Playing catch-up… now on to the post that will come closer to bringing us up to date!

Friday, October 1st

We arrived in Bloemfontein early on Friday morning (exceedingly early, as we’d left Colesberg at the ungodly hour of 5:00 AM). Our first stop, then, was a lovely breakfast at the Emoya Estate. Mark the day: the fruit salad that Angie, Deb and I all ordered was accompanied by a slice of cheesecake. A day that begins with a cheesecake breakfast is obviously one that will likely be very, very good. Also, a day during which you spot giraffes from your breakfast table is something to be reckoned with.

After breakfast, we visited the Cheetah Experience, a local facility that provides a home to cheetahs, lions, tigers, and other assorted cats, many of whom were rejected by their mothers in the wild for one reason or another. Though it was a bit strange to see such large cats bordering on domestication, we all enjoyed having the chance to pet a cheetah and play with lion cubs.

You Know, Just Hangin' Out with the Cheetahs

In the evening, we gave our presentation to the Bloemfontein Rotary Club.

After the presentation, we returned to the Leach home for a spitbraai — for which an entire sheep was roasted on a spit. For real.

In the competition for which club can offer us the most meat, Bloemfontein wins.

Saturday, October 2nd

Saturday started with a leisurely stroll through the Langenhovenpark Boeremark Farmer’s Market, where we wandered through row after row of stalls hawking crafts, food, and flea market items.

We then took a short drive to a high hill, from which we could see a view of Bloemfontein, then headed to lunch at the Oliewenhuis Art Museum.

After lunch, we took a short driving tour of the city to see the major judicial buildings. Saturday evening was spent at a rugby match (check out Michael’s post below). We all enjoyed the game, but were entirely confused by a rule that prohibited bringing beer into the stadium. We see a business opportunity here.

We are incredibly confused by the lack of beer sales inside the stadium. Incredibly.

Sunday, October 3rd

Sunday was a relaxing free day. Several of us wandered around a local mall, and Deb was able to use the day to visit with a Hadley student who lives in the area.

Fine weather was enjoyed by all.

Monday, October 4th

Monday was set aside as a vocational day. As per usual, look for separate posts from each team member about our experiences!

Tuesday, October 5th

On Tuesday morning, we departed Bloemfontein.

As has been the case throughout our trip, we very much enjoyed our time in Bloemfontein. Special thanks to Ezanne and Herman Leach, Louis and Lynn Goodhais, Antoni and Gosha Szubarga, and Allan and Annatjie Dickens (plus anyone I’ve inadvertently forgotten) for hosting us, feeding us, and playing taxi driver.

Onward!

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