African Struggles in the 20th Century

Our stretch of seven sea days between Namibia and Senegal was a good time to get caught up on our blog, and to write a review of what we learned about Apartheid from tours and lectures and after actually spending time in South Africa.

Obviously, Africa was inhabited by humans long before Europeans. In fact, archeology now shows that humans evolved from Africa to the rest of the world.  Europeans came to Africa much later, while trying to find a way to the East Indies spices. All this may have never happened if it wasn't for the Muslims taking control of the mid-East and cutting off all the land routes to the Indies. Since these routes could not be used, Europeans sought to find a way East by sea.

Diaz was the first to come to the point of Cape of Good Hope, and christened at first as The Cape of Storms. Then, in 1497, Vasco da Gama rounded the cape discovering the western African coast and finally making it to India, Attempts were made to barter with these countries who were already used to trade with the Arabs. Vasco da Gama did not always negotiate in a friendly way. But he was successful and proved that even though he had lost two of his four ships and 116 of his 170 crew, that bringing back a ship full of spices was profitable, pound for pound much better than gold and silver. And the spice trade by sea was on…Portuguese first, then England setting up an East Indies company in 1600, and then the Dutch East Indies Company two years later.

A lot of information yes, but this is the beginning of what led to Apartheid. The Dutch needed a place to restock their spice ships, and for this Cape Town was picked. At first only  90 members of the Dutch East Indies Company settled in, but within a few years, Dutch farmers were also brought to Cape Town to grow crops to restock the ships. The Dutch presence in South Africa grew. 

As in other places and times, Cape Town was affected by global events. When the Dutch were defeated in Europe by Napoleon in 1809, the Dutch feared Cape Town would fall into the hands of the French so they asked Great Britain to take over the colony which it gladly did. But Belgium made sure that the English would allow certain Dutch customs to continue, including the Dutch court system. Under this British rule, English became the dominant language. In 1833 Britain who had already ended slavery at home, decided to end slavery in South Africa also. This didn’t sit well with the Dutch whose slaves were needed to profitably work the sugar cane and cotton fields.

Many of these Dutch who called themselves "Boers" (Dutch for farmers) decided to move out of the Cape Town area to try to keep their independence. They began the Great Trek, some going as far as 1000 miles to the northeast. When the migrating Boers with their 1000 wagons came into Zululand, tensions began. As Europeans have done many times in their migration, a treaty was signed buying some of the Zulu land. Dingane, who had become the Zulu leader, after murdering the great warrior chief  Shaka, his half-brother, invited the head Dutchmen to a feast where he promptly executed the attendees and then massacred 250 Boer men, women and children in a nearby camp. The  leftover Boers regrouped, and in a decisive battle, called The Battle of the Vow, or the Battle of the Red River, 3000 Zulus were killed without the loss of one Boer. After such an amazing vitctory, true to their vow given while asking God for help, the Boers built a large church monument on the spot. Here, still, the Boer descendants go every year on the battle’s anniversary to pay tribute to their ancestors and to thank God and renew their vow. The Boers became a very strong group, feeling that God had given them this land. These beliefs later fueled separatist thinking.

When diamonds and then gold were discovered in Africa, Britain redrew the lines of the Cape Colony making sure the diamond mines in Boer territory would now be British. Many Brits became incredibly wealthy. One man, Cecil Rhodes, controlled the diamond industry, and he felt it was destiny for Britain to rule Africa from the Mediterranean to Cape Town. Part of this was his love for Britain and the belief that Britain was a superior culture. He believed blacks should be only laborers. (Interestingly, he had no descendants, and left much of his money to cultural causes including his Rhodes Scholarship). Tensions in Africa again started to mount.

Soon the Boers were at war with Britain (1899-1902), winning the first battle against the Redcoats with guerilla tactics like the Minutemen in Massachusetts, but in the second Boer War, the British defeated the Boers, burned their homes and farms and put all women and children in concentration camps. Later, in 1906, Great Britain gave some independence back to the  Boers.

