Cape Town - Day 2

Today was just about the perfect day and definitely the best day since this trip began. I got off the ship about 8:30 and headed to the tourist bus station. On the way there I ran into some fellow shipmates heading the same way, so we walked together. The day was beautiful and clear, but not too hot and the bus was a double-decker with no roof for the top deck! John, Pat, Lloyd and I took our places on the top deck with perfect seats next to where the windows would be if there were any windows. We saw a number of interesting places and learned a few interesting facts about Cape Town:  Bartholomew Diaz, a Portuguese man, “discovered” this spot and named it the Cape of Good Hope. He didn’t stay here and the only real lasting connection to Portugal is some of the finest Portuguese food anywhere;   until 1947, what is now Strand street, and halfway into town from the water, WAS under water; St. George’s Cathedral was Desmond Tutu’s church and he always welcomed all people; in 1968, bulldozers displaced over 6000 people by destroying their homes in District 6 in order to create a nicer area, with absolutely no attempt to create an alternative for the displaced (apparently, they were in the way of some plans!); the idea that the Cape of Good Hope is at the apex of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans is a myth; and Robben Island (right off the coast of Cape Town) was a high-risk prison until 1991.

The fort (which used to be on the water but is now in the middle of town) never actually saw any military action.    

The only glitch in the day was when my camera died before we got to Table Mountain. The bus took us to the bottom of the cable car ride which then carried us up to the top of the mountain. This one (cable car ride) had to be 2 to 3 times the size of the one I rode in Chattanooga. I think the Palm Springs ride is more vertical though. The view was incredible and that’s not even an fitting description. There was a lady (Dagmar) who was stationed at a stone example of the mountain range, explaining the development of the different types of rocks in the mountains over the years. There was a small café with more of the amazing view and numerous small paths to take around the peak of this section of the mountain. Some people actually hike up to the top  - insane, I say. I did buy a one-time-use camera as to not miss out on photos because I thought my camera needed to be jazzed up by my laptop with a particular plug. It turns out that all I needed was a couple more AAAs. Oh comma well, as Rex used to say. When I get that camera developed, I promise to digress in my blog and show you the photos from the top.

When we descended back to the cable car station we got back on the bus and continued the tour. We went to another side of the island tip and around to the beautiful beaches on the other side including Hour Bay, Camps Bay, Cliffton, Bantry Bay and Sea Point. I found a couple of prospects for my (some day) winning of the lottery. When I move in there you’re all welcome (well, okay, most of you anyway). Anyone planning to visit here wants to look for hotels in the Camps Bay area; it’s all gorgeous, but Camps Bay is where the swimming beaches are located! If we had one more day, that’s where I would have been found. I also got some photos of the beaches and my future home on the other camera.

When we got back to the port, John bought me a perfect strawberry, double-thick shake and we headed back to the ship. I got just enough sun from the bus, but not burned, and we had to be back aboard by 3pm. Except for the camera snafu, it was a perfect day and made up for the no A/C and puking parts. Found a cozy spot to read a new book I bought in the mall while they handled the whole port-pilot-and-helicopter-thing again. With the sun and the walking and the lovely companionship to a perfect day (and the strawberry shake), I slept like a rock that night!

We will be on the water now for (I’ve heard) around 14 days until we reach Sierra Leone. Just under 3000 miles, I'm told. Galley work is back to every other day and we are seriously rocking and rolling but it’s okay now – I have my seasick drugs and those pressure-point things on my wrists!!!