CONNECTING - The Walk

The Woman's Walk and Talk - Past and Present got off to a fragrant start at the Fynbos Experience at Cape Town Heritage Centre in the Company's Garden.....

.....Giselle Courtney talks us through the scented teas.....

.....the Whites Only bench in Queen Victoria Street brings us back to realities and memories....

....more memories evoked by Mary Burton who shared stories from her book, The Black Sash: Women for Freedom and Justice....

.....outside St George's Cathedral - symbol of peace and protest and a haven of refuge in so many ways, then and now.

And at Church Square in the shadow of the Moeder Kerk, we hear of washerwomen, small pox, hippos and Dr James Barry herself - and amongst the slave name blocks performer and artwork, Vivian Lipari delivers Womandla, a powerful poem by Shelley Barry, wheelchair bound writer, activist and filmmaker.....

A moments pause for reflection with Kate Crane-Briggs, founder of Culture Connect, on statues and the status of women between Parliament and the Slave Lodge .......

....and art of another kind at the AVA - Association for Visual Arts where Mirjam Asmail talks us through the story of this house of art - and gives us tea!

On we stride through the streets and squares - talking and stopping to share.....

.....till we reach Krotoa Place where we think of young Khoi heroine Eva Krotoa and Bernie Mshana tells us all about Brave: Rock Girl the organisation empowering young women.....

....and there's a photo op on the new timber Rock Girl bench made to take the place of the mosaic one that honoured Krotoa before it was destroyed by Khoisan activists.

Outside Maria Koopmans de Wet house, historian Nwabisa Mbana takes a moment.....

....and on a more contemporary note, we draw attention to Caroline's Fine Wine Cellar.....great spot for a tasting...

....and talking of taste - what more flavoursome spot to end the Walk than at The Meeting Point, much loved Tanzanian restaurant and hope of the Cape Town Story Club....

....where having worked up an appetite we did justice to the hot delicious food....

....and Tanzanian Bernie felt right at home - and was persuaded to tell her own story.

A great place to eat and greet - and hopefully gather again one day. Thanks to all the Walkers, great to meet you. For more Culture Connect Walks, www.cultureconnectsa.com.