Port Louis, Mauritius

April 22, 1008


Sailing into Mauritius and setting out on tour was very simple....no taxi strikes...no problems!

Another volcanic island, Mauritius was founded in 1735 and was used as a resting place for vessels making the arduous journey around the Cape of Good Hope. French in feeling, Mauritius eventually became a British Territory and finally gained its independence in the 1960’s. It is thus very strange to see all the signs written in French...the language spoken is French or Creole....yet they drive on the left-hand side of the road and, apparently English is the “official” language. Very strange.

My day was spent exploring the multicultural side of this tropical island. What a surprise to find some 1.2 million people from four distinct cultures and backgrounds: Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. And what a better way to understand more about these different belief systems than to visit the various structures devoted to worship.

Our first stop was in the small town or village of Pamplemousses where we visited the first Catholic Church, the St. Francois Church, built on the island in 1756. This large structure was completely made of two different volcanic stone...one light gray and the other almost black. I am totally unfamiliar with the architectural style of the façade. Dutch? I am not sure, and look forward to doing some research once I am home. The interior was most severe, especially compared to many Catholic Churches I have visited over the world. The exposed and complicated wood roof trusses contributed to the simplicity of the facility. I am so glad we got to see this most unusual structure.

Next we visited another Catholic Church and shrine to Father Jacques Desire Laval, a famous Roman Catholic missionary who died in the early sixties and this huge building was built in his memory in 1968. Like the earlier structure, this building was relatively simple, but easily identifiable in his architectural style....definitely with Corbusian influence. Apparently Father Laval was instrumental in providing education for the poorest of the poor and was awarded sainthood in 1979.

A very old Tamil Hindu Temple on Nicolay Road was our next stop. The Tamil sect, apparently originated in Sri Lanka. There is some 60% Hindus on the island and as you drive through the neighborhoods it is easy to see many small private temples as well as small red flags that fly outside their homes to ward off the veil spirits. Like most...all!...Hindu temples, the Tamil Temple was multicolored and ornate. I learned that when the temple needs repair that craftsmen are imported from India to ensure that the proper colors are used. Apparently every Hindu Temple all over the world is painted in exactly the same color....each depiction of the various gods is always the same....I never knew that before!

Finally we visited the Nam Soon pagoda, the oldest of its kind and located directly across the street from the very large Champs de mars racetrack. This pagoda was usual, to say the least. It is a “Catholic Chinese” pagoda. Incense abounded. Offerings of rice and food, even soy sauce, stood on tables before the altars. There was no nave or pews for the congregation....it was just a cross of Buddhism and Catholicism. There is apparently a Chinese priest....they are affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church....but if I had not known I would have thought I was in a Buddhist Temple! Go figure! I couldn’t help but being reminded of being in a large cathedral in Guatemala where Catholicism and the ancient Mayan beliefs had been combined. In that facility, all the pews had been removed in the nave of the church to make room for the various animal sacrifices. It is all so interesting.

Overall, Mauritius was not what I had expected. It was definitely a colorful place with all these various cultures blending and mixing throughout the country....but it was less affluent than I expected. I anticipated seeing private yachts berthed in fancy sailing clubs, exotic resort hotels on sandy beaches, and casinos on every corner. That image was just not here. I am so glad to have had a chance to see such a diverse and complicated society.

Now we are off for a couple of days at sea ending in the Seychelles....everyone says these islands are beautiful. I am looking forward to snorkeling and enjoying the sun and sea.....Stay tuned!

La Possession, Réunion

April 21, 2008

As our “Daily Program” explained, “Réunion, located in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, is one of the overseas departments of France enjoying the same status as those situated on the European mainland. It is an outermost region of the European Union and the currency used is the euro. Interestingly, due to its location in a time zone to the east of Europe, Réunion was the first region in the world to use the euro, and the first ever purchase using the euro occurred when the mayor of Saint-Denis bought a bag of lychess at 12:01 AM! Although known to Arab sailors, the Portuguese were the Europeans to visit in 1513, finding it uninhabited. The French flag was raised over the island in 1638, taken by the British in 1810 and restored to France in 1815. The immigration of Africans, Chinese, Malays and Indians in the 17th and 18th Centuries gave the island its ethnic mix. After the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Réunion lost much of its importance as a stopover along the East Indies shipping route. Réunion has another unique distinction – between March 15 and 16, 1952 the center portion of the island received 73.6 inches of rainfall, the greatest 24-hour precipitation total ever recorded on earth. In March 2007, Commerson’s Crater received 145.7 inches, the most rainfall ever recorded in 72 hours. Although sugar is the chief agricultural product and export, tourism plays a large role in the economy.

Our day in Réunion started quiet typically.....we all got up, ate our breakfast, rushed to the Queen’s Lounge (It is mandatory, you know that you MUST be FIRST in line for the tours....if the tour leaves at 9:00 you are instructed to be there at 8:50...so everyone arrives at 8! Unbeliveable!) We got our appropriate stickers for the various tours we were taking, we made our way to the gang plank, boarded the buses and made our way to the port entrance to begin the tour....standard and regular touring stuff, right? Wrong! Once at the harbor entrance we soon realized that we were not moving....buses were all aligned behind the barricade waiting....waiting....and waiting! It seemed that, for some reason yet unexplained, the taxi drivers had decided to go on strike and to mount a demonstration. They had driven their taxis and parked them blocking any movement through the entrance. Once the guide and driver realized what was happening, it became somewhat of a process for the buses to maneuver themselves to return to the ship.

There was great discussion about using an alternative entrance. Would the buses clear that opening? Would the taxis be blocking that entrance too? Sure enough, soon it was determined that we were trapped....not going anywhere until the “strike” was settled.

