From someone who can fly..

I always enjoy the view from top -- it is thorough enough, clear enough and wide enough, but it is never zoomed in enough. Like a running event, what do you see from a running event? I saw how people channel their passion along the running course; but what would you see in a runner of a running event? Never.

Well.. let me tell you more..

Lots of thing caught my attention me in KLAVA Open Back To Nature Relay 2009.

First thing first, the word 'KLAVA' itself. 'KLAVA' -- Kuala Lumpur Association of Veteran Athletes -- yup, VETERAN, of age of 40 and above, they were the organizers and the coordinators and the marshals and, okay, the runners for the event. (But of course, the running event itself is NOT only for veteran..); then, a young chubby boy finished his run of 3.9km and hugged his daddy where everybody cheered and claped..; then the ladies who actually put their feet into the race and enjoyed themselves out of an 'Are you crazy??!!' common-sense..; then the whole healthy atmosphere with all the healthy people gathered around for a healthy cause, in this scenic and beautiful Taman Metropolitan Batu;

...then... this special team.

I shall recall how I was actually attracted by this team:

-- first of all they wear the same striking blue Nike shirt and same running short, and it was a lil' bit 'overdressed' for such an event but, well, it's still up to them, I guess.

-- Secondly, the way they behaved. OK OBVIOUSLY they are not STUDENTS anymore but they behaved just like they are -- but what really confused me was, there's a lady who accompanied them, and she's really like a teacher.. So I guess this blue team was from an institute, if not a college.

-- Thirdly, they were fresh -- I mean new in the running tournaments happening around recently..

..so I decided to track them down. Start from their 1st runner. Let's call him White Shoe as he's wearing a white Nike with blue lining -- Nike again??!!

Runners off and I saw him keeping pace with the front group of racers -- but definitely that was not his own pace, well, the effort was there.. but I don't think it was a wise strategy -- and that move kind of revealed his 'immaturity' in running event.

..sooner after about 1km of running with the front group, he found his own pace and got his breathing in control, but I chuckled to see him fumbled with his condition -- racers kept on overtaking him while he was also running. That was actually a great mental challenge. Poor him! But I shall see how he deal with this -- the greatest challenge in long distance running is in fact dealing with your own will, pal! Run, White Shoe, run!

The final 2 km of his 3.9km run White Shoe was chased after by a UiTM racer but the racer became White Shoe's drive to keep on pushing himself. I was actually hoping that he could look beyond to overtake the racers 500m in front of him, rather than only keeping himself stay ahead of the UiTM runner. But, never he sprinted or even tried, he reached the finishing line at 16 minute and 42 sec, passing the baton to the next runner of his team.

The 2nd runner is a reserved type of runner, I guess, because he never showed the 'iklan Colgate' giggly big smile as his another 2 teammates do. He wore a pair of striking blue Adidas, so let's call him 'Blue Shoe'.

I actually missed the set off of his run but I think Blue Shoe could run faster than White Shoe as he has a typical sprinter's running behavior. People always see 2nd leg in a relay would have the privilege of chilled-out compare to the 1st leg and last leg -- but that's only a myth. I believe Blue Shoe struggled through his mental hardship when seeing the other 2nd runners were waaay ahead of him.

While waited patiently for Blue Shoe's time-in, the 'teacher' was kinda surprised to see the last leg (3rd runner) of the 1st and 2nd teams were actually set off for their victory run. Yup, teacher, that's the standard, okay?!?! I almost laughed out loud to see the teacher's shocking face expression -- and again, it revealed the 'not-so-experienced' fact of the team -- freshy they are, I started to get convinced.

Blue Shoe timed himself in for running 17 minutes and 19 sec.. a lil bit longer he took but what really impressed me was he sprinted for his final 500m -- a totally different approach compare to White Shoe. As I said earlier, Blue Shoe could be a good sprinter.

Then the baton passed to the final leg, the third runner of the team. I know most (almost all) relay teams will arrange their strategy in such a way that the best runner would run for the final leg. So I supposed Black Shoe -- OK, very well, a Black Nike (agaain??!!) -- is the ultimate runner in this team.

