7/11/2015 - Craft beer fest/Goodbye Sifiso

We got to sleep in again but still woke up in time for breakfast (which is from 7 - 10 AM) and found that Miles and Erik had woken early and finished the last solar panel, so we were mostly free to enjoy the day at a leisurely pace - and indeed we did.  Maria and I went early to find a table to use internet, write, etc. and the group was later glad we did because all the tables were moved outside for the beer festival and by lunchtime, the place was beginning to fill up.  Tickets for beers and ciders were 35 Emalageni each (roughly $3.50, a bit less), and could be applied to any of the beers available.  Probably my favorite all day was the Dragon Ginger beer, but here are some other pictoral highlights:

  

We got lunch, which was slow-coming due to the festival.  Kids were getting horseback rides and playing on the moon bounces, dogs were everywhere, and live music was playing.  We heard Sifiso would join us soon.  The day was sunny and just right for sitting outside and enjoying the event, with some unusual breezes in between. When Sifiso showed about an hour or so later, he was nicely dressed and Maria and I took off to our room to change into our matching Swazi skirts with matching jewelry for the occasion.  When we entered the beer fest area again, we were immediately asked for our picture by Faith, a young woman at the festival for the Swazi times.  She interviewed us briefly on where we were from and why we were in Swaziland and the occasion for our garb.  The group was ecstatic and Erik chased Faith down to find out when the paper would print its article(s) on the beer festival - she said Monday or Tuesday, and we crossed our fingers for Monday so we could get one to take home!

  

We then got pictures with Sifiso and the whole group, and continued enjoying our drinks until they started running out of the good stuff.  It was clear by lunchtime that one of us must always stay with the table if we hoped to have dinner - the tables would not be coming inside until tomorrow.  Some of the kids on horseback started doing tricks in gymnastic-like costumes.  The young kids were pretty cute, posing, changing positions on the horse, etc.  Later, the teenagers came, and they began by getting on the horse while it was running in a circle, then doing more accomplished tricks including jumping.  Some little girls came to our table to ask for money to help their star vaulter go to a competition.  We gave them some change and they were very happy.  

Dinner was also difficult to order due to the chaos, but we were happy as long as we had drinks in hand, and the fire pits helped us keep warm, though the smoke was in our eyes and throats tonight due to the wind.  We had lots of good conversation just hanging out with our buddy, and celebrating the bit of time we got to spend together. We had asked about his girlfriend earlier, hoping she might come, and Sifiso soon told us she was on her way.  

 

When she arrived, we all introduced ourselves in turn, and soon we were laughing and joking and talking about our lives altogether as if we'd always known each other.  Sifiso gave us a wonderful compliment that evening. He said he had noticed that we all listened to each other, asked one another's thoughts and opinions on things before going ahead and doing something, and essentially, worked as a team and did not trump one another's thoughts and opinions.  I felt really proud because we all have very strong opinions and while we sometimes disagree, we always convene as a group and it was really nice to know someone saw that and found it remarkable.  At last we left the windy table and went to hang out a bit in the boys' room.  I went to grab some NASA and Institute of Optics souvenirs for Sifiso's sun from my room and we gave Sifiso those and some other gifts, including one of the PV panels we built to charge cell phones.  Both of them were so happy and grateful and it was very sad when they had to leave - Sifiso had a long drive on a job tomorrow, but we were so glad we got to hang out and say a proper goodbye.