So, some 500 people on some dozen or more buses all unloaded and returned to the ship. No sooner had we gone through the standard security clearance and scanning of passes, etc. etc. etc. the Cruise Director came on the loud speaker announcing that the strike had miraculously been “settled”. The tours would proceed as originally planned. So there was a mad rush to once again get on the appropriate bus and head out. How the strike was settled we will probably never know...but settled it was and we were off, an hour-and-a-half late!

We drove along the coast line through the quaint town of St. Denis, passing the towns of St. Marie and St Suzanne. It was fascinating to have the rocky vertical mountain cliff shadowing us all the way. Because of the rainfall, these cliffs are apparently responsible for major rock slides, some of which have actually killed unsuspecting motorists. So, to help control these slides, the cliffs have been “draped” in a double-tiered wire meshing. The lower net resembled an over scaled chain link fence type material. With heights of over 10 stories or more, you can imagine what a job it must have been to install such netting over so many miles of rocky cliffs. And then add to that the outer layer....a chain-male (or is it chain-mail???) structure was added. The size of each loop of metal interlocking rings was about that of a large dinner plate. This whole meshing was anchored with heavy wires and I guess would stop the stops from falling on the road. I couldn’t help but think the expense of such and endeavor. Too, it reminded me of a large Christo installation!

Eventually we made our way to a small family owned and operated vanilla plantation and factory...the M. Rouloff Factory. It was fascinating to see how this orchid, imported from Mexico, is grown either on a frame work or on the trunks of very tall yucca plants. The “beans” take some nine months to grow after each flower has been individually hand pollinated. One woman, using a thick and long cactus throne hand pollinates 2,500 flowers a day. Once harvested, boiled, dried, and stored for over five to six years the tasty vanilla beans are ready for export. Plants live for at least 20 years...so production is good and long, even if it is labor intensive. It was a fascinating learning excursion.

From there we started to climb through the most beautiful valley you can imagine. Steep rocky cliffs that soar to 4,000 feet or more are draped in lush vegetation and host thousands....thousands!... of cascading waterfalls. It was a magical ride as we made our way up to the Salazie (pronounced Sal-A-ZEE) region passing the most wonderfully quaint and attractive small cottages. I kept trying to describe or identify the architectural style, at first thinking they were “victorianesque”. Each had very steep multiple tin roofs, many brightly colored, and “finished” at the eaves with an applied cut-out gingerbread-like fretwork. Once we reached the small village of Hell Bourge at the very top of the mountain ridge, our guide explained that these cottages were “Creole-style” homes and that we would be dining in a small café that specializes in Creole food. After our chicken, fish, rice and black beans with free-flowing wine, we enjoyed the ride back down the mountain and once again enjoyed seeing the “wedding veil” falls (a collection of some 30 or so falls that “collect” in or around the same spot.

We returned to St. Denis for the “mandatory” shopping stop before returning...late!... to the ship. The Captain decided to postpone our sailing to help make up for the morning’s taxi strike.

So, after a rather memorable bumpy start, we had a grand day on this tropical island.

Richard’s Bay, South Africa

April 17, 2008

We arrived early in the morning after a memorable day in Lesotho. Located on the northern coast of SwaZulu-Natal, Richard’s Bay is home to factory and plant...one after another. Exports include iron ore, titanium oxide, zircon, coal, aluminum, granite, ferrochrome, paper pulp, woodchips and phosphoric acid. It is a growing and busy place...very industrial.

After my adventurous day in Lesotho I needed a quiet and calming day so I choose to visit Lake Lucia for a relaxing and enjoyable “curise”. It was exactly what I needed.

My friend, Louise, rejoined the ship after her days with her Cynthia. It was nice to see her and share our different adventures with one another as we rode through the country side toward the lake. For more than an hour and a half we passed thousands...millions!!! of eucalyptus trees. Our guide told us that they plant over 300,000 trees a day! A day! Do I believe it? I don’t know...but I do know that I have never seen so many trees in such planned patterns. It was really very pretty....like a three-dimensional quilt of greenery!

We boarded small boats, and with the aid of a most enthuastic “captain’ and guide slowly made our way along this river? Lake?...actually estuary! to explore African wild life! We encountered several “pods” (some say “bloats”....I will have to research that!) of hippopotamus. What exotic animals these creatures are. Appearing very docile as they lounge around in the brushes and soak in the shallow waters, these huge animals are deceiving, for indeed they are the most vicious of all African animals and are responsible for more human deaths than any other animal. This is doubly surprising when you understand that they are vegetarian...they only kill humans who are invading their very private territory. We were particularly intrigued with one group of some twenty-five females and one very large and very busy male.

Equally exciting to see were the large numbers of very large crocodiles. These exotic animals were everywhere. Couple them with the throngs of birds (there are apparently over 500 species of birds in the area!) and you can imagine the day we had. Very natural....very easy....very pleasant.

Now it’s back to sea and on to Reunion?????? Stay tuned

The Kingdom of Lesotho

April 16, 2008

After three busy days in Cape Town it was nice to enjoy a day at sea as we sailed toward Durban South Africa.

Although Durban is the second most populous city in South Africa, it is the busiest port in Africa and the world’s ninth busiest port.....that is saying something!!!

Durban enjoys a healthy tourist trade with its Golden Mile, a popular stretch of beachfront in the city that boasts a stretch of beaches dotted with resorts, restaurants, pubs, nightclubs and shopping centers.

I chose to not take advantage of all Durban has to offer and, instead, venture high in the mountains, to the middle of South Africa to a very special place....The Kingdom of Lesotho.

You know how occasionally you have one of those special days that will always stand out in your memory as one of the MOST special days. Well, my day in Lesotho was indeed one of those days! Just unbelievable!!!!

Like an island, the Kingdom of Lesotho (Yes, they have a king, but apparently elect a Parliament!) is “floating” in the middle of South Africa, surrounded on all sides. It is home to some 2 million people, most of whom live in the capital city with the remainder living as nomads. It was to one of the nomad villages that we would go for our unbelievable experience.

