Cape Town, South Africa (Day One)

In the early hours of January 25, we sailed into Table Bay and arrived in Cape Town, which sits close to the Cape of Good Hope and the tip of the continent of Africa. It was the end of the first segment of our journey, having traveled approximately 8300 miles since leaving Southampton.

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to round the Cape of Good Hope and stop at what is now Cape Town. (Those Portuguese explores sure got around.) Later, sailors from a shipwrecked Dutch vessel ended up living there and began growing vegetables and bartering with the local Hottentots. After that the Dutch East India Company stopped there for supplies and established settlements. During the Napoleonic wars, the British recognized its strategic location and took control of what was called the “Gibraltar of India.”

As a result of these influences, South Africa is a mixture of African, Dutch, and British traditions, and you can see this from the street names, the styles of architecture, and the languages spoken there (Afrikaans, Xhosa, and English).

Our first day in Cape Town was bright and sunny but cooler than we had expected, especially for summer in Africa. Sea breezes from the coast probably do a lot to keep Cape Town comfortable, and it felt like the temperature was in the low 70s F.

I say “felt like” since temperatures are given in centigrade. The U.S. seems to be the only country in the world that doesn’t use centigrade or the metric system for measurement. So most times we don’t know what the temperature is or how far away something is. The scale in the fitness center is in kilograms, so I don’t even know what I weigh now, which might be a blessing. We are going to have to go into Google for a conversion chart.

The ship berthed in Duncan Dock just on the fringes of the city. We had a wonderful panoramic view of the area. The setting, Cape Town with Table Mountain behind it, was as remarkable as it appears in photos. We got to see the phenomenon the locals call the “tablecloth,” which is when the top of Table Mountain becomes shrouded in thick white fog. It didn’t bode well for our 9:00 a.m. tour to the mountaintop, but we kept our fingers crossed that it would lift by the time we got there.

Table Mountain with a Tablecloth

The South African immigration officials were quite thorough when it came to checking passports. Everyone (including crew) had to exit the ship by 11:00 a.m. to have their passports stamped, and passengers were not allowed to go back onboard until everyone had been cleared—even passengers who didn’t plan to get off the ship. Since we had a 9:00 a.m. Cunard-sponsored tour, our group was called early and we were on our way. Officials at the exit examined all bags and removed any fruit passengers were carrying.

As this was the end of one of the voyage segments, some passengers were leaving the ship and new passengers coming onboard. A number of passengers had told us they were going on to Victoria Falls and others were planning to stay in South Africa for the winter before returning home. Some passengers were leaving the ship for a short safari and would be rejoining the ship in Port Elizabeth.

As our tour bus drove out of the dockyard, the first thing we saw was a sign that said, “Stash it, don’t flash it.” A good warning no matter where you are.

Our bus tour took us through the downtown area past businesses and government buildings. Like any other large city, Cape Town was clogged with traffic, so we slowly passed a number of historic sites, including the SA Houses of Parliament; the Slave Lodge, now a museum; and Groote Kerk, the oldest church in the country, completed in 1704.

The bus followed a winding route up into Table Mountain National Park and stopped where we had a terrific view of Cape Town below us. The park has over 2200 different kinds of plants, more than the United Kingdom and New Zealand combined. At its highest point, Table Mountain is 3,533 feet high. We were told that at one time the mountains were as high as the Rocky Mountains and that flat Table Mountain was a valley between two higher mountains before they eroded to what they are today. The mountains are granite at their base but a softer, sandy stone higher. Parts looked like stacked stone.

Cape Town from Table Mountain

When we got off the bus, the tour guide handed us a ticket for the cable car ride to the top. What cable car? John had booked the tour and hadn’t mentioned a cable car. Cable cars and I don’t do well together. Seeing how large the cars were and being told that the ride only lasted four minutes, I decided to be a good sport and go along with John. I could always cling to a pole in the middle of the car and close my eyes. I also felt better when I saw a sign stating that the Swiss had built the cable car system. They have lots of experience building cable cars and ski lifts.

