Please exile me to the most beautiful time

Chapter 5 South Africa: Diamonds and Devils (2)
Women love food more than men
The white brother who prepared dinner together is a part-time employee of this hotel, and he is still studying undergraduate at the moment. "I didn't like the undergraduate major I studied, but I chose a new major after working for two years... It is a completely different field, from business to art, and it is very interesting to learn." Such a "student master" is rarely seen in China, I have only seen those who took double majors when they were undergraduates, some who studied consecutively for undergraduates and masters, and some who worked for a few years and then studied for a master's degree. However, it is rare to choose another major after graduation and work for two years. .Those who have time can't afford to spend such money, and those who have money can't afford to spend such time. The courage and courage to go around looking for points of interest at the age of nearly [-] is really admirable. "You, in China, nine times out of ten, you will be considered a wealthy young master, or a bum with nothing to do when you are full." "If you are really so rich, why do you need to work part-time to earn tuition fees?" He laughed.

Working part-time to earn tuition to study a second undergraduate major sounds a bit unimaginable, but I seem to understand how he feels, just like long-distance travel is a matter of wealth or food in the eyes of most people People who have nothing to do will do the same thing.Most rich people feel that they have no time, and most people who have time feel that they have no money, and those who have money and time feel that they are old. People who take actions do not all have money and time, but people who do everything possible to create conditions for travel and solve problems.

Under the guidance of my brother, I found the most delicious beef jerky shop in the area.This beef jerky called biltong is a popular South African delicacy.In this unassuming Bilton store in front of you are strips of beef that look like jerky and have been dried on the outside.Take the next piece and ask the staff to cut it now. The freshly cut meat slices made me swallow in surprise. The deliciousness is really amazing and can be called peerless.Who would have thought that under the hard, stone-like appearance, there is actually a delicious meat that is so soft that it almost melts in the mouth, and after chewing, there is an endless aftertaste in the mouth.I once bought the vacuum-packed biltong in the supermarket out of curiosity, and the taste is far inferior to the freshly cut ones in this specialty store.I know that this kind of delicacy can’t be taken away, and I want to eat fresh Biertong again in the future, but I don’t know that it will be the year of the monkey, so I asked the clerk to cut a large piece of beef jerky and wrap it in a paper bag, and then picked up a large piece from it and stuffed it into my mouth Li, wow, it's so cool.

Having said so much, I now realize that I am actually a big foodie!
I think of a book that says women love food more than men.This sentence is put here, it is absolutely correct.If someone offers me food every day, I will follow him without saying a word.

Cape Town thinks too much

Just like the hapless protagonist in a movie, there is always a supporting actor who can turn the tide. Just when South Africa almost left the horror image in my mind, Cape Town Deus appeared in front of me like an angel. .She is beautiful, elegant, and atmospheric.Basking in the sun by the sea, the strings that have been tense for several days have finally been stretched. In a trance, I seem to have found the reason why South Africa can become the most economically developed country in Africa.

White people account for more than [-]% of Cape Town's population. The white people on the road and the Western-style buildings on both sides of the street are integrated, making this city a place where people can feel "pretend to be in Europe".People enjoy life on the beach of Table Bay. Between the blue sea like a canvas and the stretching Table Mountain are golden sandy beaches and turquoise grasslands. I don’t know who put them in front of this picturesque scenery. A bench, everyone who walks through this scene will have an idea of ​​wanting to stop and take a break.

When climbing to the top of Table Mountain at an altitude of 1000 meters, it has another fantastic appearance. One side is full of misty thick fog covering the eyes, and the other side is overlooking the bay from the perspective of God. The blue semicircle hanging In the middle of the field of vision, sandwiched between the sky and the earth, the densely packed small houses at the foot of the mountain seem to be the world where ants live.

Victoria Wharf Square is the life gathering place of Cape Town people, where there are all kinds of music, music and singing.Several old men were playing violin music with great enthusiasm, and their records were placed in front of the stage. Those records vividly conveyed their heartfelt message of "don't accept charity, if you like our music, please buy an album"; they wore sunglasses and had long hair The hippies squatting next to the phone booth blowing the long didgeridoo, which is an ancient musical instrument from the aboriginal tribes of Australia. Legend has it that it is a tool for talking to the undead. With a fantastic sound effect, you can have a soul dialogue with the undead.The didgeridoo is actually a hollow tree trunk, which is made by the aboriginal people by using the principle of termites gnawing wood to cut down the tree trunk and insert it into the termite cave.It is said that this hippie played the didgeridoo here every day for several years without interruption. I guess he must have found some kind of magical ideal here.