We rode through the city Durban toward the country side. Here we passed all manner of housing....from small and beautiful “middle-class” homes, many with swimming pools and manicured gardens. We also passed the so-called Zulu townships: “planned” communities of row after row of simple one-room concrete block houses all aligned, like monopoly houses, on dirt streets with small outhouses aligned behind. With no electricity, no running water, and very little else, it was eye opening to the plight of so many people. Our guide kept emphasizing what an “improvement” these houses were for the people living in them. Improvement? I can’t imagine how bleak it was before if THIS was an improvement.

We passed acre after acre of planned forests....pine and eucalyptus trees....apparently big business. I have never seen so many trees.

As we rode, the hills became more rolling...the sky more open...and I couldn’t help but be reminded of Montana with its big sky and open valleys. An occasional “round-house” would appear...typical Zulu styled housing....some with traditional thatched roofs...but most with more “modern” tin roofs.

Eventually we made our way to Underberg, a quaint and colorful town that appeared to be a week-end getaway city because it was dotted with small cafes and shops and countless “bed and breakfast” stops. It was here that our adventure began.

We changed from our comfortable air-conditioned bus to small four-wheel drive cars....and it was here that we started out on a ride that I will never forget. Paved roads became dirt roads. Dirt roads became rocky bumpy “trails” that soon began their zig-zag cross backs up the mountain. Unbelievable! We bounced, we bumped, we zigged and we zagged! We got near the edge and didn’t dare look over! We forded small rivers! We climbed vertical slopes. We dodged mountain goats....all the while we ooohhed and awed....the scenery was just unbelievable. Finally we arrived at the border control of South Africa where we presented ourselves for a face-to-face “control” and got our “exit” stamp allowing us to leave South Africa. It was then our able driver and guide told us to be prepared...the road was going to get worse. We just couldn’t believe it...but it did! We continued to climb....bounce!...going higher and higher with spectacular view after each turn. My only saving grace was that I had secured the front seat, while my colleagues “struggled” even more in the rear seats....what an experience!
Finally after an hour or so of this experience, we came to the Lesotho border. (I think the South Africans decided to build their check-point at the base of the mountain even though it wasn’t really the “border” thus allowing them to avoid the treacherous “road” to the actual border) We were at 9,000 feet above sea level...at the “Roof of Africa”....we were in Lesotho!

We had traversed over the Sani Pass and we were now in the village of Sani Top! It is here that some 100 nomads have chosen to settle for a few months of the year and have gathered up stones to create a collection of small round stone houses with thatched roofs. These people are herders with small flocks of sheep, goats, and a few cows. They were smiling people all standing very tall and erect and each covered in large heavy woolen blankets. It was around 3 PM when we arrived and, indeed, the air was cooling rapidly. I can only imagine how cold it gets at night...and how bitter it gets in winter. It must be beautiful to see these stone huts covered in snow!

We wandered through the village snapping photos and chatting with these exotic people. Small children eagerly, but politely, gathered to accept the chocolates that some of us had brought along. We were invited into several of these small huts to see the simple life of the people. We marveled at the ingenuity of these people as one Shepard proudly strummed his homemade guitar that he had constructed from a large tin can, a plank of wood, and a few fishing lines. I was particularly intrigued when I spotted one hut that stood out from all the others....the one window and the one door was painted the most vivid blue you can imagine...individuality and creativity exist no matter where in the world you are!

As the day was growing long and we had lost some time waiting for a new bus earlier in the day when ours lost its clutch, after about twenty minutes or so I guide herded us back into the cars to make our way back down the mountain to once again enter South Africa and make our way back to the ship. As we rode back in the dark and I looked out over the townships occasionally spotting a lit candle through the one window of the small concrete monopoly house I couldn’t help but think of how lucky we are to live the way we do. And as I reflected on my extraordinary day I couldn’t help but see the smiling faces of a child whose eyes brighten as I gave him a small piece of chocolate. Such a simple thing but meaning so much to this little child. Yes, it was an extraordinary day!

I was so excited to finally visit Lesotho....a number of years ago I was asked to come to Lesotho to do one of the “missions” that I had done with the World Bank in Madagascar a few years before. Because of work loads and my schedule at the time, I declined that invitation...but I had always wondered what I had missed. I am not at all sure that what I saw on my “day “in Lesotho was what I would have experienced if I had done the mission....I doubt it...because more than likely I would have worked out of the capital city....but at least I finally made it to this most remote and exotic spot in the world....what an experience.....a humbling experience....an exhilarating experience....an experience that makes travel so worthwhile! I have been to Lesotho!

Cape Town, South Africa

April 12 -14, 2008

For as long as I can remember I have heard people exclaim about what an exciting and beautiful place Cape Town South Africa is! After spending a day or so at sea even the crew and staff were excited....”We are headed to Cape Town” could be heard all over! Cape Town...Cape Town...Cape Town. The anticipation made this mysterious place even more special...and made getting up before dawn for the “sail in” easy.

Just as the sun was rising, I made my way all the way up to the uppermost deck...deck 13. I wanted the best spot to see this supposed special arrival. Well, that venture didn’t last long. The 25-40 knot winds and the resulting churning sea made it almost impossible to stand on the deck. So I promptly made my way down a flight to the Crow’s Nest....a panoramic lounge on the 12th deck....to sip coffee and nibble on a sweet roll as we slowly made our way into this historic city. And it didn’t take long to begin to understand what all the flutter was about....soon...there it was...the famed Table Mountain that serves as a dramatic backdrop to this special city.

Table Mountain is apparently one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world....so old that it is not cragged or rounded...but flat....worn down by the millions of years of existence. So, there it stood in all its glory....and Yes! It was draped in the famed “table cloth”....a cloud formation that hovers at the peak and spills downward like a cloth draping over the edges. How this cloud stayed in place with such winds is beyond me...but hover it did....like a welcome mat of sorts.

