Nella terra del cielo

 

18 / 9: THE CAPE PENINSULA

Here there is more sky than you've ever seen, flat horizons and blue, or frasta-gliati of hills that confuse distances. Land that is filled with light and is the solitude, magnificent and Meschi-na. ( 'Free state', F. D. Sinclair).

It takes a night flight to arrive in South Africa. We are over Cape Town at eight one morning fosca but sunny. The Boeing 747 landed on the wet track, which reveals traces of rain recently: although here is just beginning in the spring, will be the first and only witness of rainwater for all 14 days of our vacation. Cape airport is small, tidy and orderly, and even if the attendant of the airport, the customs police and employees of Hertz that we deliver the Opel Corsa hired are all strict-tion of color, there seems to be just landed at an airport in Africa, but rather in a quiet town in northern Europe.
The first impression, however, is often the wrong one, and this time it crumbles just emerged from the airport. The highway connecting the airport to the city along a huge slum in fact, one of those notorious ghettos to which so much was heard during the period of apartheid.
An impressive series of huts, constructed of wood, cardboard, and metal laminate, etc., enclosed within a high fence that does not impede the view for those in transit along the way. A shocking vision to which we were not prepared, we knew that this would not be a journey like the others, that racial segregation was abolished by even ten years and the country is still torn by internal conflicts far from resolved. But what we did not know, and we discovered perto quickly is that the discrimi-nation gave birth to a disegua social equality and economic (everything, of course, in favor of whites) that only time, perhaps, will heal. After several miles, finally left behind the poor vision, following the directions or send us via e-mail and skirting the south of the city, we find the B & B (bed and breakfast, booked through the net) of Hout Bay, a small town located at 10 kilometers from Cape Town is a lovely building, of wood and brick, built in the middle of a cold and wet woods. How wet and cold is our room. Before leaving for the Cape Peninsula, our initial goal, we leave backpacks and turn the electric heater to ensure a return to more tepid.
Trying to remember here is that driving on the left, throw the car to the south, towards the Cape of Good Hope. After 20 kilometers even a sign announcing that we have entered the natural reserve of Capo. It does not seem possible, because all around us there are cars, houses and even the railway. But after a curve we give up the truth: a group of baboons is parked on the side of the road. Small play jumping everywhere, while the adults if they are quiet, seated nell'erba low. We stop to picture them closer and they will not run away, evidently accustomed to humans. Digested the emotion and exhaustion shots, we return to the car. But there is a problem: the passenger seat is occupied by a male baboon, which came through the window left down. Are you rummage in backpacks, looking for food that fortunately does not exist. Virna the closer, opens the door and try to do this fall, but the reaction is not encouraging: stretches a paw and try to hit him, or perhaps just grab. For us it is enough, and to avoid a fight be the least uncertain, there-niamo away. In what seems to us a safe distance waiting for its decisions, which are not slow: even after five minutes down the car and decides to devote all his attention to the hair of a female, who takes a sifting carefully.
Leave the monkeys start to the peninsula. Other two curves and a sign warns: "The baboons are dangerous and are attracted by food. Interesting.
Another 20 km and arrive in Cape of Good Hope, Cape of Good Hope. Certainly for the name on encouraging, with the imagination I have always opposed to the terrible Cape Horn, but now I dare not think what could be the tip silver-na here if the lighthouse overlooking the sea on a dark and evil, which is bubbling against coast and explodes on an expanse of rocks. One worrying scenario, but also made extraordinary by the conscious awareness that is the (theoretical), where two oceans meet: the Atlantic and Indian Ocean. In par-parking, meanwhile, some baboon enjoys jumping on the machine it: but we, this time, it is closed.
After night fell in the air, the barracks, baboons and Cape Point: the first day we can be satisfied, because we also slightly 'cooked. But is not yet over. Going back to Hout Bay cross Simon's Town: here a striking stretch of coastline, which alternates between smooth rocks and a huge white sandy beaches, is home to a colony of African penguins. Animals are funny, decidedly smaller than those antartici seen many times on TV, which is set to tie up when they close. Better, however, does not exaggerate: Virna, having tasted the beak of a specimen definitely touchy, probably do not remember anymore. The first day of South Africa concludes with a dinner of fish consumed in a restaurant in Simon's Town: on the front door a haunting "Right admission to reserve" with which the owner reserves the right to enter those who believe. Inside the room, run by people of Dutch origin, there was even a black, but I could swear that the two things we would necessarily be made. The suspect, however, I brought up at home, these warnings because we found them a little 'everywhere.