The square in front of the government building in Cape Town is filled with hundreds of small stalls, mostly selling textiles and plastic products made in China.It is inconceivable that officials would allow the front of the government building to become a chaotic small commodity market.The long street a few streets away from here is a gathering place for tourists. There are dozens of backpacker hotels hidden on both sides of the straight street. The gates are all locked with a code, which makes my sense of security soar.I saw an ATM in the lobby of a well-known hotel. This was the first time I saw an ATM inside a small hotel, and the name of the hotel was even displayed on the screen.Yes, not a hotel, not a bank, not a shopping mall, but this backpacker hostel!
gentle crime scene

Living in a hotel, surfing the Internet, cooking, and meeting friends are all inseparable from the lobby.At that time, I didn't know that Apple mobile phones had become popular in China, so I was still using Nokia mobile phones from 4 years ago. As we all know, charging a Nokia with a universal charger requires removing the battery.I have been dealing with hotels for a long time, and I am aware of the unsafety of putting valuables in the hotel lobby. I am afraid that no one would like an old mobile phone like this.So, I conveniently put it in the hall.Unexpectedly, when I re-entered the hotel lobby the next morning, the charger disappeared along with the battery.

Who will take my battery?Was it a staff member, a tenant, or a curious animal who picked it up inadvertently?My mind was full of question marks, I just wanted to break the casserole and ask the end of this matter.The hotel manager was as serious as I was, and quickly exported the surveillance video of the previous night. The video was fast-forwarded, and the quiet night was quickly broadcast in a few minutes. "Ah, look here!" The manager paused the recording with a "snap", rewinded it, and played it at normal speed.I widened my eyes and looked at the images recorded by the four camera angles from the gate to the hall, and a complete "crime process" was staged in front of my eyes.

It was 7:[-] in the morning, before work time, and the front desk of the hotel was empty.The female tenant pushed open the door with a code lock and went to the street. Two young people who seemed to know the way came to the street, pretending to be hotel tenants, chatting and reaching out to hold the door.The female tenant naturally mistook the two for residents and kindly kept the door open.In this way, the two people easily broke through the password-locked door that was supposed to increase the sense of security.Two young men searched for valuables in the lobby of the hotel. Unfortunately, they found nothing.Perhaps unwilling to leave empty-handed, one of them found my charger and mobile phone battery shrunk in the corner socket, put his hand into his pocket, and left the hotel calmly.

It turned out that it was so easy to break into a hotel with a combination lock to steal.If a careless tenant leaves mobile phones, computers, cameras and other items in the hotel lobby, these two people will definitely walk away.The hotel lobby, which looks safe and homely, is nothing more than a workplace where thieves can come and go.Although the loss is small, I still have lingering fears when I see the lost images with my own eyes.It is a blessing to have only been stolen such a trivial little thing during the trip so far. I have nothing to ask but to be grateful for the care of fate.

One wave is not flat, and another wave rises again.The black girl on the lower berth borrowed money from me on the grounds that she didn't have enough cash, and there was clearly an ATM next to the hotel. "That is the ATM of Bank X. My bank card is Bank Y. I have to go to another street to pick it up, which is quite far away." For me, who has encountered countless scams, this far-fetched reason is really unconvincing.In a hotel where there is a lot of fluidity between multiple rooms, there is no close relationship between the tenants. If the other party has a little bad intentions—even if it is only a small bit, the loaned money will never be returned, and there will be nowhere to ask for it. .Even just going out for a meal, several tenants may check out and leave, and then disappear into the vast crowd.

Xiaodai, a backpacker traveling all the way from Tibet to India, once encountered such a thing.In a youth hotel in China, a Chinese buddy who seemed to be very sincere borrowed money, and the other party told the story of his experience of losing all his money.After getting along for a day, Xiaodai believed in this dear friend and lent him 3000 yuan to help him go home. The other party was grateful and repeatedly promised to send the money as soon as he got home.You must have guessed the ending of the story, the man never heard from after getting the money.Thinking of this, I firmly rejected the black girl's request.

invisible influence

On Long Street, locals shopping, foreigners visiting, entertainers playing and singing, and street vendors turn this area into the most lively and vibrant place in Cape Town, but it becomes a place full of life on weekends. It was empty, the shops were closed, and there were few people and cars.Rest days are for rest, for everyone.There is no "welfare" that is lively from morning to night on weekdays. After evening, the long street becomes a "ghost street". There is no one in sight, only a few lonely leaves blown by the wind and turning around a few times, which makes people suspicious. The hustle and bustle of the day is just a dream.

I still can't accept this phenomenon.Thinking of the Saturdays and Sundays when I was working in China, it seemed like I was sorry for the time if I didn't go to the street to make some noise.This is why there are more people on the streets on Saturdays and Sundays. There must be a lot of girls who have the same idea as me.

In sub-Saharan Africa, it is almost customary not to go out at night, because the law and order here is really worrying, and there is nowhere to go in the deserted streets under the night.I like the relaxed atmosphere of Egypt where you can go to the night market and eat at the stalls at night.Desolate neighborhoods only make me want to curl up in a bustling hotel all the more.

