Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!
Namibia is the next African country we shall visit. The capital is Windhoek and the population is 2.4 million folks, most of whom speak English. There are tribal dialects as well as German, from the descendants that arrived here from Germany decades ago.
Described as having sheer natural beauty, this country is a sharp contrast from South Africa. It consists mostly of deserts that were created from the Kalahari sands to the east with massive sand dunes….the largest in the world. In the interior there is a spine of mountains with rivers and wetlands. Etosha National Park has waterholes that attract thousands of animals including the black rhinos and lions. The lions are said to number between 450 and 500 and counting. It is also said that Namibia can be the best place on earth for animal life viewing. Being that it is mostly desert, they may have less cover to hide, making viewing easier. Sossusvlei has the red sand dunes where visitors can climb them and ride them down. Fish River Canyon is comparable to the Grand Canyon also. Unfortunately, unless you had taken an overland excursion from Cape Town, ending in either Luderitz or Walvis Bay, these areas are not easily accessible from where we dock.
This morning we were displaced from our breakfast area on deck three and re-located downstairs. This was due to the Namibian Immigrations Officials onboard for a face-to-passport inspection. Held in the upper dining room, it was due to commence at 7am. Ian called groups by the deck which worked smoothly, although we seem to remember it began later than expected. We had finished our breakfast, served by favorite waiters Danu and Andri, when we were called to appear. The officials were most pleasant as they stamped our books. Ian announced the final call for guests to appear by 9:45am, and we are certain that was when Barb would attend. She loves to sleep in late.
We stayed onboard until the fog cleared, which was by noontime perhaps. We still have much catching up to do, and since we had no tours here (done some of them already), we were in no hurry to go off. Speaking of tours, those offered today included a ride to the deserted mine town for $140 for 2 ½ hours or the highlights on food of the area for $70 for the same amount of time. Martha and Bob were taking the boat ride to Halifax Island to see seals and pelicans and eat oysters for $160 for 3 ½ hours. Lastly, there was a drive to view the wild horses for $220 for 4 hours.
By 11:30am, we boarded the tender boat for the 20 -minute ride to shore. Even though we have been here a few times in the past, we had a difficult time remembering the town. Honestly, there isn't a lot here to see in this remote part of the world. The locals have taken to calling their little community a mini Deutschland for its German architecture and food. Many pubs and restaurants serve German fare such as sauerkraut and sausages, often comfort food for one of us while growing up. Their beer is named Windhoek after the capital….also very good.
Just as we passed the few souvenir stands near the drop off, we crossed paths with Captain Frank's wife, Alexandra, who we had met on the Tales of the South Pacific a few months ago. She is a lovely German lady, and most friendly. She will be onboard for a while, then return when the ship reaches Amsterdam in April. Perhaps there will be another special cocktail party, and we can visit with her before she departs. She recommended what to see here and what to avoid. We seem to recall the isolated feeling leaving the center of town, because the streets become void of people if you are not paying attention.
After wandering around the main streets taking photos here and there, we ended up at a church built high on a hillside. It was very warm by now since the sun had come out, so only one of us completed the walk up. It was a Lutheran Church, which makes sense, and was the nicest building there. The street heading up to this point was filled with the most colorful colonial-style buildings, all painted in shades of pastels. They looked nice, but the closer you looked, you could see the ravages of time that had eroded most of the wood-framed windows and doors. Despite the condition, they appeared to be occupied with shops on the main level, and housing above. While waiting in the shade against a rock wall, a car approached with a taxi driver, wanting to take me somewhere or anywhere, and was not taking no thanks as an answer. Few guests were in this area, and isolating yourself like this was not a great idea. Who knew? Probably harmless, I was happy to see my better half on his way back, and the taxi driver took off.
Heading back to the central fountain, we passed by more pubs and one nice-looking restaurant where the locals had filled all the tables. It looked better since the owner had the good sense to plant greenery in pots and surround the outside with them. Like an oasis in the desert, the rest of the town was about stark naked devoid of any trees or bushes. The only trees we saw were mainly palm trees. Sitting at the fountain, we watched as the locals went shopping for their food and supplies. Some kids were running around because school must have let out for lunchtime. Or their classes end in the late morning. On the way back, we stuck to the main streets, taking photos of the many fruit and veggie stands along the way. Some of the locals buy clothing and shoes (mostly flip flops) from street vendors with tarps on the ground. This is typical in many countries.
Back at the pier, we boarded the tender boat and were back to our room at 2:30pm. All aboard was 4:30pm today. Believe it or not, it was actually cold on our veranda, due to the fact we were on the shady side and a cool breeze was blowing. Without a sweatshirt and blanket, we could not sit outside. We did spot hundreds of seals as the Zuiderdam left the area headed out to sea. Too quick to get many photos, we were able to capture a few of these curious creatures.
Dinner was "dressy" this evening, we assume due to the fact it was St. Patrick's Day. The only sign of this celebration in the dining room were the green napkins and a special cute menu with shamrocks, pots of gold, and leprechauns by each item. The two of us and Barb were the only ones there. Many tables around us were empty because there was a 9pm party in the Lido poolside where beer (for sale) and live music was added by The Dance Band. Prior to this event, a pub crawl for $25 was held at 8pm inside the ship. So that explained the spotty dining room. We did not mind at all. Barb loves appetizers more than her main meal, so tonight she ordered deviled eggs, surprising her they were so hot and spicy, and a shrimp and smoked trout plate. Bill also had that and said it was the best fish ever. Our waiter had suggested he add the fish and shrimp to his Caesar salad, which he did. Perfect idea. For a change of pace, he tried the Irish lamb stew made with Guinness beer and loved it. One of us was happy as a clam with meatballs and spaghetti, not Irish, but one of my favorites. For dessert, Barb had the Baily's Irish crème cheesecake, and we ordered jello….yes plain old-fashioned jello. It is the lightest dessert here.
Bill & Mary Ann