Meanwhile, back in Europe, the monarchies became a little greedy. In 1895, there was a scramble to lay claims to all of Africa by these rulers, mostly kings from Belgium, Portugal  France, and Britain, with no thought as to what native Africans might want since they were felt to be less than human.  This colonization happened quickly. Prior to this land grab, most Africans lived under African rule, but by WWI, only Liberia and Ethiopia were still independent countries. 

Colonialization led to huge changes for Africa… railways were built to export goods to ports, and armies had to keep the peace. Blacks were required to pay a hut tax for these "improvements" in their lands, even if they did not ask for them or benefit. So instead of being able to survive as before by subsistence living, for the first time they were forced into either growing crops for sale or into wage labor, working for whites in order to pay this tax. Race became important.

In 1910, the Union of South Africa was formed, still under the British crown. The ANC, African National Congress Party, was formed by black men most educated abroad. Havng learned more and having been exposed to the outside world, they began pushing for equal rights. Several members traveled to Britain to plead their case, but were unsuccessful. Later during WWI and WWII South African blacks served in England's military and saw the inequality in South Africa, where although 90% of the population was black, they had no say in the government. Helping England fight for its freedom made them think more about their own situation and also that whites were not invincible. With this growing unrest, the party in power tried to accommodate gradual changes to allow blacks to enter politics. 

The Nationalist Party, made up of Afrikaners (whites of Dutch descent), which had been minor in the past, played on the fear of loss of control to these educated blacks. That and the growing concern over the rise of communism gave this right-wing party a victory in 1948. Sticking to its platform, laws were passed to block the rise of any black input in politics. They began to create a more formal divide between races.

Apartheid in Afrikaans means separatism. First came “petty apartheid”, with 148 apartheid laws created to keep the races segregated. These were rules such as…no intermarriage, separate facilities and transportation, a pass needed by blacks to even enter a white neighborhood, etc.  Education was grossly unequal with a 17:1 ratio of money spent on white vs black children. Universities for blacks were built that were divided even further by race and by tribe which led to more confusion and by confusing and dividing this further limited the power of nonwhite Africans. Later Bantustans were created where blacks were to live completely on their own and have their own government, similar to Native American Reservations in the US, but these failed.

The Land Act, the first major piece of segregation legislation passed by parliament said whites couldn’t buy native lands and natives couldn’t buy white lands. The problem was that by then only 7-10% of the land was owned by natives. Still shaped by this today, many blacks live in overpopulated unproductive land.

In 1950 the Group Areas Act required blacks be moved from their homes to areas outside of town, called townships. In one case, 60,000 blacks were moved from Johannesburg to SOWETO (SOuthWEstTOwnship) 12 miles outside of Johannesburg. Their old homes were bulldozed and the area renamed Triomf meaning triumph. Blacks, Indians, and coloreds (mixed race) were each segregated in different areas and not allowed to be in another’s neighborhood after 6PM. Later, because of the increasing unrest, blacks could even be arrested if they were talking in groups of three or more. The more unrest there was, the stricter the laws became. 

(We listened to several lectures about Colonialism in all of Africa. WW11 was incredibly costly to the European powers and since colonies were becoming money losers and because of increasing unrest, colonies were becoming difficult to manage. Europe gave up. Between 1957-1960, 31 African counties were granted independence. Unfortunately, the borders of these countries many times made no sense as tribes were put together or split up with no thought as to what friction this might cause.  Converting from colonization to independence was even harder because nonwhites had been purposely kept illiterate to make them easier to control. At the time the Belgium Congo received independence, we learned that only 16 blacks had a higher education. As these nations struggled in their births, instability, military coups, economic hardship and corruption often followed.)

As this unrest increased. Labor Unions were formed and began to protest. Soon other groups also openly demonstrated. In 1976 secondary students in Soweto protested that classes were now required to be taught in Afrikaans instead of English (the language of the students). Despite it being fairly peaceful, police opened fire killing 23 students, with another 176 dying later from injuries.  Some estimates are as high as 700.

During another protest, blacks including Nelson Mandela were protesting against the passbooks they were required to carry at all times. Police opened fire on this peaceful protest killing 69 people. It wasn’t just blacks that were protesting apartheid. A liberal nonviolent white women’s resistance group joined the Black Sash Protest.

