South Africa - Friday, December 4

Today we headed over two hours east. There are 7-8 game reserves along this stretch of highway, so wherever you see an electric fence on the side of the road, you have to look closely for animals. We were driving along when Raymond suddenly stopped and we all gasped to see a herd of 13 giraffe right there along a hillside. That certainly never happens in Utah! 

It was rainy and misty the whole way, and Dorothy keeps telling me that’s just not what the weather should be like. Oh, well. We stopped in Bathurst at The Big Pineapple, which just happens to be the largest pineapple in the world—a cute little tourist spot. Then it was on to Port Alfred where we went to lunch at Guido’s Restaurant with Elder and Sister Godfrey (from Logan).

beach at Port Alfred

On the way back to Port Elizabeth, we continued to look for animals and came across more giraffe right along the fence in one place. It never ceases to amaze me when I see this stuff. I kept thinking I was seeing animals all over the hills, but mostly I was seeing termite mounds. It’s hard to tell from far away.

 

Everywhere we’ve been, we’re close to the ocean, yet I can’t figure out why it doesn’t smell like the ocean. I’ve been to San Diego, Seattle, San Francisco, and North Carolina beaches, and all those towns smell “oceany.” But here it doesn’t. There must be something different about the Indian Ocean.

When we got back to Port Elizabeth, we made a quick stop at the Pick ‘n Pay to get something to fix for dinner. Oh, how I’ve missed being able to dash to a store and get everything I need! We bought a loaf of French bread, a jar of pasta sauce, and some mozzarella cheese then came home and quickly made French bread pizza before heading to the Walmer chapel for a combined ward Christmas activity.

It was a wonderful presentation of the nativity. We were accompanied in small groups by a wise man who was searching for the Christ child and stopped momentarily in different rooms for a brief presentation along the way. First we saw the shepherds who told us what they had seen. Then we saw King Herod; he told us to come back and let him know where this baby was so he could go and worship, too. In the next room, the angels told us marvelous things about the Savior. And finally, we arrived at the manger and saw the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. It really was beautiful, and so well presented. The next room had a display of nativity sets from around the world, and the final room was decorated like a Bethlehem market and we were fed bread and water from the vendor stalls. So glad we went!