Mountain Table Cable Car

As soon as the car began its journey, we entered a fog so thick we couldn’t see anything. The outer floor in the car rotated around as we ascended, with the center of the car rotating in the other direction—ordinarily giving everyone a good view. Between the movement and the white fog swirling around us, it felt as though we were in a blender.

High on the top of Table Mountain, it felt as though the temperature had dropped by at least 30 degrees F. The fog was dense and the wind swirled cold wet mist against us. We had come laden with straw hats and sunglasses and were covered in sunblock. It was freezing, and we quickly put on the windbreakers we had packed in a carry bag just in case it was cool on the mountain. We didn’t expect it to be frigid. We felt sorry for the people in shorts and tank tops huddled around the entrance waiting for the next cable car to the bottom.

Top of Table Mountain in the Fog

Top of Table Mountain on a Clear Day (from photo)

The cable car attendant said that this was only the second time this month it had been foggy. We couldn’t see anything from this wonderful point and wasn’t consoled when the attendant said, “Well at least you can say you were here.”   

Model of Table Mountain

It was when we got below that we saw the sign that cautioned passengers to be prepared to hike back down if the cable car experienced problems—this after seeing a monument at the top to a woman who had died of heat stroke while hiking one of the trails. Oh, well, at least we can say we’ve been there.

Trail Down Mountain

Tip: If you go to the top of Table Mountain, take a jacket or windbreaker. You’ll be glad you did. The fog rolls on and off the mountain, so even if it’s clear when you first get there, it may not stay that way. Also, the Hop On, Hop Off bus stops at Table Mountain and you can get a cable car ticket there. It can be a less expensive way of seeing Table Mountain than a tour. If you sit on the top deck of the bus, it’s a good idea to have a jacket.

After returning to the ship and having a quick lunch, we took the shuttle provided by Cunard to the Victoria and Alfred (yes, Alfred, not Albert) Waterfront. It was named after Queen Victoria and her second son, Alfred, who laid some of the first stones for the waterfront. The ride took about 15 minutes from the ship.

The shuttle dropped us off in front of a large shopping center, which looked like other large shopping centers around the world. It was interesting watching the people going in and out. John commented on how stylishly everyone was dressed. The place was spotlessly clean and very modern. When we asked a worker carrying a large plastic bag of toilet paper rolls where we could find the Post Office, she insisted on taking us there herself. All of the people we came in contact with were very friendly and helpful.

Using an ATM machine, we drew out some of the local currency, which is the South African rand (about R16 to the dollar). We went into one of the grocery stores looking for shaving cream. It is always interesting to see what’s in grocery stores around the world.

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is a great place filled with restaurants, bars, and shops. It features a large Ferris wheel and is a favorite gathering place for tourists and local residents. It is also close to a number of museums, including the Rugby Museum and the Golf Museum, and the Two Oceans Aquarium. It is definitely a place to visit while in Cape Town.

Waterfront With Statues of Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and Others

Back at the ship, we spent part of the evening sitting on the deck looking out at the lights of Cape Town—a beautiful sight.

Walvis Bay, Namibia

Early in the morning of January 25, we slowly sailed into Walvis Bay. The peacefulness of the area, combined with the thick clouds that lay right at the water’s edge, gave it an almost surreal appearance. It was Sunday morning and very little moved around the port.

Entering Walvis Bay

  

From the upper deck of the ship we had a panoramic view of the city of 85,000 people and the tall sand dunes that completely surround it. The dunes looked like a fortress wall that had been erected to protect the city—this one built by nature. It was a reminder that the Namibia Dessert was only a short distance away.

In the dockyard, a long line of small shuttle buses and tour coaches stretched from where we were docked to the entrance of the port. The tour manager had told us that Namibia has very little in the way of extra transportation to take passengers on tours, so vehicles of various sizes had to be brought in from neighboring South Africa, quite a distance.

The day was absolutely beautiful with light breezes, a comfortable temperature, and as the morning went on, clear blue skies.

