in mourning

I'm sure that all avid news readers, and I hesitate to include myself here as I mainly read headlines as a means of procrastination, are aware of the recent penguin calamity off the shores of Brazil. For interested parties not yet in-the-know, I suggest this article if you want the whole story, and this one for those with short attention spans. The basic gist is that hordes of baby penguins are washing up dead on the beaches of Brazil.

My first reaction was deep sadness. For some reason I've always had a soft spot for these silly birds - even before Morgan Freeman narrated their struggles for the silver screen (which, by the way, is worth the $5 Blockbuster rental). It think it's because of their extreme sense of perseverance. I mean, just look at them try to walk! Is that not the perfect manifestation of determination? I suppose that's why the idea of them succumbing to the perils of today's stronger, icier, more polluted ocean inflicts such heartache.

My second reaction was to remember that I haven't blogged about South Africa - at all. This is highly embarrassing. So I'm going to start right now, and with my favourite part of the trip which, coincidently, involves the little, tuxedo-clad creatures.

Very nearly our last stop on our two-week trek across the Western Cape, Boulder's Beach near Simons Town was well worth the visit. This beach is a breeding-ground for the African Penguin and you can walk along a wooden deck that leads you through their nesting area. If you're willing to pay a small admission fee, you can even swim with them (though they seem more interested in sunning themselves on the rocks than swimming). T and I were near the end of our funds, so we skipped the swimming and snuck down to some nearby rocks for a peek instead. It was amazing how close they let us get!