The ship was astir! Cameras were clicking, disembarking crew members were dressed in street clothes, and there was almost a carnival atmosphere about the whole ship....we were in Cape Town.

I don’t know what I expected, but what I saw was not it. I assumed that the city would appear very large...it is home to some 3 million people...but here was this smallish looking city resting quietly at the base of this magnificent mountain. Where were the high-rises of a big city? Where were the millions of people? Of course, as I would soon see, all this and more was here....scattered all around and even “hidden” on the other side of the mountain. For indeed, Cape Town is a big and bustling city, one that appears at first to be a quaint and moderately sized village...which, to me, only added to its charm.

We moved slowly....too slowly. Why so slow, everyone murmured ...what’s going on? Here we are, the sun is shining...it is a crisp fall day with temperatures of around 75°....a beautiful day...so why aren’t we proceeding to the dock. We are scheduled to dock around 8 AM. People are cluttering to the Queen’s Lounge to get their stickers for the day’s excursions. Disembarking passengers and crew are getting anxious...and we are almost motionless...bobbing in the windy harbor as if we are anchored. And then the announcement comes....the harbor has been temporarily closed due to the high winds! We will be delayed until the winds subside and we can make our way into the narrow opening of this special place. So we gather at the railing on the promenade deck to take in the full scope of this beautiful city hovering at the base of the cloud-draped mountain. Just a spectacular view!

We wait...we circle...we bob...we wait...we circle. Another announcement....the harbor continues to be closed...the winds are too high; it is too dangerous for us to even attempt to enter the harbor. Finally, the captain comes on and tells us that we will move to a more sheltered spot to anchor and wait out the wind. Once there, the seas calm and we sit....waiting! As each minute ticked away, it didn’t take long for me to realize that my planned excursion to venture to the Cape of Good Hope (a full day’s excursion) was slowing vanishing. As half hours became hours, it was soon clear that we were spending our first day in Cape Town observing Cape Town from the ship.

My friend Louise was equally anxious. She had long-since planned to meet her daughter, Cynthia, for a few days ashore. Cynthia lives in Amsterdam and had flown to Cape Town the night before to be at the dock early in the morning and then take her Mom to visit friends in Simon Town. But no! the weather gods said NO! We sat, we pined and finally we decided to break out the mahjong set and enjoy our waiting game.

Around 1:30 in the afternoon, the Captain finally announced that the harbor had been opened and that we would pull up the anchor and make our way in. The stir started again...and we played on. As Louise properly determined, it would take us quiet a while to actually get there....and sure enough it was 3:00PM before the ship finally made its way into this special harbor with it tiny “mouth” and to our berth in the Table Bay Harbor.

My friends Rudi and George, who sailed here before, warned me that our docking would be memorable...and indeed it was. We sailed right toward the famous Table Bay Hotel...a beautiful five-star hotel that sits right at the end of the dock. We sailed toward the hotel....and toward it...and toward it....literally almost touching it. I swear that if the people on the 10th floor had opened their window they would have been able to touch the ship, we were that close!

As Louise and I stood on the promenade deck she spotted Cynthia dockside patiently awaiting our arrival. It was nice to see her even if their planned day to see Cynthia’s friends had to be changed. (As it turned out, the friends came to Cape Town and showed them around there!) Once the ship was cleared by authorities, I helped Louise to the dock, met Cynthia, and sent them on their merry way. What fun!

My afternoon was spent exploring the busy and colorful harbor. A huge mall that has every store imaginable lies just at harbor side. There are side-walk cafes, open markets, boat tours, helicopter rides...even a flying trapeze ride....everything! It was fun to simply people watch...and slightly regret that my day at the Cape had been cancelled.

The next day was a schedule Virtuoso day...one of the “perks” that came with booking my trip with my great travel agent, Judy Brannon. Each of these special days is better than the next...and our day in South Africa was certainly no exception.

We spent the day outside Cape Town in the wine district of Stellenbosch. What a charming place. Tree-lined streets with tons of open air cafes and shops....white-washed buildings with “Dutch-styled” facades provided a delightful background for families as they strolled through the town on this crisp fall Sunday afternoon. What a pleasant experience.

The ride to and around Stellenbosch underscored the beauty of South Africa. I had no idea that it was so mountainous and so green and so lush and inviting...very beautiful. We eventually made our way to a wonderful old (1685!) winery outside Stellenbosch called Boschendal. Here we toured the facility learning about the colorful history of the place, how they plant, tend, and harvest the various grapes, and then how they process them into a wide variety of award-winning wines. Our young guide was so excited about his work...about “his” vineyard...and about our visit. It was great to share in his enthusiasm.

We eventually found our way to a most delightful setting under a very majestic and stately old...very old...oak tree. This tree was so “perfect” in its shape and leaf cover that it looked too good to be true...and it served as a most delightful place for us to taste some of the product of the vine. They offered us five different wines: three whites and two reds.

Since I don’t normally drink, I decided that only a sip of each would be enough as I didn’t want to embarrass myself and get drunk at our first stop of the day. I found a 2007 Chardonnay to be very nice! And apparently many of my travel mates did as well; for as we left there was more than one dolly carrying more than one case of wine to the bus....do I need to say that “a good time was had by all!”

We rode through the beautiful valley around Boschendal seeing various wineries. South African wine has indeed become big business and each vineyard is doing its best to present a proper front....very nice indeed.

We made our way past Stellenbosch and wound our way up to the Franschhoek pass. Again, more spectacular scenery...just indescribably beautiful! It was in the valley around Franschhoek that we visited another winery for more tasting and lunch. Here the wines were presented by a very young and very handsome man...only 26!...who is the wine master of the vineyard. It seems that he has been working in vineyards since he was 11...has two degrees...and is well respected as one of the best up-and-coming wine masters. Our drinking crowd seemed to agree as they all raved about the various wines that was served with our delicious lunch. What a special day we had!