9 / 9: CAPE TOWN

We dedicate the second day to visit Cape Town. What we see now to what it is: wonderful. Clean and orderly, with very little traffic, alternating buildings Victorian home clearly a very recent construction, African craft markets internet cafe. But more striking, of course, are the mountains. The most varied forms, flat as the "Table" or pointed as the 'Lion's head, their feet are extended to the sea, dividing the city into different sectors and give a particular charm. Wherever we look see thee lie above these majestic massif-ci.
To do a full tour of the city take a bus out, two-storey, red like those Londoners: brings us up to Water-front (just above the port, a tourist area full of shops) and then to "Signal Hill, a hill from which one sees "Robben Island, the island that for 25 years has been the prison of Nelson Mandela and is now a museum. After the ride, sitting on a bench we decide to refresh with water and chocolate-lata, but two children are approaching. "We thirst", they say, and we can not give him anything to drink. "Even starvation, stress. And part is the chocolate. Go away smiling, while my stomach rumbling. Consciousness un po 'meno. The road that takes us back to Hout Bay along a stretch of beautiful coastline, pure tourist. The sea is fantastic and the beaches as well, but the temperature could only encourage the penguins.

20-21/9: GARDEN ROUTE

Hermanus, on the day of disappointed with. The bay that more of each other like the whales and then the tourists is about 150 kilometers from Hout Bay. The road is beautiful, all overlooking the sea, but also hard when we arrive venia informed that there are more than 20 whales in the bay. Are visible from the ground and, of course, the best boats that fee, you bring near the whales. Because despite the hysterical screams of the other tourists from the shore we can see only spray (whales? Rocks? Waves?, Also does not help the binoculars), we opt for the boat, the same one that took Steffy Graf, show the photos displayed in ' office where you book. But do not go anywhere: despite two hours of waiting is too much wind and the boat that we should bring out even fails to return to port.
While back I think we have wasted a day and 300 kilometers (our car is not unlimited mileage), but then on the coast a colony of penguins, that's shoot abundantly serves to console us.
After the third and final day at the Cape, we move towards the east. We wander around the Western Cape, one of nine regions in South Africa, along the legendary (at least as defined here) 'Garden Route'. As the name should be more than 300 kilometers of forests, flowers (on all the "Protea"), trees and manicured gardens, but perhaps the true flowering has not yet arrived, because the landscape, though beautiful, we feel the same admiration also in other areas. Sleep in Knysna, a small village on the sea, where for the first time we are told that you can walk and run, the crime is under control. Actually do not see no ghetto, and when we go out to do a tour all seems tranquil-lo, for crossing the street look with a lady of color, and smile. I reciprocate with a shrill "Jesus loves you."

