SI! Si, si, si, si, si, si.

I slept much better last night. I can't remember whether I took my melatonin the night I didn't sleep well. It could be the reason for the rough night.

I knew there was a dining room for breakfast, but I just couldn't find it. I sheepishly asked someone who asked me to repeat myself twice before she said, "Aaaah, brek fust! Dere" and she pointed out to an enclosure that we could see from where we were standing. For the life of me I couldn't figure out how to get there from where we were. They must have wondered why I was walking back and forth and trying every door, but they were too polite to embarrass me.

Finally, it dawned on me that you have to go OUTSIDE to get to the restaurant. D'oh!

On my walk to the restaurant I realized that this hotel's best feature was hidden behind it. The rear garden and restaurant are simply divine! Not only was the view from every seat spectacular, but the food was phenomenal. When it was time to go, I struggled to take my eyes off the sights! My pictures just don't do justice! But you can click on them to see them larger.


So with the exception of my great breakfast, my work day today was mostly as my day yesterday so I will just note a few more of my random observations.

• South African power adapters are pretty different from European power adapters. I have Pete's European adapters and this hotel says I'm a loser for coming to Africa without South African power adapters. So now I had to borrow an adapter from the hotel so I have a plug going to an adapter going to an adapter going to an outlet.
• Apparently all bathroom light switches are OUTSIDE of the bathroom here.
• I believe pedestrians with the right-of-way here are called "targets." No sign of slowing for them whatsoever. Makes me feel much better about Boston.
• Toothpicks after meals are much more common here. There is a way I notice that people use them where they shade their mouths while using the toothpick. I've seen people do this at home too, but it seems almost everyone does this here after every meal.
• In the hotel where I'm teaching the class they put out little candies. Today I found green ones with little spearmint leaves on them touting "Real Taste of Fresh Mint!" Who are they kidding?! It tasted EXACTLY like HALLS Menthol Cough Drops! EEeeewww!

• When you are emphatically agreeing with something that someone says you say, "SI! Si, si, si, si, si, si." Always seven and always an emphasis on the first si and the volume goes down a little with each successive si.
• And speaking of volume. I don't know whether it's the tv or the channel, but the volume on my tv in my room seems to have a life of its own. It suddenly gets really loud and, mid-sentence, before I can lower the volume it gets so low I can't hear it. I realize that I can't hear it so I raise the volume and -- you guessed it -- it goes way too high. I think I'm going to have to switch to internet radio.

More pictures are available here. I'll add more captions when I have time.