Nate's first haircut

It was loren's birthday yesterday and loren said nate was such a good boy, he may be over his terrible twos? Nate said happy birthday dada as soon as he saw loren. Then loren took him to the organic market, htey had gingerbread people and then loren took him to have a haircut together, nate's first at a barber, not even a children's one with little toy seat. This is how loren described it...

Nate in big chair, dada says, good boy, nate is big boy... barber tries to put on cape.
Nate: no cape no cape (so no cape)
the barber tries to wet his hair...
Nate: no water, no water (so no water)
As the barber is going to cut his hair...
Nate: dada, dada dada (dada holds his hand), then as a last plea/cry, says, mama, with a sad sad face
snip snip snip snip snip
Loren to barber, "its his first haircut, he's only 2 and a half"
Barber: he is doing very well.
At the end of the haircut, Nate holds loren's hand, and says, "dada big boy, good boy" as if to comfort him for his haircut. He sees the water spray and says, "dust! dust!"

Nate was very proud of his experience after that and was talking about his haircut! Here he is later on with bubbi at the pootoom river and ike got to come too in a ergo baby carrier.

For loren's birthday dinner, we took him to a place called "Gramadulus", which is an african word play on the meaning, in the bush or in the boondocks or somewhere far away. Its actually in the newly revived part of town next to the market theatre. There is a market place outside and the earrings and things for sale were very reasonable, finally we are in africa, its more like US$1 to 2 for the trinkets but they were very nice ones, though I would have liked ot have found baskets and other things.

The restaurant is owned by brian and eduard and is 40 years old. Clinton and the Queen have been there, the food is based on the 17th and 18th century traders of spices from all over the world, which was then india and the malaya and indonesian spice islands. The food I thought was not far from restaurants I have tried in Batavia/Jakarta with the "old theme".

It is such a gem of a place, although the decor was a mish mash of things (all collected from S. Africa), they had silver and chinese porcelain and african baskets, on the walls were old maps and a portrait of Vasco da Gama (the portugese explorer that sailed past the Cape and into Asia). Africa was their outpost for refuelling of fruits to prevent scurvy.

Brian said the old portugese building in malacca smelled the same as the old market spice buidling in cape town. The food was yummy, wine excellent but best of all the hard to recreate personality and warmth of the owners. They were so interesting that I forgot to take a picture of the place for the blog. We found this place from the economist city guide!

Future visitors, another place to entice you to S. Africa.