22-23/9: EASTERN CAPE

Knysna to leave early, see that the temperature is changing. Loni trousers wear shorts and t-shirts for the first time, and when we get the 'Tsitsikamma Forest, before it has not met a flock of ostriches, is even warm. E 'a natural park that winds along a beautiful coastline and rough, with fjords alternating with white beaches. Tourists brave bathing water are transparent and cold, but I'm going to give up only with the feet. It is enough for me.
In the early afternoon start, and after about 250 kilometers viam arrived at King William's Town. Although the name is a predominantly black city, the first we encounter. Maintained by blacks and the B & B accommodation, but more than in Africa in 2000, this building shows origins so British that it seems to be in London in 1850, and also the lady that hosts may have been transplanted from another era. For ways and natural features like the Mumy of "Gone With the Wind", and is obviously concern for our cupata thinness, because in the evening cooking rice, chicken stew, sformato broccoli, baked potatoes and pudding, annaf-fiando with wine, fruit juice and water. The bill? 50 rand, about 15,000 pounds each.
In the morning we start a little 'worried, because we are facing the hardest task of all travel-Thu: cross the Eastern Cape, former Transkei, a poor and arid region, inhabited only by people of color and an ethnic Xhosa. Approximately 600 kilometers, but most are concerned about the road conditions, that two British popular earlier in the evening we have described disastrous. "You will come to Umtata (only 250 kilometers below), profe-Tizzano with the only result of frightened. But exaggerated, because we in the capital before noon, after having dealt with only one dirt road 16 km long and some limited stop forced. Umtata is strangely beautiful in the suburbs and a real chaos in the central area: people everywhere, but mainly dirt, construc-tion falling, machines break. Devastated even the "Protea Hotel", despite belonging to one of the chains of the most renowned hotels in South Africa. Not bad idea and our way of making a mistake and putting in some kind of crowded market. We have to maneuver in the midst of hundreds of people: I feel all eyes on him and I do not deny that he had a thrill (Umtata driving down one of the poorest and most dangerous in South Africa). But more than anything else, I realize that it has aroused surprise, perhaps a po 'of ironic compassion.
Umtata After the machine runs fast towards Kokstad, which ends on the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal begins. But there are still over 300 km, along readmission in the middle of a hilly region, a succession of pastures where goats, sheep and cows alternate with villages of houses and huts circular, with the roof. Perhaps poverty is the same, but I see better living conditions and more dignity in these villages in the slums that adorn the suburbs of each city. The sides of the roads a lot people on foot, carrying buckets of water on the head and called for steps I do not know where many of them have your face painted in white.
Right in the afternoon with the temperature that has been really hot, a crowd of people ripping our attention: you are playing football, with lots of doors, the teams with the mesh and the public around the yellow rectangle (the grass was all except green). Unfortunate that the field is not flat, but present a continuing series of gibbosity obvious: never as in this case the inversion of the range field will preserve the regularity of the lot ...
When, a couple of hours later, the Eastern Cape remains behind, we arrive in KwaZulu Natal. Horwich sleep at the B & B is bad, very bad breakfast. But we are tired, just a clean bed and advances.

24-25/9: BUSHMAN AND ZULU

Tourists return with backpack and camera, and we climbed on-call for the 'Drakensberg', the mountains of the Dragon, the highest chain of South Africa. The peaks are covered with snow, but we, good after an hour of walking, we stop at the bottom where there are caves with cave paintings of the Bushmen, the first inhabitants of these areas. Mikko, our Zulu guide, explains that there are virtually no more Bushmen in South Africa. We have driven his own ancestors, in their turn driven back into these lands lost dall'avanzata the British and boeri, at the end of the last century. In the caves, in fact, together with the Bushmen of graffiti dating back to thousand years ago, there are also engravings of British infantry, left between 1890 and the beginning of the twentieth century. And 'the taste of what we will see tomorrow, because this region was the scene of the most important battles between Zulu, British and Boer. On the way I see walking a black albino: Oliviero Toscani photo of a part, is my first time.
At night sleep in Dundee, in the Royal Hotel. In true style old England is old and even some 'fatiscente. But I like every room is dedicated to an officer of the Crown, there are bulletin boards with rifles, uniforms and books, wall paintings and maps that represent the fields of battle. After a good dinner and a night disturbed by the crowds of a crowd of elderly South Africans who had chosen this hotel for a cheerful returned, starting towards the "Blood River", the scene of one of the most famous battles. I boeri Dutch up the region to the north, were to face the Zulu Army: where he played the crucial clash is a museum, monuments and tombstones, and a reconstruction of the field scale natural Boer, with carriages and cannons. At 50 meters away there is the museum dedicated to the memory of the Zulu massacred in the river of blood, but we can not go. Or rather, we need to get out of the museum dedicated to the whites, along a path while avoiding rocks, sheep and goats, cows beg to move, finally fording a stream: the only way to arrive at the museum Zulu, which was opened especially for us. Needless to say that only I and Virna, the large group Boer seen the museum, we have taken the trouble to get here.
The map shows the whole range of other fields of battle sites in the vicinity, but the truth is that these wars were not fought with eyes of respect towards the needs of tourists. We need to take dozens if not hundreds of miles of roads are often unpaved roads to reach the various battlefields, and so after the 'Blood River' we decide to give up, pointing the car towards the north.
At night sleep in Nelspruit, the most important city of Mpuma-langa, the name of the African region that had called boeri Transvaal. The heat became aggressive, and even now the nature is truly African: our B & B is slightly outside the city in the middle of a forest at night, from which comes the noise produced by striking birds, insects, amphibians and I do not know what else . But we think a surprise is the heaven: not as smooth as we have ever seen, shows thousands of stars. Indeed layers of stars, so many as to give a sense of depth.

