Baking Cake like the Domestic Goddess

It’s been almost an hour now. I’ve distracted myself from my anticipation for as long as I can and am ready and waiting when the first aromas tickle my nose. Fresh lemon, buttery almond, warm sweetness – these are the first wafts of a successful cake, I think, bidding “hello” from its cozy place inside my oven. I peek inside and there it is, a perfect golden round, lightly crusted, ready to be cooled and christened with a light dusting of icing sugar, then introduced to its companions Cream, Plate and Fork.

This was a practice run, my first try at making Nigella Lawson’s Damp Lemon & Almond Cake, from How to be a Domestic Goddess. The book is one of the best cookery books I’ve ever bought. Page after page it oozes with decadent temptations that I never thought I could make myself, each one as surprisingly easy to make as it is delicious. These are the things of homemade Grandmother-lore – the perfectly shaped bread loaves, flaky crust pastries, ridiculously rich chocolate puddings, the best scones, sweet and savoury muffins, and of course the cakes – plain, frosted, loafed, cupped or rounded. Don’t even think about attempting one of these recipes unless you’ve stocked up on butter and sugars of all sorts. Oh, and leave the diet in the other room, too. Diet, along with his cohorts Reduced, Less and Skinny, are never invited to a Nigella party.

If you’ve ever watched one of Nigella’s television shows you’ll know that her enthusiasm for food is authentic and contagious. The same can be said for the writing in the book – it’s so full of Nigella’s personality it makes me feel as if I might be right there in the kitchen with the Domestic Goddess herself, having a chat and learning the tricks of the trade. One of the most valuable aspects of the book is that it’s full of tips, short-cuts and how to’s that make reading it both entertaining and enlightening, and making learning new things a little easier.

Which brings me back to the Damp Lemon & Almond Cake, a sweet and zingy success of crumbly yum. Apparently it gets better with time – after a few days blanketed in tin foil, the flavours only intensify. Or so they say – seems I’ll have to try it next time when I’m feeling more patient – one hour was enough greedy anticipation for me.

The recipe: 225g soft unsalted butter, 225g caster sugar, 4 large eggs, 50g plain flour, 225g ground almonds, ½ teaspoon almond essence, grated zest and juice of 2 lemons, 21-23cm Springform cake tin, lined on the bottom. Cream the butter and sugar, add the eggs one at a time, adding flour after each one. Gently stir in the almonds, almond essence, zest and the juice. Pour into the cake tin and bake for about an hour at 180-degrees Celsius, until a tester comes out almost clean, damp but not gooey.

The book: "How to be a Domestic Goddess - Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking" by Nigella Lawson (Paperback, Aug. 24 2005) Available at all major bookstores and retails at Amazon.com for $13.59.

Cape Town. Indulgence, Intrigue and Inspiration

Even if you have limited time, the Mother City offers cosmopolitan culture, historical interest, and a breathtaking landscape.

I am standing on a windswept beach, kilometres of pristine white sand spread out before me and the road along one of the most beautiful mountain drives I had ever experienced up above me. The waves are rolling in, forming aquamarine lines, and with the sun shining I’m revelling in the view and thinking what an amazing place this is, one of the most beautiful places on earth, and how lucky the people who live here are to be able to soak up this majesty every day. That was more than ten years ago – I was a university exchange student from the United States and was privileged to visit South Africa for the very first time. I spent six months in in the country and during that time only a week in Cape Town, but the impression it made on me was timeless.

It turns out I wasn’t the first to be mesmerized by Cape Town’s beauty. Beguiling seas, neatly laid vines and the unmistakable view of Table Mountain – Cape Town is positioned in what Sir Francis Drake declared in 1579 to be the “fairest cape in the whole circumference of the earth.” So renowned as one of the world’s most beautiful places, visitors from faraway lands have been arriving in Cape Town for centuries to experience the contrasts of a bustling, modern city that is framed by a natural amphitheatre, characterized by a distinctly African-European vibe, and within driving distance of world-class beaches and vineyards.

