I was on Baz bus for 8 hours to get here from Cape Town. I was here for 4 days but was really sick for 2 days. I went to the doctor and he gave me some antibiotic so I was well enough to go on a Kynsna tour with Jay on day 3. Feel grateful for this. It is such a nice surprise to be able to meet a character like Jay. I love the many stories he shared. Actually I enjoyed it so much that I took him out to dinner so I could listen to more stories about him and his life as a hostel owner back 13 years ago.
After dinner, we went to check out the gay bar and met some gays and lesbians. The Pink Loerie, which is being held here this weekend, draws many gays and lesbians from all over the world. This year they are holding Mr. Gay World 2015 grand finals here. What an awesome day and amazing evening!
During the tour with Jay, I was fascinated to learn about the RDP (Rural Development Program also known as Mandela housing program as it started because of him). These simple box-shaped houses are located in the “township” where the black and other coloured people live. Since the ANC (African National Congress) came to power in 1994, the state has built 1.4 million housing units, providing more than 5 million people with secured homes. Most of the home owners do their own extension to their existing building out of wood and is locally known as a shack. And some people are still living in shacks while waiting for their turn to get a government house. The size of the government houses is either 26 sq meter, 30 sq meter, 36 sq meter or 40 sq meter. So far, the government has spent more than R40-million in 15 areas in all 9 provinces in human settlement programmes.
Here’s what’s ironic: the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, has spent R240-million on the renovations alone of his own house!
Knysna, a town with 51,078 inhabitants, is in the Western Cape Province of South Africa and is the unofficial capital of the Garden Route. This town is famous for its oyster festival, warm people and the most magnificent views from Leisure Isle to the Knysna Heads.
Today, the Knysna Lagoon boasts of an upbeat ‘Waterfront’ full of shops, bars & restaurants with stunning views of ‘The Heads.’ The town has 3 shopping malls & an art/craft market, catering to every need of the locals and the tourists… all are merely a ‘stone’s-throw’ from Jembjo’s Knysna lodge where I am staying.
Going to Kenya next….