Durban Field Trip & Kat & The Kings

I will start with Kat & The Kings, because I can still hear the music and visualise the inspirational dancing. Kat & The Kings has come home to Cape Town and is playing at the Fugard Theatre. Written by the amazing team of David Kramer and Taliep Petersen and first staged in 1995, the original production was invited to London and after a successful run there, went on to Broadway to further international acclaim. 

Lucky for us, Peter & Helen Bing support the Bing Stanford Cape Town Centre by sponsoring cultural events for the students and staff and Tuesday night, May 22, Kat & The Kings, was one of these. 

The Bings also send all the students and some lucky staff on a Field Trip each quarter; the latest took place last weekend, 18-20 May, leaving Cape Town for Durban at 11am Friday, returning 60 hours later on Sunday evening. So much to see, hear and do. We were picked up by Imraan, Langa and Shola of SIT (School for International Training: Durban - Social & Political Transformation) at Durban's new King Shaka airport north of the city. 

First stop, the Phansi museum and its collection of Kwa-Zulu-Natal beadwork, carved statues and artifacts, the most striking being the life-size puppets depicting the various dress and status of the men and women of some South African tribes. Soon we were back in the buses on our way to the Moses Mabhida stadium built for the 2010 soccer world cup with a clever design of a skycar to carry visitors to a viewing platform on the top.

After our 360 degree view of the Durban skyline, Tim and I left the group and headed for Chelsea Villa, a Durban B&B not far from the students' backpackers, The Happy Hippo. We checked in and met up again at the Happy Hippo for introductory talks by John Daniel & Imraan Buccus of SIT. Dinner at Ushaka Moyo at uShaka Marine World - fine food, lots of dancing - rounded off the day.

Saturday morning began with a tour of the striking Juma Mosjid Mosque on Dr Yusuf Dadoo St. Imraan talked about Islam and Muslim heritage in Durban. Afterwards we crossed the street and met our next guide, Richard Dobson of Asiye Etafuleni, at the entrance to the Victoria Street Market. We spent the next two hours walking about the vast expanse of interconnected stalls, with Richard explaining the history and significance along the way.

Lunch at the Little Gujarat vegetarian restaurant - most of us had the meal that has made Durban famous - Bunny Chow - a huge chunk of hollowed out white bread filled with delicious curry. Very yummy, very filling - I'd need to be very hungry to order it again!

Then it was time to take the students to their home stays in Cato Manor where they were to spend the night with a Zulu family. After seeing them all happily connected with their Zulu mama, Tim and I made our way back to our B&B for some R&R and a night out dining at the 9th Avenue Bistro run by the talented husband and wife team, Graham and Gina Neilson. Food was good, atmosphere too. Graham watches the tables from the open kitchen checking everyone is happy and Gina keeps the floor running very smoothly. Our waiter, Keric, paid just the right amount of attention. The only complaint I had was the price of a glass of their very average, and only, Sauvignon Blanc wine offering by the glass, Splattered Toad from Cape Point Vineyards. It cost as much as a bottle does in Cape Town. Obviously one is not meant to order wine by the glass at 9th Avenue Bistro. 

Sunday morning and it's time to collect the students from their home stays and meet Scott Couper at the Ghandi museum on the Inanda trail. I could fill many pages with all of Scott's accomplishments; suffice it to say that he gave up his one 'Sunday off' (he is a United Congregational church pastor) to take us on an incredible journey. First the museum, then Gandhi's house, on to the Inanda Seminary for girls where he is the Development Officer and his wife the chaplain. A quick tour of the school followed by lunch with some of the Seminary students after which we were back in the bus onward, to Groutville, and the Albert Luthuli museum, our last cultural stop. On the way back to the airport we looked in at the Ballito beach scene. Too cold for swimming but nice to be at one of the east coast's famous beaches.

Back to the airport and home again - photo album is here

We have our last "Dinner with the Stantons" this evening with three of the students and the resident assistant, Amy Herbertson. We're getting close to the end of the program (June 15) which is always sad.