..and not coming to my surprise at all, he really is.

The pace, the breathing, the mental strength and the approach to his run-- I don't really think this 3.9km brought any problem to him. What really triggered my curiosity was, he did not seem to be running all out as well.

Whatever it is, it was really exciting to see him overtook a few racers, even one right before the finishing line. Black Shoe finished his run by only using 15 minutes and 10 sec, making it the official lapse time for the team 49 minutes and 11 sec, ranked 12th out of 33 teams in Men's Open Category.

Good placing? Good time? Good effort? Good trial? As I said, this team was really interesting as I couldn't get any answers from their post-run reaction, even not from their 'teacher' -- They played around among them like fools after the race as if they did not care at all their 'not-so-good' ranking for the race, but if they DID NOT CARE at all about this race, what happened to the effort that made them put on the same striking Nike running shirts and shorts? So if they really cared then why there was no the ultimate 'all-out' moments from them that inspired me? If they chose to reserve their run then what happened to the disappointments I saw on their face?

.. and.. what's the team's name? "Run, Koma Run"? What's that? They want to run or they want to comma, and passed-out?

Hmmm...

...see that?

Like I said, the view from top is always thorough enough, clear enough and wide enough, but it is never zoomed in enough. what do you see from a running event? I saw how people channel their passion along the running course; and what would you see in a runner of a running event? Never. We would never see what's inside them, we would never know what are they thinking while running -- but we know there's a drive -- a drive that make them lift up their leg and make another step forward, and forward, and forward; A drive, like the chubby boy ran for his father; A drive that could be out of a sense of achievement, out of pure self-tortured pleasures, out of a stupid passion, a drive that could also be out of friendship, out of brotherhood, out of a common belief of life that are shared.

..Perhaps it's the drive, that make them fly one day, and enjoy the borderless view from top..

From,
Someone who can fly

Race course = Race + Course

Race:
1st 10 km. Starting point from Pantai Murni to Titi Hayun.

Course:

• "Check your pace, at your own speed." He recalled coach Firdaus' advice;
  
• "Look at how you run during the last futsal game -- If there's somebody who's not as energetic as you but run like you, he'll probably die! -- My point is, channel your energy wisely. " He knows CK might be a little bit exaggerating, but point taken;
  
• "Don't get influent by other runners -- it's just the starting point of the damn 44.7km.." Zana his teammate reminded him, while both of them running side by side, 70m away from their other 2 teammates: Daus and Wan.
  

Race:
5 km after first 10 km. From Titi Hayun, hike up 1000++ steps of 'staircases', shoot straight to the 15-km-check-point, the peak of the Mount Jerai at 1200++ m above sea level.

Course:

• "OK -- now, take your own step.." He doesn't think that he did actually fully get what Daus was trying to say when the team reached in front of the thousand steps of Mt. Jerai. He just shot up, abandoning his teammates behind;
  
• "I need to make sure I still have the energy when I come to the foot of Mt. Jerai. I believe I will be mentally refreshed when hiking up a mountain and running in a forest, and I don't want to waste that moment just becaue I don't have enough stamina anymore to perform in the mountain and the forest.." All in his mind was thinking of the conversation he had with someone very important, when they were talking about the worries he had for the race.

Race:

15 km check point, peak of Jerai.

Course:

• "You just SHOULDN'T leave your teammates behind!!" A senior racer from another team pointed at his face and commented. He felt annoyed, but seeing his teammates finally arrived at the check point after 40 minutes wait, he understood that he could just ignore comment.
  

..but he's still annoyed.
Race:
From the 15th km to the 27th km, from peak to the foot of Mt. Jerai. Downhill, he ran side by side with Wan. Zana the only lady teammate was having muscle pain at her limb, plus her 'not having eaten enough for breakfast' problem, she was slowed down. Daus was with her.

Course:

• "Take good care of your knee." That was the sms sent by Lina a night before the race. He sort of remembered that sms when he realized that going downhill, plus the tiredness factor, he's actually putting great pressure onto his knee. He's in pain, and really really really wanted to stop by and have a break.
  
