The last time I posted a blog was in 2021. Since then, a lot has happened. Juggling twin toddlers, moved back to New England, and recovering from writing block. Before my years of struggling with ideas and writing, I thought losing my creativity and motivation to write would last only a few weeks. Alas, it lasted for years. My experience has taught me many lessons. The most important thing now is that I am recovering, and I want to use my newfound positive energy well.
To maintain my inspiration, I pray, read a chapter of a book beside my work material daily, and listen to or read critical analyses of issues outside my area. And, of course, keep up with my blog and personal journal. I am applying the Japanese philosophy of Ikigai & Kaizen to my daily life.
With my newfound creative flow, I start by sharing my Cape Town experiences. However, with an avalanche of global daily events, I cut down the Cape Town blog to a few, but I will share some lovely galleries with you as time passes. Enjoy the flow.
To maintain my inspiration, I pray, read a chapter of a book beside my work material daily, and listen to or read critical analyses of issues outside my area. And, of course, keep up with my blog and personal journal. I am applying the Japanese philosophy of Ikigai & Kaizen to my daily life.
With my newfound creative flow, I start by sharing my Cape Town experiences. However, with an avalanche of global daily events, I cut down the Cape Town blog to a few, but I will share some lovely galleries with you as time passes. Enjoy the flow.
Cape town gallery | |
The mountain viewOn October 19th, we landed in Cape town for two months IQP. The journey was long and tedious (22 hours), but it was expected. This is not my first time visiting Cape town, but my first time going on a working visit. Cape town is a beautiful city. During my first visit, I thought God took extra time to design the city with a captivating view. It is lush, surrounded by mountains and ocean and has beautiful weather. I like how national geography describes the city as a high point of land that narrowly extends into a body of water. We arrived at our residence at about 1 am for the two-month stay, exhausted and excited at the same time. Our landlady helped us settle in and provided us with suggestions for restaurants within walking distance. The following day, we were happy to explore. As we stepped out of the balcony in the morning, the view that greeted us with the sunrise was breathtaking. The famous Devil's Peak mountain directly faces us. I took most of the pictures of it throughout our stay because each morning shows you a different view of the mountain. Sometimes, it is entirely covered by the cloud, and sometimes, it will be partially covered. Watching for a few minutes could also capture the cloud moving away, reflecting a different view. I was told it is one reason it is called Devil's Peak. Sometimes, you can see the reflection of the sunrise or sunset changing in minutes. (attached a picture) As we walked out toward the hill, we experienced the most majestic view of the table mountain, which dwarfed the Devil’s Peak view from the balcony. As we walked the hill, enjoying the view, the mountain view in front of us, and the beautiful houses around us, it felt like a vacation. If there was any problem bothering me, it disappeared immediately. We turned left at the end of the street and saw various cafes and restaurants. For a small community, there seem to be a lot of cafes. They are fully packed. We were not sure which to choose. We ended up in one of the cozy cafes. A smiling female waitress quickly ushered us in. The menu looked interesting, and I picked something with salmon and a cappuccino with almond milk. One thing that stood out was the coffee. My cappuccino is rich with the right blend of milk and coffee. I am not sure of how exactly cappuccino should test or feel. For once, I tasted my idea of cappuccino. It was perfect. I thought maybe Cape town was good at making Cappuccino. I later found out it is part of the growing culture of coffee in the city. Cape Town, culture of balancing life with coffee |  |
Coffee culture is growing in Cape Town. I found out that it is the same in other parts of South Africa. Everyone in our team discovered a better test of coffee. There is a coffee shop in every corner of the city. The fascinating thing is that I never tested a lousy coffee throughout my stay. It is not about my preferred coffee mixture, but every coffee, even plain black coffee, tests better. What set Cape Town's vibrant coffee culture apart is its rich blend of traditional brewing methods and innovative techniques. The coffee culture is not only about the coffee but also the atmosphere and ambiance that different coffee shops create. There is an excellent friendly atmosphere. Every coffee shop I went to felt welcoming and relaxing. Starbucks coffee shops exist, but I did not want to try any except once.
One day, I decided to make an experiment. I went to a Starbucks for coffee. First, to see if the coffee tests are the same, and second, to check the price differences. As expected, there are tons of varieties and flavors. I went for a latte with vanilla. There seems to be no plain latte. It tasted good but cost 20 Rands more than other coffee shops' vanilla lattes. The atmosphere was the same as you could get in the US. - Big but no soul. There are a lot of varieties but no depth and they are overpriced. Despite this, the Starbucks shops I saw did not lack customers. It is the power of brand name. When I returned to the State, I started dreading buying coffee outside. The coffee bean I brought from Cape Town does not taste the same. I might buy the coffee bean, but I lacked the brewing technique. I am not the only one. My friend who visited called to say that she could not get herself to drink coffee since she came back.