Nelson Mandela, the leader against apartheid, had begun destructive tactics when years of peaceful protests didn’t work. His group began to bomb South African facilities at night when no one would be hurt. Because of this and his communist leanings, he was imprisoned on Robben Island working hard labor in a quarry and living in an 8X8 cell.

Condemnation of apartheid from other nations increased. South Africa’s economy started to suffer because of the world’s boycotts of businesses. The White Nationalist Party could see the inevitable crumbling of white dominance. In 1990 DeKlerk lifted the ban on the ANC and repealed many discriminatory laws. Finally, in 1991 apartheid was legally abolished.

Fearing more violence, Mandela was freed, and in 1993 President DeKlerk and Nelson Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize. Blacks were given the right to vote and Mandela was elected president in 1994. As president, he put both whites and blacks in positions of power and started a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission”. Meetings were held across the country that were broadcast over the radio…powerful conversations that helped with the healing process. Bishop Desmond Tutu played a big part in this saying there was no future without forgiveness. Mandela said that when he was freed, he left his hatred in his prison cell.

Another wise decision by Mandela that made a huge impact was to wear a rugby jersey and present the world cup rugby trophy. Rugby had always been considered an all-white sport. (Movie Invictus)

Mandela Statue in London

Soon economic sanctions internationally were lifted and Mandela traveled the world…as one lecturer said, “everyone wanted a piece of Mandela". Unfortunately, while he was traveling he could not keep control of South Africa and the seeds of corruption were planted. 

The ANC has been the ruling party since Mandela was elected. Last year the president was removed by his own party for corruption and now it is rebranding itself as the anti-corruption party…hoping to revitalize investment and tourism. Many are skeptical of its crackdown on corruption in the party and believe it is just a political ploy for the current election. Blacks over 60 are very loyal to the ANC while the majority of younger, educated blacks and whites support the DA. The DA, Democratic Alliance, is its biggest opposition party and the party in power in Cape Town. We saw a huge difference in roads and homes in Cape Town, from other places we visited in South Africa. The DA is the party that wants equality for both races, while a third party the EFF, Economic Freedom Front is quite radical and wants whites out of the country. Sure enough, on May 8^th, the ANC was re-elected, as expected but by a smaller margin. The winds of change are happening.  Hopefully, it will change in a good way.

A Bench in Namibia...
Left from Apartheid Days

South Africa faces huge issues…land reform with radical blacks seizing land once theirs from white farmers, mismanagement of the electric company by the government leading to load shedding (blackouts), water shortages due to drought, and of course poverty, drugs, housing, climate change, aids, TB, refugees, and tribalism. Yet, all the educated people we spoke to regardless of their race feel hopeful about the future of their country.

Namibia in a Day...Walvis Bay

Luderitz... the Town We Missed

We spent only one day in Namibia. The day before, our ship had anchored at the port at Lüderitz but after an hour of unsuccessful attempts to tender the immigration officers onboard and with increasing winds and waves predicted, the Captain gave up as he had in Recife and Easter Island... life on the high seas. We had been looking forward to seeing this small coastal town located between the surf of the Atlantic and the dunes of the Namib Desert, but all we saw was a beautiful Easter sunrise. With its dirt roads and German colonial architecture, it apparently hasn’t changed much since the Germans left in 1915. Locals had planned to be stationed all over the village to teach us about Lüderitz on this Easter Sunday.

Some passengers had planned to go into the desert to see wild horses. We signed up to see the ghost town of Kolmanskop, once a vibrant and wealthy diamond town. When the mines dried up and there was nothing left to do, everyone left and the stately German buildings are now being swallowed up by sand. Missing this port of call was disappointing for us, but for this small town, it was a big economic loss. So sadly, with anchors away, we sailed on to Walvis Bay and consoled ourselves with chocolate!

Easter Treats around the Ship

First a few facts…Namibia, population 2.5 million, is the world’s most thinly populated country with two-thirds of its land the Namib Desert. Cattle raised in the far north are exported along with minerals and fish, although its waters are being fished out. Otherwise, everything is imported.