• "You can slow down, but NEVER EVER you stop." The lesson learnt from his last race in Genting Trailblazer was like a pinch for him. He's in pain, but he did not want to stop, like he did not want to repeat what he got from that Genting Trailblazer race.
  

Race:
The 27 km check point, foot of Mt. Jerai. Came to his surprise, he saw Kak Yus, Huda, Nurin and Amie -- the supporters group of their team was waiting for them at the check point. Wan and himself felt so relieved to see them. Both of them decided to stop and waited for Zana and Daus, while being fed by the supporters team with Kit-Kat and all sort of moral supports.

Course:

• "You stopped, and you sat down.." Coach Firdaus paused, before he made a strong remark of dissatisfaction, "sitting down in the middle of a race is a HUGE MISTAKE for a runner, and how could you?" Coach Firdaus commented sternly, during a after-race postmortem session.

Race:
The 27th km to 37th km. The 10 km rocky trail was covered under the sun of 1 pm to 3 pm, in the middle of the open padi field. The Aiyo, Koma! team started to feel exhausted. Instead of keeping up their 1km/hour pacing, four of them started to slow down by only slow jogging and even walking.

Course:

• "It's all about the mental strength, it's all about the will power; it's all about the mental strength, it's all about the will power......." He kept repeating the theory that he had listened enough. He truly understands that it is easier to chant it than to act on it. He felt heated, exhausted, bored, his not-cushioned running shoe was hurting his feet every step he put on the rocky path, his right knee was in pain..... Up to one point, he could even felt his body was loosing synchronization with his brain, and even worse, his brain was building tendency to listen to his body..
  
• "You can't even lift up your leg, how could you run?!" Coach Firdaus' comment for his last race in Genting Trailblazer, again, was like a heavy bell swinging in his mind.

Race:

The final 7.5 km back to Pantai Murni, the finishing line. They saw the entrance to Pantai Murni, but the race course by-passed the entrance, and followed an outer ring route passing by the beach to enter the finishing line.

Course:

• "They would better make sure this is right!!" Wan started to curse. By-passing the entrance to finishing line was like seeing a Vanilla ice-cream with fresh lime topping in front of you but you are not allowed to touch it. No, it's WAY MORE frustrating than that.
  
• "That extra outer ring route is not designed purposely to fool everybody," after the race, Coach Firdaus explained to the racers, "it's the milage that they have to fulfill to meet the Full-Marathon standard."
  

Full Marathon?!!!!??? Very well.

Race:

About 3 km before finishing line, Aiyo, Koma! team passed by the quarantine post where the racers have to wait for their left-behind teammates before they approached finishing line.

Course:

• "Luckily we reach here in one team, all four are here.. It's so embarrassing waiting in that quarantine post..." Daus pointed out the weird thing about this quarantine post. The rest agreed. They heard the racers in the quarantine post cheered on them.
  

Race:

200 m before finishing line.

Course:

• "Zana, can you still run?" Zana's condition was the main concern of the other 3 guys in the team since peak of Jerai. Zana nodded, "let's run toward the finishing line."
  

********************************************************************

20 December, 2008, 4:08 pm.. Aiyo, Koma! team ran to the finishing line of the Jerai Eco X-Country Challenge 2008 after 8 hours of running through a distance of 44.7 km. They ended their endurance test at the 16th place out of 45 teams. The thrill and excitement were shared by their supportes/ logistic team who waited patiently and waited in faith to Aiyo, Koma! at the finishing point of the race.

Aiyo, Koma! would like to thank all the supports and helps and motivations and advices they received from their friends and the family of KOMA. A race course is called a 'race course' because along the race, racers learnt and aspired -- they learnt from the advices and tips, like a course in a school; they aspired from the drive of their love, like a course for a dream.

ps: all pictues posted here are courtesy of www.jeraiecoxcountry.com, except the last 2 pictures where you can find the Aiyo, Koma! team and their logistic/ supporters team posing after the race.

pss: I accidentally bumped into a Doctor's blog who was in the team that ranked 15th in the same race... and I started to recall that that Doctor might be the one who commented me at hte peak of the Mt. Jerai.. what a small world! Clcik here to read Doc's funny and detailed post about the race: http://opdochisyam.blogspot.com/2008/12/its-not-as-easy-as-you-think-jerai-eco.html. !!

psss: Hey I justrealized that many runners do BLOG as well!! (it's kinda cool for me as this proved that the perception of 'orang kasar tak reti bahasa' is TOTALY WRONG!! ) Click here for team AAC MMU's story during the Jerai Race. Congratulation to Ajis, Panjang, hanis and Nana!