With all this splendour, it’s hard to believe that in the 16^th century this corner of the world was of little interest to anyone except for its functional purpose as a refuelling station for sea-weary ships travelling the trade routes between Europe, India and the Far East. It wasn’t until 1652 that the Dutch East India Company (VOC) established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. Thanks to the VOC’s free burgher policy, whereby married men were released from their contracts and given farms of their own to cultivate, more and more people made the Cape their permanent home and it quickly outgrew its original purpose as a simple outpost. The move towards permanent settlement by these early settlers had an indelible effect on many aspects of the Cape culture, the extent to which was probably unimaginable at the time and with all the cues from the past, it’s hard for me to wander the streets today and not imagine what it must have been like back then.

Evidence of Cape Town’s early beginnings are scattered throughout the city centre. The most obvious beacon of the past is the Castle of Good Hope, a pentagonal fort with thick stone walls surrounded by a moat, smack in the middle of town, opposite the busy transit centre. Private functions are sometimes hosted at the long banquet table, the same one the highest ranking officials once dined at and whispers of their conversations colour the mood of the room. Pretty Victorian buildings line Long Street, which buzzes with energy day and night. The cobblestone of historic Greenmarket Square has seen its share of change, once a marketplace for slaves, fruit and vegetables, it’s now home to a thriving crafts market lined with trendy eateries. On nearby Adderley Street a statue of Jan van Riebeeck, the founder of Cape Town, stands firm watching over his legacy in the midst of the traffic. Around the corner part of the original Company’s Garden, planted in the 1650’s to supply fresh produce to passing ships, welcomes visitors with tree-lined paths, more than 8000 species of plants and South Africa’s oldest museum – home to a 117,000-year old fossilized human footprint and rare stone artworks of the San people. Visiting the iconic Mount Nelson, a luxury hotel founded in 1899, I felt what I imagined to be a sort of colonial déjà vu while enjoying a decadent Afternoon Tea, lounging in wicker chairs with friends under lazy ceiling fans and taking in the sounds of the Grand Piano serenading the room. Cape Town City Hall, the site for Nelson Mandela’s first public speech after his release from prison in 1990, was built in 1905, designed in the style of the Classical Revival, and built almost entirely from materials imported from Europe.

The overseas influence in Cape Town is made clear by its impressive buildings which range in style from traditional Cape Dutch and Victorian, to trendy Art-Deco and Post-Modern, interrupted in places by the local and now iconic shanty towns of multi-coloured corrugated iron. The diversity of the city’s architectural landscape is just one example of its cosmopolitan heritage. The ancestry of Cape Town’s people demonstrates its diversity even more dramatically, starting with the city’s establishment by the Dutch VOC whose employees hailed from Holland as well as Scandinavia, Russia, the UK, France, Switzerland, Germany, India, Java and China. The British also had a strong cultural influence when they took over the colony in 1795. The slave population, having wide-spread origins in Madagascar, Mauritius, Ceylon, India, Malaysia, Indonesia and southern Africa also contributed to the diversity with the result that today, Cape Town “locals” are not a homogenous group and bring an eclectic mixture of culture, customs, religions, language and food to the multicultural texture one can experience in the city.

Cape Town visitors can have a first-class experience on par with competing destinations all around the world. Spend an afternoon wandering around the Cape Town Harbour, now the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, exploring some of its 450 shops and more than 80 restaurants, set against a dramatic view of Table Mountain. Since 1860 this has been a centre of colourful activity – a trading place, a fish market and an everyday bazaar. If I spend an afternoon wandering the waterfront I can imagine the sounds of the ships back then, the sight of activity set against the backdrop of Table Mountain and the sounds of people who must have spoke, sang and shouted in a multitude of languages. To me it feels as if the thought of these things might be carried on the breeze from some other era. Yet the breeze is not one from yesteryear. The legacy of the harbour’s history lives on today – with throngs of locals and visitors, hundreds of shops selling the best the world has to offer, local craftsmen selling the unique products of Africa, and restaurants serving the cuisine of the world.

For a beautiful view just outside the city bowl you can take in the sunset in trendy Camp’s Bay – the Grand Cafe has an upstairs bar overlooking the beach and offers seductive-shabby-chic decor and live jazz music to carry you away to some other place. Enjoy dinner at The Roundhouse, a historic manor established in 1786 set high up in the hills with a commanding view, sophisticated French fare and one of the best wine pairing menus in town. If you have a really special occasion to celebrate, take a short drive to the beautiful Constantia Valley to enjoy dinner at one of the world’s best restaurants, La Colombe at the Constantia Uitsig Wine Estate, ranked 12^th place in the San Pellegrino 50 Best Restaurants of the World Awards 2010.