Typical Sign in Walvis Bay

 Schools are taught in English, the official language, but most people speak Afrikaans, German, or one of the 16 native languages recognized by the government. These many groups are proud of their individual cultures as well as their united country.  So, as one would expect, signage around town can be a little complicated...English, Afrikaans, and in this case, Oshiwambo.

Six Miles from Town are the Dunes of Namibia...Dune #7

And now some history…just like so many other African countries, Namibia changed European hands many times…Portuguese, Dutch, German, English, and then South African. Its first true European colonization was by Germany in the late 1800s. Conflicts with the Herero tribe began over land and finally in 1905, the Germans nearly exterminated them by forcing them westward into the desert and shooting them if they attempted to return. Somewhere between 24,000-100,000 were killed along with thousands from other local tribes.

During WWI the South African Union (under Britain but self-governing) defeated the German military and when the war ended, the League of Nations mandated Namibia to the United Kingdom, under the administration of South Africa. Namibia became South Africa’s fifth province, called South West Africa until 1990 when it gained its independence…except for Walvis Bay which South Africa refused to give up until 1994 when South Africa had too many problems of its own to deal with.

Namibia remains closely tied financially to South Africa. It depends on South Africa for imports including electricity. With the current electric contract ending in September, and with SA’s increasing electrical shortages, Namibia is expecting load shedding (daily outages) so is hoping to start using solar although there is no money for this. Again, we learned that most mines are owned by foreign countries. China owns uranium, granite, and marble mines. This has not helped Namibia’s economy since China brings in its own workers and exports only to China unlike the other investors…a familiar story. As in other countries we have visited, there are underfunded public hospitals where care is not good, yet for those who can afford private insurance, there is excellent care in private hospitals. 

The Deep Water Port of Walvis Bay

By 6AM the next morning we successfully docked in Walvis Bay, Africaans for “Whale” Bay (the cold waters were plankton rich and whales abound). It has Namibia’s only deep-water port. Lines formed by 6:30 AM for onboard face to face screenings with Namibian immigration services, and as always, Viking made it as smooth as possible.

Knowing that Namibia is one of the most arid desert lands in the world, we dressed appropriately in light clothing, not leaving any skin exposed. What we didn’t know was that this town only gets 100 sunny days a year as the cold ocean currents come up from the south bringing 57-degree waters to the dry desert sand dunes. A dense fog rolls in almost every night and well into the morning. Typically this burns off by noon, then reappears in the late afternoon, and so it did. 

The Lagoon's Migratory Inhabitants

Beautiful Homes Next to Lagoon

Our included tour was unique and so much fun. Our first stop was the Walvis Bay Lagoon on the south side of town, now part of national parkland. The lagoon was formed by an ever-present and growing sandbar a half mile into the ocean, the waters averaging three feet deep. In the winter the lagoon is home to 80,000 wading birds that migrate in the summer to Kenya to breed. Hundreds of flamingos, rare white pelicans, and cormorants were feeding in the shallow water. Shivering as we snapped our pictures, the cool winds and fog off the bay penetrated our summer clothing.















Back on the warm bus, we drove by the million-dollar homes along the waterfront. Some had grass lawns and a few bushes or trees. The other city houses wisely chose sand for lawns, and greenery was rare. The golf course in town was one big sandtrap except for the greens. Pastels were the color of choice for the smaller stucco homes in town, adding a cheerfulness to an otherwise sand colored landscape.

Brightly Painted Homes Near Town

Large areas of government-built houses were also well maintained. We passed several areas with rows of these simple stucco homes built for working people. Those not working make temporary structures to live in until they can afford one. Unfortunately, with the country in a recession and mines closing, unemployment is now almost 30% and many newly unemployed are losing their homes as they are unable to make the bank payments.

Lower Income Government Housing

Sand and wind are a constant battle for homeowners. The houses on the outskirts of town take the brunt of it, but all require continuous care. On a typical day, as the sun burns off the fog, the convection winds begin blowing the sand from the beach and dunes into town and onto the houses. Namibians know it will be an especially windy day if they awake to blue skies. After cooling down the houses in the morning, people close their windows and doors to lessen the pervasive sand from blowing in. On really windy days, people have to sweep the sand off the outside walls before the evening fog cements it in place, making it impossible to remove.