I returned to the ship to have dinner with Louise and Cynthia aboard the ship. April and May are birthdays for the three of us and Louise had arranged for a “birthday” dinner for us in the Pinnacle, the specialty restaurant aboard the ship. We had a delightful evening together, sharing in our mutual birthdays and enjoying the delicious experience of the Pinnacle. Afterwards, I said good night to the two of them sending them off for a few days of touring around Cape Town.

Since we sailed at noon on the next day, I spent my last morning doing some personal shopping, having a side-walk coffee, and just enjoying the harbor. And as seals “escorted” us out to sea again, I couldn’t help but think about when I would be able to return to Cape Town and enjoy this special city. Yes, all the hype about Cape Town is true...it IS a special place, one that I will visit again!

Lüderitz, Namibia

April 10, 2008

After an overnight sail we arrived early to a crispy cool morning in Lüderitz. What a picturesque place.....small, Geomantic in feeling with a few squarish church steeples silhouetted against a craggy mountain background with sand streets. Very picturesque

I took an interesting eight mile ride into the desert to a ghost town of Kolmanskop, founded in 1908. En route we passed a most interesting cemetery that was in such contrast against the sandy and rocky background. I only regret that I didn’t have time to stop and walk among the graves...no doubt, it would have been an historic stroll.

Kolmanskop was like no other place I have ever seen. Perched on the hillside, we saw it from afar....a wide “street” (about half the width of a football field) along which stood a grouping of some twenty or thirty-something sandy-colored one, two and some three-story buildings. Not a tree or plant in sight....only sand, sand, and more sand.

We learned that at the turn of the last century diamonds were discovered in this area....how, I am not sure....I mean this place is very remote!....but, discovered they were. Apparently there were so many diamonds that one could literally lay on the ground and with tweezers in hand pick up three to four hundred diamonds a day! In fact, we saw a photograph of men doing just that. Less obvious... noticeable only after the guide pointed it out...was the fact that these men, lying on their stomachs had their mouths taped shut to prevent them from swallowing the goods! We learned that the small hospital on the street had one of the first X-Ray machines in Southern Africa....why? To examine the miners to, once again, confirm that they had not ingested the stones! Apparently the native Namibians--some 800 of them –housed in dormitory-styled houses in the distant eyesight of the “town” were contracted for two years to work on the property. At the end of their term they were sent to the hospital for a week or 10 days to be put on a laxative diet to, once again!, ensure that they were not taking any of the diamonds home with them.

Around 1940 or 50, once the majority of diamonds had been cleared....and after another site some miles away was discovered that was producing very large diamonds, the town was simply abandoned....people just walk...or ran....away leaving furniture, dishes, everything. In the intervening years the desert took over and it wasn’t long until the city was almost completely buried in sand...many buildings were covered up to the roof line! Only a few of the local people of Lüderitz knew about the city and indeed used it as a building supply “store” as they pilfered the elements of the various buildings for their own homes. Luckily, the mining company that still owns the land realized what they had and have spent the last several years “restoring” the town and bringing it back to some sense of what it must have been like as a museum.

A number of buildings have been completely cleared of the sand. We first visited the “casino” building....not used for gambling at all...but more of a gathering place for fun and relaxation. The lower lever of this large two-story building holds the bar and bowling alley....apparently still operable. Upstairs was a large “ballroom” complete with stage where concerts, dances, and balls were held. The entire place...in fact every interior we visited was painted in the most unusual colors and most of the walls were stenciled in elaborate patterns. Because it is far enough away from the water and has been covered in sand it is relatively well-preserved. So very fascinating!!!

We visited the shopkeeper’s house which has been furnished with various pieces found throughout the town....charming! This house sits next door to the “shop” which is now used as a small museum.

The ice factory is a prime example of the ingenuity of the town planners. Since every house had an old-fashioned ice boxes, ice was needed on a daily basis. Ice in the middle of the desert? Not an easy thing. Especially when you learn that all the drinking water had to be imported from Cape Town South Africa...some 1,000 KM away...via ship and then transported overland from the harbor via mule-drawn sleds....not an easy feat. In the ice factory there was a large vat that was filled with salt water....120 or so metal “chambers” were positioned vertically in this vat and filled with fresh water. Then through an electrical and chemical process that I did not understand, ice was made and distributed to the various ice boxes in the town. With an early eye to recycling the ice factory shared a wall with the butcher shop. The chilled sea water that had been used to form the ice was forced through large pipes in the cooling room of the butchers, thus providing a large refrigerated room to hang the meat....and then smaller “pipes” allowed this chilled air to filter into the butcher shop in the next room.....thus, an air-conditioned shop in the middle of the desert in the early part of the 20th century....pretty ingenious!

Seeing all this was made even more delightful because of our great guide, Nathalie. A local Namibian of one of the native “tribes”, as she called it, was very knowledgeable and so very enthusiastic. She even spoke and sang to us in her native language....one of the “clicking” languages. If you have ever seen the movie, “The Gods Must Be Crazy” you have heard such a language...many dialects of which are spoken by the “bushmen” who still roam the deserts of Namibia as nomads today. Nathalie demonstrated the four different and distinctive sounds that she makes by shaping her tongue and breathing in....it seems impossible to me...but is very beautiful to hear and so different from anything I have ever heard before.

Returning to Lüderitz, we strolled the few streets and visited a local shop where I spotted four or five stones that were so beautiful. When I approached the shop keeper she laughed at me....those are just rocks she said....for display. But when I showed interest in them she perked up....said that they were “jasper” and this and that. It seems that the shop owner was out giving tours to us cruisers and this woman just was at a loss as to what, if anything to charge me for these “rocks”. We finally negotiated a price....$10.00 (US!) When the shop owner returned she either jumped with joy and laughter and realized that this dumb American had just paid good money for a handful of rocks....OR, she fired her employee for selling me this “collection” of valuable stones.....regardless, I have five beautiful stones from Namibia!

