Dang! It appears I’ve forgotten my jeans. You know, those super comfy jeans I got at Mr. Price. It was way too hot to wear jeans in Asia but I’m going to need them now since we are going back home to Canada. We really can’t afford to keep buying new clothes so we’ve gone back to pick them up. I left them at Mel’s. Mel lives in Cape Town, South Africa. (I suppose you may be feeling an overwhelming urge to point out the cost difference between a new pair of jeans and tickets to South Africa, but we like to think “outside of the box”, thank you very much!). We got here last Thursday. Since we’re here we might as well stay for a few weeks; the weather is really nice right now after all.
What?!!! Shocked?! Not really buying the jeans excuse?! Did I mention these are stretchy jeans? Hey, I’m hurt! If you had spent any time at all reading our blog or looking at the photos you’d know just how important “stretchy” is these days. Okay, okay, you caught us. It would be a bit outrageous to come all the way here from Thailand just to pick up a pair of jeans, even if they are stretchy and super-comfy. The real reason we came back is, of course,…you guessed it…Manoushes. How could we go back to Canada without a quick detour for mouthwatering jibneh, to-die-for zaataar and babaganoush…oh the babaganoush? Hmmmm, so you didn’t believe we would come all the way here just for jeans, but you had no problem believing we would come all the way here for food? Awww! You really are reading our blog! Sniff.
Subscribe Posts
March 8th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Way to go Spiros and Maria! All the way back to South Africa is kinda on the way home anyhow!
Remember to take pictures of the food!
Ride safe!
Doug and Julie
March 10th, 2009 at 8:41 am
Listen Mary,
People spend a lifetime to find that perfect fit. Some people spend $500 on a pair of jeans. If you also factor in the hours needed to shop and try on dozens and dozens of pairs. I know that your IT hourly billable rate is quite steep. Now factor in the un-definable cost of tossing away a perfectly good pair of jeans, and the benefits to the environment to recycling clothing. And then multiply that by the thousands if not millions of people who will be inspired by this blog to stop the madness of always needing to buy ‘new’.
Well sheesh… I think going back to Africa to get them jeans has SAVED this world an obscene amount of money.
Thank you Mary – thank you for yet again selflessly doing so much, and for (pardon the pun) going that extra mile for all of us.
March 12th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
It has been a while since I got caught up on your heartwarming stories and recollections. This brought me back in an instance…I would go to the ends of the earth for a chance to taste some of my favourites foods…the joy…the memories. Ever think of making this into a culinary memoir??
March 13th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Way to go gang! Anything for a pair of stretchy jeans!
There is so much to see and do in South Africa> Hope you enjoy your time at ‘Auntie Mels’.
Ya’ll be sure to enoy a ‘lekker brai’, eh?
Cheers, Chris W in freezing cold Canada…
March 13th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Ahhhh! Manouche. I’m pulling my hair just thinking about jibneh and za’atr.
Spiros, I have a suggestion. Just to extend these pleasures some more and give us more material to read and pictures to admire. From Stellenbosch take a detour through Lebanon and Syria. Great riding and the food…. hmmmm the food… It’s Lebanese restaurants and eateries everywhere.
I’ll think of other possible detours as well. Just to keep you and all of us in the audience happy
March 14th, 2009 at 12:30 am
Ahh yes Diana, a shortcut back to Canada across Syria and Lebanon sounds like a good idea…and if we could also squeeze
in a short visit to Barcelona and of course La France that would be nice too….it makes sense, we’re so close.
March 14th, 2009 at 12:42 am
Chris as you know South Africa is truly an amazing place. We have done some hiking and lots of cycling since we have been here. Next week we are going Mt. Biking with Luck Bush and he also wants to take us surfing. I’m sure we will find some time for a lekker (veggie of course) brai’! It’s summer here so the weather has been pretty nice. Looks like we will be avoiding another Canadian winter. See you when the weather back home gets better
March 17th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
I am so envious, folks! You’re going biking with my favorite doctor! My dearest hug dispenser! Darn. I’m going mad. And in order to chill down, I’ll have to go into the cold snowy mountains again
But back to the topic of “detours”. Let me tell you that a day in Syria (food and accommodation) costed me less than 2 tasty sandwiches and a coffee here. 15 bucks - a culinary feast over there!!
Go hiking, go cycling, go swimming and surfing. Just stay happy!