        Viking Crew in Namibian Herero Dress (Except Sujith) at Dune #7...Again Going Above and Beyond

Within a few blocks of the city center was a bit of reed vegetation in areas where partially treated wastewater was pumped, otherwise, it was just sand. Soon we were into Namibia’s famous sand dune belt and parked at Dune #7. At over 1250 ft, it is the tallest dune, given its name because it is the 7^th big dune from the river. The Viking crew wearing the traditional Herero horn-shaped headdress said to represent the horns of this cattle herding people, welcomed us to this cool photo opportunity, offering gorp and punch to fuel a few of us for the climb.

Mark at the Top Taking Picture of Carol Almost There

We took the straight-up approach, steep and exhausting. For every ten steps forward, we slid six steps back, and by the end, we were literally crawling up on all fours. But we made it, and after breathtaking views (whatever breath we had left) we enjoyed a walk along the top of the dune. Realizing we were running out of time and not wanting to anger a busload of Vikngs, we quickly hopped back down the dune with incredible ease, spending the next few hours emptying sand out of our shoes and pants.

Made it!

On our Way Down

Not only did the crew have to deal with sand, but also coal dust. The port recently had been used to haul coal, leaving a dusting of black soot on the pier which became sticky with the fog. The crew laid out a 50-yard long path of towels for us to walk on to the gangplank along with two water tubs to step in, but this only partially improved the mess on shoes. All afternoon and evening, housekeeping was scrubbing the floors on all decks, and we awoke to new carpet at the check-in area. Amazing! We weren't surprised that a recent article online had the Viking Sun as one of the top 10 cleanest cruise ships in the world.

Swakopmund...

After a quick lunch at the Pool Grill, we were on a bus driving 10 miles north to the German city of Swakopmund.
This town of 45,000 settled in 1892 by German colonists is now a charming seaside tourist town, full of Bavarian architecture. Because it was Easter Monday, there was very little traffic on its extra-wide streets. A few people were walking the pier and playing tag with the “cool” waves, all enjoying the sunshine. Across the road from the dunes, the wealthy had built huge second homes on the ocean.

 Historic Hotel...now with Casino
and Movie Theater

Swakopmund's Busiest Restaurant

Beautiful Downtown...Just a couple Blocks from Desert

On the drive home, we saw a few tourists riding camels on the dunes while others sped around in dune buggies. We also passed by townships where during apartheid, coloreds were required to live on one side of this main road, blacks on the other, whites having their own area around downtown. They weren’t allowed to visit another section after 6 PM, yet they did, and it was not enforced as it was in South Africa. When apartheid ended, and Namibia became an independent nation, things went relatively smoothly.

The Three Presidents of Namibia

Both guides with their strong German accents love Namibia. They acknowledged the harsh weather and corruption, and one mentioned a concern that too many of the bright college graduates are moving to England because of lack of jobs, yet they say they would never leave. There is a pride and sense of optimism for this new country…and as one guide said, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

Cape Town, South Africa

Thursday morning we awoke to the hum of a helicopter as we sailed the calm waters into Cape Town. The ship made a 360 so the chopper could shoot different views for Viking publicity. The scene was spectacular, with iconic Table Mountain behind the city, and Lion’s Head and Signal Hill also in view.

Cape Town an Table Mountain

Back in the days, a cannon on Signal Hill fired when a ship was coming in so all the farmers could bring their produce to the port to resupply the ships. There is still a signal at noon every day. Signal Hill also becomes a center of attention at sunset for young folks as they try to cram as many people as possible on its top when there’s a full moon. With the full moon and unusually clear skies the night we were there, and being Easter weekend, it was so packed that the Viking tour going up to the top for wine and cheese was cut short due to long lines for the cable car to the top. This led to more grumbling.

Signal Hill was not on our agenda. We took the included tour into town and walked around the lush green Company Garden where food was once grown to stock ships rounding the cape. Surrounding the garden were beautiful museums. We could have spent a week here alone.