Now we are sailing toward Cape Town....I can’t wait! Everyone on board is excited....crew and passengers...saying that Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities....and harbors!....in the world!. Stay tuned!

Walvis Bay, Namibia

April 9, 2008

After we left Togo we had four very relaxing and needed days at sea. Our visit to the Western Coast of Africa was a good one...but it was very tiring and the time to rest and relax was welcome! One exciting event did occur on Saturday April 5 at 1:50 in the afternoon...we crossed the 0-0 line!!!! 0° longitude and 0° latitude! It was a memorable moment for even the most well-cruised passengers. Few, if any, had ever done it before. Even the captain quipped that “there went his bonus” as he had to go more than 80 miles out of his way to make this happen....just one of those special moments!

When we docked this morning and I looked out over the harbor I sensed something was different.....and then I realized that it was the sailboats I was seeing bobbing in the distance. Not large expensive yachts...but simple single-mast sailing boats....pleasure boats! PLEASURE boats! The first of anything like this we have seen in a long long time. The rest of Western Africa is struggling to simply make ends meet and any vessel you see is either a large freighter or a small fishing vessel. Certainly there is no time or money for a sail boat. So, I thought...mmmmm maybe we are back to more “normalcy” or, at least, what we thing of normalcy....and those sail boats were the symbol. When I looked over the railing off the promenade deck I say white faces...and again, I knew that we were in a different part of Africa than we have been for the past few weeks.

Walvis Bay is a fairly small, but busy industrial port. Most of the 50,000 residents work in the port area, but there is also a sizeable fishing fleet and a local operation extracts salt from seawater. In fact, there were huge “mountains” of salt just in site of the ship awaiting loading onto the waiting freighters for ports unknown.

Swakopmund, just 20 miles north of Walvis Bay, is an attractive German colonial town that is home to some 80,000 to 100,000 people. Prior to WW1, Swakopmund was a main transshipment point for Windhoek, capital of German South West Africa. Never a very functional harbor – it is too shallow to accommodate most commercial ships. Some import and export goods still pass through town, but Walvis Bay is the main port.

Swakopmund is also center of the popular Namib coastal resort. There are plenty of pleasant secluded beaches in and around town. Depending on wind conditions, air temperatures can range from hot to outright cold, but the water is always cool. Currents flowing northward from the Antarctic Ocean are responsible. On favorable days, area beaches fill, but there is never a real “crowd”. Swakopmund is probably best known as the spot that Brad Pit and Angelina Jolie came for their baby’s birth!

I elected to take a 4x4 Desert Adventure....a decision that ranks way high as one of the best ones I have made this trip. What a memorable day!

We drove along the coast from Walvis Bay toward Swakopmund eventually making our way into the Moon Mountains. I was expecting large “wavy” sand dunes desert...and that came later in the day....but for the most of the day we were in this unbelievable landscape aptly named “moon” mountains because it must surely be what the moon is like. Low rocky sandy mountains with huge open big sky....so dramatic! And so very colorful in its own special way.

In a very nice Toyota 4x4 (with air-conditioning!!!!) we drove over rough roads making our way to the Musical Rocks which are vital part of the Moon Mountains. Imagine an ancient geological giant strewing millions of large blackened lava stones (some the size of my VW Bug...but most the size of a large suit case) across the mountain stop....like leaving a black trail of where he walked. Oh to know more about geology. Here, in this sandy rocky area....as you look across the landscape... here, are these black trails of these huge boulders. Once we stopped and climbed over the rocks we were surprised to “hear” the rocks as our guide went from boulder to boulder tapping them to release tone after tone of “music”. It was enchanting.

Our safari continued in the Moon Valley, driving on the dry Swakop River. How eerie was that! Here was this wide...like the width of a football field wide – DRY river bed. It was obvious that water in some distant past had indeed passed over this land because there was a spotting of green plants here and there....and....the most memorable part was how the earth had dried and cracked. The only thing I could think of was that it resembled how very thick birch bark looks as it peels away from the trunk. It made me itch to get to a ceramic studio and create some simple shaped platters irregularly shape and slightly curved. Our guide explained that the last time he had seen water in the river was about four years ago...and then about a half meter high....amazing!

Perhaps the most fascinating part of this desert experience was to see how so many plants have adapted to these harsh conditions. For instance, we stopped to gather around a pile of what appeared to look like ordinary rocks along side the road. The guide slowly poured a small amount of water on the pile of rocks...and poof!!! before our eyes the rocks came to life. They were covered with lichen...as many as three or four different kinds of lichen and with this small amount of water they came to life. It was an amazing thing to see....nothing at first to this total “bouquet” of color and texture.

Another interesting plant, new to me, was the Nara, plant. An extremely thorny green bush that grows in thick clumps about three to four feet high and produces fruit (about the size of a small grapefruit) that is apparently full of a water-like liquid that animals and the notorious bush-men use for water in the desert. Very interesting.

Another stop was equally impressive. This time the center of attraction was the famous Welsitschia plant. These fascinating plants were discovered in 1859 – a “modified” tree, producing a single, turnip-like stem that can be more than three feet thick and five feet tall. This strange plant produces its first flower after about 20 years and has a lifespan of at least 1,000 to 1,500 years! (My friend Louise is skeptical that they are indeed this old...Who, she asks....and rightfully so....can PROVE that these plants are that old! I for one BELIEVE....I believe!...I believe!....so it is so!). The plants we saw must need some water, because although about 10 -12 wide they were spread across the desert floor with one “bloom” in the center of the two leaves that had long since been shredded. Hard to describe...but an unusual plant

We proceeded to the Goanikontes Oasis, where lunch awaited us under a setting of palm and blue gum trees. A variety of meats, breads, and salads were served as we sat and enjoyed the relaxing desert surroundings. With no “official” washrooms, it was great fun seeing so many running off into the bushes to take care of business. Little did they know that just around the corner, at an impressive overlook, the tour company had trucked in two or three porta-toilets that were pulled behind a large pick-up. What a sight. Come to think of it, why didn’t they bring that truck to the lunch stop?

