Our first time at sea (since I joined the ship) was only 3 days and they were marvelous, so I’ve been told. I had to be told this because I spent the entire time sick as a dog! My apologies to my roomies who had to hear me harking up in the bathroom and to others who had to witness the green pall in my skin (so I have also been told). My apologies also to the other galley staff who had to witness that ghastly gastric incident that second day! I don’t have any photos of that time period (I know, you’re welcome).
Anyway, we arrived in Cape Town none too soon, Sunday afternoon actually, to an incredibly beautiful, breezy, welcoming day! Apologies to anyone I mowed down trying to get off the ship…
Before we arrived in port, most of the ship was on deck seven watching the Cape of Good Hope approaching for the first half of the day. Wow!
And my personal favorite:
Into the opening of the port, directly into a little haven of a town and shops. We proceeded forward and then the tug assigned to us pulled our tush around and pulled us into a dock placement, backside first. We got a tad wedged in the mud at one point and the tugs pushed sideways until we reached the dock.
The sea lion relaxing in the bumper where we docked was absolutely not concerned.
Next to our dock was a huge mall and a beautiful hotel on the end of the deck and port ($6 – 800 a night, thank you very much). When I blanched at the price the gal at the front desk told me that the price was negotiable. I told her “not that negotiable, trust me.” It was nice that so much was very close, which was not the way in Durban.
The only think I could afford at the hotel was to get my eyebrows done in the spa – I was starting to look like Chubacca from Starwars. I feel human now that I’m properly waxed and tweezed.
I went into the mall to buy a few things and walk on ground that did not move. I found a fabulous restaurant and, since I was finally able to eat after 3 days of saltines, I had the seafood platter of 4 langostinos (baby lobsters), calamari, clams and some other fish. The sauce was marvelous but the little lobsters still had their heads and their eyes were staring at me. I tried looking elsewhere, like the view next to my table but they were still there when I turned back. I was so hungry and they were so yummy looking I finally gave up, named them John, Paul, George & Ringo and thanked them profusely for their delicious sacrifices!
I picked up a few more postcards and a few gifts in the mall and some sea sick drugs! I also took a long walk around one of the canals which took me further inland than I had planned, but I seriously needed the walk.
Before going back to the ship that night (since I didn’t have $600 for a hotel room) I stopped at a little café on the water for a Crème Brule.
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