Bo Kaap

Not realizing that the big celebration was pushed back a day due to Friday prayers, Lindsey and I spent the afternoon exploring this famous coloured and Muslim neighborhood wondering where everyone was. The area looks a bit like Observatory (where I lived when I first arrived here) except above the city rather than below, and cleaner. It's brightly painted throughout, and the food is cheap, spicy, and delicious. Since I'm writing this a few days later I'll just spill it that the minstrel parades the next day were amazing: huge all-age groups in crazy costumes filling this street with music and dancing throughout the day, with braai and samoosas in every direction. Traditionally, the 2nd of January was the only day in the year when slaves and servants were allowed to take the day off and celebrate, and at present the party is still taken very, very seriously!