Cape Town does not only boast of a place where God took godly brewed coffee and designed a landscape of nature. It is also a city where the people take life easy. The Western Cape, as a Province like the entire South Africa, has a tortured history that still grips the country and the city today. Despite the natural beauty of mountains and oceans (Atlantic and Indian oceans) and various natural and manmade game reserves, there is still a lot of hardship. Amid the affluence, the majority of Capetonians are still living in abject poverty. Shacks and informal dwellings exist in large numbers. However, there is a common denominator, whether it is the poor, the rich, or the in-between. People seem happy and very friendly. There is a reflection of content and determination in a lot of people. Many people I met in the city, such as Uber drivers and those living in different secluded poor communities and informal dwellings, exhibit this characteristic. My chat with many shows that Capetonians of every class, race, and status emphasize balancing work and life. There is an important value placed on working to live. An acquaintance I was chatting with said, ‘At a point in life, you need to know that money is not everything. I want to be able to spend quality time with my family.” Another young guy said, “ I don’t have a family yet, but I don’t take my work home.” When I am home, I am home, and I don’t take too much work that would encroach on my private life.” Foreigners think the same way. In Cape Town, you will discover that most Uber drivers are foreigners. My favorite thing is chatting with my Uber drivers and learning about and from them. To describe Cape Town, one Uber driver who moved from Johannesburg, provided some comparison. “In Cape Town, things are more orderly; there is life beyond hustling and bustling. I feel more at peace here.” Interestingly, balancing life and work is a uniting force for the people of a divided city like Cape Town. It is also refreshing to know that in a place like this, you can always take a breath, smell the coffee/tea or the ocean breeze, or feel the strong mountain wind and know there is life and you are living it. I once said that Cape Town is the most beautiful place without the people. I have changed my mind. The people make the City more attractive.
One day, I decided to make an experiment. I went to a Starbucks for coffee. First, to see if the coffee tests are the same, and second, to check the price differences. As expected, there are tons of varieties and flavors. I went for a latte with vanilla. There seems to be no plain latte. It tasted good but cost 20 Rands more than other coffee shops' vanilla lattes. The atmosphere was the same as you could get in the US. - Big but no soul. There are a lot of varieties but no depth and they are overpriced. Despite this, the Starbucks shops I saw did not lack customers. It is the power of brand name. When I returned to the State, I started dreading buying coffee outside. The coffee bean I brought from Cape Town does not taste the same. I might buy the coffee bean, but I lacked the brewing technique. I am not the only one. My friend who visited called to say that she could not get herself to drink coffee since she came back.
Cape Town does not only boast of a place where God took godly brewed coffee and designed a landscape of nature. It is also a city where the people take life easy. The Western Cape, as a Province like the entire South Africa, has a tortured history that still grips the country and the city today. Despite the natural beauty of mountains and oceans (Atlantic and Indian oceans) and various natural and manmade game reserves, there is still a lot of hardship. Amid the affluence, the majority of Capetonians are still living in abject poverty. Shacks and informal dwellings exist in large numbers. However, there is a common denominator, whether it is the poor, the rich, or the in-between. People seem happy and very friendly. There is a reflection of content and determination in a lot of people. Many people I met in the city, such as Uber drivers and those living in different secluded poor communities and informal dwellings, exhibit this characteristic. My chat with many shows that Capetonians of every class, race, and status emphasize balancing work and life. There is an important value placed on working to live. An acquaintance I was chatting with said, ‘At a point in life, you need to know that money is not everything. I want to be able to spend quality time with my family.” Another young guy said, “ I don’t have a family yet, but I don’t take my work home.” When I am home, I am home, and I don’t take too much work that would encroach on my private life.” Foreigners think the same way. In Cape Town, you will discover that most Uber drivers are foreigners. My favorite thing is chatting with my Uber drivers and learning about and from them. To describe Cape Town, one Uber driver who moved from Johannesburg, provided some comparison. “In Cape Town, things are more orderly; there is life beyond hustling and bustling. I feel more at peace here.” Interestingly, balancing life and work is a uniting force for the people of a divided city like Cape Town. It is also refreshing to know that in a place like this, you can always take a breath, smell the coffee/tea or the ocean breeze, or feel the strong mountain wind and know there is life and you are living it. I once said that Cape Town is the most beautiful place without the people. I have changed my mind. The people make the City more attractive.
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