If you need a pinch of reality after feeling too much like a celebrity, not to worry – one of the best aspects of Cape Town is the truly authentic and vibrant encounter visitors can have with the local “salt of the earth” way of life. Kalk Bay, just south of the city, is an artsy village full of antique, book and bric-a-brac shops as well as small cafes and restaurants. Visit the fully functioning harbour where you can see real-deal fishermen return from a day’s work dressed in colourful rubber overalls, cigarettes in hand, their boats laden with the catch of the day. The scene is a lively one as on-lookers crowd the water’s edge and fish to be sold are tossed from the boat, one by one, onto the pavement. Nearby Kalky’s is a local fish and chips institution serving up casual deep fried fare – oily, salty and definitely worth the indulgence. While you wait in the queue you might catch a glimpse of talented Zimbabwean musicians who energize the crowd with the rhythms of West Africa – a mix of jazzy, funky, Afro-beat – singing and dancing to the tunes of handmade xylophones, cow bells and drums. Toes tapping, you can’t help but smile at the music, the unique experience and the beautiful scene overlooking False Bay, buttressed by sharply rising sandstone mountains.

The Table Mountain Range defines the Capetonian landscape, starting with the iconic Table Mountain plateau and the natural amphitheatre it forms around the city bowl. Take the Cable Car to the top for an unforgettable view of the city below. Extending 70-kilometers south of the city, the range is punctuated by the green of the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, a national treasure and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and blanketed by the neat vineyards of Constantia, where world-class wine has been made for the likes of Napoleon for more than 300 years. The Twelve Apostles section frames Camp’s Bay on the Atlantic side and a hike up to the top of Lion’s Head provides a stunning vantage point with 360-degree views of the city and coastline. No trip to Cape Town would be complete without a drive over Chapman’s Peak, a spectacular 9-kilometer winding road set on the edge of dramatic cliffs between Hout Bay and Noordhoek. Dressed by the ribbons of pink and orange clouds at sunrise and glowing in hues of warm red tones at sunset, the drive offers some of the most impressive views anywhere in the world. After experiencing it the first time it made me dream of what it would be like to live here, if only it was possible.

After traversing Chapman’s you can follow the range to the southern-most point in the Cape Point National Park and brave the whipping wind for a view of the original lighthouse. This is the very last point of the Cape of Good Hope, extending out into the pounding waves – the same place where so many sailors of years past made that last, anxious turn north on treacherous journeys towards safety and home. Here the mountain range looks battered but resolute, as if it’s impermeable to the weather’s worst tantrums. As I stand at the edge of the peninsula, now a Cape Town “local” myself, I can imagine that the last gnarled knuckles of the mountain range stand tribute the tenacity of the people who settled here so many years ago, who imparted a legacy that I’m now a part of and that is still unfolding today. It’s this legacy that inspires the feeling one has here – that during the time you spend here it can take you someplace “then,” someplace “there,” and right here – in Cape Town – now.

For more information:
· Castle of Good Hope, www.castleofgoodhope.co.za
· The Company’s Garden, www.capetown.gov.za
· South African Museum, www.iziko.org.za/sam
· Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, www.waterfront.co.za
· Table Mountain Aerial Cable Car, http://tablemountain.net
· Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, www.sanbi.org/frames/kirstfram.htm
· Chapman’s Peak, www.chapmanspeakdrive.co.za
· Cape Point National Park, www.capepoint.co.za
· Mount Nelson Hotel, www.mountnelson.co.za
· Grand Cafe, www.thegrand.co.za
· The Roundhouse, www.theroundhouserestaurant.com
· La Colombe, www.constantia-uitsig.com

Eeny meeny miny moe – is there a better way to pick the perfect wine farm?

With nearly 200 wine producers represented on the Stellenbosch wine route, 42 active wineries in Franschhoek, and even more in places like Paarl, Tulbagh, Robertson, the Elgin Valley and Constantia, the Cape wine region offers an almost dizzying array of wine farms to choose between when planning a day trip. The chance to experience special wines not widely available has become an expected part of a wine tour – so nowadays the “perfect” destination choice is all the more important and can leave an impression on your experience that extends beyond the rim of your glass.

