We made our way to the bottom of the continent, to lovely South Africa. We spent three days in “Rainbow Nation” (so nicknamed because of its mix of cultures), one day in Durban and two in Cape Town. Originally, we were supposed to spend two days in Durban and one in Cape Town, but there was a storm brewing that the captain was worried would prevent us from being able to get into Cape Town at all, so we left Durban a day early. This was a bummer for me because the second day in Durban was supposed to be a game drive and I would have had a chance to see a giraffe (and other animals) but alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Getting two days in Cape Town wasn’t a bad thing though, so no complaints.
So, we kicked things off with Durban. We arrived at 1pm and all had to go through the immigration process. Prior to getting off the ship, the ship made an announcement that the port authority required they make. It was the most intense announcement we’ve had on the ship to date – telling us to not wear nice jewelry, keep our phones put away while out and about, don’t wander, gave us specific areas to absolutely NOT go, to be back on the ship before dark, etc. etc. It was a long and intimidating message that frankly left most passengers feeling a bit uneasy. In addition, it was election day in South Africa and the leading party (Nelson Mandela’s party) was expected to lose its control so there was a general feeling of trepidation in going out to explore. Ryan and I looked at each other and contemplated not even going out given the warning. But, prior to leaving the ship for the face-to-face immigration we saw the general manager and I simply said, “I assume it’s at least safe where the shuttle would take us, right?” and literally people’s heads turned all around us waiting for her answer. She laughed and said, “of course – they make us read that announcement but it’s completely safe where the shuttle is going” so we all breathed a sigh of relief and Ryan and I decided to go ahead and go out.
The shuttle took us just a little way away to uShaka Marine World, which is an entertainment theme park and tourism destination on Durban’s golden mile. The front of the entrance featured a megalodon mouth that we, of course, posed in.
In addition to the marine world (which we opted to not go into), there were shops and eateries (including local places as well as KFC) that led out to a promenade. The beachfront walkway was quite peaceful with beautiful views of the waterfront. The vibe was definitely one of being safe and secure.
We wandered around for a while before just meandering through some shops. I bought a t-shirt and some fudge. Ryan bought a magnet and several 20oz bottles of drinks. He is enjoying trying all the different beverages in various places.
We didn’t venture beyond this area, and instead just headed back to the ship when we were finished exploring the promenade and marine world area. It meant we didn’t see too much of Durban, but it was enough for us given the warning announcement from earlier.
After Durban, we were at sea for a couple of days as we headed down to Cape Town. Given the part of the ocean we were in and the fact that we were trying to beat a storm into the city, it wasn’t surprising that it was a time with rough water and lots of rocking, both day and night. In addition, the ship was practically empty as half of the already sparse number of passengers were off on overland safari expeditions, so Ryan and I had essentially a private yacht. At one point I went for a walk on the 10th level deck and saw literally no other guests for an hour and a half – on my level of the level below with the pool. I saw four crew members, and that was it.
It was a good feeling when we finally made our landing in Cape Town. The ship became still and we were free to explore a new area. I got off the ship alone and walked to the V&A Waterfront, right near the ship. It was a lovely area with a lot of shops and restaurants dotting the way. There were art installations all over the place. These rhinos were among my favorite art pieces.
There was also this fun penguin, with birds perched on its head, mocking it for their ability to fly. To add to the disgrace, they pooped all over his head. The horror!
Some signs featured the distance of Cape Town to other locations in the world, a reminder of how far away from so many places we really were at this point. We were closer to the South Pole than we were to Chicago – by a ways!
I walked along and explored various shops before grabbing some gelato and walking back to the ship. At that point, I had a quick bit to eat and then grabbed Ryan and headed back out with him to show him the area. In just the short time between when I went out solo to when I went out with Ryan, the place became twice as busy. As it neared evening, you could just see the place coming alive with people enjoying the outdoors. Street performers were everywhere, from singers and dancers to human statues and contortionists. Ryan and I retraced my steps from earlier, marveling together at the art and performers.
Here is a picture of us with the famous Table Mountain in the background. It’s believed that Cape Town’s iconic Table Mountain is one of the oldest mountains in the world. Table Mountain is approximated to be between 260 and 600 million years old and is on some lists of seven wonders of the natural world. While we didn’t go up the cable car to the top of the mountain, we enjoyed the views from below. The locals call the cloud coverage that hovers around the mountain its tablecloth. It was a beautiful sight.
Ryan had some street food (a chicken wrap with a super fizzy pineapple drink) and gelato while we sat and enjoyed each other’s company. We wandered through some shops, got some souvenirs, and then headed back to the ship. It was a lovely day of appreciating the local life.
The next morning, I was supposed to have an excursion to a winery (Cape Town is known for its wine) and to an ostrich farm, so I got up early and was ready to depart only to discover that the excursion had been cancelled and they had missed letting me know. Oops. Thankfully, I was able to be rescheduled into the world event so it wasn’t a ‘nothing day.’ Ryan opted to not go to the world event, so I went solo.
The world event was held at Mistico Equestrian Centre, a location renowned for its Lipizzaner stallions. As the Mistico website notes, “Bred with a distinct purpose for battle, the Lipizzaner stands as the oldest domesticated horse breed still in existence today. Its introduction to South Africa in 1948 was driven by a commitment to preserving this vulnerable breed for subsequent generations. Globally, the Lipizzaner’s spectacular performances are exclusively showcased at two locations: The Spanish Riding School in Austria and The South African Lipizzaner Centre, situated here at Mistico.”
At Mistico, we were greeted by some African performers singing and dancing upon our arrival. We were also given some delicious fruit juice in glass bottles.
We were then directed into an arena where we were treated to a show featuring the Lipizzaner horses prancing and performing before our eyes. Trained for years to complete the dressage work, it was impressive (though honestly a little lost on me, as there were times I wasn’t sure if they were ‘performing still’ or just walking funny, haha).
I also captured some good photos of the horses displaying some great athleticism, leaping into the air from a standstill position and rearing on its hind legs. It was a fun spectacle to see.
After the dressage show, we were provided an opportunity to feed the horses some carrots and interact with them briefly.
We then had lunch in an indoor training facility (that had been transformed into a lovely sitting area). The food was family style and quite tasty.
Some musical performances accompanied our meal, and some shop owners were situated along the edges of the arena with some goods on display. Everybody had been given a wristband that we could exchange for a gift from a shop owner, which was a nice touch to the event. There were all sorts of things on display, from bags to beaded animals to artwork and jewelry. There were also women walking around doing face painting for those so inclined. (I was inclined.)
They also had a photo booth set up and Julie and I took advantage of that as well.
The event was fun. By this time in the around-the-world adventure many people have become friends and the venue allowed for a lot of mingling and interacting in a lively manner. Here I am with Craig and Sylvia, the duo that is in the room across from me and Ryan. They’re on my interim trivia time (until John returns and the dynamic duo can rise again!).
I mentioned to Ray that the events just keep getting better, and he assured me that Lisbon’s event (which John will be back for) is supposed to be equally if not more incredible. I’m looking forward to that!
After the event, we made our way back to the ship and went through face-to-face immigration again before heading out of South Africa. It was a fun adventure in the country, to be sure. Now, off to Namibia!