After lunch we drove to the famous Namib Desert sand dunes. Now this is was what I had expected....large dunes, like large waves in the open desert. Once there we were treated to something special indeed...Dune 7: The tallest sand dune in Namibia and maybe in the world. Youngsters were being taken to the top on quad mobiles and then sand-boarding down. A couple of our more fit passengers dared to struggle up the face of this slippery slope to reach the top to cheers of all. It was great fun to enjoy the warm breezes of the desert and watch so many enjoying this “snow” of the desert.

So my first day in Namibia was great fun....very educational...and very different from most days ever! I look forward to seeing Lüderitz Namibia tomorrow where I am scheduled to visit a “ghost” town that the sand has re-claimed....stay tuned!

Lomé, Togo

April 4, 2008

Lomé is a city where traditional and modern life overlaps. Of the last few cities that we have built we have seen almost no...if any! high-rise buildings. Lomé is different in that regard...we saw several including a so-called “five-star” hotel that soared to some 20something floors.

Like the rest of the cities of western Africa, there is trash and debris everywhere while thousands and thousands of people stroll the streets with their small vending carts, tables, and “head-shops”...women carrying all manner of things for sell on their heads.

We visited the National Museum which is in dire need of some help from larger museums on how to display their meager collection. At the inevitable Independence Square we were concerned that there seems to be a total lack on interest in maintaining the gardens that surround this most important monument. I guess what money is available must go to areas other than landscape.

We paid the mandatory visit to the local arts and crafts market, which was much less colorful than other such stops in other cities.

There is no question that the most impressive and memorable visit was to the fetish market and later to an actual voodoo ceremony. At the market all manner of goods associated with the voodoo cult could be bought for a modest price. There were heads, and skins, and fetish dolls and tails of nameless animals made into “swats”. You name it, it was here. I hate to think of the endangered species that were represented in this unusual collection. Our guide explained that this market was the “drug store” of the local community....apparently the public (70% of whom are voodoo worshipers!!!) comes here to purchase all the various things needed to create the potions and cures that the voodoo priests prescribe.

Following the market I visited the Village of Sanguera and a voodoo ceremony. As the brochure said, “this tour was not for the faint of heart”! Going to this small village, some 45 minutes away from Lomé, gave us a chance to grasp the many and varied purposes and rituals of voodoo – an ancient blend of witch craft, folklore and religion that can be puzzling to those who don’t practice it, and sometimes even to those who do! We saw up close and personal manifestations of voodoo deities, ritual dances, offerings, and even the gods in action as participants were whipped into a trance.

The head priest greeted us with a blessing and pouring of some spirit on the ground as drums and chants pierced the air behind him. Soon we were in the midst of any number of dancing, whirling, spinning, falling, fainting “worshippers”....many of whom had to be carried off to recover. The extreme heat combined with the rhythm of the drums plus the effect of some snuff-like substance that I saw an occasional participants ingest all contributed to the frenzy. It was mesmerizing. They buried a chicken alive and after about thirty minutes dug the poor creature up to run free again....a sign, to the priest....that the “magic” of the voodoo was working. They cooked some concoction on an open fire that when done was 10 times the size of the original materials...another sign.

We were warned to “check our inhibitions at the door and bring our spirit of adventure “ for a very real and very raw experience.” It was that...an hour that I will never forget.

Most memorable were the children of the village. They were everywhere...all ages....tons of them. I was especially impressed with the hairstyles....clumps of hair tied with colored ribbons all over their heads...so cute! They all loved for us to photograph them and then show them the images in our digital cameras....what a special day!

Now we have several days at sea to recover from the last three days in these exotic ports. We are on our way to Namibia....I can’t wait! Stay tuned!

Accra, Ghana

April 3, 2008

What a special way to spend my birthday....in the exotic culture of Ghana! I awoke to find a large bunch of balloons on my door along with a large poster-like “card” from the cruise staff. And, to my amazement, there was a special card that my Canadian friends, Isabelle, George, Rudi and Marguerite had left with the front desk when they left at the end of the last cruise. What special people they are and how nice they were to remember me on this special day.

Accra, the capital city of Ghana, is located about an hours drive from Tema, where the shipped docked early in the morning. As we may our way to Accra I couldn’t help but be impressed by the thousands of small road-side “shops”....usually a small table, sometimes with a shabby cover....selling all manner of products and services. Next to someone selling tires would be a pot and pan salesperson to be followed by a lady braiding hair. What a way to make a living. In many cases these vendors only had a few examples of whatever they were selling.

Equally impressive are the street venders selling food. From smoked fish to boiled eggs heavily encrusted with salt, these merchants walk through the crowds with their “wares” precariously perched on their heads. When someone wants to buy a small bag of frozen water, for instance, the merchant will simply reach up and lower their goods to the ground and make the deal. The system seems to work as the roads are teeming – in the truest sense of the word – teeming! with people interacting with one another.

A shopping “opportunity” was had at the Arts & Crafts Market. On sale were local textiles, beautiful examples of woven kente cloth, wooden leather and metal crafts. It was fun to shop with my friend Louise. She asked me to bargain for her as she made purchases for her grandkids. What an experience. The vendors would ask a ridiculous price for whatever they were selling....say $100.00! I would counter...laughingly...we will pay $10.00 for two! Back and forth we would go until we usually would settle for something like $10 or $15 each. Such a game but just a part of the way they live here....everything is bargained!

Perhaps the most amazing stop was when we visited one of the many casket maker’s shop in Nungua...a “suburb” of Accra. Yes! A casket maker! You just can’t imagine these caskets, made to depict the life (and afterlife) of the dead. We saw various fish designs, a snail, several boats and canoes, a large chicken, cows, huge beer bottles, cocoa pods, cars and even an over scaled hammer (for a carpenter, I assume!?) These caskets are even more amazing when you consider that the average monthly income of these people is only about $50.00 and these special caskets begin at around $600.00....over a year’s salary. My only regret is that we were not invited to a funeral....I can only imagine how elaborate the actual funeral is if the caskets are like these.