The sheer number of choices in the Cape attests to the fact that each wine farm offers something special and unique to its visitors – so depending on what you’re looking for in a day-trip, not all will rank the same. Plus, the type of experience you’re looking for might also change from trip to trip – perhaps based on your mood, your company, or even the weather. Thankfully there are so many options there’s bound to be something suitable for any occasion. You can choose between the Grand Dames of historical significance, stylish boutiques with an international flare, down-to-earth farmer’s farms, and destination estates that make you feel like you’ve left South Africa and stepped into another part of the world – perhaps to a château in France or to an architect’s dream in Napa – with all the “fabulous” and none of the expense or unsavory jetlag. Frumpy and formal, laid back and social, warm and cozy, chilled and minimalist – the choice is yours.

With all these options the question remains – how do you choose the “right” wine estate, especially if you have high expectations and limited time? Ultimately the answer depends on you – since your idea of the perfect day probably won’t be the same as mine, your best friend’s and definitely not your brother’s – but starting to plan your experience can be straightforward if you give some thought to a few parameters. Here are a few tips and suggestions to help get you started:

The Vibe: Think about how would you like to spend your time while in the tasting room – do you want to find a relaxed spot by the fire and linger over your wine while chatting with friends, or would you prefer a more formal affair where you can taste at the bar while investigating your fancies with intricate questions about the vintage, the viticulture or the wine making techniques?

Informal: Muratie Wine Estate, Stellenbosch – Here you’ll be greeted by the mostly University-student staff who run the tasting room with a friendly, welcoming spirit, keeping the terroir-driven wine flowing as much as the conversation. Best of all, they seem to enjoy the experience as much as you do, even after closing time. Noteworthy wine: 2007 Shiraz, awarded 92-points by the Wine Enthusiast. www.muratie.co.za

Formal: Kanonkop Wine Estate, Stellenbosch – Recognized as one of South Africa’s top makers of Pinotage and as one of South Africa’s top wine estates by the John Platter Guide. The tasting room is polished and gleaming, the attendants well-informed. Noteworthy wine: 2008 Kanonkop Kadette, awarded 91-points by Wine Enthusiast; 2006 Kanonkop Paul Sauer, ranked five-stars by the John Platter Guide. www.kanonkop.co.za

The Wine: Since different regions excel in different types of wine depending on the terroir you should consider whether you have a particular type of wine you’d like to explore and may help you to choose the right area for you – cool and coastal for Pinot Noir or Sauvignon Blanc, or warm and sunny for rich berry reds. If the region isn’t a good indicator, perhaps try specialist wine farms who take great care and pride in your preferred tipple:

Method Cap Classique: Cabriére Estate, Franschhoek – One of South Africa’s premier sparkling wine estates, the tasting room is set below ground level and view of the cellar further below creates a cozy feeling. If it’s a sunny day, enjoy your bubbly on the front lawn while taking in the towering views of the Franschhoek Pass. Noteworthy wine: Cuvée Reserve, 5+ years on the lees. www.cabriere.co.za

Chardonnay: Jordan Wine Estate, Stellenbosch – Off the beaten track, the road leading to Jordan takes you past farms and fields creating the feeling that you’re away in the countryside. Enjoy a leisurely tasting on the shady deck while taking in the view of the lake and the mountains. Noteworthy wines: 2006 Jordan Chardonnay and 2007 Nine Yards Chardonnay, both awarded 90-points by Wine Spectator. www.jordanwines.com

The Personality: The architecture, surrounding landscape, views and general personality of a place can leave a big impression on your exerience so if you think carefully about what you’re in the mood for you’ll probably have a better time. To highlight just a few there are the Grand Dames, flanked by the legacy of winemaking history, and there are new players inspired by a cosmopolitan playfulness and design culture:

Grand Dame: Vergelegen Estate, Somerset West – An understated rare find –Vergelegen was founded in 1685 and is complete with historic buildings, 17 themed gardens, a 1,000-year old Camphor Forest, some of the Cape’s most highly regarded wines and a legacy of intrigue. Noteworthy wines: 2004 Stellenbosch V, awarded 92-points, the 2003 Stellenbosch flagship Red Blend, awarded 93-points, and the 2005 White blend, awarded 94-points, all by the International Wine Cellar; 2008 Vergelegen White, awarded 5-stars by the John Platter Guide. www.vergelegen.co.za