Company Garden's Vegetable and Herb Gardens...
Began by Dutch East India Company 

Jewish Museum

 Tuynhuys, built in 1700 by Dutch East India Company for 
important visitors and where Deklerk announced 
the end of Apartheid

Parliament Building

On one side of the garden was the Victorian Parliament Building, still used even though Pretoria is now the capital. Instead of moving the building brick by brick when Pretoria became the capital city as some wanted, a compromise was reached and there are now governmental buildings used in Cape Town, Pretoria, and Johannesburg.

Our guide was excellent however our group walked slowly so after an hour we took off on our own, touring the rest of the garden then heading to Mount Nelson Hotel, where the white, rich and famous stay. Viking actually offered a visit to the hotel for its British high tea. 

Believing English were the superior race, Cecil Rhodes tried to bring all Africa under British rule. He made money in diamonds and gold and started Rhodes Scholarships with his fortune.

Mount Nelson Hotel

Cecil Rhodes

City Hall

At City Hall was the statue of Mandela waving on the front balcony. It depicted the scene in 1988 when he greeted the massive crowd that had come to see him after being released from 27 years in prison. Our guide said she was there and never would forget the day, or the day she fled into the local church to take refuge protesting Apartheid. Mandela is well loved by South Africans. 

Statue of Mandela along with
a City Worker

Interior of St George's

St. Geroge's Cathedral 

When released from prison he had said that he had left his anger in his prison cell so that he could truly be free. As a young activist in the 1960s, he had at first tried the pacifist approach like Gandhi but when nothing changed, he started to bomb government facilities, always at night, so that no one would get hurt. After six months in hiding, our CIA helped South Africa catch him because he had communist leanings.

Green Market Square  

Colorful Bo-Kaap District

Along the slopes of Signal hill close to the city center was the Bo-Kaap neighborhood, easy to identify with its cobblestone streets, a kaleidoscope of neon colored buildings, and seven mosques. Cape Town had been founded by the Dutch East India Company in the mid-1600s for a stop for ships on the way to Indonesia. The 10,000 people living in this Muslim community are descendants of the skilled workers brought over from East Africa, India, and Indonesia to work. When Britain seized Cape Town in 1795, the end of slavery and religious freedom led to the emergence of the distinct “Cape Malay” culture. Some say the colors of these homes once built for and leased to slaves are an expression of individualism and freedom when apartheid ended. We bought four large bags of their famous spices and added them to our backpack. (One exploded on the way home and covered our clothes with curry powder!)

Malay Spice Market

Can you see the Artists at Work?
Shop supporting Abused Women

Soon it was time to meet Lee Daniels, our son Drew's former student who had graduated from NPU in Chicago in May. We began walking to the V and A Waterfront (Victoria and Alfred…the Brits love to abbreviate) taking the shortest route. We ended up on a street surrounded by fences and freeways. Looking lost, directions were signaled by guardsmen and then offered by a woman who came running back after us when we had made a wrong turn…so many friendly helpful Africans.

Waterfront Condos and Table Mountain  

Meeting Lee...our Tour Guide and Former NPU Student

We found the V and A and were attempting to get wifi at the Aquarium to contact Lee when a sporty looking 20 something women approached us. It was Lee. She had recognized Mark by his peach-colored shirt. 

Lee is an amazing young woman…energetic, smart, and personable. We browsed a repurposed warehouse filled with artisan booths and sampled Biltong, South Africa’s jerky…Kudu and beef with different grades of spiciness. We walked through the beautiful/bustling waterfront filled with artisan shops, the statues of South Africa’s four Noble Prize winners, and musicians with the backdrop of Table Mountain against the clear blue skies. Gorgeous!

Nobel Prize Winners

Shops of Stellenbosch

Lee then drove us  through the hilly vineyards to Stellenbosch to see the botanical gardens, galleries, and Dutch architecture, with a stop for tea and yummy plum cake.

Afternoon Tea and Plum Cake

We walked over to her old high school, the top girl’s high school in South Africa. She was enthusiastically greeted by her old tennis coach, principal, and a classmate who had been a seventh grader when Lee was captain of the tennis team. She had just returned from four years in Chicago and everyone was happy to see her again.

Interior of Dutch Reform Church 

One of Many Inns, Former Homes of Dutch Settlers

We drove to a wealthier neighborhood outside the town, but a tall closed gate with a guard discouraged us from going further. It was dark and time for dinner anyway.