We took the shuttle provided by Cunard to the downtown area, which because it was Sunday morning, was virtually deserted. Few stores were open, which was fine for us since we didn’t care to shop. The buildings were two or three stories high. A Woolworths, which we hadn’t seen for years, was on one of the main streets.

The town was clean in the areas we visited and we felt quite comfortable walking through it. Parts of the city reminded us of scenes from the TV series based on Alexander McCall Smith’s series, The Number One Ladies Detective Agency. It was very quiet, and we saw little traffic—just a few taxis. It was a reminder of the peaceful Sundays we used to have in the U.S.

We saw a KFC restaurant, which we seem to see everywhere. We were surprised to see advertisements for businesses that we didn’t expect to see, for example, Re/Max real estate. 

Since we hadn’t been to Africa before, we didn’t know what to expect. We had been told that Namibia is a poor country, but we didn’t see anyone requesting money or pushing goods at us. The few people we came into contact with were polite and friendly.  A number of taxi drivers approached us offering rides. When we said no thanks, they would give us a thumbs-up, smile, and drive away.

The shuttle dropped us close to the Stella Maris Catholic Church, a nice looking building with a tall bell tower. Since it was Sunday morning, we checked the times for the services on the board near the front entrance. We figured that a good way to get a sense of a people would be to worship with them. Unfortunately the only service for that day had been at 8 a.m. We were an hour too late.

Stella Maris

Stella Maris is also the name of a charitable organization that has centers in ports throughout the world to support sailors and their families. Crews from ships can go to these centers to rest, use the Internet, and obtain emergency assistance. We’ve seen the centers in a number of ports and feel that Stella Maris is a worthy charity.

Since there wasn’t a whole lot to see downtown, we decided to head to the nearby lagoon to see the birds we were told we could see there. Again we underestimated the distance and it turned out to be quite a long walk—one that took us through some business and residential areas. Stonewalls about four feet high separated the houses from the streets like a picket fence. When we did see picket-like fences, the pickets were made out of concrete made to look like wood. As we walked past the houses, many with bars on the windows, we could hear the barking (and sometimes growling) of dogs on the other side of the wall. The dogs made for an excellent alarm system and would definitely be a deterrent to anyone trying to break in.

Residential Street

The houses we passed ran the gamut of cinderblock square bungalows to very modern and fairly new two-storied homes. One was a lovely thatched-roofed cottage. The closer we got to the lagoon, the nicer the homes became. Some of the homes had pretty gardens with squat palm trees and hibiscus plants. Others had front yards of packed dirt and satellite dishes attached to them.

Thatched-Roofed Cottage

Modern Home Facing Lagoon

The lagoon featured a long retaining seawall lined with park benches, where we could sit and watch the birds that congregated at the water’s edge. Walvis Bay is known for its rare white pelicans. We saw two pelicans; sadly, one of them was lying on the beach dead. We also saw some ibis. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see the flamingoes that this area is so well known for. In the distance, we could see a sandbar where they gather, but they were too far out for us to see them clearly. There were so many it made the sandbar look like it was covered in snow. The one time we could have really benefitted from the binoculars we had left on the ship.

Lagoon  

Pelican

The odor of fish and birds in places was noticeable. Because of the number of birds in the Walvis Bay area, the selling of bird guano is big business. As the British say, “Where there’s muck, there’s money.”

  

When we decided to return to the ship, John was all for walking back—even though the ship was far in the distance. My Fitbit was already showing we had taken over 8,000 steps—and that was before 11:00 a.m. A wiser head prevailed, and we took the shuttle back. When he saw how long the ride actually was, I think he secretly was relieved that we had opted for the bus. We arrived back just in time for afternoon tea, which was most welcomed.

Previous to our visit, the only time we had heard anything about Namibia was when it was in the news following Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s visit there. We had a pleasant day in Namibia and are glad we now know about it firsthand and not because of Angie and Brad.

That evening as we set sail for Cape Town, we watched from the top deck as the ship pulled away from the dock and began sailing south along the coast of Namibia. Tall khaki sand dunes stretched as far along the coast as we could see. Namibia is not as remote as it had seemed before. It is growing, and they are promoting tourism as well as investing in mining and drilling for gas. Perhaps we’ll return some day.