Cosmopolitan Player: Delaire Graff Estate, Stellenbosch – Set at the top of the Helshoogte Mountain Pass, it would be easy for Delaire to rely on the view alone to draw a crowd yet no expense has been spared at creating a premier tasting experience in a luxurious setting including calming water features, original artworks, custom-made leather furniture and one of the wineland’s most renowned restaurants. Noteworthy wine: 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, awarded 5-stars by the John Platter Guide. www.delaire.co.za

The Approach: Sometimes the approach a winemaker takes towards the final product is evident in the feeling of the estate. There are the stylistic icons, where every detail is attended to and quality is the holy grail, perhaps like the approach taken in Michelin Star kitchens, and there are others where the feeling is more relaxed, perhaps like the vibe in a warm and inviting country kitchen:

Michelin Star: De Trafford Wines, Stellenbosch – Hidden away at the end of a quiet country road, De Trafford sits among overgrown greenery and bougainvillea. A boutique winery, attention to detail is critical and everything is done by hand – including picking the grapes, filling and corking the bottles. Noteworthy wine: 2006 De Trafford Perspective and 2006 De Trafford Shiraz, both ranked five-stars by the John Platter Guide. www.detrafford.co.za

Country Kitchen: Springfield Estate, Robertson – Set on a relaxed farm in Robertson, Springfield is family-run and well away from the hustle and bustle. The tasting room and cellar are bordered by a dam framed by mountain views and you’re welcome to spend time with your own picnic basket under the shade trees. A short meander and you’ll no doubt meet the resident flock of ducks and herd of springbok. Noteworthy wine: The Méthod Ancienne Cabernet Sauvignon is made from a single vineyard using native yeast fermentation and spends two-years on the lees plus a minimum of two more years in the bottle. www.springfieldestate.com

The Setting: Sometimes you feel like getting away from it all – maybe it’s a simple trip to the country you’re dreaming of, or maybe you want something more glamorous – like a trip overseas. Even if you can’t indulge in a full-blown holiday, you can spend time at a destination estate and start to feel like you have – if only for a few hours:

French Château: Waterford Estate, Stellenbosch – Visitors are greeted by neat rows of citrus groves leading to the steps of the winery, designed in the style of the classic Bordeaux châteaus of France. The inner courtyard and a lovely fountain make a pleasant setting for your tasting – if you’re feeling like something sweet, try the unique chocolate and wine pairing. Noteworthy wine: ’03 Kevin Arnold Shiraz, awarded 91 points by Wine Spectator. www.waterfordestate.co.za

Rural Classic: Rustenberg Estate, Stellenbosch – As if historical significance and top quality wines were not enough, Rustenberg’s picture is completed by a beautiful setting 2-kilometers down an idyllic road lined with babbling brooks, overgrown oaks, and happily grazing cattle. Noteworthy wine: 2006 John X Merriman, a red-blend, awarded 91 points by Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar and the Wine & Spirits Magazine; 2008 Chardonnay, awarded 90-points by Wine Spectator; 2007 Rustenberg Stellenbosch Syrah, awarded five-stars by the John Platter Guide. www.rustenberg.co.za

American wine tastings can be bitter

OK, so I am an American and have been living in South Africa for over four years. Today I spent the day enjoying the Cape Winelands and, just as I have in the past, happened to bump into a few American tourists. First, let me say how fantastic it is to see my fellow countrymen enjoying this corner of the world - well done, for only so few of us ever make it out this way. Second, at the risk of sounding like a foreign-wannabe-snob, please indulge me as a give out a few hints to my fellow countrymen at how to fly a little bit more "under the radar" when touring abroad.

OK, before I proceed, I can feel it - you're already thinking, what is she talking about, she's one of us?! And before you think too far down that path, let's be honest with one another and face an unpleasant truth. Whether we want to admit it or not, we all know those stereotypes of "the loud annoying American tourist" usually clad in white Reeboks with fanny pack in tow? "Yes!" you're thinking, "so 'not' one of those!" And thankfully, it's true. A lot of Americans in Africa are not dressed that way - instead we wear safari gear and expensive photographic equipment, and unfortunately, the 'annoying tourist' is not always defined by wardrobe choices.