26-28/9: KRUGER PARK

From Nelspruit fifty kilometers to reach the Kruger Park. And 'the greatest of South Africa (more or less the size of Colorado), and hosts an amazing number of animals (only 25,000 antelopes). Inside there is more room for sleeping, so our base will be the 'Matumi Lodge, just outside the park. You can visit it by car (strictly 40 per hour) and turn right, even if not everything, it takes at least two days during the first heat in a dreadful, apart from hundreds of antelope, impala, buffalo, wild boars, we also see zebras, giraffes, hippos and crocodiles. Everywhere signs warn that descend from the car is dangerous, and the direction of the park shall not be liable. But we, un po 'rashly, often leave for better picture taking. In mid-afternoon, however, with the help of other tourists can see a lion lie down a few meters from the road: we understand that he has exaggerated, it is better not to risk more.
The next morning we get up at 5 and enter the park at dawn, because the animals must move more willingly with the fresh. Yet we see hundreds, but not elephants, our daily goal. We will have to wait until early afternoon, when two huge males crossing the road just a few meters from our car. One stops, looks at us shaking head and ears, and seems to have wanted to get closer. I take the panic, the graft back knowing that, at worst, could do little street. But then, tusks and trunk to the stakes Bosca should, he goes: a little 'three-maintained, the shooting a roll of photos.
After a few kilometers a hyena, which is close to the car in search of food. He has big mouth and sharp teeth: we will not have anything.
After these meetings we have virtually exhausted the basis of emotions, and there are not much effect three lions, seen in the distance, lie down under some trees. In the late afternoon leave the park and let's throw in the pool, in our Lodge. It is so good that the next day we are always in the water while swimming I have to drive out large frogs that want me to compare gnia. Meanwhile a small herd of antelope came to drink the water of the pool. Dell'imbrunire Before we take a jeep tour with a private reserve in the Lodge. A boy, a white South African, leads us through a bumpy-tissimo: Guadiato rivers, through the fields and we are now seeing the usual animals. We stop to watch the sunset, the absolute silence broken only by the questions we asked what has led us in South Africa, and the answer is obvious: "The nature, animals, but also the culture."
"Culture?" Repeated surprised. "Yes, the African culture" Stipulates Virna. He looks at us wrong and replied, "What culture?". Readmission preferred not to insist, perhaps leaves us in the middle of the savannah.

30/9: GOING TO JOHANNESBURG

Friday morning we leave the "Ma-Tumi. Cross a piece of Northern Province, the northernmost region of this vast state. It 'a very poor also, but more mountainous, with a vegetation that we could see well in our valleys. The cities, all with African names and basically illegible, are ugly and dirty. We need money, but we do not find a no-nemme bank. Fortunately in Graskop there is one. We enter, and we put ourselves in line. Given the variety of humanity that goes before us, we think both days of wages, pensions and benefits. I note that we are the only whites, and the note and the cashier (who was also white), which makes us go in front of everyone. I believe face irritated to see faces, but they understood that we are tourists, and nobody complains.
With a little money in your pocket take longer for the "Blyde River. The third highest canyon in the world offers a fantastic setting in some way comparable to that seen in Arizona even though much less advertised. It 'really a beautiful and green, dotted with lakes and waterfalls. After a quick tour and some shopping in the shops of local objects, we come to Sabie, the town that will be our last night in South Africa. Sleep in a B & B run by Sergio Battaglia, torinese immigrated here from about half a century. It 'a very open person, very happy to be able to converse a little' in Italian. To explain that we come from the Cape, which we covered over 4,000 km through South Africa. We confessed that he had never seen Cape Town: too far away. Initially, it surprises us, then, after the greetings, in the car, I make two accounts and absolve him: I have never even been to Palermo, and is also closer.
In early afternoon we arrive in Johannesburg, founded in 1886 but now has become the largest city in South Africa, which is the economic and financial center. To the south there is Soweto, the huge black neighborhood (2 and a half million inhabitants) in the theater of the past violent clashes. Could possibly deserve a visit, but it is dangerous and we do another ghetto, albeit huge, would not have changed or enriched our experience of South Africa. The visit to the city to look beyond the surface: skyscrapers, casinos, and even a "Caesar's Palace" as one of Las Vegas. Then only airport, waiting to return.
The next morning it expects a gray and foggy London, and a rain welcomes us in Bologna. Africa, with its colors, it's already miles away.