My friend Judi sent me an e-mail asking how to add a comment or ask a question on the blog. If you go to the bottom of each entry, click on the word Comments. A box will appear for you to enter text. If you don’t have any luck with that, just send me an e-mail.

You’ll notice that there is a lag from the time we visit a place and the date my blog appears. Because of the rough days at sea at the beginning of our trip, I got a bit behind and it takes me a while to write them. I’m finally catching up.

During our days at sea, I plan to write about life on the ship. If you have things you would like for me to address, please let me know.

Next port: Cape Town, South Africa

St. Helena, United Kingdom

At 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 21, we stood on the bow of the ship and watched with great anticipation as we approached the island of St. Helena. The captain had opened the bow of the ship, usually closed to passengers, to anyone wishing to view the island straight ahead. We could see it in the distance rising out of the mist. To us St. Helena has always been one of the remotest places on earth, and we couldn’t believe our luck being in the middle of the South Atlantic and getting to see it. 

St. Helena

St. Helena is the second oldest British colony behind Bermuda. Because the island only has a population of approximately 700, two thousand passengers disembarking from the ship would have overwhelmed the islanders, so the ship will only sail by the island, but close enough to get a good view of it. Having a set of binoculars helps.

The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1502 and named it St. Helena. Since then, the Portuguese, Dutch, and British have laid claim to it. For such a remote place in the middle of the South Atlantic, it became a stopping off place for many famous voyagers, including Captain Drake, during his circumnavigation of the world 1577-1580; Captain Cook on his way back to England after discovering Australia; Charles Darwin, on his ship The Beagle; and in 1676, Haley (of Haley’s Comet fame). Haley established an astronomic observation post on a St. Helena mountaintop, which has since been named Haley’s Mountain.

St. Helena is best known as the place the British took Napoleon, following his defeat at Waterloo. As we drew close to the island, I couldn’t help but think of the despair Napoleon must have felt approaching a place that must have taken weeks in a 19^th century sailing ship to get to and would become his prison. Previously, Napoleon had escaped from Alba and managed to raise another army, so the British were determined that he wasn’t going to escape again.

Napoleon arrived in Jamestown, St. Helena in October 1815 and lived there until his death on May 5, 1821. There are a number of theories as to the cause of his death. The French accused the British officers who oversaw his detention of poisoning him. (If I had been sent to this remote place to act as a jailer, I think I would have been tempted to move his demise along.) One theory is that he died as a result of arsenic poisoning caused by the green wallpaper in his bedroom. During that time, arsenic was used to create the deep green coloring in wallpaper. Today the problem caused by the green wallpaper is so widely known that an episode of “Doc Martin” addressed it.

Napoleon was buried on the island, but his body was later removed and taken to France, where it now rests under a grand monument.

St. Helena looks like one big volcanic rock with mountains that reach from the water’s edge and tower over the island. We didn’t see any beaches. The town of Jamestown sits on one side of the island in a slight valley and stretches high into the hills. Currently travelers can only get to St. Helena by a ship that sails once a week from Cape Town, and it takes several days to get there. An airport is being constructed on the island and should be finished this year, which will greatly increase the number of people visiting the island.

Jamestown, St. Helena

Before leaving home, we had the good fortune to see an episode of the TV series, “Globe Trekker,” where the star of the program took viewers on a tour of St. Helena. We got to see Longwood House, where Napoleon lived; the town of Jamestown; the governor’s mansion; and Jacob’s Ladder, a set of 600 or more steps that go from Jamestown to a mountaintop, which might have been Haley’s observation post. The TV tour coverage was extensive, so we feel we saw a good deal of the island without stepping foot on it.

In addition to the islands of Ascension and St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha is another British island in the South Atlantic. These islands rest near or are a part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a long underwater mountain range that stretches north to south in both the North and South Atlantic Oceans.

All in all, it was a memorable day.