Day Two lov

Internet is not as good as we had hoped so today is really day three ... but who's really counting. Yesterday was business. Once we managed to get out of bed, an accomplishment in itself for both of us... for Maura more than me. I snored so loudly that Maura resorted to earplugs and was tempted to start throwing things while all of her drugs did not manage to knock her out for sufficient periods of time... we stopped for caffeine at the local coffee shoppe ( a caffee americano double for me.. the closest thing to black coffee here .. and a latte for Maura) but no breakfast thinking we'd eat downtown where there was more selection on our way to the archives and national library. We met a young South African woman at the bus stop who was delighted to help us and told us which bus we should connect with next and guided us to it. She was so pleased to help us that neither of us had the heart to tell her that we wanted to stop and eat. She also gave us good advice telling us that in traveling to the outskirts on the train we should take the 3rd class train because it was crowded and the older colored ladies would take care of us and we were much less likely to get robbed. They did not put up with any foolishness. It made me smile and I thought wasn't that true of old ladies everywhere.

The woman in the archives was very helpful and Maura found many items there that were useful and not listed online so she would not know that they were there had she only depended on what she could see online... and she can also get permission to photograph them. There was an older Muslim man beside us that would have been tackled had he been in the British museum . He actually popped the top of a Coke can and sipped it for several minutes before being told in no uncertain terms that drinking was not allowed. About that time, his wife's cell phone went off at full volume. Maura swore that she wouldn't have been surprised had he pulled out a cigarette.

Also, of utmost importance, public toilet.

Having very good fortune at the archives, we headed for the national library, but at this point, we were famished and stopped at a bar for an overpriced but tasty bowl of pea soup (for me) and quiche and salad (for Maura). What  a terrible time for me to be teetotalling it... local draft beer was less than two bucks... the best cheap thing on the menu... I had iced tap water with lemon. (heavy sigh)

I loved the national library. It's old and reminded me a little of McKissick at USC... just in how ancient it is. I loved that library... more the upper floors with the big open windows than the lower dungeon areas... but it all just had such character. It takes 24 hours to get stuff from the special collections and you can only get six items at a time. Maura ordered her six and that's where we are now.

We had hoped to ride the open double decker bus after the library because Maura couldn't do any real work until the next day but it had been cool and drizzly all day so we took the Citi bus to Hout Bay (pronounced Hot) instead. It was a good call. The sun came out although it was still cool and it was a beautiful ride. Once we hit Camps Bay the housing had a Mediterreanean look and feel to it and house were built right into the cliffs which had an amazing amount of vegetation and smooth rock. This is definitely where the moneyed people live. We stopped at the fishmarket although it was not the right time of day to buy. There was an older man there smelling of pot who had fish scraps that he used to attract sea lions to the docks so people could take pictures. He would put the scraps in his mouth and Maura got a video of the sea lion eating out of his mouth. There were several other people with cameras there and he put out his plastic container and people put in 5 rand coins... as in one... which is about 50 cents. I put in two and felt like I had cheated him. That wouldn't even buy a cup of coffee, but was more than any of the others.

 We encountered a lot more beggars downtown today. I remember the lessons of toxic giving I have learned. I seldom make any donations now without researching the organization. (We were asked to make a donation at the swanky hotel as we checked out and had to sign a piece of paper when we didn't give.) The only one that gave me pause was the woman with a child. I did look her in the eye. But I didn't give her money.

We watched the sun go down on the way back and promised ourselves we would return and stop and whales rock and have a coffee or supper as the sun went down on the beach and take a taxi back. This is a beautiful place. I feel fairly certain that we will not have time to see all there is to see.

When we got back, I attempted to wash my hair in the tub with my popcorn bucket. I am lucky I did not rebreak my collarbone. I could not support myself with my right arm enough to sit facing the faucets, which are hot and cold and not mixed... so i had to twist around to fill the bucket and then use one hand to get it over my head... it was so awkward. and for those who are worried i would drown... I did not use the plug. Today I will buy a turban and to hell with my hair.