Anyways, I digress. If you should perhaps find yourself in the Cape Winelands, here are three tips on how to fly a little more under the radar - you'll have a better chat with the people around you and maybe get to know the place a little better, too:

Tip #1 - if the volume of your conversation exceeds the volume of all of the combined conversations around you, notice it and consider speaking just a little bit more softly

Tip #2 - if you have finished your wine tasting and are ready to purchase a few of your favourites, yet find that the person who was attending to you has started to chat with the people around you - perhaps wait until the chat has concluded, or better, join in yourself, rather than interrupt the chat to insist on "ordering" your bottles right now. There is a laid back vibe in the tasting rooms of SA and people are not really accustomed to taking abrupt orders - rather chill out and enjoy your time, what's the rush in any case?

Tip #3 - if you really need to know the price in dollars rather than rands before you make your purchasing decisions, to determine whether the wine is a "good deal" or not, rather talk quietly among yourselves and bear in mind that the people working in the tasting rooms earn meager salaries and live practically at the bread line. Whether you're rich in America or you're just an Average Joe, you are living at a standard way beyond most people in South Africa and a little tact will go a long way.

Life in Limboland

Living abroad makes you feel like you're odd man out - you know, like that feeling you get sometimes, like everyone is watching you? Like maybe you just realized you’ve had something stuck in your teeth for the last hour, or you’ve been walking around with a section of toilet paper stuck to your shoe? You feel conspicuous, like suddenly everyone else is very noble and you are just, well, you.

Well, I’ve realized that when you decide to live abroad a similar phenomena happens – you are a foreigner, you are indeed odd man out. And even as I get more comfortable in my new life and hear that my accent is evolving, I know without any doubt that I am not from “here.” I am from “there.”

But sometime even though I know this to be the truth, an even stranger thing happens. Sometimes people whom you’ve gotten to know “here” seem to forget that you are from “there” – like in conversations with people who sometimes correct your pronunciation so that it sounds more like “here,” like maybe I forgot or perhaps spent too much time watching American television. Worse still, there are those that don’t believe you could really be from “there,” even to the extent that they mistake me for an imposter – a person who is just putting on a funny accent – a pretender, a wannabe, or someone who spent their childhood holiday in the States and became so enamoured they could never bear to shake it off.

The worst phenomena of all that happens when you’re living abroad is that sometimes people from “there” – from where I am really from – start to think that I am odd man out, too. Imagine when your friends start to tell you stories as if you’re actually a foreigner to them – they all start the same, “Well in America, blah blah blah...” I don’t know why this bothers me, probably because I never expected it and because deep inside I am still hoping to fit in someplace in the world. But I guess to be fair I must admit that this is at least partially true. I’m not like everyone “there” any more – even though I’m also not like everyone “here.” I am a member of a small population of people who are just like me, even though they’ve never met me or even each other, because they have also left home and started a new life someplace far away. The very nature of our decision means that we live in isolation from one another. We are Limbolanders – sort of in between – having the foundation and values of our homelands, the new learnings of our new lands and a sort-of understanding of both as we slowly lose touch with our old place and gain touch in our new place.

Life for Limbolanders is a kaleidoscope of learnings gained “everywhere” – I have friends all over the world, yet most of them don’t know each other and sadly, will probably never even be in the same room together. They are my virtual Sunday afternoon walking partners, my Friday-night-drinks crew, my shopping buddies – the fact that we are chatting over the phone while in different parks across the globe, or that we are in our separate homes connected by Skype over a glass of red, or that the shop happens to be on the internet – doesn’t change our connection to one another.

And this, in fact, is the most amazing phenomena of all – the fact that the deepest and truest of friendships can survive travel miles and time zones, that no matter where in the world you hang your hat you can keep these treasures with you like jewels in your pocket, even as you gather new ones.

Ayoba turns to Eina – South Africa’s World Cup Dream is Crumbling

Bafana Bafana, South Africa’s national soccer team, is ranked 88^th in the world and of the 32 teams participating in the Fifa 2010 World Cup, only one team (North Korea) – is ranked lower. Yet even against terrible odds South Africans have held hope that their team will win the tournament and even the President, Jacob Zuma, has said publicly that he has “great faith” that the team can win the Cup for the nation. Perhaps it is the euphoria of playing host to the World Cup that has imbibed this child-like belief that a win is possible – like the battle between David and Goliath might play out again, or that the magic of a Sangoma – a traditional African witchdoctor – will transform this unlikely dream into reality.