"Family kat ner?"

I called a cab. I really needed a ride to take me home -- it was almost 1 am. I was supposed to reach KL around 10 pm but due to the the weather condition in KLIA, my flight needed to turned to Johor by the time we were about to touch down.

"Adik dari maner?" The cab driver asked. I must have unintentionally showed a tired face when I sat in.

"Sabah." I had a 1-week geological field trip in Sabah. Suddenly I remembered the comment that Nany left in my Facebook:

"Jalan sakan jer mamat nih!" This guy never stop traveling.

I must agree with her. Since Cape Town, I had't really got my rest.

****************************************************************

The day my Cape Town South Africa-Changi Singapore-KLIA Malaysia flight finaly touched down at around 11 am Malaysian time, I rushed back home and tried to get a quick nap to tune my 6 hours jet lag back to normal --

-- because few hours after that, I needed to head to Genting HIghland for the Genting Trailblazer Race. It was a 10 km cross mountain run and I needed to make sure my body and mind were ready.

It was a race that got me learned in a hard way.

I got a serious pain on my right knee, I got my body drained out, I got a full load of heavy strain all over my muscles;

I received a medal which only honour those who managed to finish the race, I disappointed Daus my partner in the race for not reaching top 10 but the 14th, I started to doubt my fitness level, I realized it's much more painful to let somebody down than to let your knee got injured..

..and I learned something precious about being modest and humble, and about working hard and giving out the best..

***************************************************************

"Tak penat ker ko nih?" Nurita asked me when I just came down from one outcrop and ready to climb up the next. Sometimes in a geological field trip, we as geoscientists need to look close-up to features that engraved on the rocks by nature. Look close-up here means, if the geological features or even fossils are expected to be exist up on a hill, you just need to climb.

She knew that I've been going out for a few hiking trips before.

Tired? I smiled, at the same time I was thankful that the outcrops in Sabah, though requires so hiking and climbing, are not as high as a hill, or mountain for God's sake.

...and I also realized that, my pain on my right knee miracolusly disappeared after I entered Sabah. It was still there the day before my flight to Sabah, when I was in the midst of the forest on Gunung Nuang.

******************************************************************

The becoming weekend right after the race in Trailblazer Genting, we went up to Gunung Nuang and camped there.

My muscle pains carried forward from the race was fully recovered, but not yet me knee. To be very frank my knee pain was really worrying and I was advised to see a physio and NOT to proced with any outdoor activities.

But HELLO~~~ it was a hiking PLUS camping outing on Gunung Nuang, with Abang Fariz, Daus, Kak Yus, Amie, Nurin, Zana, Ijoi, Amir, Kak Ruby, Zayin and Sabarin!!

---I just don't see the knee pain was any more important that this outing!!

********************************************************************

The cab driver was mumbling on something about Sabah, I wasn't paying attention.

I texted Kak Yus, asking for the plan for our outing the next day -- err -- the same day, in a few hours.

"7 a.m. kumpul kt KLCC." She replied, and expressing her worries about my tiredness.

I sat back, looked at my watch. 1 a.m. Thinking I still could get an ample rest before waking up at 6 a.m., and then I realized I hadn't done any packing yet. So minus half hour of sleeping time.

The cab driver had finaly kept quiet, leaving a peaceful moment for me, listening to the retro rock kapak played on the radio. The radio DJ was about to end her slot after the song because she's wishing everyone a good night and a good weekend ahead.

"Semoga anda semua dapat berehat bersama keluarga anda dan juga insan tersayang pada hujung minggu ini.." Hope you have a nice weekend with your family and your loved ones. She said.

