Dispatch from Marianhill, Saturday, May 14

Yesterday morning we went to a nearby nature reserve for a three-hour hike. We hiked through and up the sides of a lovely gorge and over some dry hills with low trees—it looked so typical of pictures we’ve all seen of the African bush with the low flat-topped trees. We hoped to see some wildlife, like rhinos or zebra, but we did spot a heard of Impala at a range of about 50 yards, and some lovely birds. And hundreds of varied patterned and colored butterflies. Unfortunately, we discovered on our return home that our digital camera is not working properly, so we’re going to have to go out to the dreaded mall and find a new one.
We did another hike a few days ago about 75 miles south of Durban in the Oribi Gorge Nature preserve. It’s a magnificent gorge, carved out of limestone ages ago. We hiked about three hours through the gorge along a river. Unfortunately this is the end of the dry season, so the so-called “waterfalls’ were mere trickles. We didn’t see any animals on this hike either, though the brochure described all the species native to the park. We were rewarded as we drove out, however, when we rounded a bend in the road and a huge wart hog, a really ugly looking beast about the size of a small donkey but massive in girth, passed slowly off the road and down a ravine. We were glad we didn’t meet it on the trail, though I’m sure it would have run away in fright.
We are heading for the Umfolozi Nature Reserve up in northern Kwa Zulu Natal province on Sunday morning, ending our stay here. The word is that we’re sure to see lots of the “big five,” as they’re called.
Talking about wildlife, as I’m sitting on our balcony overlooking the beautifully landscaped gardens of Tre Fontaine, a whole herd (if that’s the word) of gray, very noisy monkeys passed through swinging from the trees and chasing each other. On the grounds here they’re as common the squirrels in our yard back home.
On returning from our hike we decided to take our first dip in the Tre Fontaine pool. Neither of us are big on pools, but the glittering blue water looked so inviting. It was surprising cold, and just what we needed. As we sat on the side in the sun with our legs dangling in the water Sister Margaret came charging (these German nuns only walk with speed and determination) into the pool area in her starched white habit, gleaming in the sun. She greeted us, gave Jeanne a birthday kiss, and went into the small stone changing room, emerging no less than a minute and a half later in her bathing suit. Now what with the reactions I have to endure to being discovered to be a Pastor sometimes, this shouldn’t happen, but I felt this mild shock at seeing her in a bathing suit jumping into the cold water. (What did I think—that she had a bathing habit?) After efficiently doing her self prescribed “five strokes,” she swam over and chatted with us for some time. She was very sympathetic and sensible about Jeanne’s parents, and we just had a warm and friendly chat. Earlier this week, I wrote that the community felt a bit more distant here, and that’s true, but we’ve come to love and enjoy the nuns who we see every day and gotten to know at the Guest House. These stout, hard-working, energetic women, who’ve lived and worked in Africa for so long, exude the fruit of the Spirit in their lives.
Last night, in honor of Jeanne’s birthday, we celebrated in grand style by going out to eat. This was a real gift for Jeanne since the food here at Tre Fontaine has a decidedly 1950’s quality—with lots of boiled potatoes, limp vegetables, and some kind of jello in the dessert—not her taste at all. The SA Rand is relatively weak against the dollar (about six rand to one dollar) and the restaurants tend to be quite reasonable anyway. That meant we were able to go to a really high-end restaurant at a posh hotel on the north coast of Durban.
After being seated in posh upholstered chairs like one might find in a fine living room, a duo of a piano and bass began to fill the room with very good jazz. We ordered an elegant and delicious four-course meal, placed before us with panache by a whole crew of waiters, and presented with artistry by the chef (we didn’t even have two serving dishes alike; they came in varied sizes and shapes, each fitting the course being presented). We brought our own bottle of fine Stellenbosch wine, which you can do at many restaurants for a corking fee, but we noted that the sommelier really studied the label to see if this is up to snuff (we don’t know his conclusion). It was a three-hour food extravaganza. What made it taste even better to this Dutchman was that all this cost 500 Rand, including the tip, which comes to about $83 (we’re finally getting pretty good at figuring the exchange rate), for a meal that would have been at least $250 in the States. And then there was the tip to the universal guard in the parking lot who directed my back up and sent us on our way with a smile.