It seemed that not everything went as planned today. Beginning with the weather for instance. When we went to breakfast, it was overcast, but we could see blue skies above the clouds. It was chilly, but it appeared the sun would come out. Well, by the time we got back to our room, we saw the visibility was getting less and less. There was supposed to be a sail-in commentary at 11am by Kimberly and it was to be heard in the Crow's Nest as well as all outside decks. And as always, it would be broadcasted on the Bow Channel on TV.
Even the Bow was going to be opened as early as 9am, but that was the first activity cancelled due to dense fog and high winds. The fog was so thick it was like a light shower. Sure reminded us of San Francisco where the fog can be described as "pea soup" - mostly in the summertime. The fog horn needed to be sounded every few minutes. It was eerie to hear horns coming from several nearby vessels, and even scarier since we could not see them at all.
It was decided not to have the commentary on the outside decks, since no one was going outside in this weather anyway. The TV feed did not happen, but we understand if you went to the Crow's Nest, you would hear Kimberly's commentary. There was an advertised wine and complimentary cheese selection in the Crow's Nest at the same time. By accident? We highly doubt that, because it was an opportunity to sell wine, even if was only 11am. It's 5 o'clock somewhere, right?
The next thing to go wrong happened to be the fact that due to the dangerous conditions, the Zuiderdam had to stop outside the harbor and wait until the fog lifted. The port had been closed to ship traffic. We do know from past experiences that the wind can cause the port to shut down, so this did not surprise us. It was just yesterday that Captain Friso had mentioned he was going to try and get docked an hour earlier. At that time, there was no prediction of blinding dense fog. This weather situation in this area can turn on a dime. So we waited.
Our scheduled docking was 12pm, so when the tug appeared at the aft of the ship, we knew we might be on our way. And we were but it was more like 1:15pm by then. Now the funny thing was once we got out of the fog bank, it was perfectly clear in the harbor and the city. Even Table Mountain and Signal Peak were visible, with only some fog laying in the canyon between them. Now if it stays this way all day, we will be most lucky.
We were eventually docked at the Cape Town Cruise Terminal Berth L, which was quite a long way from the actual terminal. Tomorrow morning, we will move closer to Berth E, where we always dock. There was another cruise ship, The Virgin, who was scheduled to have a turn-around cruise from here today. We expected them to be in the berth already, but they must have come in after we did.
The ship was cleared upon arrival, and the tour groups went off first. Their buses were lined up and waiting. However, another snafu of the day were the complimentary shuttles that were supposed to be there as well. They arrived at 3pm, although the line of guests were out there waiting for an hour, despite the fact it was announced not to be in a hurry to get off. We watched as several people left the line and went to seek out a taxi or van to town. We decided to stay onboard and not wait in the long line for the shuttle. After the ship moves tomorrow, we can walk to the Victoria and Albert Waterfront Complex and forget the bus.
So here's a bit of info on Cape Town, one of the world's most beautiful cities. Flat-topped and aptly named, Table Mountain dominates the city with its cable car and walking trails. There are beaches (watch for the great whites), wine estates, and the V&A Waterfront Complex with a modern mall. Cape Town has undergone an urban renewal and has added world class restaurants, modern food markets, and arcades for all ages. This has replaced a once industrial neighborhood near the harbor.
Hard to believe that 5 million people live here surrounded by 17th century buildings from the Dutch and British. In Kimberly's talk, she separated the different areas to see. There is the immediate area, which we will see tomorrow and the following day, the Central Business District, the Bo-Kaap district, and the Cape of Good Hope. All of these are too far to walk, so she suggested public transportation or taxis and Ubers.
Ship excursions were numerous beginning with Chapman's Peak Scenic Drive for 3 hours and $80 or Stellenbosch Winery with wine tasting for 4 ½ hours at $110. A trip up Table Mountain was 3 ½ hours for $130, or for the same price were the Ostrich Farm and Wine for 4 ¾ hours. Another one at the same price was Streetwires and Old Biscuit Mill for 4 ½ hours. Sundowners on Signal Hill was $150 for 2 ½ hours and High Tea at Mt. Nelson Hotel was $160 for 3 hours. Cape Town Apartheid and Robben Island was $190 for 8 ¾ hours, while the Winelands was $200 for 8 hours. Penguins and Kalk Bay was $260 for 4 ¼ hours and Amazing Aquila (a day safari) was 9 hours for $370. Last was a romantic dinner for two at a fancy restaurant was $589 for 5 ¼ hours which included two drinks. Most of these tours would be offered the next two days too.
There was an invitation in our mail slot for an exclusive private kitchen tour on April 29th at 10:30am. Mini-health forms have to be filled out declaring we are disease-free. When we sailed on the Volendam's Tales of the South Pacific last fall, the entire guest population was invited without any health forms. Guess things have changed since then which is a good thing.
This evening there was an activity called "Once Upon A Time", which sure sounded like fairy tales we heard when we were kids. Well, it turned out to be close to that. When making a trip to the Dive-In Grill we saw all of the lounges gone and "beds" replacing them. Not really beds, but wicker lounges with blankets and large pillows. Really? There were three story-telling times with different themes. They guaranteed mystical sounds, smokey sights, and bedroom settings in the Lido Pool area. And for a special touch, there would be freshly-baked cookies, popcorn, adult hot beverages, or something stronger. Sleepwear was encouraged - what are they thinking? Well whatever works, we are sure some folks will love it. The younger group of kids certainly will. The event began at 7pm and ran until 10:30pm. By the way, that was the entertainment tonight.
We expected most of the diners around us at dinnertime would be off of the ship, but only two couples were missing. Starting with salads and a starter of chicken skewers, one of us ordered the Club Orange short ribs and the other had the favorite Bolognese spaghetti. It was so good and hot as could be. One scoop of chocolate chip ice cream was just enough, as was one cup of coffee.
There were two "vintage" canvas tote bags with the HAL's 150th Anniversary printed on them. Perhaps no one will notice that this year is the 151st. Regardless, they are useful in many ways.
Tomorrow we shall go exploring.
Bill & Mary Ann