******************************************************************

7 a.m I reached KLCC and met Kak Yus and Ikha, then Coco then Huda then Ijoi then Suhaina then Uyun then Tess. Then we met up with the rest of the gang in R&R.

Jai and CK finally managed to join us this time and I was so happy about that. I hugged both of them the moment I saw them.

Yup, Cape Town -- Trailblazer -- Gunung Nuang -- Sabah Geological Field Trip, I quickly followed up the 'back-to-back Jalan Sakan' list with Whitewater Rafting in Sungai Gopeng, then caving in Gua Tempurong the next day, with this one whole bunch of fun people.


********************************************************************

The cab was driving through a sleeping KL when the radio DJ ended her slot.

"Semoga anda semua dapat berehat bersama keluarga anda dan juga insan tersayang pada hujung minggu ini.."

Her wishes really gave me a strike.

"Tak balik kampung ker?" The driver asked, and I knew from where he thought of this question. Blame the radio DJ.

"Tak." No I hadn't gone back to my hometown for quite some time, and I'm feeling guilty about that.

Silence ensued, before he asked the question that made me smiled.

"Family kat ner?"

****************************************************************

"Penat? tak lagi kuut." I still remembered the moment I answered Nurita's question, I was feeling some kind of heart-warmth inside.

Of course this back-to-back outings were kinda draining me out, but alhamdulilah I was still feeling energetic to ride on it -- People say you wouldn't feel tired if you enjoy doing things that you're doing. I believe so, but now I think it is more than that--

-- you just wouldn't feel tired if you enjoy doing things that you're doing, and doing it with the people you love -- a bunch of people that you really really really love and care about.

These people are my other family besides the one with my parents and my sisters; they are my family that taught me so many things in life, revealed so much lights and insights of life; a family that I hang out with in almost every weekends, inside forests, mountains, and urban;

A family that embraces me as Aiman and calls me Aiman; 

A family that will certainly laugh at me for being sentimental but then give me a hug;

A family that we call ourselves: ",".

Yes, koma.

ps.. "Family kat ner?" Where's my family? we are planning to go to Gunung Buah Bunga after white water rafting in Sg Gopeng, caving in Tempurung Cave, steps-running at Batu Cave, roller skating at FRIM, waterfall hunting at Sg. Pisang, KaraOk-ing, futsal, bowling.. -- to answer the question of where's my family, I would answer --

-- out there.

We would never be divided.

It was ShahFarid who sent out the email warning about traveling in India. Having no idea about what's the reason behind, I just accepted his advice as I know him as an international trader who always have the first hand update about what's going on in the world.

I was certainly turned down by his email, cause we were just planning to have a backpacking trip in the colorful country.

By then later on, the cancelation of the India trip was not anymore a big turn-down for me, the real big disappointment and great sadness for me, is the failure of human acts like a human-being.

Mumbai was attcked, by stupid, short-minded, narrow-sighted, cold-blooded, ignorant, arrogant, self-isolated, retarded-minded people, called terrorists.

It's sad, it's painful, but those animals won't tear us apart. They can't segregate the unity of human being in this world, I promise.

We would never be divided.

"We citizens of India, and countries around the world, from all faiths, backgrounds and walks of life, declare with one voice that the terrorist attacks in Mumbai have not divided us, will not divide us, and that we stand together, as one people, against all violent extremists who shamefully target the innocent. We call upon all our political and religious leaders to come together at this moment, and take effective action to prevent the spread of violence."

-- I've signed the petition. I hope you will do the same by clicking here.

Because I still want to travel to India, and to the rest of the world, to see how human-spirit shines when we human-being finaly intergrate and embrace each other, regardless of all the diffrences that the so-called civilization have brought us to see.

PS.. The posters are taken from a newsletter that I received from an Indian Online Community I joined few years ago.

Cape of hope..

"Hmmm...you guys must have a lot of accidents like land-sliding or loose rocks falling off onto the road, right?" I asked, never turned away my sight from the spectacular mountain range.

"What?" Ismail was concentrating on his driving.

"Look at the boulders," I pointed to the large stones spread over the flank of the mountain range along the sea side winding road.

