The Annual CAU Employee Day

Friday was CAU's annual Staff Appreciation Day and they took all staff and faculty on a "Party Boat cruise around downtown Miami and Star Island.

I got to experience Latino party culture firsthand. The music and dancing started as soon as we boarded and people stopped only when we arrived back at 3!
I was exhausted and sorely missed having never attended friend Andre Jordaan's Salsa classes back in Cape Town. White men can't jump, and they can't dance with the same rhythm either.

The house on the last picture is one of many celebrity houses on the exclusive Star Island, just of the coast of Downtown Miami. It is reachable only by a small heavily guarded bridge and the inhabitants dish out millions for the privilege to have such an address.


The house on the picture belongs to Shaquille O'Neil. A quaint little 24 bedroom holiday home, with indoor basketball court and other neccesities.

His neighbours, amongst others, are Oprah, Emilio and Gloria Estefan and Sly Stallone. Sarah and I thought of getting a little place of our own on the island, but the groceries are to expensive and you have to go to Downtown for a Starbucks. ;-)

South Africans Going Home

Found this intersting article concerning a new trend in South Africa - a reversed "brain drain". South Africans are returning home in greater numbers, and permanently, it seems.
The upbeat economical climate is propably playing a big part in this.

Click on the link for the Business Report article:

"http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3217932">

Our Trophy by Golly!

We finally received our trophy for our overall win in the Miami Hong Kong races.

A Lot of Hot Air

Saturday - A Hot Air Balloon showcase at the nearby Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport caused for some fantastic viewing early this morning.

Balloon after balloon drifted across the lake close to our apartment and I was able to get some good shots of these colourful blotches in the sky.
It was a fundraising event for the Sunrise Community and I could hear the festivities, the live music and noise from the thousands of spectators nearby. The Sunrise Community is an organization that has been serving people with developmental disabilities since 1969, with the race being held for the past 15 years.

The race itself is not ordinary. It starts with a "hare" balloon that drifts Westwards towards the Everglades. At an allocated spot in the 'Glades he marks the ground with a colorful X. Teams in the "hound" balloons then set off to find the marked spot. Teams then must try to hit the centre with a beanbag attached to a flag. The closest team to the flag wins a cash prize.

The Rise and ... Rise of the Gas Price

The Gas price in Florida rose from $2, 65 to $2,99 yesterday - within the last two weeks.

Retrospeksie na 'n Paasnaweek

'n Dolle, gejaagde, dog geseënde Paasweek lê in die verlede.
Buiten die Ware Goddelike boodskap wat ons kraakvars ontvang het, het ek enkele interessante gewaarwordings gemaak.

Ons kerk - Christ Fellowship - het die stadsbewonders die kerk ingelok met 'n opvoering van die Paasverhaal, vyf opvoerings altesaam. 'n Allemintige groot produksie met 'n professionele regisseur, bykans 200 akteurs en dekor om die asem weg te slaan en les bes, 'n steekse donkie. 'n Gemiddeld van sowat 900 mense het elke opvoering bygewoon.
Voorwaar - in Amerika word alles op groot skaal gedoen.

Ek en Sarah was beide bevoorreg om deel van die produksie te wees. Ek het Barabas die skuimbol gespeel en het elke aand na werk kerk toe gejaag om die troffels grimering te laat opplak voordat ek in geskeurde klere saam met Jesus voor Pontius P. gaan staan het.

Dit was interessant om te sien hoe die eenvormige kleredrag van al die akteurs, aktrises en sangers, sosiale onderskeiding afgebreek het.
Hoe 'n Petrus totaal uit sy aard begin leiding neem en 'n sterk gemeenskapsleier na die agtergrond skuif vir 'n week, as 'n bedelaar.

Vakansietyd en Tyd vir Dink

Dis 6uurDonderdagvakansiedaglangnaweekoggendmoervroeg hier en ek wag vir 'n vriend om my te kom oplaai - ons gaan lyne natmaak hier naby by 'n meer.
Maar daar gaan nie stowwerige droeë rooi grond wees nie. Ook nie lang geel gras, blou berge, bokmis, 'n kenmerkende Afrika-stofreuk, wingerde of 'n ongelooflike rooi son wat vanuit die aarde se buik opstyg nie.
Dis lekker hier in Florida, maar soms proe ek nog die soet na-smaak van 'n ou Bolandse bestaan.
But wait, here comes my fishing partner. "Morning Sirree! Let's go stir up the Hammock's water over yonder...."

Nuus Laagtepunt

Wat is die nuwe benaming vir seks, teen jou sin, maar met jou toestemming ,sonder jou medewete?
JY word geZUMA!

Easter...

The Easter Pageant production will be running five shows this week, including two on Sunday.
Sarah and I both volunteered. We propably won't be home until very late every night, translating into sparse Blog contributions for the next 6 days.
My humblest apologies, and all about that later.

South Beach

I took Sarah on a wee date Sunday night, South Beach.
Ever felt ridiculously out of place somewhere?! I had the same feeling in South Beach as I always had when we visited Clifton, Cape Town, as students.
We walked the bustling Ocean Drive and had a quaint dinner on the sidewalk of the Mambo Club. Dancer's, outdoor swimming pool next to the sidewalk, waiters in strange clothing.
Man, were we ever people watching!

Someone explained to us soon after we arrived in Miami that with all the immigrants in this city, it is a stepping stone to other things for most. In my office there are six people - seven different countries represented. The population evolves, changes all the time.
Miami is a transient city.

A city with a lot of personality, but no soul.