Tuesday, September 16, 2008

I have been tagged! Thanksalot!

So I've been tagged - thanksalot Caz. But having made grouchy noises, I'm quite ok with doing this meme because the topic is 5 reasons why I love South Africa.
Here goes: (oh, word of warning here - non-saffricans may need to google some of the references and most saffricans may be mildly bored by my choices?)
  1. SA has a rhythm, a tempo, a beat. I know y'all don't know what I mean, neither would I have understood this reference till I went to Japan. Then I kept feeling that something was missing in that admittedly wonderful, strange, polite country. But eventually, the sense of quiet rhythmless order made itself clear to me and I knew I was missing the pulse that is South Africa. It's not something you hear with your ears, it's a beat you feel in your heart.
  2. Braai's - not that I'm all that fond of overcooked, slightly charred meat, but nothing smells quite like a braai. (bbq to the rest of your philisti...foreigners). Beer tastes best with the smell of braai in your nostrils, hair and clothes. Friends are funnier, children are acceptable and dogs can eat all the leftovers. Then you throw the plates in the bin (paper of course), stash those strange plastic/straw paper plate holders and bin the empties and look forward to the next one.
  3. Biltong - I am not going to explain this to the foreigners - how do you explain that dried raw meat flavoured with coriander and dangerously capable of giving you toxoplasmosis - tastes divine and soothes the soul.
  4. Game reserves. You can watch all the Animal Planet and NatGeoWild you like, it doesn't come near to going on a night game drive. The excitement of seeing a herd of elephants pass within spitting distance of you and being filled with amazement at how silently they move is unbeatable. Never mind how remarkable it is to see a mother lion eating a deer whilst her cubs play around her....Omigosh toooo wonderful.
  5. Spur, Nandos, Steers, Windhoek Beer, Ocean Basket, beaches, mountains, bush, fynbos, the V & A Waterfront, wire sculptures and plastic bag guinea fowls, ah hell who can choose.
  6. A bonus extra one: the love & affection that saffricans show each other daily. With all our differences and the cruelty of the past regime, we can laugh together and share triumphs and tragedies alike without having to explain anything and we have the best slang ever to do it in.

I'm tagging Don't believe a word I write, Angel, Sweets, Becauseican, Trash'd. Hope you all enjoy this slight departure from my usual grouchy self.

Link back to the meme creator (that would be Caz)
Link to the person who tagged you (that would be me http://charmskool.blogspot.com/)

Give (at least) 5 reasons why you love SA
Tag at least 5 peeps
Let me know when you've done it!

20 comments:

K.M. said...

I love the fact that three of your six things are about food!
Yeah!!!

Anonymous said...

Nice list, but mine is better. I wasn't even tagged I wrote mine before the meme started

Charmskool said...

DBAWIW I didn't even notice that I was so food obsessed. Obviously I have exposed more of what makes me tick than I intended. Food yeah!
Guy - I'll go read yours but was that a challenge? You're on!

Unknown said...

Funny,I've noticed that most of us list food as our favourites in some form or another.

Caz said...

love it!!!
GAME DRIVES ROCK (and game walks even more!!)
You are so right about braais... i don't even eat meat and I love them!!

Charmskool said...

Miss Kitty - I am a little food obsessed if the truth be told.
Caz, it's that lovely smell that's so evocative. You can be walking to your house from your car and smell braai smoke and all of a sudden it feels like a party.

Briget said...

This is payback for something.. I can feel it..

I will do the damn thing.. just don't know when.. I'll surprise you,k?

Just don't delete the post.. I may need to come back and reread the rules again at some point..

I shoulda sent the greeks...

AngelConradie said...

no no no no noooo...


okay fine.

but you'll have to wait till next week!

Charmskool said...

@Because I am NEVER deleting another post. Not even if you send Greeks (one Greek would be nice tho').
@Angel - I'll wait - I hope you add some of your excellent photies too?

Sweets said...

great meme! i'll do it eventually... cause for some reason this is a tough one, everybody's used all the good reasons so i have to really dig deep...!!

Tamara said...

Good list. It's true what you say - it's not the braai meat that's so awesome, it's the whole occasion. It's such a chilled way of socialising. Love it.

Charmskool said...

@Sweets I am looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
@Tamara - I love them lots. Of course in Cape Town there is always the possibility that the wind will blow you indoors or the rain will make it's appearance..what with our unpredictable weather..however, it usually works out great.

Miss T said...

and heart...Saffers have such warmth and we are like one big family. Like family, only you can say bad things about your brothers and sister but get out the gloves if anyone else says the same thing

za.kinetic.memetic said...

ZA Kinetic memetic loves you all

http://zakineticmemetic.blogspot.com/

Charmskool said...

Miss T you said it!

Anonymous said...

Great list - I also agree about the braais, even as a vegetarian I love them... reminds me of parties, friends, fairs and all sorts of good stuff.

So cool to see this spreading nicely!

po said...

I have never been to a game reserve in my life, I am starting to think this is a huge gap in my South Africannes. I will have to correct this soon.

Charmskool said...

Hi Rox, thanks for the kind comments.
Po you will love the game reserve experience!

AngelConradie said...

i'm working on mine...

Briget said...

I started mine.. then the president resigned and I started dusting off my space ship and spandex..

I will continue with it once I am safely on planet "@@#$#& number 2"...

:-D