend culminates in her tragic death and the fall of an Empire. That legend and the gorgeous views may explain the Best Romantic Restaurant accolade. All I know is I'm certainly in love with Gwefey.

And even though we are leaving soon and came rather late to the game with Gwefey, I have to console myself with the fact that we are soon moving to the Best Asian Restaurant in the World. Asia itself!

There are two other locations for Gwefey in the area. There is a Gwefey Tea House with a little gift shop attached in Sandton City and the Gwefey Meeting Spaces are in the Sinosteel Plaza.

Now it's your turn to fall in love with Gwefey ...

Dia de los Muertos @ Salsa

It seemed like there were dozens of Dia de los Muertos parties going on all over Joburg this year. See what happens when Mexican food catches on in South Africa? It becomes a fiesta!

Home altar dedicated to Africa's poached rhinos, ellies and lions

There were parties planned at the Stanley Beer Garden in Braamfontein, Mexicho in Melville and a whole Dia de los Muertos Street Festival at Carfax Newtown in the CBD.

Stanley Beer Garden

It seems everyone wants to go drinking with Saints!

Salsa Mexican Grill in Fourways

We chose to celebrate the dia at Salsa Mexican Grill in Fourways. The Day of the Dead, one of the most important Mexican holidays, is more a celebration of life than a sad and solemn memorial. And since we are in Africa, I used it to celebrate the lives of our rhinos, elephants and lions.

Social media madam Irene & Salsa restaurateur George

Salsa has great food, ...

... great margaritas and cervezas, ...

... and if you didn't paint your face before you came, there were artists on hand to do it for you!

We chose to paint some masks instead (photo courtesy of Irene & Salsa Mexican Grill)

Lou & Serge wore their skeleton costumes for a second night in a row!

Viva Yvonne!

nice ink!

nice wings!

number juan in your hearts!

she painted her face herself and won a prize for it!

viva el chef!

salsa dancing

Photo courtesy of Irene & Salsa Mexican Grill

And we won a prize for best costume!



















It was totally Lou & Serge's doing. They were a hit.

celebration shots!

Thanks Lou & Serge and Salsa!

tabletop altar for the poached animals of Africa

We got an E for Effort for mounting our tabletop altar. (I did transport the Oculto beer with me to SA from Texas for the occasion too. That was a bit of an effort.) 

Save the Rhinos! Save the Elephants! Save the Lions!

my sugar skull purse from Retrospective (Cape Town)

¡Feliz Día de los Muertos!