"Those rocks? Owh.. no, they are not loose rocks. We don't have those kind of accidents here." Ismail was still concentrating on his driving, while trying his very best to entertain all my weird questions about his country, South Africa, and his home town, Cape Town.

"I think they are loose rocks, that fell from the mountain -- the only way they are there" I tried to explain some geology to him, having a boost of self arrogance of being a geologist that knows better about rocks than Ismail.

Ismail responded to my explanations with a smile. The 4pm sunshine shone on his face. Typical South African figure who went through some harsh experiences in his past. You can see that aura in most of the 40s - 50s South African here.


*************************************************************************
June 1976, the world witnessed the Soweto Uprising in South Africa. The black youths of the country triggered an uprising to go against South African authorities.

The riots grew out of protests against the policies of apartheid. Ismail was involved in the uprising.

"It's always right to go out and fight for what you wish to have, rather than just sit there and blame what you don't have."

-- Until today, I still can vividly remember Ismail's calmness when putting all his messy and emotional past of involving in Soweto Uprising, into this one 'simple' phrase.

His words seemed simple and light, but I could feel the intensity of it.

The time must be a chaos. I looked at him. Trying to squeeze some words out of my mouth.

"...so.. are things become better after the uprising?" I asked, realizing that was another stupid question that might make Ismail recalled his tough time.

*************************************************************************
A visit to Table Mountain is a must when you are in Cape Town. That's what they said.

Hence I escaped half-day from the geological conference that I was sent to attend here, rode on the cable car that brought the tourist to the top of the iconic Table Mountain.

No doubt. What they said was right. Period.

Table Mountain features a flat top that geologically speaking, it is what remained after a tectonic uplift and millions years of period of severe erosion.

Literately speaking, Table Mountain is a survival of the million-year touch erosion. And that makes her gorgeous.

"Look at the sandstones here.. it's so coarse and so hard.." Mr V approached me when I was touching the surface of the 'table' top. Mr V is a geologist from Budapest, Hungary. He was supposed to be in the geological conference too.

We both stood up, and looked down. The 'Lion's Head' is another peak of the same mountain range that seen at the left of Table Mountain. "That is another survival." Mr V continued his lecture. I nodded, thinking to myself that I need to get out from this conversation -- I'm not here for a geological field trip..

"Right from the top here you can clearly see those rocks that was left behind after erosion. See those boulders? They are not loose rocks.."

Something hit me. I heard the same thing before.

***************************************************************************
"While we will not forget the brutality of apartheid, we will not want Robben Island to be a monument of our hardship and suffering.
We would want it to be a triumph of the human spirit against the forces of evil;
A triumph of wisdom and largeness of spirit against small minds and pettiness;
A triumph of courage and determination over human frailty and weakness."

-- Ahmed Kathrada, anti-apartheid activist, long-serving political prisoner on Robben Island.

A visit to Robben Island was emotional. In 1962 Mr Nelson Mandela and his comrades of anti-apartheid including Mr Ahmed Kathrada were banished to Robben Island for almost 20 years.

Robben Island at the time was served as a prison during that time for its tough living condition and far abandonment from mainland of South Africa.

During their prison on Robben Island, the world outside was rioting and having "Free Mandela"campaign; inside, on the island, Mr Nelson Mandela and his comrade, despite of the hardship and suffering, insisted on their own education, and they used every means to reach the information from outside.

Everybody was keeping their faith during that time. A faith that brings South Africa to what she is today.

***********************************************************************
The place is called Boo-ka. Cape Town's one of the Muslim's community housing areas.

It was Ismail who brought me there for the first time; then I jogged from my hotel to there again after the conference; the third time, I brought along my Nick'a.

Because Boo-ka is simply lovely. "Boo-ka means Upper Cape." The driver who drove me to the conference centre every morning explained to me, "and many film-makers go there and do film shooting."

No surprise. I would love to have my scenes shot in Booka if I'm a film director, but I only have my Nick'a, an amateur SLR.

"So how do you know Boo-ka, sir? It's quite hidden. "
"My friend's mum stays there." I was talkng about Ismail's mum. She lives in the green color house in Boo-ka.