There is a feeling that this is South Africa’s time – that somehow the decision to bring the Cup here has enabled the country to be finally born anew, washed of the scars of its apartheid past, freed for from the discomforts of poverty, released from the animosity between classes, its people finally united in pride and overwhelmed with jubilation – if only for a month. A feverish energy on Opening Day became inescapable – it was already apparent that the day would be filled with excitement, but this was an upwelling of large proportions and caught some off guard. Businesses planned to remain open, mostly for half-days, but the mindset of employees everywhere was on a single track – focused on the first match, made evident in the sea of green and gold jerseys that almost everyone wore to work that day – ayoba (amazing) the World Cup was finally here.

South Africa ended its first match in a draw – but the performance of the team was strong and so was the sound of the vuvuzela, a triumphant noise of support. Day by day the efficient machine of the Cup carries on operating relatively smoothly and news headlines echo a collective sigh of relief as the nation proves itself to the world, that yes – we can do this, and everyone nods in agreement, well done to South Africa. But after South Africa’s second match – a loss and a disappointing show of skill – it became evident that the euphoria is starting to wane.

Just over one week into the tournament, Bafana Bafana now stands with one of the worst host nation performances in World Cup history yet it will need to defeat France – a former world champion and a true Goliath – just to stay in the game and proceed to the next round. The buzz of the vuvuzela is going softer now, eina (ouch), Bafana, eina – the feeling now is unsettled, tense, afraid of what might happen in the next match – the last chance. Bafana, the nation’s heart is hoping and crying for you.

National Pride, Jubilation & the Fifa World Cup in South Africa

South Africa is awash in flags – not just the South African flag, but flags of all nations. Flags drape buildings, line the sides of the roads, fly from the windows of cars and decorate office spaces. Street hawkers stand in intersections and wave the flags for sale – the vibe is one of celebration. The air is thick with energy, of excitement and passion. The feeling is everywhere – in the streets, on the radio, the television, and in everyday conversation – pervasive and inescapable. Finally after years of preparation, scepticism and anticipation, today is the dawn of the Fifa World Cup, surely the biggest event of its kind ever in Africa.

In the early hours of the morning, even before the sunrise, I wake to the sounds of a distant vuvuzela – that monotone sounding horn that creates an ear-splitting decibel, greater than a chainsaw but much beloved as a symbol for the Cup by everyone. On my way to work I drive past an open-air tour bus on its way through Camps Bay, full of celebrating fans singing songs, blowing vuvu’s, waving and hanging themselves over the sides. I remind myself that it’s still only 8AM. Coming through town I pass a flat bed truck full of workers in overalls singing and dancing in much the same fashion. As I drive past the ferris wheel that has suddenly appeared in the centre of town, gleaming in the morning sun, it is hard to believe that today is supposed to be a normal work day.

Once at the office the mood is one of delirium and I continue to wonder what I am doing here. Finally, about lunchtime, I am free and make my way through to the City Bowl – on the way I get the feeling I am about to be part of something very important. The highway to town is eerily deserted – not due to poor turnout but because it seems everyone is already there. The fan walk near Green Market Square means that some of the streets are blocked off, but even on those that aren’t the crowds roam freely, striding wherever they please, forming a fabric of green and gold, South Africa’s team colours. The sound of hundreds of vuvuzeles becomes a singular buzz, like I am inside a giant vibrating beehive.

I leave the City Bowl for the Waterfront, where big screens have been set up to watch the very first game, South Africa vs. Mexico. Again the park is overcrowded with celebrations and there is no chance of getting near the viewing area – the closer I get to the screen the more crowded – shoulder-to-shoulder and in some places even less, to the point I cannot move unless the crowd that I have somehow lost myself within, decides to. Surrounded by fans singing, dancing and waving flags, unable to move forwards or backwards and being shoved along by the energy of the herd, my mind flashes back to stories of stampedes and balcony collapses and I understand how those things can happen. Time passes and eventually I spill out of the group and back to myself, to my own volition.

I find a more comfortable place out of the way – with a view of a TV off in the distance. After a while South Africa scores the first goal of the Cup and the crowd erupts explosively, the noise crackles and reverberates everywhere. It’s hard not to get swept up, to feel the pride of the nation, to be part of the stampede of frenetic joy that has combusted across the nation – I can’t help but feel it and know that the World Cup, ayoba, is here.