Therefore, I often stay in the hotel lobby.Here, I found that at least 7 Chinese-language movies were broadcast on TV for 7 consecutive days, and these movies came from different TV channels.But there is one thing in common, that is, they are all Kung Fu movies. From the Hong Kong Shaw Brothers movies decades ago to the new movies in recent years, I am dumbfounded by the wide range.Everyone knows that kung fu movies are popular overseas, but the average broadcast frequency of one movie a day is too high. Kung fu movies are really the mainstream channel for China to export its values ​​to the world.

"Are there still people in China who use Chinese herbal medicine to heal injuries?" Hei, who was lying on the sofa, watched the ancient kung fu movies on the TV, and stuffed a piece of potato chips into his mouth.On the screen is a scene where the hero played by Zhao Wenzhuo takes Chinese herbal medicine after being injured. "There are still, but they are rare, and the way of using Chinese herbal medicine has changed a lot." Speaking of this, I am very surprised why foreigners always ask these strange questions, why things that happened in ancient times are grafted into the present Woolen cloth?Whether this is because the foreign media propagated our ancient times too deeply, or because our own media has no influence, the answer is unknown, but one thing is clear, those invisible soft powers are more influential.

“Cape Town is now the safest place in South Africa, and it used to be the opposite—it was the worst.” Hearing him say that, I glanced involuntarily at the gun shop on the corner opposite the hotel.

Gun shops are not unusual here, as gun ownership is legal in South Africa, as in the United States.However, in such an unsatisfactory security environment, the proliferation of guns has undoubtedly exacerbated the severity of security.In fact, it would be inappropriate to call him Black Brother, he is a mulatto born and raised in South Africa, which is very common in South Africa.I wonder how the changes in South Africa's political situation will affect mulatto South Africans like him, whether they are regarded as black or white. "It can be said that both sides are in the light, and the parents are black and white. No matter which side of the power comes to power, we will not be unlucky." It seems that the five-five-five pair is a good choice to offset the risk, and the drought and flood can guarantee the harvest.

"Have you ever been to Simon's Town? You should go and meet those cute little guys." With these words in mind, I took the train to Simon's Town, an hour's drive away, the next morning.The railway is built against the sea, and it was only a few steps away from the sea at the nearest time, as if a wave could wet my clothes.I know what is waiting for me ahead, and I can't wait.

Cape of Good Hope You Don't Know
Speaking of penguins, people invariably think of the Antarctic continent. It seems that only in cold places can there be penguins.In fact, penguins have a very wide distribution, from the Antarctic to the temperate zone, and then to the tropics.Simon’s Town on the coast of the southwestern tip of Africa is the home of penguins. In warm South Africa, penguins don’t need to store too much fat to keep out the cold. The penguins in Simon’s Town are a little smaller than the Antarctic penguins on TV. They are as small as black little ones. Duck.When hundreds of penguins on the beach came into view at the same time, I couldn't hold back my excitement and almost screamed.A large group of chubby, chubby little guys walked up and down on the beach in groups of three and five, and no one could resist this group of cute little guys!

People come to Simon's Town for another reason: it's the closest town to the Cape of Good Hope.

In my vague impression, I have always thought that the Cape of Good Hope is the southernmost tip of Africa, but it is not the case.The Cape of Good Hope is the most southwestern point of Africa, and the real southernmost point of Africa is Cape Agulhas.The Cape of Good Hope used to be called the Cape of Storms. The year-round stormy waves and the "killing waves" that seemed to swallow the world made it the most dangerous nautical area in the world, and it was called the "Gate of Hell" in the nautical world.It was later renamed the Cape of Good Hope, which means that if you go around this cape, you can hope to reach the dream of India. If you pass through this dangerous land, you will bring good luck. place.In front of the lighthouse at the Cape of Good Hope is the junction of the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. The sea water is pure dark blue, as if dyed.The lighthouse indicates that this place is 12933 kilometers away from Beijing. People can't help feeling that there is no such thing as the ends of the earth.

When the end of the world is over, it is the day to leave Africa.I boarded a flight to Indonesia, and at this point, I finally said goodbye to this love-hate continent.I love her because of primitiveness, the personality and simplicity brought by primitiveness, as well as the charming and insolent unrestrainedness; I hate her because of primitiveness, and the fear and confusion brought by primitiveness.These memories have been deeply engraved in my world.How could I have met you if I had never crossed the Sahara?

Flipping through the high school atlas that was almost falling apart, looking at Africa on the world map, a distant and daunting feeling came to my heart.Until the plane soared into the sky, I still doubted whether I had really been to the Sahara and Africa.

Is it me who spent half a year wasting time on the African continent?If not, why are there such clear blue sea and blue sky and large areas of magical and colorful colors in my memory?I can snap my fingers and list the 13 countries that this Trans-African Road journey passes through: Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, but I can't explain why they feel as if they are from another world.I have a sense of solemn ceremony, put my hands together, close my eyes, and pray sincerely.

Bless this land, endless life!
(End of this chapter)