Co and I are already up at 9am (early by Cos standards). After a leisurely breakfast on the veranda, the day's program is announced by Fredi: Visit to the ostrich farm. Fredi wants to go and get an ostrich egg (equivalent to the content of 24 chicken eggs) for Saturday for the planned neighborhood party. I insist on making a detour to a vantage point today to get an (aeronautical) overview.

We leave before noon to first withdraw money (African Rands). Also the bank employees could not/would not help us without passports, after the EC machine outside already refused its services. I destroyed my EC card shortly before departure (for the second time!), when I put it into the same pocket as my magnetic note holder (magnetic strip gone) - which I realized only the second time. But also Corinne's EC and Visa cards only resulted in transaction faild. Very well. Drive home, get passports. We want to try again on another bank in the targeted "Tiger-Vally" shopping center. By the way, in whole Africa there are no tigers, but in Durbanville a shopping center as well as a small hill is called "Tiger-Whatever". The hill has its name from tiger skin-like flower dress which is to be seen in the spring.

But first we make a detour to the "Kanonen-Kop", a barely 470 meters high hill, but with a good 360 degree view over the Vally and to the sea. Reminds me with the radio masts extremely of the much flown Tower Hill in Kamshed (India).

The Tiger-Vally shopping center is huge. A shopping temple. The stores are grouped thematically. There is a food corner where McDonald jostles with comparable. Or the bank corner with at least 4 banks next to each other. We try the National Bank. Long wait in line. The first open counter turns us away, they only make deposits. Back in line. The nice second lady is hardly understandable because of her quiet voice and the English mumbling behind the bulletproof glass. We first have to explain to her that the cards are credit cards. She looks skeptical. We fill out the form and add our mother's name (???) at the behest of the employee. We refrain from discussions. She does her best to withdraw money from our Visa and American Express cards - which in this case means several trips to the phone in slow motion. 10 minutes later she comes back shaking her head with the rejection to my American Express card. "We dont accept." Another 10 minutes later, after a conversation with which required two phones at the same time, also with Corinne's card a rejection: "The Bank doesn't accept the transaction." Thanks a lot and goodbye....

While Corinne was looking for a bikini, I tried my luck together with Fredi at an official Amercian Express counter on the top floor. After three identical forms, which I had to fill out myself, I finally received my 2000 Rands (CHF 220.-) from the unfriendly but competent lady. Phew. But with the Kridit card you can get any goods in any store with a simple signature! Only the withdrawal of money seems to be infinitely complicated.

Corinne finds a bikini store at the third attempt. Their cash register is but kapput and Corinnes Visa card apparently also. Well, I have ne Amercian Express card (which until today was hardly accepted anywhere!). Bikini bought. Corinne and Fredi are already exhausted from withdrawing money and shopping... Corinne decides to postpone giving up smoking until later...

We turn our backs on the Tiger-Vally and head for lunch at the "Mugg & Bean", the African Starbucks. But there are good snacks at lunchtime. We meet the first acquaintances of Fredi (actually everyone here in the village) by chance. After the nice conversation we go to the ostrich farm.

Corinne and I enjoy the drive over the golden yellow fields with the hills in the background. After five minutes out of Durbanville, we are already in no man's land. The clouds draw shadows on the landscape. Wonderful. The turkey farm is like almost everything here very neatly dressed up. We get a guided tour from Stefan, an acquaintance of Fredi, an Öserreicher who emigrated 30 years ago. The tour is entertaining and amusing. We feed ostriches - picking grains of meiskorn out of our hands with our big beaks. Funny ficher. We also feed an emu. With a little more respect, because of the pointed beak. Finally we are allowed to sit on an ostrich. Stefan cuddles the ostrich on the back of the head, it closes its eyes, lowers its head and falls asleep. Amazing! It really works. In contrast to the expression "to bury the head in the sand". The ostriches don't do that.

After shopping in Durbanville (they have a bigger product range than ours!!!) we enjoy the evening at home, eating pasta and playing Yazzi.