We stopped for photo opportunities at Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Part – named for Ghana’s Pan Africanist president who was named Africa’s Man of the Century by the BBC.

Our final stop in Accra was at the National Museum of Archaeology, History of Ethnography, which houses some centuries-old relics depicting the social and cultural evolution of the Ghanaian people. Court regalia, ceremonial objects and tools are on display here. I loved seeing a special textile section where a loom was erected showing the making of kente cloth. There was also a large and impressive collection of batiking and stamping tools...I only regret that I didn’t have more time to spend in this impressive place.

When I returned to the ship there was a beautiful bouquet of flowers awaiting me from the Excursion’s Staff. I am, undoubtedly, one of their best customers and we have grown to really enjoy each other. What thoughtful people they are and what a difficult job they have doing their best to please so many different people in their various likes and dislikes. I was very touched to think that they would remember me in such a beautiful way.

So....I think I can say I have had a very birthday. Now I am looking forward to going to Lomé, Togo tomorrow.....stay tuned!

Takoradi, Ghana

April 2, 2008

After two very tiring days in Senegal and The Gambia, we had three restful sea days before arriving in Ghana early in the morning.

Sekondi-Takoradi is Ghana’s third largest city and an industrial and commercial center. Located on the main railway lines to Accra and Kumasi, its chief industries are timber, plywood, cigarettes, shipbuilding and railroad repair. Ghana, meaning “Warrior King”, was inhabited by many different ancient kingdoms and gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1957. Takoradi, Ghana’s first deepwater seaport, built in 1928 and the older and larger Sekondi both stem from 17th century Dutch, Swedish and English forts. The two cities combined in 1946. While the beautiful beaches attract the tourist trade, Takoradi is well known for the Takoradi Technical Institute, a polytechnic school and the Ghana Secondary Technical School. Sekondi-Takoradi is a sister city of Boston, Massachusetts and Oakland, California. The Takoradi Technical Institute, or TTI, houses a Fabrication Laboratory, equipped by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the first of its kind in Africa. Although blessed with abundant natural resources, Ghana remains dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Exports include gold, timber, cocoa, diamonds, bauxite, and manganese and just recently an oilfield was discovered which may contain up to 1.3 billion barrels of light oil.

I elected to explore the “Village Life and Castles” of Ghana. The central region has fifteen of Ghana’s 27 forts and castles. Best known among these are Elmina, Cape Coast and Fort St. Jago – all designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

We began our tour by driving past the semi-deciduous tropical vegetation and through coastal savannah. We passed farming communities noted for distilling their sugarcane crop into a local gin called akpeteshie.

Cape Coast Castle was originally built as a small trading lodge, but later underwent various extensions until it became a fortification. It was occupied by the Dutch in 1637, captured by the Swedes in 1652 (and renamed Fort Corolusburg), and finally landed in the hands of the British who named it Cape Coast Castle. Having played a significant role in the gold and slave trade, it served also as the first seat of the British Government in the Gold Coast as well as a haven for missionaries and educational work. Among the castle’s interesting features are the West African Historical Museum it houses, the Dalziel Tower, the graves of Governor George MacClean and his poet wife, Leticia Landon, the slave dungeons, Palaver Hall where slaves were bargained for and sold. We saw mortars and cannonballs used in the defense of the castle.

We continued on to Duakor, a typical fishing village complete with thatched mud houses and centuries-old traditions that transcend the 21st century. It was here that we saw the daily life of the villagers as they went about their activities. The main livelihood of the people is fishing and fish preservation. I was amazed as I watched three people lift a large bowl of small fish....very heavy onto the head of a very small elderly woman who proceeded to walk away as though she was out for a Sunday stroll. I will always remember the fascinating people of Ghana because of all their head parcels! They seemingly carry everything on their heads!

Another major economic activity of this village is the production of gari (grated cassava). Gari is the staple diet of most low-income earners of Ghana. We watched as the locals peeled the root, strained it, and roasted it and finally bagged it to sell in the many markets for less than $1.00 a bag! (The daily income for a typical Ghanese is only $2.50.) I tasted a bit...although it looked like our southern grits it was very grainy, like finely chopped nuts, but less flavorful. Apparently once when served it is “softened” with water and mixed with milk and sugar and eaten like cereal.
We paid homage to the local chief and elders of the community where what he said and what we said had to be “interpreted” by a “linguist.” Apparently it is very taboo to speak directly to the chief. We then were invited to shake their hands and make a “contribution” to the community. I opted to watch my fellow travelers pay their respects as I stayed back in the shade......it must have been well over 100 degrees in the mid-day sunshine...but was fascinated to see this bizarre hand shaking ritual where there was lots of changing of hand positions ending in a snapping of the fingers.

We visited a local school where the children were all cleanly dressed in their uniforms and “performed” various recitations for us on cue. It was fun to see them proudly show what they had learned and then flock toward our cameras.

Traveling through coconut plantations and salt ponds, we finally arrived in Elmina, another fishing village. Here we were able to photograph the Elmina Castle, built in 1482 by the Portuguese. The castle measures 97,000 square feet and within its walls is the Columbus compass, used by Columbus to set his compass on his voyage to the New World.

Throughout the day I couldn’t help but be impressed by the scores of evangelical churches and organizations. Hundreds...thousands!....of these small churches dotted the shanty villages that peppered the road. The shops were equally fascinating: Power of the Blood Butchers, Jesus Loves you Beauty Salon, Jesus Saves tire store, Hallelujah Café....it just didn’t stop!

All in all, it was a most colorful day in this colorful, if poor, part of Africa. Tomorrow is in Tema and Accra Ghana....stay tuned!