When Ismail first brought me here, I used to ask him this question:

"Who put the colors on?"

"The local people, because they feel that they can do something to actualy attract tourist to come and visit their place."

The third time I visited Boo-ka, it was another colors that grabbed my heart.

The kids in Boo-ka.

**********************************************************************
"Here, sir, your Rooibos tea."

"Rooibos?" I turned to him. It was Kyle, the hotel staff who took care of me since I checked in.

"I din order it, Kyle."

"No sir. This is for you. Remember you mentioned about Fynbos last night? Rooibos tea a prodcut of Fynbos plants." I could feel some sort of pride when he talked about Fynbos, like Malvin I met yesterday, who showed me what a Fynbos is in Halord Porter Botanical Garden.

Fynbos is a type of vegetation that only found in South Africa. It's the type of vegetation that have attitude. Fynbos grow strong under the dramatic living condition of medirterannean climate, and what made me really impressed about Fynbos is, the seeds of fynbos will only germinate after the intense heat of a fire.

Fire. I repeat.

*******************************************************************
"Things are getting better now. The condition did not change right after the uprising, but things are getting better slowly in this country."

Sitting in the couch traveling from Hermanus back to Cape Town, I recalled the answer from Ismail when I asked him the question about Soweto Uprising. The couch passed by the samesea-side winding route that Ismail used to drive me on. I saw the boulders again.

Everything about Cape Town flahsed back in my mind. There's something about Cape Town that touched my heart, but I'd yet to realize.

Outside of the couch, there's a spectacular view of Atlantic Ocean, sparkling under the sun, marginized by the mountain range that Table Mountain belongs to. From times to times, I could even see whales breaching out of the sea surface -- Hermanus is claimed to be the best land-based whale watching spot in the world.

What made the whales to come to Cape Town? I started to ponder. I also saw penguins in Cape Town, and also sea-seals. Yes, we all know it's due to the weather or what not, but my thinking was something further:

Why Cape Town?

Outside of the couch, there's a spectacular view of Atlantic Ocean, sparkling under the sun, marginized by the mountain range that Table Mountain belongs to. I saw whales breaching out, from time to time; Robben Island lies somewhere far away from the coastline, in the middle of Atlantic Ocean; I saw boulders on the flank of the mountain range which are the survivals of a series of severe erosion, like Table Mountain; maybe there's fynbos scattering on the flank too; I saw people in Cape Town living happily in the life they'd fought for; I imagined Ismail's mum and her neighbors painted their houses in such a vibrant color in Boo-Ka, adding cheer and happiness into their life; and the kids, they are laughing happily, I could hear them..

.. then I know why cape Town. I smiled, but it was heart-breakingly sad to realize this.

Cape Town's beauty is truly derived from her strength going through all the tough times she had. The people in Cape Town, the rocks, the Fynbos -- everything in Cape Town fought through their way to get the charm that they get today..

That's why Cape Town is so heartbreakingly beatiful -- because God gives all the best to Cape Town, not to only compensate the scars and tears of her survival, but also to the hope and faith that hold firmly on this land.

************************************************************************

ps.. No, my Cape Town trip was not another holiday after the 4 countries in Europe (How much I wish it was!!).
There was an international geological conference over there where I had to present my MSc. thesis, showcasing it to the experts from all around the world and got questioned by them. It was tough to be challenged techinically but I think my Cape Town trip taught me something about stay strong with faith, and never give in to harshness..

What's your favorite?

He came to me and hold my hand, another small hand of his touched my camera. He looked at me and asked:

"Can you take a picture of me?"

I did not expect the kids in Boo-Ka (Upper Cape) are so friendly. They do not seem at all to be afraid of a stranger like me who looks different with them. Or maybe it was just me who sees the differences that I just shouldn't be seeing.

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Of last 7 days, I was in a land that would probably be my top-ranked favorite destination so far. A land that opened my eye, a land that hold mt breath, a land that moved my sense, a land that touched my heart.

Look at my DestinationsMap below.. it's a land that in red circle.

A land that called Cape Town, South Africa.

(of course, more pictures and stories to come..)