"Hello, Hello, Hello!"
That's how Beulah Lombard greeted her regular customers when they walked into her restaurant. On my third day, I think I had become a temporary regular, so there was no need to sit by myself anymore. Beulah's ruled her restaurant, The Scotch Coffee House, from a table for 4 just outside the kitchen. It was from here that she kept one eye watching the front door, and the other watching the activities in the kitchen. The table also served as her office, lounge, gathering spot, and it's where I had breakfast everyday while in Cape Town (CT).
 |
| Beulah's Garden |
Beulah has been running her restaurant for 25+ years, and it used to be located on one of the main streets in CT, St. Georges Mall, close to St. Georges Cathedral. Now, you might not know St. Georges Cathedral, but you DO know it's bishop, one Mr. Desmond Tutu. Bishop Tutu was and is a regular at Beulah's. To mark his important patronage, there is a small doll of the Bishop sitting on a table at the kitchen door - forever a place at Beulah's.
 |
| The Bishop's Table |
It would be very hard not to like Beulah. She is inquisitive, a talker full of wonderfully interesting stories, a gracious host, a great cook, an honest employer, and a keen observer of everything around her. For one hour each morning, we would chat about what I had seen and done the day before, set the agenda for the day, talk about the headlines from the newspaper, and discuss the current state of the country. For the last couple of days, I joined the conversation in progress between Beulah and Johannes. Johannes is a regular with a gentle soul and owned a flower shop nearby. He is also a keen observer and discussant all things South African, so between the two of them, I learned more about South African history than I could have ever hoped for.
 |
| Johannes |
Breakfast with Beulah was a touchstone for my visit. She and Johannes gave me a local perspective on everday life in CT and South Africa that few tourists could ever hope to receive. They had front row seats to apartheid and the enormous changes that the country has been through since Nelson Mandela's release from prison in 1990, and apartheid's demise in 1994. I was truly piviledged and thankful to spend my mornings with them.
 |
| Beulah |
