Thanks to Glynnis, I now have a photo of myself with Madiba.
Well, with a larger-than-life bronze statue of him anyway.
The photo was taken at yesterday’s 94th Birthday Celebration for Madiba at the Nobel Square at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.
It’s nice to share one’s Birthday with Madiba
P.S. In case you’re wondering what that bizarre red figure is in the background, it is an 18 metre tall statue, resembling a gigantic seated Lego man. It is made up of 4200 discarded Coca Cola crates, though it looks like some of the fingers went missing during the recent winter storms. Designed by agency Porky Hefer, this figure – named ‘Elliot’? – is supposed to remind us of the importance of recycling, but personally I think it’s an eyesore. Wouldn’t you rather have an unobstructed view of Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak?
Grains of Sand 
The Lego man looks as if he’s trying to do that (eternally hilarious) rabbit’s ears trick behind Mandela’s head.
I know! Giggle…
What annoys me about the figure is that it makes it so difficult to frame shots nicely in this part of the Waterfront – no matter how you turn, it’s so difficult NOT to get him into the shot… and I don’t have the time or the know-how – or the patience for that matter – to edit him out of images. Honestly, I don’t think Coca Cola is really getting across a message of *recycling* with this monstrosity – it’s more like announcing, defiantly, “We’re in your face – and there ain’t anything you can do about it!”
Hi Reggie,
Great, — you and the Iron Man. Yes I think Elliot has done his time 🙂
Glynn
Thank you – so pleased you are able to leave a comment again at last. Sometimes, WordPress is just quite baffling!
Well, perhaps the next winter storms will knock it over? Though I wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt…
Fun photo Reggie.
Good to see you smiling and the lego man in the background is all bonus material.
Chuckle… Thanks, Scott!
Nice to see a photo of you Reggie. Happy Birthday to you too?
When we were in Cape Town last year we visited the V & A waterfront park but I don’t remember the statue!
Thank you very much for your kind birthday wishes, Rosie.
I did some searching around to find out when Elliot the Crateman was built – and I think it must have been sometime in 2010, but I also don’t remember seeing it then. Mind you, I almost never go to the Waterfront. Perhaps you didn’t walk around near the Aquarium? It’s very visible from Nobel Square, looking towards the mountain… Puzzling!
Smiling…Reggie, I am sorry I didn’t send you an email on your birthday! Hoping you had a wonderful day filled with much joy and that you posed with many statues and giggled a lot. Love you, Kathy. (I love that we’re in the same world and know each other this way!)
I think Madiba is one of the greatest statesmen of our time – of all times. If only more politicians and people with power were like him! Nice to see you on a photo alongside Madiba. And a belated happy birthday to you.
Thank you very much, Otto – and yes, I completely agree with your statements. 🙂
I admire Madiba (here only known by his “white” name, Nelson Mandela) and all what he has done for your country and the whole world very much, and I can see that you must do the same!
And I agree that there must be a better way to tell the message about recycling than this ugly Coca-Cola sculpture!!!!
Belated birthday wishes to you Reggie!
I had to find out more about the crate man and see the entire structure. I couldn’t believe that some would consider it ‘the most beautiful object in South Africa.’ See http://www.cherryflava.com/cherryflava/tag/porky-hefer
Good grief! Just because something is created from recycled materials, doesn’t necessarily make it aesthetically pleasing. It IS an eyesore if it’s obstructing such beautiful natural scenery.
Amazing that a man who planned, with others, to plant bombs and kill innocent people is regarded as a ‘statesman’, while Osama bin Laden is regarded as a terrorist for planning and doing the same thing… Baffling. However, it shows how pervasive the fourth estate is in fabricating ‘opinion’ and disseminating it as ‘public opinion’.
Same birthday as Nelson Mandela, that makes your day even more special. Happy birthday Reggie, and best wishes for a good year to come. Come to think of it, our birthdays are pretty close, mine is July 28. You should try celebrating a summer birthday once, – a good reason for a visit. 😉
Thank you, Giiid, and belatedly happy birthday to you. And oh, a SUMMER birthday, now THAT would be unusual for me. What an excellent idea, actually.