Traditional Good Friday Meal
on Thursday with the Daniels

We were greeted warmly at Lee’s home where she lives with her parents and only sister, an English and ancient history teacher at Stellenbosch University. Even though it was Thursday, her dad, Avner, had prepared a typical Good Friday meal for us with hot crossed buns on which we placed pickled fish…cold hake in a tasty sweet and sour sauce. This was followed by vegetables served in a gem squash, along with bobotie, a meat casserole lightly spiced with curry, cardamom, and cinnamon, yellow rice, and malva pudding with British style custard for dessert. Avner had worked IT, but now was home, cooking and gardening and taking care of the house. Her mom, Mariana, was a 5^th grade teacher, teaching proper English and math to 40 students/class, many immigrants from other African countries.

During apartheid, Mariana’s family had been moved seven times as the whites expanded their town holdings. We talked about politics, Cape Town’s history, and its future. All were hopeful yet concerned about corruption. Their previous president had finally been removed by his own party for corruption. Even though treated unjustly in the past, they were loving and forgiving. After three hours, it was time for us to leave. Lee gave us framed pictures of Cape Town that she and her partner sell at markets. We were grateful for the chance to spend time with this family. Lee was right…”South African hospitality is HUGE.”

Despite the late night, we were up at 6AM, excited for the best excursion we’ve had this trip for its beauty, variety, and fabulous guide. Our bus took the winding mountain road along the southern seashore passing expansive sandy beaches, with other areas rocky with kelp growing out of the water waiting to be cut and exported to be used in toothpaste, yogurt, ice cream, and many more products.

Kelp Farming outside of Cape Town

Twelve Apostles and Sandy Beach Towns

Ostrich Farm

Wild Ostrich by Cape Point

We passed ostriches along the road and on a farm, raising ostriches for eggs (One egg equals about 18 chicken eggs), feathers for dusters, and meat that our chef served that evening on the ship. It tasted like very lean beef. Beautiful homes covered the mountainsides. Many were owned by “swallows”, Europeans and Americans who live here part-time like our “snowbirds”. It was a different world than the South Africa we have been seeing.

Cape Point National Park

At Cape Point National Park we hiked the mile path up to the Lighthouse. Because it was a beautiful holiday weekend, it was packed with people. As we made our way up, we saw several baboons grabbing food out of unsuspecting hands, reaching into tourist bags for snacks. Our guide won’t hike in the area since they can be so aggressive. People keep their doors locked in neighboring towns since baboons open doors and cause big damage inside homes.

Baboons Ruled the Area

Cape Point Lighthouse Hike with Bus in Far Upper Right

The views from the lighthouse of the ocean were tremendous, first with relatively clear skies laced with clouds and then with the fog rolling in that by the hike’s end covered the hills.

Penguin Colony at Boulder Beach

After a lunch stop, we went to Boulder Beach where African Penguins were nesting, swimming, protecting their young, mating, and just strutting around being cute.   

They could walk more human-like, than the waddling bigger penguins. We watched a seagull try to enter the colony for a meal of baby chicks. When the gull came close, the penguins turned towards the gull, cocked their heads and hissed until the gull backed off. 

We took the inland road home through gorgeous treelined neighborhoods of the upscale suburbs to our last stop.













We could have spent days in Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, but appreciated our guide leading us to the most interesting parts of this beautiful place including the huge protea flower in its glory.

We could have Spent Days in Beautiful
Kirstenbosch Gardens

Picknicking at the Gardens

Nearing the city, we drove by the infamous District 6 where 60,000 blacks and coloreds had been kicked out of their houses with no notice to make it an all-white area. Residents were moved to Cape Flats township 15 miles away. The area was bulldozed except for places of worship, but due to international pressure was never rebuilt. The only thing there now is a technical college and some police housing.

Bulldozed Area of District 6

District 6 Police Housing

Ship's Evening Entertainment

Our time in beautiful Cape Town ended with a concert by a marimba band and the Western Classical Voices…a choir made up of talented young adults from disadvantaged neighborhoods. The educated youth that we met today are certainly South Africa's hope.